Syllabi & Jigs:

Fixture for Adding a Sliding Table to the Robland X31 Horizontal Mortiser

under construction 11-20-08

Even though these collages -- below -- are not entirely complete, they usefully layout the details of the jig/fixture that I made shortly after settling in with my "new" X31 Robland combo machine. New is in quotes because I am reminiscing.

I bought the Robland in 2001, the year I retired, and -- because never before had I used such a intimidating woodworking machine -- I began using it with considerable apprehension. Soon, however, using it became straightforward. I marveled at -- and still marvel at -- the power of each of its three 3-HP motors, and how true the circular saw in making cuts and the capacity of the 12" jointer/planer.

But I soon became irritated with the limits of the horizontal mortiser. The post-stamp-sized table was too limiting for what I visualized the tool is capable of doing: -- cutting the mortises for a door's stiles on that little table would be quite a balancing act!

So, with those thoughts, I started to work out in my mind the various ways in which the mortiser's usefulness could be expanded, and soon came up with the solution, a solution that continues to serve well, after almost ten years.

Notice too that I have expanded the usefulness of the mortiser by making another type of table: a sort of horizontal shaper.