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Somewhat of a Tool Score

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-MIKE-

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Dec 9, 2017, 1:03:52 PM12/9/17
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I picked up a barely used Jet JBM-5 mortising machine for 200 bucks!
Not the best score I've ever achieved, but it's a pretty good deal.
I've been wanting one for a while because I'm doing more and more
projects with mortise and tenon joints, so I'm looking forward to
working with it.

Maybe if I get to doing a lot of M&T projects, this will whet my
appetite for a Domino machine. I'm pretty sure I can sell this Jet for
at least what I paid for it.

In the mean time I'll have some fun with it.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
www.mikedrums.com


Leon

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Dec 9, 2017, 1:33:59 PM12/9/17
to
On 12/9/2017 12:03 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
> I picked up a barely used Jet JBM-5 mortising machine for 200 bucks!
> Not the best score I've ever achieved, but it's a pretty good deal.
> I've been wanting one for a while because I'm doing more and more
> projects with mortise and tenon joints, so I'm looking forward to
> working with it.
>
> Maybe if I get to doing a lot of M&T projects, this will whet my
> appetite for a Domino machine.  I'm pretty sure I can sell this Jet for
> at least what I paid for it.

There is nothing like mortise and tennon joinery. It is a big step
towards quality construction. I bought a similar bench top Delta
mortiser about 15 years ago. I can count on one hand how many times I
used it. A very cool machine but it and the chisels must be in tip top
condition to give you good results and to enjoy using the machine.
Mortises less than 3/8" can be tricky and you should proceed with
caution to avoid clogging and breaking the inner bit.


>
> In the mean time I'll have some fun with it.
>
>
Cool!

If you have not used one much you are going to want to be sure the
chisels have a polished mirror finish. There is a lot of friction as
they cut the wood and like your bench chisels, a mirror finish is
desired. There is also a cone shaped stone for your drill to work the
end of the chisel end.

sawdustmaker

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Dec 9, 2017, 1:40:01 PM12/9/17
to
Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote in
news:AoudnTjRCNsQsbHH...@giganews.com:
Ease the friction by drilling out the mortise first with a normal drill
and then use the mortise machine.

Leon

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Dec 9, 2017, 1:55:53 PM12/9/17
to
On 12/9/2017 12:39 PM, sawdustmaker wrote:
> Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote in
> news:AoudnTjRCNsQsbHH...@giganews.com:
>
>> On 12/9/2017 12:03 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
>>> I picked up a barely used Jet JBM-5 mortising machine for 200 bucks!
>>> Not the best score I've ever achieved, but it's a pretty good deal.
>>> I've been wanting one for a while because I'm doing more and more
>>> projects with mortise and tenon joints, so I'm looking forward to
>>> working with it.
>>>
>>> Maybe if I get to doing a lot of M&T projects, this will whet my
>>> appetite for a Domino machine.  I'm pretty sure I can sell this Jet
>>> for at least what I paid for it.
>>
>> There is nothing like mortise and tennon joinery. It is a big step
>> towards quality construction. I bought a similar bench top Delta
>> mortiser about 15 years ago. I can count on one hand how many times I
>> used it. A very cool machine but it and the chisels must be in tip
>> top condition to give you good results and to enjoy using the machine.
>> Mortises less than 3/8" can be tricky and you should proceed with
>> caution to avoid clogging and breaking the inner bit.
>>
>>
>>>
>>> In the mean time I'll have some fun with it.
>>>
>>>
>> Cool!
>>
>> If you have not used one much you are going to want to be sure the
>> chisels have a polished mirror finish. There is a lot of friction as
>> they cut the wood and like your bench chisels, a mirror finish is
>> desired. There is also a cone shaped stone for your drill to work the
>> end of the chisel end.
>>
>
> Ease the friction by drilling out the mortise first with a normal drill
> and then use the mortise machine.
>

I believe the bit on/inside the chisel of the mortiser is suppose to
achieve that step.

Unquestionably Confused

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Dec 9, 2017, 2:09:14 PM12/9/17
to
On 12/9/2017 12:03 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
> I picked up a barely used Jet JBM-5 mortising machine for 200 bucks!
> Not the best score I've ever achieved, but it's a pretty good deal.
> I've been wanting one for a while because I'm doing more and more
> projects with mortise and tenon joints, so I'm looking forward to
> working with it.
>
> Maybe if I get to doing a lot of M&T projects, this will whet my
> appetite for a Domino machine.  I'm pretty sure I can sell this Jet for
> at least what I paid for it.
>
> In the mean time I'll have some fun with it.

Congrats on the score, -MIKE-. Not really a "You Suck" but you can at
least claim to have licked it a bit! ;)

As others have commented, key to using these is sharp tools and
patience. Take your time and let the mortiser do the work.

Other than sharpness, set up is critical. The old advice of spacing the
inner bit a nickel's thickness was a good generalization but subject to
how fast you're feeding and the hardness of the wood.

Trial and error still seems to be king.

I did find this recently which may or may not work for a specific
application:

"A gap the thickness of a nickel—roughly 0.072” thick—results in
operating temperatures roughly 40 or 50 degrees higher than if you
increase that gap to 0.117” (the gap provided by the built-in spacer, on
the Powermatic PM701 mortiser, used in their testing"). So I now use a
0.125" gauge block to set the gap. The importance of sharpening and
polishing the chisels and bits can't be overstated!

-MIKE-

unread,
Dec 9, 2017, 2:39:27 PM12/9/17
to
The manual has a chart for the gap corresponding to hard/soft woods and
chisel size.

-MIKE-

unread,
Dec 9, 2017, 2:41:03 PM12/9/17
to
That's what I was thinking.
If you have to drill first, the chisels are probably dull.

-MIKE-

unread,
Dec 9, 2017, 2:46:05 PM12/9/17
to
On 12/9/17 12:33 PM, Leon wrote:
> On 12/9/2017 12:03 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
>> I picked up a barely used Jet JBM-5 mortising machine for 200 bucks!
>> Not the best score I've ever achieved, but it's a pretty good deal.
>> I've been wanting one for a while because I'm doing more and more
>> projects with mortise and tenon joints, so I'm looking forward to
>> working with it.
>>
>> Maybe if I get to doing a lot of M&T projects, this will whet my
>> appetite for a Domino machine.  I'm pretty sure I can sell this Jet
>> for at least what I paid for it.
>
> There is nothing like mortise and tennon joinery.  It is a big step
> towards quality construction.

I've done quite a few pieces with M&T and really like it, but it's
always been a slower-than-need-be process and I usually end up winging
it. I look forward to discovering if this speeds up the process or not.


> I bought a similar bench top Delta
> mortiser about 15 years ago.  I can count on one hand how many times I
> used it.

I'm entirely open to the idea that I may not get much use out of it,
which would probably mean I had since moved on to a Domino. :-)


> A very cool machine but it and the chisels must be in tip top
> condition to give you good results and to enjoy using the machine.
> Mortises less than 3/8" can be tricky and you should proceed with
> caution to avoid clogging and breaking the inner bit.
>
>
>>
>> In the mean time I'll have some fun with it.
>>
>>
> Cool!
>
> If you have not used one much you are going to want to be sure the
> chisels have a polished mirror finish.  There is a lot of friction as
> they cut the wood and like your bench chisels, a mirror finish is
> desired.  There is also a cone shaped stone for your drill to work the
> end of the chisel end.

The 3 chisels that came with it are super-duper sharp.
Replacements aren't that much, but I'll look into that stone.

OFWW

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Dec 9, 2017, 6:11:44 PM12/9/17
to
On Sat, 9 Dec 2017 13:46:01 -0600, -MIKE- <mi...@mikedrumsDOT.com>
wrote:
The special bits can be a problem. They are designed to carry the wood
up and out the chisel. The tip of the bit needs to be set just right
for the chisel, not too far extended and not rubbing the chisel. Like
Leon said keep the chisels sharp.

I have seen the chisels flex so that the mortise looks like it was cut
at an angle even after making everything squared up.

My current preference is a mortise and tenon jig, everything set up
properly stays squared up, or a primo tool like Leon uses, the newest
domino maker.

-MIKE-

unread,
Dec 9, 2017, 6:32:39 PM12/9/17
to
Who knows where this will take me or where it'll be months/years from now.
The guy I bought it from said he does them faster by hand.

Leon

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Dec 9, 2017, 7:13:02 PM12/9/17
to
On 12/9/2017 1:46 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
> On 12/9/17 12:33 PM, Leon wrote:
>> On 12/9/2017 12:03 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
>>> I picked up a barely used Jet JBM-5 mortising machine for 200 bucks!
>>> Not the best score I've ever achieved, but it's a pretty good deal.
>>> I've been wanting one for a while because I'm doing more and more
>>> projects with mortise and tenon joints, so I'm looking forward to
>>> working with it.
>>>
>>> Maybe if I get to doing a lot of M&T projects, this will whet my
>>> appetite for a Domino machine.  I'm pretty sure I can sell this Jet
>>> for at least what I paid for it.
>>
>> There is nothing like mortise and tennon joinery.  It is a big step
>> towards quality construction.
>
> I've done quite a few pieces with M&T and really like it, but it's
> always been a slower-than-need-be process and I usually end up winging
> it.  I look forward to discovering if this speeds up the process or not.

If you were hand cutting with chisels, it will be faster.

>
>
>> I bought a similar bench top Delta mortiser about 15 years ago.  I can
>> count on one hand how many times I used it.
>
> I'm entirely open to the idea that I may not get much use out of it,
> which would probably mean I had since moved on to a Domino.   :-)

Something to consider. When I bought my Domino, when they were
initially introduced, I hoped that I would use it much more often than
the mortiser. That was about 10 years ago.

Now, If you want to get more into building nice furniture with strong
joints and no pocket hole screws... ;~) Think about your first 5~10
mortises that you are not just playing around with but on a real
project. Now consider that I am on my 3rd box of 1,800 replacement 5mm
Dominoes plus the initial 600 that came with the kit. And I am well
into a case of 6mm Dominoes too. Double all those Dominos and you have
both mating mortises. Each mortise with the Domino takes about 3
seconds..... If you have ever used a plate joiner/biscuit cutter, it is
exactly that fast, but dead on accurate.
MY Domino has paid for itself countless times in time saved.


>
>
>> A very cool machine but it and the chisels must be in tip top
>> condition to give you good results and to enjoy using the machine.
>> Mortises less than 3/8" can be tricky and you should proceed with
>> caution to avoid clogging and breaking the inner bit.
>>
>>
>>>
>>> In the mean time I'll have some fun with it.
>>>
>>>
>> Cool!
>>
>> If you have not used one much you are going to want to be sure the
>> chisels have a polished mirror finish.  There is a lot of friction as
>> they cut the wood and like your bench chisels, a mirror finish is
>> desired.  There is also a cone shaped stone for your drill to work the
>> end of the chisel end.
>
> The 3 chisels that came with it are super-duper sharp.
> Replacements aren't that much, but I'll look into that stone.
>
>
They do need to have a mirror finish on the 4 outside sides, just like
the back side of a chisel. It will make a world of difference in the
effort you put into plunging the chisel.and bit.

Leon

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Dec 9, 2017, 7:13:48 PM12/9/17
to
Yes.

Leon

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Dec 9, 2017, 7:18:49 PM12/9/17
to
On 12/9/2017 5:32 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
Snip


>>
>
> Who knows where this will take me or where it'll be months/years from now.



> The guy I bought it from said he does them faster by hand.

LOL.... Not laughing at you Mike, laughing with you. The bench top
mortiser is NOT a production tool. I remember the mortiser in shop
class when I was in school. It was a dedicated full sized DP with a
foot pedal to assist in plunging the chisel....

k...@notreal.com

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Dec 9, 2017, 7:23:37 PM12/9/17
to
On Sat, 09 Dec 2017 15:11:41 -0800, OFWW <ofww1...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>On Sat, 9 Dec 2017 13:46:01 -0600, -MIKE- <mi...@mikedrumsDOT.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On 12/9/17 12:33 PM, Leon wrote:
>>> On 12/9/2017 12:03 PM, -MIKE- wrote:

<...>

>>>> In the mean time I'll have some fun with it.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Cool!
>>>
>>> If you have not used one much you are going to want to be sure the
>>> chisels have a polished mirror finish.  There is a lot of friction as
>>> they cut the wood and like your bench chisels, a mirror finish is
>>> desired.  There is also a cone shaped stone for your drill to work the
>>> end of the chisel end.
>>
>>The 3 chisels that came with it are super-duper sharp.
>>Replacements aren't that much, but I'll look into that stone.
>
>The special bits can be a problem. They are designed to carry the wood
>up and out the chisel. The tip of the bit needs to be set just right
>for the chisel, not too far extended and not rubbing the chisel. Like
>Leon said keep the chisels sharp.
>
>I have seen the chisels flex so that the mortise looks like it was cut
>at an angle even after making everything squared up.
>
>My current preference is a mortise and tenon jig, everything set up
>properly stays squared up, or a primo tool like Leon uses, the newest
**********
>domino maker.
**************

I'm confused?

Leon

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Dec 9, 2017, 7:28:54 PM12/9/17
to
I was scratching my head on that one too butttttt.....
Might be one not available here..... I just learned that there are 3
versions of Kapex saws. The 120, 88, and 60 IIRC. The YouTube demos of
the 60 come with a British accent. ;~o

k...@notreal.com

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Dec 9, 2017, 7:41:59 PM12/9/17
to
Only the 120 is available in the US.

-MIKE-

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Dec 9, 2017, 8:56:37 PM12/9/17
to
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've heard your infomercial so many times, I can
probably recite it verbatim. :-p
Who knows? A year from now, maybe I'll be singing the same song.

k...@notreal.com

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Dec 9, 2017, 10:37:45 PM12/9/17
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On Sat, 9 Dec 2017 19:56:31 -0600, -MIKE- <mi...@mikedrumsDOT.com>
wrote:
Just FYI, Festool sells "reconditioned" demo tools on the web. I
noticed a DF500 Set for sale today for something like 25% off ($750,
IIRC). Everything goes fast but you can sign up for email alerts, if
you're interested.

-MIKE-

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Dec 9, 2017, 10:47:13 PM12/9/17
to
Appreciate it.
I'll look that up because I'm in the market for their contractors
version of the track saw.

Leon

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Dec 9, 2017, 11:26:42 PM12/9/17
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Have I said that before? ;~)

k...@notreal.com

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Dec 10, 2017, 12:10:07 AM12/10/17
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Only once or twice. ;-)
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