Timber Framers Guild Forums Tools Automation Morticers

Can anyone explain the benefits of a chain morticer over a chisel morticer? I have only used a chisel morticer and I loved it(I have used it for many frames) however, I have spoken to some that prefer a chain. It seems that a chisel is mostly a west coast thing and a chain is an east coast thing. Anyone?

I love the chisel morticer (or mortiser, in the US)but it only works well in softwoods. The two configurations of chain mortisers are just the ticket for hard woods and salvage timbers, but they take more cleaning up afterwords.

The two configurations are, chain perpendicular to the grain, and chain parallel to the grain. There is some variation among manufacturers.