Woodtec mortice machine

[treeslayer]

Ok, so i bought this machine for 50 bucks, appears to be very low miles. i had to buy a chuck key (Harbor Freight) it came with 3 chisels 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2. only to find out the 3/8 and 1/2 need a bushing to make them work in the machine, no problem i have a machinist on retainer for such problems. on to my question. has anyone used or own a machine like this. its 1/2 HP so not very heavy duty and i've noticed the fence isn't exactly square, easy fix, i'm just looking for honest opinions on it. i don't often trust the on-line reviews but i trust you folks to give me the straight scoop.  thanks

[B1rdhunter]

I think if you put white paint on it, it would look just like my Jet mortiser crooked fence included. The Jet seems to work ok.

[Coop]

Dave, looks like a good buy. I paid much more for a new WoodRiver and there’s not a whole lot difference in looks. Mine is also 1/2 hp and gets the job done. Mine came with some real cheap chisels and I bought a cone shaped sharpening stone from Rockler and it made a world of difference. The fence not being square to what? It’s kind of like the fence on a router table. Just adjust your chisel to be square to the fence. I usually mark my boundaries with a marking wheel and use the mortiser to chop out the waste and hand chisel to the lines. 

[RichardA]

I had a HF mortiser once.  I still don't know why!

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

I bought a jet off of CL. Hated it. Used it for 1 project and sold it immediately. Not well designed. Fence was horrible and could only accommodate smaller work pieces. The handle was insufficient to produce the lever force required for a mortise. If I ever buy another it will be a Powermatic.

[pkinneb]

I have been through two benchtop mortisers a Jet and more recently a Powermatic and my opinion is you really need a floor standing model, the moving table makes it a whole new game. I was able to use a 719T at the MASW in July and I came home and sold my benchtop unit and I am now looking for a used one or a 15% off sale to get a floor standing unit with the moving table.

[Tom King]

I have that one, it's larger brother, and a 719 that I haven't used yet.   That little one works fine for small mortises.  The only trouble with it is you need allen wrenches to adjust anything on it.   See how I keep them in the wooden piece behind the fence in the picture.  I've never done anything but 1/4" mortises with it.  It does a good job though, once you get it set up like you need it.   It was purchased when I needed to have a second one set up on a window sash job, and I've never needed to use it since.  Picture below shows the setup I used for making the mortises where muntins meet each other.

I have a number of Woodtek machines.  That's the store brand for Woodworkers Supply, which I've done business with for decades.   I can pick machines up with little trouble, and no shipping, with a Pro discount.  I believe they come out of the same Taiwanese factory that Grizzly, and a number of other brands do too.

Well worth 50 bucks.  I paid several times that for a new one, but didn't need another one bad enough to put any more money in it than that one cost.  It does its job just fine.

edited to add:   here's retail for a new one.  I forget what the Pro discount is, but it's enough to matter:

https://woodworker.com/12hp-hollow-chisel-mortiser-mssu-876-775.asp

[treeslayer]

1 hour ago, Tom King said:

 That little one works fine for small mortises. 

Thanks for the information Tom, i knew going in that it was a light duty machine but for the price i'm going to use it for a while and probably give it to my son who is slowly building up his collection of tools. I have used the 719 Powermatic that a friend has and it will spoil you right quick

[Just Bob]

I had a Shop Fox 3/4hp unit that I used a lot.   Buy a decent set of chisels, and sharpener.   I bought mine through Lee Valley.  Once I got the machine dialed in I liked it, until I bought  a domino.  Then I gave it away.

[AceHoleInOne]

Looks like my Delta I bought used for 50 bucks. Eh...their ok. I had higher expectations but was disappointed. Bonus is,  you're gonna have big bulging muscles on one arm 

I still like the router method better, cleaner cuts and faster. 

 

-Ace-

  

[treeslayer]

I like the router method also Ace, been doing it that way for a long time

[curlyoak]

I also have the Asian Delta. I added A vertical fence and that helps. But now I have the medium and the large Festool domino machines. I'll sell my delta for 50 bucks plus freight.