Who knows about Morso Machines?

[Prizen]

Hi All

Just curious as to what are the uses for Morso Machines? Is it mainly for cutting mitres, as I see they are often marketed as picture framing machines. For example, can the same machine do a beaded face frame also (obviously apart from the routed bead itself).

What are other uses for them and is there much maintenance on them?

Cheers

 

[deema]

I have a Morso, I don’t use it for picture frames, but anything where I want a perfect 45 degree cut. The edge it produces is perfect, glass like with a sharp blade. The machine can ‘eat’ really large sections, so it not just for thin strips. The really nice thing is being able to accurately cut, if you need to take a shaving off that you can easily read through to get a perfect fit, it can do it easily. It also has a pair of jacks for supporting mouldings, so cornices or anything with a moulding besides picture frames are easily cut. I use it to cut hardwood as well as softwood. For woodworking I think the two extension arms are really excellent.

 

[Prizen]

I have a Morso, I don’t use it for picture frames, but anything where I want a perfect 45 degree cut. The edge it produces is perfect, glass like with a sharp blade. The machine can ‘eat’ really large sections, so it not just for thin strips. The really nice thing is being able to accurately cut, if you need to take a shaving off that you can easily read through to get a perfect fit, it can do it easily. It also has a pair of jacks for supporting mouldings, so cornices or anything with a moulding besides picture frames are easily cut. I use it to cut hardwood as well as softwood. For woodworking I think the two extension arms are really excellent.

thanks Deema - is it suitable for beaded face frames?

 

[deema]

With a ‘picture’ frame Morso you can do the mitred corners, but you can’t notch out for the muntins. However, Morso do another version of their machine which is designed for face frames and can cut the notches. They are usually hideously expensive even secondhand when they do rarely come up. However, it’s one of those machines that you can buy second-hand for a project and be confident to sell it for the same price if not a bit more when your finished!

 

[Rewound]

thanks Deema - is it suitable for beaded face frames?

I used to be a picture framer sometime last century. Have cut thousands of frames out on a morso. And it is a really useful tool for general joinery.

As for cutting complex moulding. you have to experiment a little, and if bits are breaking off you need to improvise a bit of packing to support the overhanging bit. Sometimes those extra long cooks matches re good for making up bundles of packing material. (obviously you need to dispose of the brimstone bit wisely)

 

[deema]

@Rewound Do you cut notches with the standard Morso, and if so, how do you do it?

 

[Rewound]

@Rewound Do you cut notches with the standard Morso, and if so, how do you do it?

what do you mean by notches ?

cut out triangle shapes along the edge of a piece of wood ? yes, very easily and quickly! the blade moves back so you an cut out from a mm deep to about 3 inches. you cut it out in stages, depending on the hardness of the wood.

The normal cutting of wide picture frames is cutting out ever deeper notches till you get through, the last cut you just take a slither off to get a nice finish.

 

[deema]

@Rewound sorry I’m taking about cabinet face frames and producin notches to assemble them as shown

 

[imageel]

The Morso NFS that does those notches are a superb bit of kit, amazingly accurate and even though manually operated are relatively easy to use, if only they weren't so expensive, and as others have mentioned they seem to sell 2nd hand for the same price as new..
I know I saw one in use in the open day Dr Bob kindly gave a few years ago for notching face frames, I've no idea if that is still in production use, but it certainly looked to be very quick and achieve very sharp/tight joints

 

[johnnyb]

I did read somewhere a chap was converting normal morsos to notchesrs. don't ask who when or where!

 

[ChrisWiduWood]

Im currently looking Morso notchers , for beaded face frames you specifically need the notching machine not just the picture framer, not only is the blade different , but there is a sliding stop in the notcher that lets you cut the 'Male' stiles accurately that the normal guillotines cant do (if my research is right?)
Oh and then theres the dovetail machine to get as well

 

[schnapps95]

@Rewound sorry I’m taking about cabinet face frames and producin notches to assemble them as shown

View attachment 152012

 

[schnapps95]

@Rewound sorry I’m taking about cabinet face frames and producin notches to assemble them as shown

View attachment 152012

We have both the F & NFS models and you can do your circled joint with ether one take a vee cut on the left then one on the right and remove the centre portion with a chisel or other means job done!