Craftsman 12" DRILL PRESS MORTISE ATTACHMENT

[ted van halen]

I'd like to buy a mortising attachment for my new Craftsman drill press(12" bench model). Sears offers one as well as delta. Are there any others? The quill measures just over 2" w/ a dial caliper & the closest match is 2". Any advice would be a huge help.


Ted

[onedash]

I wouldn't put one on my bench top drill press if they were free. I have a delta deluxe mortiser and the amount of force required to make a mortise im sure would destroy my drill press. And a drill press has to turn the handle multiple times to move as much as one pull on the mortiser.
If it was only for small mortises on soft wood it might be a consideration but I dont think a small drill press could handle that type of abuse for very long. Then the price of a new drill press plus the add on mortiser puts you at or above the price of a dedicated mortiser.

[LCHIEN]

I'd like to buy a mortising attachment for my new Craftsman drill press(12" bench model). Sears offers one as well as delta. Are there any others? The quill measures just over 2" w/ a dial caliper & the closest match is 2". Any advice would be a huge help.


Ted

I used the delta one with my Delta 12" benchtop DP.
It worked OK but I felt I was near the limits of the strength of the arms of the elevation crank. Its probably OK for ocassional usage.

I built some projects successfully but I've since bought a dedicated mortiser.

[ted van halen]

I'm just looking for occassional use for now. Predominantly in soft wood. Once I get a few projects under my belt I'll justify a dedicated mortider then.


Ted

[Tom Hintz]

Ted,
I have tried mortising attachments for drill presses and the experinece moved me to write a review of them that nobody making them enjoys. See the link below.
Oddly enough, mortising soft wood is often more difficult than hardwood because the wood just collapses before even a sharp chisel can begin cutting the fibers. It can be done, and a very sharp chisel/drill helps but it can be an official pain in the hinder.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews...attachrvu.html

[ted van halen]

Dang Tom,
Don't be afraid to open up & tell me how you really feel. I'm in a bit of a quandry now as to how I'm gonna join this bed I'm building. It's gotta be strong to handle all the motion you know? I'd like some advice here. Little help please?

[Tom Hintz]

Actually, the answer is easy. Either learn to make mortise and tenon joints accurately on a router table or get a mortising machine and be done with it. I messed around way too long trying to do M&T joints without the dedicated machine, spent too much, wasted too much effort, and then wised up. It was a hit to my tiny woodworking budget even at the $225 I paid for the mortiser back then but I suddenly could make these joints right and exactly where I wanted them. In the end, I think the dedicated mortiser turned out to be one of the better value purchases I have made.
I know there are folks who still use a drill and chisels to make M&T joints, and I admire that kind of skill and dedication. I am not one of those people and do not have the interest in hand tools to learn the skill. It is an option though it you like that kind of work, as some really do.

[Ken Weaver]

What Tom and the others said. I love the mission/arts & crafts style. I did one project hand cutting mortices and that convinced me to spring for a dedicated mortiser (Delta, $229 from Amazon, free shipping). I used it on my Deacon's Bench and it makes a huge difference. If you don't plan on doing mortise and tenons after the bed project, do them by hand. If you plan on doing more projects with M&T joinery, save your shekels and invest in a dedicated machine. My $.02.

[just4funsies]

Ken's advice is right on. If you make mortices by hand for one project, it will be easy for you to justify the expense of a dedicated morticer for the next project. HF does have a couple of units at very cheap prices, and a better-featured one with a bi-directional moving table, but I think I'd err to the side of caution and get a quality unit elsewhere (just one man's opinion). Mortice chisels and bits are like router bits: It's better to use really good ones.

[ted van halen]

Well, I stand('cause my my laptop is on the counter) convinced that I will not use an attachment for my DP. It has generally been my experience also that a tool for many operations doesn't do any of them really well. You guys have sealed it for me. I've got zip for tool money right now but I do have a BIL w/ a mortiser so I'll go that route. Thanks for the advise!!

[vaking]

Mortices can be done with plunge router and some jigs. There are simple jigs and there are elaborate jigs, depends on your taste.