Powermatic 701 Hollow chisel mortiser

[jefferson]

Has anyone got any recommendations or views on the PM 701?

The price seems reasonable - around $550 plus chisels. The larger Powermatic units - stand alone machines - are around $1500, so I'm hoping that the bench top unit will do the job.


http://www.majorwoodworking.com.au/catalog/images/medium/PMMORTISER.jpg

thanks Jeff

[markharrison]

I have one. Great machine though I haven't given it a really thorough workout yet. Next week it will be getting a pounding.

[jefferson]

Mark

Let me know how you get on with the mortiser.

What sort of chisels did you buy? I had a look at some Jet ones last week in Melb and they were - and seemed - pretty cheap.

Apparently you need some stones to sharpen, any ideas on that?

Jeff

[markharrison]

The Jet chisels are supposed to be among the better Taiwanese made chisels. I have a Jet 1/2" chisel and the cuts I made on pine were pretty damn good. I'm sure I can get better from this chisel. I haven't honed it. I will also polish the edge with my Dremel on the inside and on my 8000 grit waterstone on the outside. The augur seems pretty sharp as it is.

The other great thing about this machine is that a diamond coated sharpening cone comes with the machine so there is one thing less to fork out for.

[zenwood]

Aren't these things superceded by the Domino?

[markharrison]

No.

[sinjin]

I have the copy of this machine...which is one hell of a lot cheaper than the powermatic. Weighs in at about 280kg i think.
http://www.wmhtoolgroup.com/shop/index.cfm?navPage=4&iid=6056398

[markharrison]

Wrong machine. This is what we are talking about: http://www.powermatic.com/shop/index.cfm?navPage=4&iid=6056912&vid=2