Popular Woodworking 2001-06 № 122, страница 11

Tool Test

Powermatic's Revamped Mortiser: Near Perfect, But Pricey for DIY

Powermatic souped up its benchtop hollow chisel mortiser this year to create a machine that is everything a home woodworker could ever need, and is an inexpensive alternative for the professional shop.

Unlike benchtop mortisers that sell for less than $250, the Powermatic 719A floor-model mortiser is loaded with features that make cutting square holes as simple as possible. If you've ever used a benchtop mortiser, you know they're plagued by two problems: wimpy hold-down clamps and inaccuracies due to chips building up between the fence and your work.

The 719A has solved both these problems with a sliding table (borrowed from metal milling machines) that moves using hand wheels, plus a heavy-duty acme-thread screw clamp that holds your work firmly in place. A series of adjustable stops control where each mortise begins and ends, so you can cut exactly the same mortise as many times as you want — no more eyeballing your layout lines.

Powermatic hasn't just put its previous benchtop mortiser on a stand. This is an entirely new machine inside and out. Improvements include: the capacity to handle work up to thick with a ³/8" chisel installed; a slow-speed induction motor that spins at 1,720 rpm; and the addition of a cabinet with a padded shelf with holes in it for storing all the auger bits, chisels and bushings a commercial shop could want.

The chisel depth limiter has also been redesigned and improved to work like the

depth stop on the JBM-5 mortiser from Powermatic's sister company, Jet. One of the small disappointments of the 719A is that Powermatic uses the same chuck key as on the JBM-5. The key is longer, so it's easier to maneuver to the chuck, but the teeth don't mesh up just right.

At first I thought the 719A's table was too low (about 31" from the floor) and the table movements seemed stiff. But after a couple of easy table adjustments and a few mortises, I changed my opinion. The table moved smoothly and the adjustable handle felt really good where it was; I never had to contort my body to plunge to the full depth.

Like most Powermatic equipment, the 719A is designed for years of use. The gibs in the dovetailed ways can be adjusted or replaced when they're worn. All of the handles are beefier than those on the company's previous model, and many of the castings on this Taiwanese-made machine are simply massive.

Of course, the most important question is whether the machine is right for your shop. As an Arts & Crafts nut, just about every project I do seems to need a boatload of mortises. The sliding table makes mortising at least twice as fast as it is on a benchtop model. And because there's virtually none of the frustration you get with a benchtop mortiser, cutting mortises seems almost as fast as cutting biscuit slots. I'll be saving my pennies.

— Christopher Schwarz For more information, circle #150 on the Resource Directory Coupon.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Powermatic 7I9A

Street price: $770 Max stock under ³/8" chisel: 7'/4" Max stock, chisel to fence: 4"" Motor: Ihp, Il5/230v, 1,720 rpm Chisel capacity: /V" to I"" Table movement L/R: 16"" Table movement F/B: 41^/2"" Shipping weight: 182 lbs. Performance: ••••O Value: ••••O

Powermatic 800-248-0I44,or www.powermatic.com

HOW WE RATE TOOLS

At PopularWoodworking we test new tools and products with an honest, real-world workout.We check for ease of assembly and determine how clear and complete the manuals are. Then we use the tool in our shop to build projects that appear in the magazine. Each issue, the magazine's editorial staff shares its results and experiences with the tools, rating each for performance and value.

We use a one-to-five scale,with "five" in performance indicating that we consider it to be the leader in its category. For value,"five" means the tool is a great deal for the money,

while "one" means we consider it pricey. However,a tool with a low value rating may be worth the high price.

If our tool reviews don't answer all your questions,e-mail me at DavidT@FWPubs.com or call me at 5l3-53l-2690,ext. 255. If we haven't reviewed the tool you're considering,there's a good chance I've used the tool, but simply haven't had a chance to write a review. Give me a call and see if I can help.You can also visit our website www.popwood.com to check out our past published tool reviews and sign up for our free e-mail newsletter (focussing on tools) that's sent out every other week. —David Thiel, senior editor

16 Popular Woodworking June 2001