Mortising Machine Table: X-Y, Shopnotes, or Other?

[theminor]

Well I got an inexpensive benchtop mortiser about a month ago and I really haven't sued it much yet. It is a Harbor Freight and I had a coupon and I only really needed it for occasional use, so I got it, but I'm still trying to get the setup ready to go for regular use.

Anyway, the Table and support that came with the machine leave much to be desired so I'm thinking about putting a new table on it, but I can't decide which to go with. I've seen a lot of recommendations for an X-Y Table, which sounds like this sort of system would work very well. Any particular model recommendations? I guess Harbor Freight sells one, although I can't find one on their website. Any recommendations there would be appreciated.

My other option is to build the mortiser table in the recent issue of Shopnotes. I just got mine in the mail yesterday and saw this very nice-looking system:

(See the table of contents on the shopnotes site)

This might be the way to go - it looks really nice.

Rockler also sells an inexpensive Mortising table here that would probably work fine. But no X-Y (althogh I wonder if I really need the X-Y?) Having little experience with the machine I'm just not sure what the best way to go is.

Any other options, suggestions, recommendations?

[JR]

I have the HF mortiser. The fence an hold-down are definitely cheesy.

An x-y vise would definitely help with the main problems of alignment and hold-down. It would also take away available height, limiting the thickness of the material you would be able to work. For whatever reaon I have had to do mortises in some thick stock, which has kept me away from the x-y vise solution

I haven't seen the latest shopnotes yet, but the pic looks intruiging. It looks like they have an excellent hold-down system and a convenient way to hold the stock against the fence. Why don't you give it a try and let us know how it comes out!?

JR

[Garasaki]

But no X-Y (althogh I wonder if I really need the X-Y?)

The long and the short of it, is:

Yes absolutely 100% you NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED to have the x-y capability.

Get yourself set up with an x-y vice, use the darn thing, and you'll understand WHY. I can tell you until I'm blue in the face but you'll never understand till you do it yourself.

HF sells a 4", 5", and 6" x-y vice, oddly enough they all tend to be priced about the same. Any of em will work fine for you. BIgger is better but my local one never seems to have the 5" or 6" in stock...

[theminor]

Well the loss of available height is something I didn't think about. For those that have an X-Y Vice installed, how is the height affected? Still usable?

[Popeye]

Here is an article I used to modify my HF mortiser with an XY table. Other than the fact that it weighs a ton..... which is only bad when it has to be moved....I'd put it up against any other benchtop mortiser. I did not lose any depth of cut capibility doing this, maybe I gained some. Good luck with it, Pat
http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/r...cles_414.shtml

[LCHIEN]

Here's the machinists slide milling X-Y table I used to modify my Mortiser (Jet JBM-5) - substantially more solid than the X-Y vises.



http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMK3

I built a new base, raised the post (had to leave clearance underneath for the table travel) and have a home-built vise on top - don't seem to have apic yet (or can use the existing hardware).

[messmaker]

JUst a reminder. You need to flip the mortiser 180 degrees and build a base to mount it on to get the room you need. You may want to move the adjuster on the XY vise to the other end to allow for free movement.

[gary]

Loring,

I like your setup. How do you hold down the workpiece? I didn't see it in the pictures.

[dlminehart]

Messmaker, I've seen photos of a mortiser whose base had been raised by attaching it to a platform made of welded steel. If I remember correctly, it was basically a top and bottom plate with a W-shaped stand between them. Looked like a simple welding job for someone with access to a welder.

[LCHIEN]

Loring,

I like your setup. How do you hold down the workpiece? I didn't see it in the pictures.

I don't have a photo of that. I can use a regular DP vise moounted to the T-slots in the top of the X-Y-table. I also have a home-made vise that's almost as wide as the table. I like that because it supports the workpiece all the length of the mortise up to about 10 inches... on a long mortise keeps the workpiece from racking off the smaller vises, w/o having to reposition the workpiece.

the DIY vise is just a three-sided box with 2 threaded screws in the front wall pushing a clamp against the workpiece trapped against the back wall.

[theminor]

JUst a reminder. You need to flip the mortiser 180 degrees and build a base to mount it on to get the room you need. You may want to move the adjuster on the XY vise to the other end to allow for free movement.

Thanks for the tip, but I'm not sure I follow you - What do you mean by flipping the mortiser 180 degrees?

[Garasaki]

You'll understand when it's all sitting in front of you...

You have to change the mortiser mount and the side the x/y vise adjusts from. Both are simple operations.

[AlanWS]

I don't recall whose this is, but here is a picture of a modified base. Note that extra height is achieved by mounting the base on a spacer block, but the base is turned around backwards to provide clearance. In this particular case, the cast iron of the base also seems to have been trimmed. Note also that one of the adjusting handles has been reversed as well.

http://img2.putfile.com/main/11/31800150128.jpg