Thread: Bench top mortiser - which one

Originally Posted by pellcorp

Out of the box and the gunk cleaned off but no time left to play - maybe tomorrow

Well I finally got a chance to try it and I can confirm the hold down is a piece of sh** bit otherwise very pleased at the moment I am using clamps to clamp the piece against the fence and then upclamp move and reclamp. I am ok with that and even in redgum I am getting decent mortises but more practice is needed to master it )

Hi all,

I bought the $319 cheapest model, W347.
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Pr...stockCode=W347

Even brand new and out of the box, it is rough as guts. But, as I am a fitting and machining teacher and have access to surface grinders and own a wonderful german milling machine, I decided to fix it.

I ground all the flat surfaces above and beneath the dovetails. Generally, it was not flat, bowed about 0.5 mm. It takes skill to be this bad. The vice was 1 degree out if square. Its as though someone attacked the most precision surfaces with a angle grinder.

The upper dovetail has a screw adjust and that was 0.5 mm eccentric. Woeful.
I had to mill flat the base and where the upright slide is connected to the base.

Once all that was done, it is a joy to use. Has taken about 15 hours to get right. It now mortises square and true. Has minimal play in the slides and is SMOOTH to operate. H&F should be ashamed of themselves to sell such a product. But, after this rework, its excellent.

I also bought their tablesaw:
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Pr...stockCode=W453

and likewise, its not right. The table is 0.6mm bowed in the centre and not flat. How the f&ck after surface grinding, can you screw up a flat surface?

I decided to keep it as I am going to regrind the table on a bloody large surface grinder with a mag plate 1.5m x 800mm. Then it will be a good machine. But it is a chore as it will take the better part of a day to dissaseble, drive 40 kms away, grind the main table and two wings, grind the edges square, pay a slab for the use of the grinder, drive home and reassemble. But after that, it will be a good machine.

I looked at the carbatec version and after using a straight edge, it too was fu&ked. That's why I decided to rework this. For $1K, there isn't a comparable machine that I could find.

regards,

GZ

Funny. Different strokes eh

I much prefer the hold down on the Jet. I've got the Carba-tec with the clamping hold down which I hate using. I head over to a mates place to use his Powermatic (gold painted version of the Jet) with the forked top clamp.

There is no need to clamp the work piece being mortised. The forked top clamp is there only to hold the work piece down when you are extracting the bit. It serves that purpose much better than side clamping.

As for being able to set side stops for table travel, what's wrong with bringing the bit down by eye.

Any Jet or Powermatic owners wanting to swap for the Carba-tec unit?

Originally Posted by Too Many Clamps

Funny. Different strokes eh

I much prefer the hold down on the Jet. I've got the Carba-tec with the clamping hold down which I hate using. I head over to a mates place to use his Powermatic (gold painted version of the Jet) with the forked top clamp.

There is no need to clamp the work piece being mortised. The forked top clamp is there only to hold the work piece down when you are extracting the bit. It serves that purpose much better than side clamping.

As for being able to set side stops for table travel, what's wrong with bringing the bit down by eye.

Any Jet or Powermatic owners wanting to swap for the Carba-tec unit?

A 1/2" bit in redgum gets stuck and the hold down gave out ) I just need the hold down to hold down. I am more than happy to locate the bit by hand I just need a better hold down for hard woods and large bit. I have not tried 3/8" or 1/4" in tassie oak or something

Originally Posted by pellcorp

A 1/2" bit in redgum gets stuck and the hold down gave out ) I just need the hold down to hold down. I am more than happy to locate the bit by hand I just need a better hold down for hard woods and large bit. I have not tried 3/8" or 1/4" in tassie oak or something

Jase, you might need to think about adding a couple of toggle clamps on your existing fence. I know it would be a bit of mucking around, but the results will be worth it.

Also i see you got the tenoning jig. Have you had a chance to use it yet? I have been thinking about getting one for a while now and had my eye on the Jet

Originally Posted by pellcorp

A 1/2" bit in redgum gets stuck and the hold down gave out ) I just need the hold down to hold down. I am more than happy to locate the bit by hand I just need a better hold down for hard woods and large bit. I have not tried 3/8" or 1/4" in tassie oak or something

Otherwise the jet is a beauty - well machined and smooth operation just like my other jet tools - a joy )

Originally Posted by Lignum

Jase, you might need to think about adding a couple of toggle clamps on your existing fence. I know it would be a bit of mucking around, but the results will be worth it.

Also i see you got the tenoning jig. Have you had a chance to use it yet? I have been thinking about getting one for a while now and had my eye on the Jet

Hi,

I have not got very much further than setting it up, took a little bit of fiddling to get it lined up and slop free in the mbs 300. I would imagine your jet table saw would not require these tweaks however. I had to add some hole punch dimples to the metal bar to remove the slop. But it's a very solid and highly adjustable tool - but i have only cut one test tenoning so far and did not pay attention to how easy it is to get accurate thickness etc - will do that next weekend

Thanks for the idea about the toggle clamp sounds like a good idea. I wonder if I will need it for smaller tenons 3/8" or 1/4"

I started on a coffee table this week - made out of red gum fence posts. I am still doing tests tenons and mortises so far but the tenon jig is AWESOME!

Also I found the 3/8" mortise bit is working better on redgum. I also increased the gap between the bit and the chisel and use soap to lubricate and I am getting good results with the standard clamp. I am clamping wood in front to keep the piece against the fence.

Tests are going well tomorrow the real thing.