Which 1HP Morticer - Axminster AW19FM or Fox F14656

[Esta56]

Here's one of those rare 'which machine' posts!! Joking of course!

So after lots of research, looking for a 1HP morticer (I like power) with sliding table control and under £500, single phase etc. etc. These two machines seem to stand out on price/performance. I have looked at others, such as Jet's machine at double the price (more or less) of these two but can't see what I'm getting EXTRA for that. In the case of the AWFM, the Jet hasn't the capacity!! Though the Jet can rotate to work on doors. I read the post on the Fox F14655 criticising some aspects which is why I'm looking at the F14656 version that Rutlands have.

Any views, reviews, opinions, actual owners/users, alternatives etc. etc.?

 

[Unlucky Alf]

I have the Fox 14-655 and have been very happy with it, though it always annoys me when I look at catalogues now and see how much prices for this sort of machine have come down in the last couple of years :evil:

Having said that, if choosing between those two models, and assuming that the build quality is the same, I would go for the Axminster. Not only would you save £100 which you could put toward buying some decent chisels but I prefer the clamping system on the Axminster, it looks as if it would be a considerably more convenient system. The only way to really tell is to compare them in the flesh or if you're near an APTC outlet go along and see if their model fulfills your requirements and expectations. If it does then there's no need to look at the more expensive machine.

Simon

 

[Scrit]

I'd look for a secondhand Sedgwick 571 or Multico M floor-standing mortiser on eBay - a LOT more substantial and generally much better machines than either of your pair. With luck you'll get some change out of £500, too. Just make sure that you get a single phase one.

Scrit

 

[Esta56]

Thank for the replies.

I think I am leaning towards the Axminster one. I visited the Kent store at the weekend but they didn't have one there. The specifications appear to show the best capacity to handle larger pieces of timber.

I've seen some of the Multico and Sedgwick morticers on ebay but i'm not sure of their capacities or how old (and abused) they are.

 

[Scrit]

The Sedgwick 571 is still in production today and has been (badly) copied by the Chinese. The Multicos are all going to be 15 years old or older, HOWEVER, a 15 year old Multico is still a well engineered, accurate piece of kit with a 1HP British motor. Fundamentally there is virtually nothing that can go wrong with a chisel mortiser - they are about the simplest woodworking machine one can buy. And with any luck the vendor would probably throw in a set of chisels.

Scrit

User of ancient and modern machinery

 

[ProShop]

I'll 2nd the Sedgwick, the're completely bullet proof, sliding dovetails all round, machined from tool steel & fully adjustable. they just don't wear out.

I bought one recently that had been stood rusting awayfor 4 years and very unloved in the corner of a workshop. It's at least 20 yrs old, by my reckoning it was made in 1984

A good cleanup & repaint and it's working a treat, and I got at least £150 of quality chisels thrown in.

I looked at the Fox & Axminster & also the Jet you mentioned, but the Sedgwick wins hands down in the quality stakes IMHO.

 

[Esta56]

Hi John

Impressive pictures, looks as good as new in its new blue coat.

Can I take it from what you've said that the motor is in good order, brushes etc. (if not induction)? Also no play or appreciable wear on the dovetail slides?

What capacities does the Sedgwick have?

It looks like Axminster sell a re-badged version of the Sedgwick under their Axminster Plus range.

 

[ProShop]

Esta56,

The Sedgwick's are induction motors, all the dovetails slides are fully adjustable, so there's no wear.
The Sedgwick 571 takes chisels up to an inch. the head height is also very adjustable as is the width. In total you can depending on the chisel length go to over 300mm hieght and 150mm width.

Quite a lot of firms copy(poorly IMHO) the Sedgwick 571 because it's patent ran out years ago and because it has proved to be a very reliable and accurate machine.

 

[Michael Macconnell]

I purchased the Axminster AW19FM for Christmas 05, or should I say my wonderful wife purchased it for me. I ordered it in October and it was delivered in December (I was on a waiting list). It cost £259.99 DELIVERED to my home. I think this is the best value for money machine I have got. It's very solid and very rigid and works wonderfully well. The two virtical clamps hold the workpiece very solid. There may be better machines out there (at a price) but for this kind of money in my humble opinion the AW19FM is unbeatable.

 

[Woodythepecker]

Esta56, sedgwick have always been up near the top when it comes to quality machines and if you are now thinking about buying a 571, then you may want to bid for this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sedgwick-Mortiser ... dZViewItem

I have no idea what this type of machine might be work so you may want to check the prices out before you bid in any auction.

Good luck with what ever you buy.

Regards

Woody
[/quote]

 

[Esta56]

...It cost £259.99 DELIVERED to my home. I think this is the best value for money machine I have got. ....

Hi Michael, thanks for the post. How did you manage to get morticer for £259.99? The Axminster site quotes £299!

Woody, thanks for the link. I'll keep an eye on it.

I'm now also considering buying a powerful pillar drill such as the 1500w Heavy Duty Nutool one that's often on ebay for around £299 and then buying a morticer attachment. I'm sure it would not match a dedicated morticer BUT at 2HP it is somewhat more powerful and of course can be used as a pillar drill! I would guess that the morticer attachment wouldn't be as accommodating in its capacities as a dedicated morticer. I would also want to make up a jig with a good fence on it.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Scrit]

Hi Esta

I think you'll struggle to cut many accurate mortices on a pillar drill - what I mean by that is that either it will take an inordinate amount of time to set-up or your accuracy will be compromised. The purpose of a morticer is to cut multiple same sized or similar mortices quickly and accurately and this simply isn't achievable to a good level of accuracy with a drill press, which has no moving work table/clamp, without taking an inordinate amount of time and patience. At best it's better than nothing, but that's all.

For example, take a simple 4-panel exterior door - the stiles require 6 mortises in two or three lengths, the rails require a further 4 mortises for the muntins all alike, some 10 mortises all of which are normally cut to exactly the same width. With a morticer marking out is 6 pencil lines across the pair of stiles cramped together and one pair of pencil lines across the rails (again cramped) with a further pair of lines on the underside of the middle rail AT MOST. The mortices are then chopped out on the machine. If you have a morticer which has length/end stops then it is only necessary to mark-out one rail and set the length of the mortice on the stops from that piece. On all but the most basic of machines it is not necessary to mark out the second rail as the stops retain all the settings. Similarly it is only necessary to mark one of the rails as all the mortises are chopped in the same relative position on each piece. This makes batch work or complex carcass work a doddle as well as reducing your clean-up effort (no pencil marke to sand off, see). Furthermore, with a morticer it is possible to utilise "undersize" tooling to produce wider mortices, e.g. if the widest mortice chisel set you have is 16mm it is a doddle to produce those 21mm wide mortices in a 64mm rail by simply setting the table stops on your morticer and making a second (ore even a third) pass - try that on a drill press. With the foregoing in mind I'd be inclined to ask myself exactly why I need a drill press for woodworking? If you are serious you may find it more of a luxury than a morticer and if you have the budget it might well be worth looking at some of the Multico morticers which can do double duty as drill and morticer with some of the bigger models being capable of vertical and horizontal drilling, angle drilling/chiselling (ideal for chopping spindle mortices in stair stringers), door mortice lock chiselling (on completed doors), hinge and loine dowel boring, etc.

Scrit

 

[Michael Macconnell]

Richard, I assume Axminster have raised the price of the AW19FM because of the waiting list. I think at £300 it is still a very good buy. If you look at the Fox floor standing morticer at £400 and the Scheppach machine at £466 both are the same machine as the AW19FM and both are for sale at Rutlands, £300 still looks good and I think that a drill press would be a bad compromise.

 

[Esta56]

Thanks Scrit for the detailed reply. This puts a clear perspective on the subject and I now consider myself duly educated. I do still want a Pillar Drill and not just for woodworking.

Hi Michael,

Even with the increased price, I'm interested in the Axminster. If considering the purchase of a brand new morticer it really does seem good value. Of course, purchasing a second hand industrial morticer (like Sedgwick) is looking equally, if not more, attractive.

Hmmm.....