Sedgwick 571 vs Multico M

[Marti Boy]

Good afternoon all and thanks for allowing me to join the group today.
I've been a bench joiner all my working life, employed for about 30 years with the luxury of a big workshop and lots of 3 phase machines, resaws, 4cutters, 3 spindles, separate thicknesser and surfaces etc. The last 8 years, since redundancy I've carried on making mostly windows, doors, frames etc in a small 240v workshop in my garden.
Right then....on to the question, I have an older green coloured Sedgwick 571 750w which does well, mostly I use 5/8 inch mortice for frames. I have the chance of a 240v Multico M1 morticer with 1.1 Kw motor locally. In comparison, the bed has a larger depth capacity than the Sedgwick, front to back, handy for sills. The bed width is approx 100mm shorter though, but not a huge issue I guess. It has an extra stop, handy for haunches, been meaning to fabricate one for my sedgwick which only has the one stop, just not got round to it yet. Not yet sure if my chisels will fit directly or if I'll need another set of collets etc. So not wishing to take up too much of your time, but I'm rather undecided wether to swap or not and wonder if there is strong opinion either way. I don't have room for both, though that would be nice. Looking on the net, from my limited research it seems the multico goes for a fair bit cheaper than the Sedgwick which makes me wonder if I'm missing something!
Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any replies in advance.
Cheers Martin

 

[deema]

Personally, I would stick with the Sedgwick. However that’s probably just my bias as Multico made good machines that are not really appreciated with the exception of their tenoner. To upgrade, I’d be looking for a Wadkin DM or if funds allowed a DMV

 

[baldkev]

I have a multico p/t and just sold a multico t/s...... good kit, i like it.
Is the multico cheap? If so, buy it, test it, see what you think.
Sedgwick hold their value because they are fantastic machines.....

 

[Marti Boy]

Thankyou deema and baldkev for your replies. Yes, I've used a Wadkin DMV in the past. Lovely big heavy machines, but unfortunately too large for my present workspace. I wasn't necessarily looking to upgrade, but you know how it is, when an opportunity arises, you have to consider and weigh it up. I do like my Sedgwick and it's build quality, the only thing that lets it down in my opinion, compared to the Multico M is that it will not allow an Ex7" sill to cramp in the bed. Not something I need to do everyday, but my get-around of bolting a short piece of angle iron in place of the cramp at an angle and using a wooden wedge to tap in between it and the workpiece is not ideal..LOL I have looked at making an extension for the clamp, but think it would be pretty close to the hand wheel.
Haven't yet discussed price, but the idea of buying and seeing how I get on is not a bad one.
Thanks again

 

[niall Y]

Thankyou deema and baldkev for your replies. Yes, I've used a Wadkin DMV in the past. Lovely big heavy machines, but unfortunately too large for my present workspace. I wasn't necessarily looking to upgrade, but you know how it is, when an opportunity arises, you have to consider and weigh it up. I do like my Sedgwick and it's build quality, the only thing that lets it down in my opinion, compared to the Multico M is that it will not allow an Ex7" sill to cramp in the bed. Not something I need to do everyday, but my get-around of bolting a short piece of angle iron in place of the cramp at an angle and using a wooden wedge to tap in between it and the workpiece is not ideal..LOL I have looked at making an extension for the clamp, but think it would be pretty close to the hand wheel.
Haven't yet discussed price, but the idea of buying and seeing how I get on is not a bad one.
Thanks again

Hi, Marti Boy
Just been out to measure my Sedgwick, to check on the maximum width of stock I can clamp on the bed - and I can fit just over 7inches in there. There is a sort of rudimentary adjustment for the clamp on my machine, which is a second pair of threaded holes, to accommodate the fixing bolts, at the front of the bed. Don't now what age your machine is, but mine dates from the early 80's. This set of back holes isn't visible with the clamp set in the forward position, but you will be able to feel them with your finger under the front of the bed.
Overall I've been pleased with the Sedjwick, the only slight niggle being the height adjustment. which is a bit of a faff. If I remember rightly the Multico has the height adjustment on the arm which is much more "user-friendly"
Cheers, Niall

 

[baldkev]

The rp ridgeways have that too, the previous owner made up a pair of blocks to screw into the fence as a deeper fence, then unscrew those for the wider timbers

 

[Marti Boy]

Hi, Marti Boy
Just been out to measure my Sedgwick, to check on the maximum width of stock I can clamp on the bed - and I can fit just over 7inches in there. There is a sort of rudimentary adjustment for the clamp on my machine, which is a second pair of threaded holes, to accommodate the fixing bolts, at the front of the bed. Don't now what age your machine is, but mine dates from the early 80's. This set of back holes isn't visible with the clamp set in the forward position, but you will be able to feel them with your finger under the front of the bed.
Overall I've been pleased with the Sedjwick, the only slight niggle being the height adjustment. which is a bit of a faff. If I remember rightly the Multico has the height adjustment on the arm which is much more "user-friendly"
Cheers, Niall

Hi Niall,
Thanks, interesting, not sure of the manufacturer date of my machine. I have two sets of holes in the bed and always have it bolted to the widest ones. No way can I get 7" in mine even with the piece of wood removed from the cramp. I could possibly drill and tap another set of holes further out, my only concern would possibly be the strength if the casting as the holes would be near the corners of the piece that juts out to the front. The cramp handle would be close to the left/Right wheel, so I'd need to watch my fingers. Lol.
Hope my photos appear here okay.
Cheers Martin

 

[niall Y]

Hi Niall,
Thanks, interesting, not sure of the manufacturer date of my machine. I have two sets of holes in the bed and always have it bolted to the widest ones. No way can I get 7" in mine even with the piece of wood removed from the cramp. I could possibly drill and tap another set of holes further out, my only concern would possibly be the strength if the casting as the holes would be near the corners of the piece that juts out to the front. The cramp handle would be close to the left/Right wheel, so I'd need to watch my fingers. Lol.
Hope my photos appear here okay.
Cheers Martin

View attachment 127876View attachment 127877View attachment 127879

Hi,Martin,
Ahh,......... yes I see now. The bed casting is the same width, but I have an extra set of holes. This means the clamp overhangs the back slightly, but it does allow me to get a tad over 7 inches in. On full backwards movement of the screw it just touches the back wheel, but there is a bit of wiggle-room, as the shaft can still be pulled out a bit whilst the cogs stay engaged. Cheers, Niall

 

[Marti Boy]

Hi,Martin,
Ahh,......... yes I see now. The bed casting is the same width, but I have an extra set of holes. This means the clamp overhangs the back slightly, but it does allow me to get a tad over 7 inches in. On full backwards movement of the screw it just touches the back wheel, but there is a bit of wiggle-room, as the shaft can still be pulled out a bit whilst the cogs stay engaged. Cheers, Niall

Hi Niall,
Thanks very much for the photo, it says it all really. Interesting how your middle set of holes are at about 175mm centres and mine are at 190mm.
So your outer set of holes are pretty much what I've been wondering about doing for some time. I was a little concerned about the strength of the bed with two holes near to those rear corners, but clearly yours is okay. And as I thought, cramp fairly close to the wheel, but you manage. I just wonder if yours was done by Sedgwick or a Diy job afterwards? Is your machine green?
I assume that those holes come through the underside just inside that thicker ridge of steel around the outside edge?
If I did that and made myself a second stop that would flip in and out for haunches I'd pretty much be there!
Cheers Martin

 

[Fitzroy]

Mine has three sets of holes also. Too cold to venture to the shed now to measure but you can see the three sets in this photo.

 

[Marti Boy]

Mine has three sets of holes also. Too cold to venture to the shed now to measure but you can see the three sets in this photo.
View attachment 127891

Thanks Fitzroy, so it seems as though the earlier ones like mine had two sets of holes, then at some point Sedgwick started putting a third set in. Mine does not have the enclosure around the "chuck" area so would suggest it's earlier. Think I'll dare to drill and tap another set of holes.
Cheers Martin.

 

[niall Y]

Hi Niall,
Thanks very much for the photo, it says it all really. Interesting how your middle set of holes are at about 175mm centres and mine are at 190mm.
So your outer set of holes are pretty much what I've been wondering about doing for some time. I was a little concerned about the strength of the bed with two holes near to those rear corners, but clearly yours is okay. And as I thought, cramp fairly close to the wheel, but you manage. I just wonder if yours was done by Sedgwick or a Diy job afterwards? Is your machine green?
I assume that those holes come through the underside just inside that thicker ridge of steel around the outside edge?
If I did that and made myself a second stop that would flip in and out for haunches I'd pretty much be there!
Cheers Martin

Hi Martin,
I've just seen Fitzroy's photo of his Sedgwick, which puts my machine on a time line somewhere between his and yours. If I understand correctly you mentioned in an earlier post, about not being able to set the depth stop for haunches and tenons. I assume that Sedgwick sorted this out in the later versions, as on my machine you can do this. I've attached some photos that show the mechanism - sorry about the quality of these, but you should get the general idea.
Cheers Niall

 

[Marti Boy]

Hi Martin,
I've just seen Fitzroy's photo of his Sedgwick, which puts my machine on a time line somewhere between his and yours. If I understand correctly you mentioned in an earlier post, about not being able to set the depth stop for haunches and tenons. I assume that Sedgwick sorted this out in the later versions, as on my machine you can do this. I've attached some photos that show the mechanism - sorry about the quality of these, but you should get the general idea.
Cheers NiallView attachment 127949

Hi Niall, yes that's correct. I have seen similar to yours on a friend's newer one still. The vertical steel rod on mine is attached to the vertical fixed part of the machine rather than the motor housing. My motor housing has a piece in the casting that hits the stop. Photos attached.
I plan to make another stop for mine that will be tightened in place with a bolt and a piece that just sits on top of that that can be simply pushed in or out with your finger. The same principle as on a Multico I've seen. I'll make it slightly longer than the attached photo and just shape it so a finger can pull it easily.

 

[Housey210]

Of all the morticers I used over my working life it was the single wheel dual action I hated. keep to the twin wheel, back and forward on smaller wheel, side movement on the bigger.