Mortising machine - clean mortises?

[Mark Hennebury]

For those that may be interested, this is how the maka mortisers cuts. As Jack said the bottom is not flat, the blade travels in a low elliptical stroke.

[Mel Fulks]

I had forgotten the not exactly flat thing. But even acknowledging that you don't want a place that could hold some water,
most leave a small void of 1/16th or so ,anyway. And some insist that the tenons go all the way through. When they did
that ,the cutting was usually done from both sides. Some insisted the tenons on the "bars" be a bit too long ,then "struck off" on a horizontal belt sander. The kind if stuff where the old pros and young architects find out that the other guy is "not as
smart as he thinks he is". But the old pro has to have some good sales skills to be deemed wiser than the guy "who wears
the tie "!!

[jack forsberg]

https://www.instagram.com/p/B616Xk-A...=1tmruj38ww3j0

I have every mortiser, swing chisel , slot , chain , hollow chisel. If you don’t have Chain or use chain your opinion is pretty much useless on what is is good for . Giant holes , cuts clean just Gotta know how to use it . and it cuts through better than anything including furniture grade cuts . My opinion it’s far more versatile and less expensive on tooling then the Maka . The maka advantage is that if you have a run or product line you’re producing then it’s probably a good candidate but if you’re a studio craftsman I wouldn’t recommend one unless you picked one up like I did for 250 bucks with a bucket load of tools . I am grateful for Mark who shares his knowledge on this machine and is the world expert. Perhaps those that don’t link to the Instagram will not see in the video that this is a perfect fit and clean cut Straight off the machine. So for those all add some pictures. 4 1/4 inch wide solid cherry through mortise single plunge


back doors photo post

380E444F-E186-4A0E-B299-AC05381C7A60.jpg F89ADCF3-3BAD-4827-9E05-82273BB25AF8.jpeg 64513C1F-09A5-450A-9699-D3D0854D55BF.jpglooks like I lack privilege's to see my own photo . 8EF2F58B-296D-434A-A442-764963FBA645.jpeg

[Mel Fulks]

I have little experience with a chain mortiser. Always noticed,when watching, that those using them seemed to routinely
end up with a mortise slightly over wide at top. The one Jack did seems to be unusually straight ,NOT over wide at top.
The management ,as you know, ...expects everything to last forever. So now I'm wondering if management,right or
wrong ...demanded they run them looser to make them "last".

[jack forsberg]

I have little experience with a chain mortiser. Always noticed,when watching, that those using them seemed to routinely
end up with a mortise slightly over wide at top. The one Jack did seems to be unusually straight ,NOT over wide at top.
The management ,as you know, ...expects everything to last forever. So now I'm wondering if management,right or
wrong ...demanded they run them looser to make them "last".

Pin nail a piece of three-quarter inch pine on top and that will take care of the chain flap and clean entry but if you enter from the outside where you’re most likely going to use wedges it’ll be to your advantage.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B6wg4SA...d=5sjb0asflop2

[jack forsberg]

I had forgotten the not exactly flat thing. But even acknowledging that you don't want a place that could hold some water,
most leave a small void of 1/16th or so ,anyway. And some insist that the tenons go all the way through. When they did
that ,the cutting was usually done from both sides. Some insisted the tenons on the "bars" be a bit too long ,then "struck off" on a horizontal belt sander. The kind if stuff where the old pros and young architects find out that the other guy is "not as
smart as he thinks he is". But the old pro has to have some good sales skills to be deemed wiser than the guy "who wears
the tie "!!

Not all tenons have shoulders. Why do you need a clean entry if you’ve got shoulders anyway. Some tenons bear on the bottom of the mortise for their racking strength. spindles as an example

[Mel Fulks]

Thanks, Jack. Most generous and interesting. Never seen it before or heard it suggested.

[jack forsberg]

Thanks, Jack. Most generous and interesting. Never seen it before or heard it suggested.

I think the difference here is that we’re talking about clean work. In the production industry that’s not necessarily a high priority. I mean just look at all the tooling that uses eased edgeing And rolled shoulder joints we’re rail and stiles meet. The price of production. And I suppose some people are stupid enough to fall for the bullshit excuse that it’s better for paint.?But who in the hell doesn’t maintain their paint after they paid a fortune for production windows. I mean if in fact they aren’t cladded on the exterior anyway. When machines are used to manufacture product lines you have to except the process. I prefer the classical range of machines That initially were designed to duplicate handwork not re-engineer a building science.?

[Mel Fulks]

Most of the door parts had "sticker" run moulding and the stiles had the pencil lines for rail placement. Management did
insist on sharp detail. Now it's routine to see large expensive homes with a lot of rounded off edges. They are selling carbide door sets ...that make rounded off edges ! As an employee I have always been ready to walk if told to do the ...
"extreme round overs "
Learned the difference on my
first job. I was working for a turner when I got the " crisp" lecture after rounding off details on 4 bed posts that he had
just completed. He was a poor
communicator but could yell really loud ! It works! " You've ruined them!!". He put all 4 back in the lathe.
and spent some time carefully fixing them.

[Brian Holcombe]

Jack, if you have a small maka like I do, keep in mind that it’s a different animal than the STV which can cut pretty big joints, as Mark posted.

In any case, I’m glad Mark encouraged me to get into the Maka, that machine turns a stack of parts into a stack of parts with perfect mortises very quickly. It takes me a little longer to setup than the hollow chisel but I really don’t view it as a production-only machine. It’s quite practical for moderate volume or light volume work.

Putting a lot of time in on that machine is helpful for working out the idiosyncrasies. As example, recently I figured out how to place a preload on the height adjuster to help remove the backlash that was present.

41D39A3E-0F24-4C04-9DCA-B0775CA3C02B.jpg

[Joe Calhoon]

That was a great idea Brian! I’m ordering those parts today for my STV. That has been one of my gripes about the Maka is setting height.
To me the only downside to the STV is the auto feed. It can do small work as well. Another big plus to the Maka is ease of tool change compared to the chain or hollow chisel.
Maka tools are expensive but in my experience chains are more. I’ve bought chains from Keil in germany. Maybe there is a lesser expensive supplier. Omer in Italy has less expensive Maka chisels and they offer chains as well. The quality from Lasualt is good though.

[jack forsberg]

Jack, if you have a small maka like I do, keep in mind that it’s a different animal than the STV which can cut pretty big joints, as Mark posted.

In any case, I’m glad Mark encouraged me to get into the Maka, that machine turns a stack of parts into a stack of parts with perfect mortises very quickly. It takes me a little longer to setup than the hollow chisel but I really don’t view it as a production-only machine. It’s quite practical for moderate volume or light volume work.

Putting a lot of time in on that machine is helpful for working out the idiosyncrasies. As example, recently I figured out how to place a preload on the height adjuster to help remove the backlash that was present.

41D39A3E-0F24-4C04-9DCA-B0775CA3C02B.jpg

Yes I’m fully aware of that. Maka is a good machine if Mark rebuilt it but the things shakes like Harley Davison. Some earlier models use the motor shaft as the spindle . mine is like yours and the shaft is separate from the motor which is pretty good although metal is not hard enough if the balance isn’t properly set. My wallowed the bearing seats and as you said it’s just a small one. And as you know you can buy swing tooling for a chain mortiser although I do not have that but I have my Austrian intern looking for one. I suspect the swing chisel came from the hand tools chisels that was used to cut the hinges in German windows. And I believe Bosch now makes a little chain bar for a handheld machine that is 1/16 wide . Although I can’t verify how clean it cuts it is pretty interesting, Be aware that I did not have the privilege of seeing your pictures and it rubs me wrong to have to pay for that.

[Jim Becker]

For those that may be interested, this is how the maka mortisers cuts. As Jack said the bottom is not flat, the blade travels in a low elliptical stroke.

I would think that the variations at the bottom of the mortise would be minimal and once glue gets involved, a non-issue. But I certainly could be wrong about that.

[Brian Holcombe]

Yes I’m fully aware of that. Maka is a good machine if Mark rebuilt it but the things shakes like Harley Davison. Some earlier models use the motor shaft as the spindle . mine is like yours and the shaft is separate from the motor which is pretty good although metal is not hard enough if the balance isn’t properly set. My wallowed the bearing seats and as you said it’s just a small one. And as you know you can buy swing tooling for a chain mortiser although I do not have that but I have my Austrian intern looking for one. I suspect the swing chisel came from the hand tools chisels that was used to cut the hinges in German windows. And I believe Bosch now makes a little chain bar for a handheld machine that is 1/16 wide . Although I can’t verify how clean it cuts it is pretty interesting, Be aware that I did not have the privilege of seeing your pictures and it rubs me wrong to have to pay for that.

Coming from the land of automotive motors and such, I have a feeling that the counterweight system is really key to bearing life. Personally I would love to know the math in having an ideal setup, rather I've just been going by the chart that Mark sent to me. My machine had original bearings in it when it arrived and while they were loose enough to call for replacement, they weren't dead so if it can go 40 years of factory use on a set of bearings that suggests the setup is fairly important to a long and happy life. Mine certainly vibrates when cutting but it doesn't shake.

[Brian Holcombe]

That was a great idea Brian! I’m ordering those parts today for my STV. That has been one of my gripes about the Maka is setting height.
To me the only downside to the STV is the auto feed. It can do small work as well. Another big plus to the Maka is ease of tool change compared to the chain or hollow chisel.
Maka tools are expensive but in my experience chains are more. I’ve bought chains from Keil in germany. Maybe there is a lesser expensive supplier. Omer in Italy has less expensive Maka chisels and they offer chains as well. The quality from Lasualt is good though.

Thanks Joe! Enjoying the quality from Lussault also, in fact I recently bought some lathe chisels there (carbide) also, the price is painful but the quality is excellent.