Hi folks,
I could use a little advice. I've been cutting my mortises either with Forstner bits and chisels, or more recently with real (eg Neander) mortising chisels. I took a local class where they had a Powermatic
719 mortiser. What a sweet machine! So now I've had this conversion that a Power Mortiser would be Darned Nice to Have. Yep, Christmas and Bday are right around the corner, too.So I'm looking around at mortisers, and I'm wondering: as a hobbyist making mostly furniture, can I really justify the cost of a Powermatic
719? Is it worth it? Or -- since I'm not in the production biz -- will a Delta 14-651 fit the bill?Obviously the Powermatic is a nicer machine. But for the hobbyist, is it worth the price difference ($225 vs $800)? I am not rich enough that I can afford to squander my money on something beyond my needs ... and I'm not crazy enough to go too cheap on my tools.
Of course y'all will want to know what I plan to make .... FWIW, I plan to use it on some bigger pieces I'll be making after the new year (e.g., buffet, sideboards, etc). I've been in woodworking now for a couple of years and I've made enough projects that I'm pretty sure this is a long-term hobby for me.
Thanks in advance, Nate