Watts Brothers morticer?

[Hpps]

A chap locally is clearing his late fathers workshop and has what he's described as a Watts Bros morticer for sale. Does anyone have any experience of these and would it be a worthwhile purchase? I can't find anything on the interwebs about it, so wonder whether its a Watts Bros motor on a machine made by another company?

 

[Sandyn]

drool!!!!! that looks like a real machine. Watts Brothers seems to be listed as a woodworking machinery maker, jointer, spindle moulder, so there is a good chance the complete machine is made by them. I love the design on the counterweight on the lever. I guess it must swing forward as the lever is pulled down, so the machine can be against the wall. These machines last forever. I would say it's a good purchase if it's £350, but 3 phase, 415V and it must be hundreds of Kgs. What a beauty!!!

 

[heimlaga]

I know nothing about Watts Brothers but the machine has all the design features one should look for in a mortiser.
The only downside I can see is the open ended motor which may need rewinding one day in the future (may be next week or in the autumn of 2254 or anything in between) when too much wood dust has been blowing around inside it for too many decades. The varnish used on the windings back then wasn't as wear resistant as the varnish used in a high quality motor today.

In my oppinion theese old style floor standing hollow chisel mortisers are far better than anything that can be bought new for any sort of money. That is from the wiewpoint of a small business making one offs and small production runs. Modern mortisers tend to be either very time consuming to set up and then very fast at making 10000 similar mortises, or very fast to set up but too slow and weak to do a profitable 10 mortise production run. Theese old ones are in between. Easy to set up for one offs yet efficient enough for a production run of 200 mortises.

 

[johnnyb]

whilst it looks a great old beast the biggest problem is usually the sheer weight of the beast. and spares( if there ever needed)

 

[Hpps]

I've agree £100 for it, so at that price I'll take a chance!

 

[Sandyn]

an absolute bargain!!!! congratulations .

 

[Devmeister]

For 100 to 300 pounders, its worth the risk. The machine is old, cast iron and built like a battlewagon. Dealing with spares is like anything in the old world. Keep doubleboosts number handy if your in england. The motor appears to be direct drive to the chisel. So it could be a replacement motor now and or you can use a replacement motor in the future.

The state of modern woodworking is dismal. The new tools are overpriced and underbuilt. Pure frustration for the queens quid! I wont do it. Stick with the old names. wadkin, robinson, sedgwick, etc. Learn how to restore what you need. You will save money in the long run and you will be happier with your work.

The problem with modern hollow chisel mortisers is that the body will flex under load. So your mortise looks a bit like the rats have been eating in there. Oldies like wadkin or robinson behave totally different. My machine is a 1940 world ward two wysong miles 284 and an oliver 92 from the 1940s. These old girls will keep on running for ever. Bearings are a no brainer and are standard.

 

[Bod]

Be sure to get all the chisels and sharpers for it.

Bod

 

[Fitzroy]

I got what I thought was a good price on a Sedgewick morticer earlier in the year, however it came with no tooling and new tooling would have cost me the same as the machine, I ended up surfing ebay until I found some at a reasonable price. So any tooling no matter what the condition take it with you!

 

[Hpps]

Theres a box of 5 or 6 chisels with it too

 

[heimlaga]

Spare parts is generally not a problem. There is hardly anything on it that can break yet cannot be made.

 

[RobinBHM]

I've agree £100 for it, so at that price I'll take a chance!

good buy for that

interesting is that it looks like the table can move up and down -so can accommodate deep stock like a bottom rail of a door when doing a muntin.