Crosscut Mortisers versus Ripping Mortisers

I've got an opportunity to purchase a "new old stock" cross-cutting mortiser, but am still a bit hesitant due to price.

I have seen the alternative (the Makita) in action and, other than difficulty lining it up accurately, it seems to do a fair job.

The frame I've got in mind will be milled primarily from Eastern White Pine (EWP), but there will be some Red Oak involved as well.

I'd like to read some posts from board members having experience with both types of mortisers. Which type do you prefer and why? Which types works best in hardwood? Is one easier to set up than the other, etcetera...?

Thanks for your time,
Red

I've used both. Liked the adaptability of the Makita to use smaller chain for porch posts, 1" mortises in furniture sized timber projects, etc. etc. Also, the clamp was pretty nice for doing add stuff like end grain plunging some posts that needed hold downs...

I didn't know the Makita was hard to line up. Seemed pretty simple. I used it on EWP, some hardwoods (dry, old), and some cedar.

But, the cross grain is a bit faster once you get the fence set, and no clamping needed.

crosscut is faster, but only enough to matter in a production setting where the mortiser is running several hours a day.

One thing to note is that a lot of the European crosscut mortisers have a fairly shallow capacity -- 4 to 5". That is a problem when you have housings. Even the stock bar on new mafells is short. We have an ancient mafell (all metal housing, weighs a ton, 3 phase power) that will only plunge 4 1/2 and it really isn't enough for most of what we do considering you want to overplunge a little to allow for the radius of the nose of the bar to keep from manually cleaning up the bottom of the mortise. We never use the machine as a result.

Makitas are more versatile, and also more difficult to operate until you develop the muscle memory for the order of operations. It probably takes 5x the number of unique physical motions as compared to the simpler crosscut machines. But they work well and can plunge over 6" i believe. Also chains are cheaper.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that unless you buy another bar and chain for a crosscut machine (big $$) you can't make a mortise that is narrower than your bar, which is usually 40 mm on stock European machines, but can be had in other sizes, too.

Anybody have a Makita that they have converted to crosscutting? Seems like it would be pretty easy to do, and the stock chain is just about 2" wide. I've heard anecdotal reports of such conversions, but no inside info on how well it works.

Being able to plunge at an angle would be great too.
-Devin Smith
Rockingham, VT

Hey Red,
There was a good article comparing chain morticers in a recent issue of "Timber Framing". Contact the TFG store or office to get back issues. Better, join and get all new issues coming up.
I like my 24 yr old Mafell chain mortiser, smooth, powerful, steady, comfortable and fast. Use it freehand or with either of two diff fence/brackets. A great pleasure to use. I started my first TF w a hand brace and bits, bought a used 1/2" elec drill for $15, moved up to Milwaukee Hole Hawg drills, Then sprang for the Mafell in '85 or '86. Always good service from Denny H at Mafell NA too. Later bought a Makita as a less expenxive 2nd mortiser but sold it last year.
Steve

Ahhhh, the old crosskita.

I've heard the same rumors...

Gabel, it's more than a rumor, and Devin, no need to look for someone's booty-fab tooling conversion either.

A crosscutting mortiser is in fact a Makita factory offering, the KC100Z model.

Here's a picture, to put those pernicious rumors to rest:

that makita looks exactly like the Sauer KST-L 150 that we use.

http://www.timbertools.com/Products/KST_L150ChainMortiser.pdf

Hey, MTf - interesting! Yes, it is identical save for the motor housing. The Sauer uses a Festo motor. They must supply the frame and milling bar to whichever company wants to put a motor on it. I wonder if there are any other clones of this machine out there?

Is the KC100Z sold anywhere in North America, or is it simply another offering not offered here?

It's specific to the French market, as far as I know.