3/4 HP Heavy-Duty Shop Fox W1671 Mortising Machine Review

1. The assembly instructions assumed the machine came attached to the cast iron base. They came in different boxes, and I had to figure out how they went together. The instructions were written in 2002, last revised in 2007. Presumably the pieces used to be delivered together.2. The chuck and the holder for the chisel both work very poorly. The chisel routinely pulls out of the holder when I lift it out of the wood, the drill bit not uncommonly comes out of the chuck, even after I have…

This is a heavy, solid machine with lots of cast iron. It works well, despite a minor problem. The depth stop rod was either slightly bent or its mounting hole was not located properly. After I cut a mortise, the top of the rod bumped against a the machine and I could not raise the chisel out of the hole. Bending the top of the rod slightly solved this problem. Yes, the paint job is not the best, but it is OK. I tried to contact the seller (Factory Authorized Outlet) re shipping and price, but…

The motor is powerful enough to get good cuts. The machine is heavy enough that I didn't have to mount it to the table. Setup instructions could be better. Came in two packages with no instructions for assembling the base, but it wasn't hard to figure out. First used to cut mortise in treated lumber. The wood tears but can be cleaned up with multiple passes. Very critical to make sure the bit is set properly. Youtube has a number of good videos that can help with that. To this point, it was a…

The first thing that hit me when the machine arrived was that it weighs 80 pounds, not the 24 listed. I had planned to keep it under the workbench. It has to be sturdily mounted.Next was that the manual shows a picture of the parts. Watch out, there are more, I pondered for a long time trying to figure out how to mount the unit to the base and finally got an idea. I looked through all the parts and found bolts for this.The worst insult was mounting the gas spring. It’s about an eighth of an…

I originally purchased this mortiser because of reading previous reviews about how much better it is than other brands of this size and type, (the 3/4hp vs. 1/2hp and the ability of the head to swivel around so larger pieces could be mortised), and I have to say I am well pleased with it. Compared to other machines I have used of lesser horsepower this one is a breeze to use and I haven't even sharpened the chisel yet. The setup is easy because of the access doors on both sides.However, the…

Ordered product with a preconceived notion based on reviews this was going to be a good product at a respectable price. The instruction book was full of information but lacked clarity and detail on assembly creating some confusion during assembly. The table supplied with the product was a low grade particle board that was broke in half on arrival. After finial assembly it is my opinion that the design philosophy was well intended but did not translate during fabrication. The parts were poorly…

I went for this given the 3/4 vs 1/2 HP motor, but should have paid more attention to the speed. Mortising bits are prone to overheating, and they should be run much slower than the 3450 fixed RPM of this motor. I wish I had researched it more before I bought.

I'd be pretty happy with this if Shop Fox had bothered to machine all the parts. There's a key piece where the lever arm connects to the machine to raise and lower the head. The arm is supposed to bolt on to the machine, however, in my case, the bolt hole has no threads. The manufacturer did not tap the hole for the bolt.Technical service was great and said the replacement part might be threaded, but was not machined to accept the locking pin. So I could either tap the bolt hole myself or get a

I haven't had a chance to use it yet because I am going to have to make at least one modification to assemble it--the elongated circular holes in the clutch, in which the hand lever is supposed to fit, are too small. I will have to file the edges in order to enlarge the holes on both the bottom and the top of the clutch to get the handle to go through. I have perused other reviews to see if anyone else had had this problem, but so far I haven't found this exact issue. I ended up with a…

I bought this machine to replace my JBM-5 Jet Mortiser. The promise of a beefier machine with a 1/2" chuck (vs. 3/8" for the Jet) was what attracted me to the Shop Fox. I received it yesterday, and spent a couple of hours assembling it and making some test mortises. Below follows my list of pros and cons.Pros:1) First and foremost, this machine offers great value in a mortiser. This made-in-China mortiser is a lower cost option than its Taiwan-made competitors such as Jet and Delta. $247…

Haven't actually put it to use but am happy with the overall set-up and quality. Unfortunately they need to fire their packaging engineer 'cuz my dog could have designed a better and properly reinforced package. Mine arrived (nobody home) with the carton busted open at the seam and PS foam everywhere. The motor fan and guard were mashed and, while easily replaced. Revain only does replacements, not replacement parts. So now that I have the thing all set up, I need to tear it down and re-box it…

I had a problem with the gas spring's plastic ball socket breaking when trying to snap it onto the steel ball. I emailed Shop Fox about it and after they requested all sorts of information, I haven't heard back from them. It's been over a week now. Don't expect much support. As a comparison, Bench Dog's router table arrived with a broken part and the company sent the replacement 2-day air with no questions asked (except address of course).I decided to buy my own ball and socket connector and…

I purchased this machine after receiving orders for several pieces of mission furniture. I grew tired of trying to cut mortises with my router. I have made several hundred mortises in white oak, cherry and white maple. I am very pleased with the machine.Pros:1. Arrived on time and undamaged.2. Setup and adjustment took only a couple of hours.3. Hold down is exceptional. I have had NO racking problems4. Plenty of power, it doesn't even groan a bit on 3/4 inch mortise 2 inches deep in white…

Everything on this machine is as it should be. Very sturdy and powerful; I have yet to cut any mortises yet but the motor is smooth and quiet. A couple reasons I knocked off a star is that there seems to be a missing collar with a set screw that slides on the guide rod for the fence, i assume to adjust the spring tension. The part is in the manual exploded diagram. I received 2 machines and both are missing the collar. It's not a deal breaker but would be nice to have. Also the clamping lever…

Had some shipping damage to the fan cover when I received it. It was an easy fix. No reason to return it. Very happy with the purchase work's great 👍

I purchased after comparing several machines and pouring over reviews on several sites. I've made hundreds of mortises so far - most of them angled (for wedged, through mortises) and I'm extremely happy with my purchase. Note, the table doesn't angle - I did that with an angled jig on the flat table. I was using a Delta drill press mortising jig, but this is so much better. I would say I'm an intermediate level weekend warrior in terms of woodworking experience and ability. I have one car slot…