Mortising machines

**Acolyte** · 8th January 2008, 11:32 AM

For anyone planning on buying a benchtop chisel mortising machine, just a quick heads up. Stan at WMS (129 Plenty Road, Preston) has some new machines in stock which are an improved version of the Sherwood TBM-160 5/8" mortiser (reviewed here: http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/reviews/sherwoodTBM-160.htm).

The new machine features the same chisel and work table capacity, precise travel work table in X-Y direction but has sturdier construction, an improved gas lift ram, a cast iron fence (rather than pressed aluminium) and lateral extension stops. It also comes with 3 free chisels (1/4,3/8 AND 1/2" size), more details can be found at:

http://www.woodworking.com.au/cgi-bi...roducts&type=0

Compared to the Sherwood model which is selling for $399 (and which Leda are selling as the MS-3816 for $363), it is well worth checking out. Note that I have no affiliation with WMS but have always received great service there and consider this machine represents good value.

cheers

Acolyte

**routermaniac** · 13th January 2008, 11:24 PM

I bought one over the weekend. Looks like a good machine, the part of the morticer that guides the chisel is also much more re-inforced than on the timbecon machine. Very little adjustment was needed out of the box. I suspect you can get much better chisels for it but the ones included do the job well once they are sharpened. It is a very quiet machine and the table works extremely well.

At this stage I am very happy with it, it cuts mortices much faster than I could imagine with my drillpress of a router.

regards

Marios

**Fossil** · 2nd February 2008, 01:07 PM

All of the small morticing machines that I have seen aren't much better IMHO. Better and faster results can be achieved with either a router and/or a set of morticing chisels.

I don't know about the little machines, but my powermatic is fantastic.
I have modified the machine a little bit, as it did have a couple of downsides straight from the factory, which I will elaborate on if anyone is interested.

Here is a pic of the machine, and I just used it on a piece of scrap hardwood for this post. The two mortices in the picture took 63 seconds. They do need a little cleaning on the bottom, which would only take a few seconds with a sharp chisel. I have been a joiner for thirty years, and have probably cut thousands of mortices by hand. As good as I am with hand tools, those mortices would have taken me at least 20 minutes by hand. Routers are messy, loud and obnoxious beasts for cutting mortices.

**Harry72** · 2nd February 2008, 07:57 PM

"Routers are messy, loud and obnoxious beasts for cutting mortices."

I'd have to agree with that, a CM machine is pretty quiet compared to most machines while cutting

**routermaniac** · 5th February 2008, 04:34 PM

Cant imagine I would be mortising with the router again, things are much simpler and more quiet with the morticing machine, set-up time is minimal and it feels safer. I should have got one earlier.

Marios

**Caliban** · 5th February 2008, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by routermaniac

Cant imagine I would be mortising with the router again, things are much simpler and more quiet with the morticing machine, set-up time is minimal and it feels safer. I should have got one earlier.

Marios

Marios
Does this foreshadow a name change?

Glad to hear it is so good, I'm about to order one.

**Murph1962** · 11th May 2009, 10:29 PM

Gday all
Can any one enlighten me as to how to assemble this critter or even better send some colour pics as the instruction manual is, well let's just say it's lacking. I bought this machine in 2005 and have just opened it (been working away and overseas). Amy assistance would be appreciated.

Regards
Murph

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