Replies

1. 
   THintz | Mar 26, 2006 09:12am | #1

   I have tried more than one type of drill press mortising attachment and have heard from a bunch of woodworkers who also have attempted working with various models of this "tool" and the results are not encouraging to say the least.

   See the link below for my "review" (or tirade) about this idea. I strongly suggest you consider putting this purchase off until a full-on mortiser is in the budget, unless you really hate yourself or thrive on frustration and disgust.

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

   Tom Hintz

   Because there is always more to learn!

2. 
   Lataxe | Mar 26, 2006 01:22pm | #2

   Cicco,

   Tom is absolutely right about the so-called mortising attachments for a drill press.  I tried 2 different makes (one of which was a Delta) with terrible results in both cases.  My drill press is a large floor standing item of very good quality (as a drill press).  I bought proper mortising chisels and bits, not soft-metal cheap ones.

   When I say "I tried" I really mean TRIED.  I stiffened the drill press platform to take the Big Push needed for mortising.  I sharpened both bits and chisels to razor keeness.  I got a longer lever made to get more push-down than the short levers of the drill press give.  I made the mortising table and its hold downs very beefy.  In short, I spent hours and hours with nothing to show but one or two poor slots before the whole caboodle began to seize, jam and otherwise cease to perform.

   A drill press is just not stiff enough throughout its structure to take the large downward forces needed by mortising.

   Now I use a router with double fences or a router in a Woodrat, with an upcut spiral bit. The multipurpose router makes super clean and accurate mortises (and tenons).  And it performs a hundred other woodworking tasks too, unlike a mortiser, which does nothing but drill square holes.

   Lataxe

    

1. 
   DoRight | Mar 27, 2006 09:04pm | #9

   This is a very interesting issue.  I have had people recommend teh drill press route and people recommend teh dedicated mortiser.  People say why buy a dedicated one purpose tool?  Perhaps because it works.

   The one interesting thing here is that when I was in a high school shop class I did use a drill press to make mortises adn as I remark thought it is was "cool" and pretty slick.  Worked great.  I don't recall the speices of wood and that may have been key (ie soft wood).

   But from this forum it appears that if you are going to make mortises get a dedicated machine or learn to use a router.

3. 
   Pondfish | Mar 26, 2006 02:00pm | #3

   I have a Delta drill press and the Delta mortising attachment.  I would recommend you get a dedicated mortising machine instead; the Delta attachment works, but it takes much fussing and isn't a great system.  Compared to the dedicated machines, the Delta attachment is a POS.

   Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
4. 
   douglas2cats | Mar 26, 2006 02:41pm | #4

   I've used the DP attachment (briefly). Save your money. I've currently got a Delta benchtop mortiser but it rarely gets used any more either. My advice - unless you've got LOTS of mortises to do or can wait until you can afford one of the large stationary floor type mortisers - get yourself a good quality edge guide and use a router. It takes slightly longer to do them with a router but I think the results are worth it. Even with the mortise bits kept very sharp IMHO there's no comparison in the quality of the mortise cuts done with a router. I think that's just due to the difference of cutting across the grain in incremental plunge cuts vs. cutting with the grain in one continous motion. The routered mortise wall is a lot smoother which translates into snugger joints that slide together better. The other alternative is to use a DP with forstner bits to hog out the waste then use sharp chisels to cut the walls. I've gotten better overall results with that method than either the DP attachment or benchtop mortiser too, but prefer using the router. Just my $0.02.

   If you build it he will come.

5. 
   BruceS | Mar 26, 2006 10:22pm | #5

   Ditto All  on the drill press attachment,  The fences are a bugger to adjust !!!  Delta and Jets add ons are basically clones, I have used both.    I do all my mortises now with a homemade jig and guide bushings,  plunge router and spiral up-cut bits.  Jig is made up to accept my largest bushing.  By changing bushings and bits I can cut about any immaginable  mortise using the same jig.  And guarntee the results will be far superior to any mortise machine.                       

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S.  Counter Sales, Tech Rep.  http://WWW.EAGLEAMERICA.COM

    

    

1. 
   Cicco | Mar 27, 2006 07:11am | #6

   Thanks all for the advice.  I kind of suspected that its wasn't a good deal. 

   Will a router do angled mortises and if so where do I start.  Theres a great article in Fine Woodworking Tools and Shops No 174 page 78 Shopmade Slot Mortiser.  It looks like a solid design and does mention angled mortises but I dont see how.  I've done a web search on angled mortises and came up empty.

1. 
   RickL | Mar 27, 2006 09:13pm | #10

   Been using slot mortisers for over 25 years. It's far superior to chisel types in productiona on short custom runs. FWW #141 is a better DIY version. You do angles by mounting a block of wood with the desired angle. The other type of angle is achieved by simply placing the wood at the desired angle. The slot mortiser works best with loose tenons. That's how is was initially designed to work over 50 years ago in Europe. See the Grizzly G0540 for a very affordable unit. Commercial units run a 3,600 rpm not typically used with a router.

   http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/reviews/articles_729.shtml

2. 
   douglas2cats | Mar 28, 2006 01:57am | #11

   Will a router do angled mortises and if so where do I start. 

   You can always make an angled base and mount your router to it, but you'd need a separate base for each angle. I suspect you were asking about something more flexible. I haven't seen the slot mortiser plans, but Woodhaven makes a tilting base for mounting in a router table that looks pretty slick. I dont have one, but have often thought it might be a pretty cool thing to have in my toy box.

   http://www.woodhaven.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=18If you build it he will come.

2. 
   twincoach | Mar 28, 2006 04:58am | #13

   Bruce can you tell me more about your jig set up ie what type of material did you use for the bushings and did you remake the bottom plate of your router I plan on making up the same type of system you describe. putting the bushing across from one another to center the cutter bit on the wood. I saw a similar set up used by Mark Adams at a wood working show and got me thinking on how to set it up

6. 
   highfigh | Mar 27, 2006 07:22am | #7

   I have one. You want to buy it?

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
1. 
   Cicco | Mar 27, 2006 08:10pm | #8

   A slot mortiser?  Have you got a picture?

1. 
   highfigh | Mar 28, 2006 05:09am | #14

   It's the Delta morticing attachment for a drill press.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

7. 
   BruceS | Mar 28, 2006 04:57am | #12

   Though I have not used one,  I Saw a video on the use of a Wood Rat, Believe It comes from England. Interesting tool to replace a lot of tasks done on a router table.  Especially mortise/tennon work.

   Also Trend makes a Mortise/Tennon jig that I have seen in use, close and personal.  Works well and will do angled M/T joints. Available at the WWW below.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S.  Counter Sales, Tech Rep.  http://WWW.EAGLEAMERICA.COM

    

    

1. 
   Lataxe | Mar 28, 2006 06:06pm | #15

   Bruce and Cicco,

   I have had a woodrat for 4 years now and would recommend it to anyone.  Why?  It's a natural extension to the already multi-purpose router that essentially provides fine control in moving the workpiece and/or router in all three dimensions relative to each other.  It can cut literally hundreds of joint shapes.

   The drawback is that you need to spend the hundreds of dollars to buy it, then climb quite a steep learning curve to use it in the many ways it can be used.

   Having said that, mortise and tenon is very easy and straightforward to learn with the Woodrat.  Moreover, you can use climb cuts (cutting the "wrong" way, which gives you very clean cuts with no breakout on corners or edges) as everything is strapped down and cannot jump about.

   With Woodrat M&T you have three choices:

   1 Cut traditional square tenons (including haunches if you wish) then square up the round-end mortises (also cut with the rat) with a chisel.

   2 Cut round-end mortises in both workpieces and make loose tenons to fit.

   3 Cut round-end mortises and square tenons, rounding the tenons to fit.

   If you insert a wedge of the correct angle under the workpiece whilst in the Woodrat vice, you can easily cut angled tenons or mortises.

    

   Once you have done the M&T style of your choice, you can use the rat to cut dovetails that look handmade, finger joints, mouldings (it's an upside-down router table as well) and so on.

   A dedicated mortiser works all right.  But that's all it does.  Personally, I would spend the money on the versatile Woodrat, especially if you already have a router.  In fact, I have and will never buy a mortiser, despite my generalised tool lust.

   Lataxe