Hollow Chisel Mortiser

[Chet]

Submitted on the old forum by Kev

Before I left WA, I sold off my shop fox HCM as I just didn't use it much and it was another item to haul to the new shop.  Well, since being in the new shop and doing more videos, I find myself pulling out the Domino a lot and steering away from more traditional joinery over speed.  Some of that is just life!  Me trying to create enough content while I'm gone on the road.  Some of it, in all honesty, is laziness.  I won't lie!

I have some blanket chests coming up, I think, where this tool would come in very handy with all those ebony plugs that I need to cut.  Now, full transparency, this could just as easily be me kicking myself for getting rid of a tool that did the job and wishing I still had it!  Whatever the reason, I ordered a new one.

The old one was the Shop Fox and I was never overly impressed with it.  I found the bed to not hold well enough to cut a mortise of any length without having to go back and clean up the edges.  So, with that knowledge and experience, I knew I wasn't going to go back to that machine.  Additionally, with my recent woes with PM, I knew that I wasn't going that direction even though the Jet and PM ones really have good reviews.

So, what's left?  Delta makes one but, the bed didn't look that much better than the Shop Fox version.  Rikon makes one that kind of peaked my interest.  It wasn't the cheapest but, it did look like they paid attention to the details to improve what I didn't like on the Shop Fox.  So, that's what I ordered.  Of course, I'll do a review when it arrives.

Here's the one that I ordered..  www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SOR41CO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Follow up post

1) Will be interested to hear how this one works and compared to the shop fox ... I've always been warned to stay away from benchtop stuff when possible.

2) Normally, I tend to agree.  However, in this case with the amount of use it will see in most of our shops, a bench top model makes perfect sense.  Also, the PM version that I used to have my eye on is about $1500.00.  I just have a tough time swallowing that pill for a tool that isn't going to see a great deal of use.

3) Agreed. Lots of money for something you'd use a couple times a year. 

However... Do you not use it because it sounded like the first one kinda sucked and didn't make M&T fun / quicker than it was messing with everyone. 

Or do you just not build using that method? Maybe if you had a sweet tool that was a joy you might use it more? 

Timing and videos I can see ... But I'm curious how much slower it is. I know dominoes is super fast but maybe you build one chest with the HCM and one with dominoes? 

.... Just some thoughts

4) No dominos in the chests at this point that I know of.  For the chests, it comes down more to cutting all the plug holes.

5) I never liked the HCM I have, basically it is holding down the corner of a tarp I have in the shed.  The domino is quick, I would rather buy the pantorouter, but that isn't exactly a cheap tool either.

6) Agreed..  I've thought about that particular tool as well.  Unfortunately, I have enough green and red in my shop where I'm feeling borderline of catching a bunch of crap on YT about expensive tools.  I just felt this might be a tool that was reasonably within reach.

7) Kev you shoulda said something sooner! I woulda traded you my hcm even up for your domino 

8 ) lol..  Not really a fair trade I'm afraid..  Unless you had a floor model HCM.

9) No it would be a really good deal for one of us! I’ve actually never used mine. Craigslist special couldn’t even tell you the brand without going out to the shop.

10) That’s the same one I was looking at getting. I look forward to seeing your take on it. From what I’ve read Rikon is making some changes to the middle of the road price machine and trying to make them even closer to premium line at just a lower price point.

11) I'll certainly be sure to do a review.

I have one of their slow speed grinders and like it so far.  To be completely honest, I don't have enough miles on it yet to offer a proper review.

12) Great this will must likely be my next purchase after the bandsaw in couple weeks.

13) I got called out for work again but, I'm hoping to have time for the initial review before I go..