This summer I'm building a one-off 16x24 barn. In general I'm aware of various options ranging from "T" auger to power mortiser. I'm leaning towards the 1/2" drill and drill guide combo. Keeping in mind that this will be used for one job, what equipment do you recommend?

Carl

I'm assuming that you are just talking about hogging material out of mortises? I have the Makita chain mortiser, and a boring machine. I like the control of each. Makita has settings before you plunge, and a boring machine is pretty consistent if you start the bit correctly. I would not hesitate to use the boring machine if I was working with someone and they were using the Makita. Many at first think the boring machine is slower, but with experience, I'm not really sure about that. While it may plunge somewhat slower, it takes less time to reposition. It's not so noisy either, and many find it more enjoyable to use.
Now when it comes to drilling peg holes in a mortice, I definitely prefer the boring machine, because it will keep you drilling perpendicular. I like that, if your drill with stand keeps you perpendicular, great. One down side to the drill is that it is so fast that you can quickly blow out the other side. With the boring machine you can feel when your bit tip is poking through and stop before you blow out, flip the workpiece, and drill from the other side(probably with a bit an brace there) so that it leave you with a nice clean hole on that side too. If you are draw boring, you especially don't want to blow out the other side of your tenon, at least I don't, so I use the same technique with a brace and bit there. These old tools are great once you learn how to use them(and they must be sharp), and get some experience with them. Here's my boring machine. I think Jim Rogers told me it's a Snell. Got it through ebay for $125 or $175, can't remember which. Millers Falls is the top dog of boring machines, but not cheap. One day I'll get a millers falls, but this works fine.

Hi Carl,

Are you talking about mortises or peg holes? If you are talking about mortises, I'd agree with Brad on a boring machine or chain mortiser. However, you can use just a drill without a guide. You could freehand it with a magic marker line on your bit for depth reference. If you go that way most likely, you are going to have a significant amount of chisel work and slick work to get the mortises right.

It really depends on how you want to work. If you are looking for speed and precision the chain mortiser is the way to go; precision the boring machine; and if you just want to work with small economy and no time constraints you could just drill them and then hand tool. Brad mentions that the boring machine is as fast as the chain mortiser. I have only used a boring machine once (so I might not be as fast) but cutting circles instead of rectangles is just going to take longer, due to the chiseling of crescents and corners in the mortise.

As far as the pegholes, you can purchase the "timber framing portable drill guides". Again, it is up to you to balance the price of these puppies against how much you will use the tool. They are great for precision and speed. Also using the right auger bits will allow the drilling of pegholes to stop before blow-out because the screw at the end of the bit will lose purchase before blowing-out the other side. It seems that all the drill guides are in metric. Does anyone know of drill guides for standard bits?

As an aside, I would recommend always drilling the pegholes before the mortises. If you don't there is chance of your bit falling of the axis you want when it freely (no wood to cut) passes through the mortise.

Mo, The exception to peg holes before mortices is when using a boring machine and you are relying on the the feed screw on the boring machines bit to pull itself through the wood and it runs into the predrilled peg hole you then have to deal with that and it is a pain in the neck. So drill the mortice first, peg hole second.

As for speed, on a single mortice, in comparison, there is not a great amount of difference. When mass producing a bunch of mortices the chain mortiser wins out. But I would rather clean up bored round holes than the scrap left after a chain mortiser. I have done both, I find cleaning up round bored holes with the triangle sections( what is the name of those pieces anyway?) easier because I get to find which way the grain is running, I can't quite put my fingers on it, something about it is just easier.

Tim

Along this line, has anyone ever tried to adapt a drill press to timber mortising? Regardless, I expect to have to clean up those corners and triangles.

There are such fixtures out there, but 'can be' expensive. The question is how do you keep it from moving on the timber? If it's clamped down, then it's similar to the Makita. You probably can't use your weight on it like you would sit on a boring machine. Not sure though. I have seen one or two "drill press"-like fixtures for drills, but never really examined them.
Carlmill, have you ever used the Makita or a boring machine? Where are you located? Maybe you can try out another members machines to help you decide? New Makitas are $1305 plus shipping last I checked, but used ones go for less. I bought a used one with an extra chain for $1000. Used ones occationally on ebay or craigslist, but members often list used ones for sale too here. My boring machine was about $150 and good bits are $25-$45. Jim Rogers can help you with a boring machine and bits if you choose that direction. He posts his tools for sale in this section. I've bought a bunch from him, good guy and good tools. He doesn't sell junk. And everything I've bought from him was sharp!

Tim, that makes good sense with the boring machine. I might have to look at one of those Jim has for sale. I could appreciate not having to put on muffs from time to time.

Haven't seen what you guys are talking about with a drill press. Does anyone have a picture? Whenever I hear drill press, I think mass and stationary.

He had a Boss a while ago.

I think the boring machine is a drill press once removed.

Tim

I have several YouTube videos of using a boss machine....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bANhq0WlhQ8

This link will bring you to the first one, there are three in all.

We have a nice one for sale as well as others.

Hey Jim,

Do you have any videos showing the other boring machines? Also, do you have a link to a discussion describing the advantages of some maker's machines over the others? I have a feeling you have discussed this somewhere else.

Thanks