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I have and love my biscuit joiner, and use it for all kinds of applications, even picture frames where the stock is wide enough. But where alignment is really critical the horizontal mortiser is superior. I showed that frame (not a picture frame BTW) just to demonstrate how a horizontal router mortiser can easily do things a chisel mortiser either cannot, or can't do easily or well. And for angled joints where strength is important like with a chair frame a BJ is not something I would even consider using.
John
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YSU65 said:
A tool to connect picture frames or other angled joints:
"What is a biscuit joiner?
The strength of a biscuit joint in no way compares with a mortise & tenon joint. Especially with a miter joint.
Joseph Connors
The new Golden Rule .....
Those with the Gold make the rules!
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jteneyck said:
You should get one of these. Sell that frustrating piece of 150 year old technology and enjoy accuracy, precision and speed, and no frustration, maintenance, or sharpening.
John
I agree with john I also had a delta hollow chisel mortiser always was a exercise in frustration sold it for a few bucks and made a horizontal mortiser way better IMO
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YSU65 said:
What I should have said:
For $200, what is a tool to connect picture frames or other angled joints:
"What is a biscuit joiner?
I should have said, "For $200, what is a tool to connect picture frame joints?
A biscuit jointer!
I know that the horizontal mortiser is better tool but if you are just doing picture frames or some low stress build, the good old PC 557 does a great job. I just had to install a thin piece of trim over a counter. Too small even for the 557. I cut a spline on the TS.
There are a lot of great tools out there, it will just depend on your particular application and how much $$ you have for the solution.
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Cdshakes said:
[blockquote]YSU65 said:
I bought the HF x-y vise too. Had to modify it by drilling another hole to turn it around but it has worked great for me. I don't know if they still have the 4" vise anymore, not at my store now. I also have the HF mortise machine, hobbyist, works very for me with new chisels.
Do you think the 6" would be too big?
[/blockquote]
I don't know as I have not looked at the current stuff. They do have a 5" unit. I will look in the next few days...
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Quote:
...frustrating piece of 150 year old technology..."IMO"... you will be throwing good money after bad....
Ya hit the nail right on the head, it's YOUR opinion,...and it's THEIR money.
With that kind of approach, most of it'll probably stay THEIR money, or they'll spend it elsewhere.
Mike
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I'm sorry if my comments to the OP offended you.
John
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I did the harbor freight X/Y vice mod to my Delta mortiser and found it extremely useful and very easy - considered it a major upgrade. I also made a series of plywood spacers to put between the riser and base to add height but that was more for a particular project than being generally useful.
The whole thing collects dust now that I have a Domino
I have a Delta benchtop mortiser. I've had it for maybe 10 years. I agree with the earlier comment that cutting mortises with it is an exercise in frustration, so I avoid using it like the plague. I always thought one of the big floor standing models would work much better. Several months ago a barely used Jet floor standing hollow chisel model showed up on our local Craigslist with a set of chisels and all of the bushings for chisels with different shank sizes. I checked it out and it looked almost new, so I bought it - $500.00. I was right. It operates in a different universe from my little Delta. It's so easy to use it's almost comical. I'm currently building a double chest of drawers with a total of 34 mortises. The new machine made short work of them and every one is perfect. I would probably never have tackled this project with my old mortiser.
As for the OP's question about jigs for the mortiser, I'm sure there would be an occasion where a jig would come in handy for a particular cut, but I can't envision one at the moment. In my view, the mortiser is a machine dedicated to one very specific task, and a good machine performs that task very well. I don't think it lends itself to many other applications where jigs might be helpful. If someone with more imagination than I have comes up with an interesting application for a hollow chisel mortiser, I'd be interested in seeing it.
