Replies

1. 
   JosephJohn32 | May 29, 2002 07:29am | #1

   Well, I'm not very good at writing "Dear John" letters, but I'll have to give it a try.  Although I have not encountered the type of problem you're having with the gears, I can speak on behalf of the Delta HC mortiser.  I had purchased the same benchtop model you have been using some 2-3 years ago.  Before, I was using routers and regular hand chisels to cut my mortises.  Way to slow and tedious.  I had dreams of Stickley dancing in my head and thought that a new Delta mortiser was just the ticket.  On the very first day of use, I had snapped three seperate bits while attempting to cut mortises in red oak and maple.  The mortises that I did manage to cut were sloppy, out of allignment, and simply a bear to manage.  I had sold the machine within 24 hrs.  What a let-down.  John, my suggestion is that you check out the Garret-Wade catalog and look at some of the Multico selections.  Pricey, but they'll deliver good results.  Also, Powermatic has that nifty floor model out now.  Looks BEEFY.  Did you try Wilke Machinery or General Machinery?  Both produce mortisers and both have websites.  As for your friend's Delta,  the charge to repair it may approach the price of a new one. 

   Best of luck.

   Joe

2. 
   chairmake1 | May 29, 2002 10:35pm | #2

   You are not alone -

   I HAD the same type of machine and the elbow casting that holds the

   arm used for plunging broke - then the fence brkt. that goes thru

   the main support snapped - then the hold down casting snapped off -

   I'm a chairmaker and mortiserer are everything to me - so I took

   the machine back to the dealer that I bought it from and made ####deal - trading the Delta for the Jet bench top model. List price

   minus the purchase price I paid for the Delta. The Jet unit worked

   great and I'm very happy with it - that is untill I bought

   the Powermatic # 719 and now I live in dreamland - daily.

   Check with Delta- I'm sure there are others that have had casting

   failures on this machine.

   Hope this helps.

   Robert

1. 
   Elcoholic | May 29, 2002 11:24pm | #3

   Jeeze!  I guess it could be worse.  I'm not sold on the Jet nor the Fisch either.  I've used a Multico PM10 (?) and the hold down and the depth stop don't stay put.  I want the cross slide table which the bigger Mulitco (PM20?) has.  What others did you checkout before getting the Powermatic?  The crappy part part is that I'm gonna have to pay to fix my buddy's Delta and then go buy a mortiser of my own.  John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne

1. 
   chairmake1 | May 29, 2002 11:51pm | #4

   The Powermatic 719 was not on the market at the time I was

   having all of the problems with the Delta - so the Jet was

   the next best thing at the time. I was in the beginning of

   a small run of chairs and needed something RIGHT THEN.

   For the most part I try to buy equipment from local sources

   so when things go wrong I can actually put my hands on someone(G)

   and get replacement parts or repairs done quickly. I'm at

   the mortiser every day and use a range of bits from 1/4" thru

   3/4". The Powermatic has served me well so far and I just

   don't have any complaints at all on this machine. I don't

   have any info on the manufactor you mentioned but Garrett

   Wade is a good supplier and I've had no problems with them in

   the past. My only drawback would be the fact that they are not

   local.

   Robert