I am in need of a drill press and hoping I can find one that will double as a mortiser. I have a friend who told me that trying using a mortising attachment with his benchtop drill press fried the machine’s motor. I hope to purchase a 17″ drill press like the Delta 17-950. Will a mortising attachment to a 17″ drill press work just as well as a dedicated benchtop mortiser? What features would I be sacrifing by going with the drill press/mortising attachment option?
– Lyptus
Replies
This topic has been discussed, so a search might be in order. FWIW, my own opinion is that a DP mortise attachment will work in a pinch, but it's a PIA. What you will be losing is good hold-downs and guide fence (and a movable table on higher-end machines) which, I think, are the most important parts of a mortiser. What you will be gaining is some aggravation every time you have to install/remove the attachement and a bit of extra shop space.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
I had a Craftsman drill press and I used it fot 15 years with a morticing attachment, it did the job but was a pain to keep switching. I finally purchased a Delta bench type dedicated morticing machine and it was well worth the price. It is always ready to go and no switching around. I now enjoy doing mortices. Wouldn't be with out one now. I probaly cut 10 to 12 mortices a week now that I am doing woodworking full time.
Edited 6/19/2006 9:03 pm ET by mrbird90
Mr B,
In the other thread that discusses this topic, most people decried using a drill press with a mortise attachment as being not worth the effort. One exception was Ray Pine (Joiners work) who also uses an older model Craftsman drill press very succesfully with a mortise attachment.
My guess is that the Craftsman is an "old fashioned" tool - that is, well built, heavy and stiff, unlike most modern, far east-sourced drill presses. I have one of the latter, which is fine for drill work but is too "bendy" to take the large forces needed for successful use of a mortise attachment.
Personally, I would advice a woodrat for mortising (and tenoning) as it costs the same as a good mortiser but cuts many, many more types of joint and makes a cleaner. more precise mortise (and tenon) than a typical mortiser manages. You will have to square the ends of the mortise with a chisel though (or round the tenons).
Lataxe
There you go again !
I have a Multico, What a machine !C.
C,
You are a woodworker of Taste and Discernment, not to mention Deep Pocket.
If only those Multico Men could get their mortiser to do dovetails, tenons, finger joints and so forth, as well as them neat square holes. Of course, they do give them a nice paint job, as well as the 1st class engineering......
Lataxe
I use a Delta mortising kit on a recently purchased Delta 17-965 drill press. I purchased a 3/4-inch bit additionally. There is nothing bendy about it. The only minor problem is that my press is not the 17-950 which has a better setup for installing the mortising kit than any other press I have seen. I think it is better than many separate mortisers. A 17-950 should be fine unless you make mortises on an almost daily basis. Of course, Lataxe's recommendation of the Woodrat should be considered by you. I already own other machinery thus probably don't want to afford a Woodrat. LOL!
Cadiddlehopper
One big disadvantage of using a DP as a mortiser is the lack of a long lower handle like those found on a dedicated machine. You'll have to turn the wheel on a DP quite bit to get alot of travel out of it, and mortising does require some force on the chisels..
Edited 6/20/2006 7:53 pm ET by Scotty_
Let me add another point to Steve's response. Tung oil is not a very good finish from a water and watervapor barrier point of view. Nor is it protective of scratches and it is not very durable. You will get some minor protection from 5-6 rubbed on coats but it will need to be renewed from time to time.
There are other oil finishes that will produce a very similar appearence but will also add some protection. Oil/varnishes like Minwax Tung Oil Finish or Minwax Antique Oil or Watco will look almost identical but the varnish component will add quite a bit of long term protection.
Howie, my good man, you are in the wrong "couloir".C.
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