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Makita chain mortiser

Started by shad, September 16, 2006, 09:35:48 PM

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shad

Hello, I just bought a Makita chain mortiser. I would like any tips anyone can share for using it and taking care of it. I plan to use it to build a timber frame workshop first and then a timber frame house like the house featured in Jack Sorbon book.
Thanks
Shad

Raphael

Cool deal, sounds like it will have a productive future, how much did it set you back?
  I haven't used the Makita so only thing I can offer is make sure you've got it well locked to the timber before you plunge and keep the chain properly lubricated.  Also I'd avoid silicon based lubricants as they can interfere with finishes on wood.

Enjoy your new toy tool.
... he was middle aged,
and the truth hit him like a man with no parachute.
--Godley & Creme

Stihl 066, MS 362 C-M & 24+ feet of Logosol M7 mill

Thomas-in-Kentucky

Congratulations!  If your chain mortiser turns out to be as indispensible to you as mine did, then you might want to get at least one more chain for it, so you won't be down when you send your "main" chain out for sharpening.  (or get handy enough to sharpen your own chain - I can barely sharpen a regular chainsaw chain, so I didn't try to sharpen the chain mortiser chain).  When I bought a second chain, I got a slightly wider one - just to experiment with.  Sometimes the extra width means you'll only have to make 4 (plunge) cuts instead of 6 cuts to complete a mortise.

Be careful cutting into the backside of an existing mortise (as when trying to make a through mortise by rolling the timber 180 degrees and completing the mortise from the other side).  The mortiser can jerk abruptly when it enters the backside of the existing mortise.

Have fun making chips.

shad

Thanks for the tips. I bought a remanufactured one straight from the Makita distribitor in California for $1044 dollars. It looks like new. You can call Makita and they can tell you if there are any remanufactured ones out there for sale.
Thanks
Shad

Jim_Rogers

Even though I'm a traditional timber framer, I got a Makita a while back to do a special job for a remodeler.
One thing we noticed was there are only two reference lines on the layout. The nice little yellow bar aligns with the outside edge of the mortise but there isn't a line on it for the back side of the chain, so we put one on it so we'd know where the backside of the chain or back edge of the mortise will line up.
We did this by projecting the surface of the back side of the chain teeth to the yellow bar with a combination square ruler, and then scratching the line onto the yellow bar with an awl.
If you need a picture of this let me know and I'll take one of my machine.

As mentioned lubrication is important, as well as keeping the chain tight but not too tight.

You'll find sometimes the machine seems to wobbly a bit, if so increase your clamping by adjusting your slide stops to the exact width of the timber and or adding a spacer.
The spacer has to be the same thickness as the spring is when it is collapsed.
When you want to create the spacer, attach the machine, with the clamp closed and the spring collapsed and measure the distance between the machine and the timber and this will be the thickness of the spacer.

Wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Never start with the chain touching the wood, and be safe at all times.

When you layout your mortises, by pencil, extending the lines beyond the perimeter of the mortise will help you line up the machine using the yellow bar and the white scale.

Good luck.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

mmhailey

I know this is old, but I would like to revive this Topic hopefully.

I know a lot of folks have the Makita Mortiser, and I was wondering if anyone has anymore tips?

For example I have heard of  jigs made to make angled cuts?

How about housings? Has anyone used a sacrificial board clamped to the timber to get the mortiser to cut one?

Hope this generates some discussion, and maybe some ideas.

Thanks



Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and turn him into a liar.

jpickering4468

Shad,
I love mine but when she gets dull you will notice that it is making more dust than chips.  I found that a 3/16" chainsaw file is the perfect size to sharpen the chain and if you are good with the file it will take you about half an hour to tune it up.  Just be sure to keep the file perpendicular to the bar.  There is no trigger lock and it is easily started up so be mindful of your fingers.  Jason
Slow and steady.

Dakota

It works great for housing.  You just have to square off the corners with a chisel.  I use a 2x6 for a spacer board.
Dakota
Dave Rinker

Jim_Rogers

Quote from: mmhailey on October 03, 2010, 11:43:44 PM
How about housings? Has anyone used a sacrificial board clamped to the timber to get the mortiser to cut one?

If you look at the frame that clamps to the timber you'll see on the side where the chain is that there is a cut out between the two points where the clamp presses on the timber.
This is so you can adjust your machine so that the chain will be right up nearly against the clamp cut out. That is the side of the machine where you can do the housings.

I have used mine to do housing and you don't need a sacrificial board, usually.

When I was doing a very long plate (56') out of four 16' pieces of 8x10 we had to create three scarfs. So that's six half scarfs. We used the stop splayed scarf with a table and under squinted butts with wedges.

Here is a shot of the joint all done and in place holding up the rafters while the roof decking was going on:



Here is a shot of half of a finished joint:



As I had six halves to cut, I figured I'd try several different methods of how to cut this joint to see which was easiest, fastest, and most accurate.

The first one was basically by hand. I made several cuts across the area where the table was to be and chiseled out all the wood, and flattened the center section with a hand plane and a slick. This method was the most time consuming way to do it.

Then I looked for another quicker way.

After cutting off the block: 



I could see that I could use this block to make the other side of the piece parallel to the cut line. Like this:



Using two bar or pipe clamps, I held the waste block onto the side of the timber and I could use that block to attach my mortiser to the timber. Like this:



With a series of plunges and moving the mortiser, I was able to create the cut out for the table section. Like this:



Afterwards, clean up with a slick and or a hand plane was very easy.

This made cutting this joint a lot easier, and faster.

Hope that story has inspired you to think outside the box.....

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

shad

I learned to sharpen mine with a Dremal tool, with a tiny little abrasive disc. I use a magnifying  head gear like a jeweler wears. With it you can see the 1/16" flat place on the tooth. I touch the flat place with the dremal just till I see a tiny bur form on it. Works great, makes big curly Q shaving like new.

mmhailey

I thought I would write down a couple of things I have learned about the Makita Mortiser.





Safety First:

1 > I agree with Jim always wear eye and hearing protection.
2 > Get in the habit of picking up the mortiser by the top handle and not the Handles you hold on to during actual use. The trigger switch is located on the underside of the right handle and picking up the mortiser from the timber with this handle can cause the machine to start.  A really bad thing, unless you unplug every time you move the machine.
3> Be very careful when working into a through mortise, with  the blade turned to expand the mortise. An example would be when you have cut the mortise, and then going back and cutting the housing. When the tool cuts through into the void with nothing below it drops, but something if you are ready for no big deal. However when you have the blade kicked out to the side, as when you are enlarging it will forcefully pull itself down.

Just things I have tried and worked:

Reference the picture. I just put permanent marker strip0es at each inch of plunge. These marks are just for the tip of the blade. If you want the blade to cut a 4" deep slot you have to plunge to 4 1/2" due to the rounding of the blade tip.

When working on housings I put a piece of angle across the spring side so that I can clamp onto the timber. ( see above pic) Just make sure and keep the blade clear of the angle iron, unless you like sparks, and sharpening chain saw blades. See Shad's above post for how to sharpen. :D

I also followed Jim's advice on marking the yellow gauge for the rear of the blade. I used my spring loaded punch and put a dot where the back of the blade is.



Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and turn him into a liar.

jimdad07

I just ordered a used Makita 7301 chain Mortimer.  It says it can clamp up to a 12-1/8" beam.  Looking at the pictures the rails aren't as long as the ones I'm seeing on the 7401L models.  Have any of you guys made longer rails for your machines?
Hudson HFE 30 Homesteader bandmill w/28' of track
Couple tractors, a bunch of chainsaws and not enough time to use them.

jimdad07

I ordered the longer rails and clamping plate.  It looks like the one I bought may have been modified.  The one rail on the bottom is bent into a 90 and there is no clamping plate, just the clamping spring on the other rail.  It may have been made that way but it's the only Makita I have seen like that.
Hudson HFE 30 Homesteader bandmill w/28' of track
Couple tractors, a bunch of chainsaws and not enough time to use them.

stumax

Along the with the safety protocols mentioned the only things I can add is to fully read the manual.  The mortiser can save a lot of time and energy with its ability to tilt the blade and always double-check your depth gauge before the cut.   

Troy Schon

Whats a good place to get a makita chain mortiser chain. Have seen prices from $280 to$580. Can you fix a stretched out chain?

ShimodaLife

Quote from: jimdad07 on December 28, 2015, 09:17:00 AM
I ordered the longer rails and clamping plate.  It looks like the one I bought may have been modified.  The one rail on the bottom is bent into a 90 and there is no clamping plate, just the clamping spring on the other rail.  It may have been made that way but it's the only Makita I have seen like that.
Hi Jimdad, I know this is old, but want to follow-up. Where did you find the longer rails and clamping plate? I bought a used 7104, and the rails are only long enough to clamp 7-1/2 inches. But I can't find the rods etc anywhere.
Thanks,
JT
Completed my Timber Frame Tiny House as practice for the soon-to-be-started TF Real House. Tracking all on my Shimoda Life Youtube channel.

Bsdn

Old post, but similar problem w. the 7401 I got off E-bay. 
7.5" max. clamping width. 
I am ordering the 7401L(ong) replacement parts on the gamble that the unit has got to be the same thing, just longer rails, English label etc. 
cheers

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