Powermatic PM701 Mortiser - Chisles??

[Jim Eller]

Any advise on which chisel set to purchase for the PM701 mortiser??

For the price you would think there would be some in the box, but.... nope.

Been looking at the Lee Valley set.

What about the length of them? Does size matter? I see they come in different lengths. How does that effect the use of the machine?

Thanks,
JimE

[Kenneth Walton]

I've had good luck with the japanese mortising chisels that Rockler sells for about $30. I got a cheaper set from shop fox and they sucked. Either way, gently file the augur on the insides, and sharpen and the inside and outside of the square chisel using diamond cones and normal methods for the outside before use.

[Keith Hankins]

I've got the 719T, and used my woodcraft 10% birthday discount to get the whole 5 piece set of PM bits. They have worked well. I will advise a sharpening cone. Get a good one. Also they will need work to start. I ran through the cone then honed on stones. You will get much better performance. I've used mine to cut a lot of mortises and they are going strong.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Any advise on which chisel set to purchase for the PM701 mortiser??

For the price you would think there would be some in the box, but.... nope.

Been looking at the Lee Valley set.

What about the length of them? Does size matter? I see they come in different lengths. How does that effect the use of the machine?

Thanks,
JimE

I absolutely endorse the LV "premium hollow mortise chisels". Cry once. Get the sharpening cones. I have had a couple brands before those, and these are the best I have used.

One caveat - things might have changed, but a couple years ago I made a bone-head mistake, and snapped a bit [that is not the part that might have changed - bone-headedness is in my DNA]. LV did not, at that time, have replacement bits - you have to buy an entire new tool.

So I have one 3/8" bit, and 2 3/8" chisels - I could likely get a replacement bit from some other brand that would work, but I haven't gotten around to that yet.

I assume you mean that each size is a different length [1/4" is shorter than 1/2"]. I think this is because it is unlikely you will be using, say, 1/4" on a 2" depth - that would be for bigger parts, and the 1/4" is usually wrong for that application. So - no need to make the smaller ones longer, and more costly.

Get the set - anything over 1/2" is rarely required, and I don't think your 701 has the muscles for that, even if you wanted to use them.