Talk about model creep...

[otter]

First of all, hello! Only discovered UKW a few days ago and have been poking around. All interesting stuff and much inspiration.

My workshop/garage maybe is not up to the quality of some of yours, but I'd like to think I know my way round a hammer and chisel..... (and it is only mainly for myself rather than on a commercial scale).

Anyway, yesterday I convinced myself I NEEDED a morticer. Not entirely sure why, especially as the job I had in mind for it has evaporated :-k , but nevertheless, I NEED one (only a little one mind). So I rang up Axminster Sittingbourne and got them to bring over a Ax 16BM from their Nuneaton store for me to have a look at and play with. Went nice and early, talked to a couple of people there and looked at a few machines.
Ended up walking out with an ATM25 & two posh Jap chisels about an hour an a half later. So the budget had gone from a negligible £200 to over £900 in about 80 minutes. A combination of a very good salesman (the second one, anyway) and the appreciation of decent machinery over basic will get me shot with the missus! ](*,)

I know it's not a Wadkin or Sedgewick, but it is brand new with a warranty, needs no faffing with to set it up and is still small enough to go under the radar in the garage! Bloody heavy though - 160kg is a right giggle to get out of the boot of a car mount on you own!

 

[Fatboy]

welcome

nice bit of kit - best you come up with some projects to make good use of it! lol

 

[RobinBHM]

There is something rather satisfying using a morticer. The model you have bought will certainly cut through oak with a 1/2" chisel like a knife through butter.

Quick tip - set the chisel up so the slot is sideways and can empty itself into the mortice hole. It can be awkward to get a mortice chisel square, I find it easiest to use a board of timber clamped in works well. Adjust the front and back until the chisel just scrapes the edge, the sharp corners wil cut in a bit and its easy to see if one side is cutting more than the other.

Surely a first project must be a workbench.....

Now you need a tenoner

 

[otter]

FB - thanks
RBHM - thanks for the tip. It's been about 8 years since I last used one, so am a bit rusty around them. I didn't ever consider squareness in that plane!

Funnily enough, it was a new workbench project that prompted the purchase in the first place, but got cancelled when I was given a really nice 8' bench from the turn of the century. First things first, a sheet timber store. That's got to be M&T'd, surely! 8)

 

[biskit]

I had a morticer about 10 years ago, I sold it along with all my other machines when I sold my joiners workshop. The electric morticer was heaven to use after the old thumper I had for years before.Now I'm back making wood projects I want another. Welcome to UKW. otter keep us up to speed on your workshop.