I'm planning on getting a mortising attachment for the dp (I know, I
know, a dedicated machine is better, but I don't have money or space
right now). Anyway, I've read in the archives here that a good-quality
chisel makes a big difference in this application. I was wondering if
anyone has used the LV "Premium Hollow Mortise Chisels & Bits"
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=53252&cat=1,180,42240,53317&ap=1
Other possibilities I've found in this price range include the CMT
mortising bits from Woodcraft, or the Delta "Professional" chisel & bit
set through Amazon. Hartville Tool also has some of their own name
bits for about $10 on clearance that they claim are as good as bits
twice the price.
(I know the shank sizes vary (5/8 or 3/4), so the attachment I buy will
probably depend on which bit/s I get.)
So... What "premium" chisel/bit sets have you used, and what were your
experiences? I'm not looking for the super-premium $40-100 bits - I'm
thinking $20-25 each range. I'd appreciate shared experience or
advice.
By the way, does anyone have a used DP mortising attachment sitting
around your shop, unused since the purchase of your new dedicated
mortising machine? My DP spindle is 1 13/16"; the closest attachments
I've found are 48mm by Delta or 1 7/8" by Grizzly, so I'd need to shim
it up either way. Let me know.
Thanks,
Andy
"Andy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm planning on getting a mortising attachment for the dp (I know, I
> know, a dedicated machine is better, but I don't have money or space
> right now). Anyway, I've read in the archives here that a good-quality
> chisel makes a big difference in this application. I was wondering if
> anyone has used the LV "Premium Hollow Mortise Chisels & Bits"
> http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=53252&cat=1,180,42240,53317&ap=1
> Other possibilities I've found in this price range include the CMT
> mortising bits from Woodcraft, or the Delta "Professional" chisel & bit
> set through Amazon. Hartville Tool also has some of their own name
> bits for about $10 on clearance that they claim are as good as bits
> twice the price.
> (I know the shank sizes vary (5/8 or 3/4), so the attachment I buy will
> probably depend on which bit/s I get.)
> So... What "premium" chisel/bit sets have you used, and what were your
> experiences? I'm not looking for the super-premium $40-100 bits - I'm
> thinking $20-25 each range. I'd appreciate shared experience or
> advice.
> By the way, does anyone have a used DP mortising attachment sitting
> around your shop, unused since the purchase of your new dedicated
> mortising machine? My DP spindle is 1 13/16"; the closest attachments
> I've found are 48mm by Delta or 1 7/8" by Grizzly, so I'd need to shim
> it up either way. Let me know.
> Thanks,
> Andy
>
Take it from me, a DP mortising attachment is a huge pain. By the time you
buy the attachment, quality chisels and bits, hone and sharpen them, you
could have made the mortis with a forstner bit and a sharp chisel.
OTOH, if you plan on doing allot of mortising in the future, buy a good,
dedicated mortising machine and a set of high quality chisels. The ones
from LV look nice but the low price scares me a little. I paid close to $75
for each chisel/bit combination (Forrest City) and damn glad I did. They
made a huge difference in the machines performance.
However, I still make a number of mortises with the plunge router.
Andy wrote:
> I'm planning on getting a mortising attachment for the dp (I know, I
> know, a dedicated machine is better, but I don't have money or space
> right now). Anyway, I've read in the archives here that a good-quality
> chisel makes a big difference in this application. I was wondering if
> anyone has used the LV "Premium Hollow Mortise Chisels & Bits"
> Let me know.
> Thanks,
> Andy
For what it's worth I took the plunge a couple of years ago and bought
the Delta Bechtop Mortiser,the newer model with the big heavy cast iron
base ,and I love it. I probably don't use it nearly enough to justify
having it, but it sure makes mortises a breeze. And as has been noted
above by the time you buy the attachment and some good chisels you are
most of the way to the price of that delta benchtop. I haven't looked
lately but it was about $200 the last time I looked. Hope that helps.
bc
B A R R Y wrote:
> Teamcasa wrote:
> >
> > However, I still make a number of mortises with the plunge router.
> >
>
>
> Make that two of us.
OK, if anyone's still watching this thread, you've almost convinced me
to go with a plunge router mortising jig rather than a hollow mortise
dp attachment (don't worry Rob - LV will still be receiving a good
portion of my woodworking budget...). What kind of jig have you found
to be most useful/convenient/effective? A link would be wonderful, or
a book title would be great also. Trying to decide whether to get a
3/8" collet for my DW618 plunger, so I could use a spiral upcut to do
3/8" mortises without worrying about the little bushing adapter thing
(which isn't all that much cheaper than the $16-19 collet...)
Thanks,
Andy
Andy wrote:
>
> OK, if anyone's still watching this thread, you've almost convinced me
> to go with a plunge router mortising jig rather than a hollow mortise
> dp attachment (don't worry Rob - LV will still be receiving a good
> portion of my woodworking budget...). What kind of jig have you found
> to be most useful/convenient/effective?
Check Highland Hardware for a description of the Frid Jig. You can
build it in less than an hour, and that's if you're really slow.
For spiral bits, look at some place that sells machine shop supplies. 2
flute, solid carbide end mills work great and are less expensive. You will
need a 3/8 collet for the 3/8 end mill though. I use them for anything that
I need a strait bit for.
"Lowell Holmes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:ZiiJg.8785$Xl5.2283@trnddc06...
>
>
> I built the Jeff Miller jig shown in his book about chair making. It
works
> great! I can do a picture in a.b.p.w if you want to see it. I have a 3/8
> spiral upcut (Whitehead) bit with a 1/2" shank. It works in my DW610 and
> DW620.
>
>
>
"Andy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> B A R R Y wrote:
>> Teamcasa wrote:
>> >
>> > However, I still make a number of mortises with the plunge router.
>> >
>>
>>
>> Make that two of us.
>
> OK, if anyone's still watching this thread, you've almost convinced me
> to go with a plunge router mortising jig rather than a hollow mortise
> dp attachment (don't worry Rob - LV will still be receiving a good
> portion of my woodworking budget...). What kind of jig have you found
> to be most useful/convenient/effective? A link would be wonderful, or
> a book title would be great also. Trying to decide whether to get a
> 3/8" collet for my DW618 plunger, so I could use a spiral upcut to do
> 3/8" mortises without worrying about the little bushing adapter thing
> (which isn't all that much cheaper than the $16-19 collet...)
> Thanks,
> Andy
I built the Jeff Miller jig shown in his book about chair making. It works
great! I can do a picture in a.b.p.w if you want to see it. I have a 3/8
spiral upcut (Whitehead) bit with a 1/2" shank. It works in my DW610 and
DW620.
"Andy" wrote:
> I'm planning on getting a mortising attachment for the dp (I know, I
> know, a dedicated machine is better, but I don't have money or space
> right now).
<snip>
SFWIW, a drill press mortising attachment gets a lot of bad press
around here.
So much so that I used a good forstner bit in a drill press followed
by a 4 flute bottom end mill to do the chisel work.
Very acceptable for my work; however, next time around probably use
the plunge router with an up spiral bit.
In any event it won't be a drill press mounted mortising attachment.
Lew
The chisels are great, I love mine, much better then Grizzly's or the ones
off an old shopsmith that I have. Now do you have to raise prices? Still
would be a good buy though a real good buy.
"Rob Lee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> <snip>
>
> > The ones from LV look nice but the low price scares me a little.
>
> Well.... we could put the prices up ..... :)
>
> Actually - the prices on those DO go up 8-10% on Friday......
>
>