HF mortiser

[woodinville guy]

I was in HF today and the mortiser was on sale for $99. I picked it up, I hope to take it out of the box soon :-)

I hope it is ok and will work for the occasional mortise that I need to make.

-Dave

[Knottscott]

Hi Dave - I've been pleased with my HF mortiser. The hold down benefits from some modification. Some people use an X-Y vise, I just used a 4" DP vise. This is my first and only HF machine....overall it's a bit crude but worth that price IMO, and works quite well.

[woodinville guy]

Hi Dave - I've been pleased with my HF mortiser. The hold down benefits from some modification. Some people use an X-Y vise, I just used a 4" DP vise. This is my first and only HF machine....overall it's a bit crude but worth that price IMO, and works quite well.

Sounds good. Forgive my ignorance, what is a X-Y and DP vise?

-Dave

[Knottscott]

Sounds good. Forgive my ignorance, what is a X-Y and DP vise?

-Dave

drill press vise:


X-Y vise:

[woodinville guy]

Do you have a picture as to how you use these on the holddown?

-Dave

[Hoover]

Here is a link with some pics for your question on the HF XY vise set up:
http://www.woodshopphotos.com/main.php?g2_itemId=2480&

[dkhoward]

I have had my HFmorticer for almost a year now and have used it on a variety of projects. For the price and the level of useage I give it, I mark it one of the best buys at HF. However, I do have a few suggestions . .

Find the chisels that come with the morticer, remove them from the box and drop them in the neatest trash can, get online and order some good ones and order a sharpening stone at the same time.

I agree with what was said earlier. Work on the table and hold downs. I prefer the XY vice myself because it makes doing precise alignments a lot easier.

I added a longer handle to mine just to increase the leverage and make it easier. I had shoulder surgery a couple of years ago and the longer handle makes it much easier for me to use the thing.

Have fun and go slow. . . the biggest problem I have had with mine is trying to cut too much, to fast.

[woodinville guy]

Thanks all!

[Pappy]

Wasn't there an issue with one model of the HF mortiser not using a standard size chisel? Something about the shaft having a larger diameter.