Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Horizontal Mortising Bits?
Tom Norton
>I am very serious about the Grizzly horizontal unit for $375. But I would like to get a lead on some approiate bits. I know I could get away with a spirail bit but I think there is something else. Anyone know a source? Thanks
Re: Horizontal Mortising Bits?
Bill Earl
>You can get bits made for the purpose, but spiral bits work fine, as do end-mills. You don't need the expensive precision end-mills. The tolerances on the cheap ones are good enough for woodworking.
You can find inexpensive end-mills from machine tool supply companies like enco (www.use-enco.com).
Re: Horizontal Mortising Bits?
Jesse in New Mexico
>Bill's right about the end mills.
Let us know how you like the Grizzly mortiser. I've had my eye on it for a while, but would like to get the scoop from someone who uses it.
Re: HSS 2 flute endmills...
Rick L
>No need to spend the extra money on carbide and 4 flutes cut slower than 2 flutes. 2 flutes are typical for milling aluminum. There's a review on woodcentral by someone who has the Grizzly G0540. I've talked to several users of the machine. You'd think folks would be buying them like they were going out of style.
Re: Horizontal Mortising Bits?
Ed Snow
>I have one. I reviewed it too. I like the unit for what I use it for, rail and style construction and chair work. It is the perfect compliment to your router and edge guide. Typically, I use 2 flute hss end mills. They work well. There are a couple ways to use it, in euro fashion you can set your stops and plunge full depth making two stop cuts then come back and overlap just like using a forstner bit then clean it up in one final pass or you can go fast and just go end to end plunging the cut ever deeper by about 1/8" just like with a router.
All that said it is no 600 lb oscillating horizontal mortiser it is a medium duty machine you can't just slam a 5/8" bit in and go to town, in fact I wouldn't put a 1/2" bit in it. That is not to say you can't make larger mortises you just can't do it in one shot, and to be frank more small mortises are stronger than one larger one. Think of this machine as the contractors version not the cabinet saw. The machine does a good job but it has limits as a hobbiest you will most likely not stretch them.
If you want more capacity you will spend at least 10 times more than the grizzly even for a used machine.
Re: Horizontal Mortising Bits?
Vijay
>Ed,
I notice that on the Grizzly table there are no T slots. How do you clamp the workpiece without T slots? Inquiring minds want to know.
Vijay
Re: Horizontal Mortising Bits?
Ed Snow
>It has the normal corner mounted cam clamps like all slot mortisers I have seen.