Replies

1. 
   RickL | Mar 23, 2002 10:26pm | #1

   Since you are willing to spend the money on that model have you considered a slot mortiser? I believe the Laguna/Robland is priced competitively. All the commercial shops around me use the slot mortiser. I just helped a friend set up his Laguna and I was impressed with the quality and accuracy.

1. 
   WannaBeJazzer | Mar 25, 2002 09:28am | #2

   I remember drooling over the oportunity to see a real-live robland at a woodworkers show - I was sorely dissapointed.  Looks a lot beter on paper.

2. 
   chairmake1 | Mar 25, 2002 10:51am | #3

   I've owned this unit about a year and use it about 2/3 times a week.

   I liked it from the begining and still like it - it's a workhorse.

1. 
   Elcoholic | Apr 22, 2002 11:02pm | #7

   Bert,

   Can you quantify the mechanical advantage in plunging, if any, of the Powermatic 719A say vs. a Delta or Multico bench top?  I was mortising the legs for 14 white oak Stickley high backs Friday night and all day Saturday with a Delta benchtop.  I put a 3/4" pipe cheater on the handle but after a while that was doing a number on my hand.  I rigged up a foot pedal with some 1x6, a door hinge and some 1/2" rope which got me through.  All the while I was dreaming of the Powermatic or fitting pneumatic rams to the Delta.  After all those 1/2"ers I switched to 3/8" and busted the drill on the 1st mortise.  Off to Rockler I went for a replacement.  It's a good thing they're not a Powermatic house or I'd a bought the Powermatic on the spot.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

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

1. 
   chairmake1 | Apr 23, 2002 07:59pm | #8

   Hi-

   Well I had a Delta benchtop model for a while, but the first thing that broke was the post that holds the fence. Number two- the elbow that connects the handle to the spline which moves the head up and down. The third was the fence itself - a crack started at the connection to the bar that goes thru the upright post. There was no problem in obtaining parts for this machine from the supplier Woodcraft - they were great in the handling of these problems. By this time I had lost and confidence in the machine and as I use mortise and tenon connection in all of my work - Woodcraft made me a deal for a Jet benchtop model and took the Delta back. I was very happy with the Jet unit and made close to 600 mortises with it and then Powermatic came out with the 719. The choice was easy in moving up to the larger unit. All of the operations made with the 719 are glass smooth. VERY happy! Sorry for the ramble.

   Robert

1. 
   Elcoholic | Apr 23, 2002 09:43pm | #9

   Sounds like a glowing endorsement.  you say the PM is smooth, but is it any easier to plunge?John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

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

1. 
   chairmake1 | Apr 24, 2002 03:30am | #10

   Hi-

   In a word - YES!

   The handle in a bit longer than the benchtop models and the machine

   sits a little closer to the floor. The action is very smooth and I

   have no problem plunging any of the bits - including the 3/4" - at least 1/2" at a time before retracting the bit for clean out. If there is any question in your mind about spending the money for this piece of equipment - do not worry, the return on the time saved more than outweigh the cost of the machine. What use to take me 2 to 2 1/2 hours on the Jet benchtop unit I now do in less than 20 mins. The fatigue factor is nil. Most of the furniture that I've made over the last several years is of the Arts & Craft style and there are over 50 mortises in just one chair. Setting the stops (three of them) takes as much time as the plunging action.

   Robert

2. 
   Elcoholic | Apr 24, 2002 10:34pm | #11

   I saw an older Powermatic #400 mortiser on Ebay yesterday (search mortisor as misspelled) which is an 800#, foot pedal operaterated factory monster.  It's only $475 but shipping from So Carolina to SoCal would be prohibitive.  My local serious machinery dealer has a similar old mortiser that would run me about $1050 w/ a phase converter or the 719A for $850.  I'll check 'em out next week and come home with one or the other for sure.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

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

3. 
   ChipTam | Mar 26, 2002 08:45pm | #4

   Thanks for the feedback, so far.  Glad to hear that Bert likes it. I would be interested in hearing from anyone else out there who has the Powermatic mortiser.  I believe the Laguna slot mortiser set-up requires the use of your own router and I've also heard other luke-warm reports about it.  Also, the noise and dust produced by the router is one of the things I want to get away from.  Still, after previous discussions with Rick on this subject, I know that he could get it working properly if anyone could.  He's a very knowledgeable machinist.  It's a bit more money but I think I would choose the Rotek slot mortiser if I were interested in a slot mortiser.

1. 
   Elcoholic | Mar 26, 2002 10:35pm | #5

   The mortiser I saw set up at Laguna a few years ago was consisted of the table from an X31, on a steel stand with an induction motor, not a router.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

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

2. 
   chairmake1 | Mar 27, 2002 06:32am | #6

   I also have the Laguna slot table on the stand they sell with it but

   I don't use a router - I took the "L" shaped plate off the top of the stand and mounted a one h.p. motor and then adapted the chuck that came with the table to the motor shaft. I've been using end mills on this set up for end grain slots and it works very well. The only problem that I've had in the four years of use is the table sticks sometimes in the left to right movement. A little WD40 and some clean up and it's ready to go again.

   bert