Jet 1/2 HP Benchtop Mortise Machine 115-Volt 1/2 in. Capacity JBM-5

Easy to assemble and set up. Bit was not 100 percendicular to the table, had to shim slightly. Bits are not very sharp, but if you go slow and easy they work ok. Other than that, I like the machine very well.

Bought this based on reviews due to it’s value and features. I have limited space and budget so the Jet seemed to be the best choice. Plus it was not as heavy as other models so moving it around is easy. I cut some mortises in cypress and the auger would clog so there is some technique and skill needed. I sharpened the chisel as well but the soft wood seemed to just clog. After some tinkering I got it to cut nice square mortises.

It met my expectations

Solid machine, performs as advertised. I appreciated the inclusion of the four chisel/bits.

This seems to do well on soft woods, but on hard wood, such as purpleheart, it struggles.

This works magic on doors. By far the simplist tool to use on any kind of slab door.

Very nicely put together and it works perfectly. Need to make minor adjustment from time to time. Wish it had a better holding mech, or even the bed that has the adjustable handles to move the piece of work to the next spot.

Great tool. Easy setup and works great. I have already used it 3 times. Great results

I saved 50 dollars buying this on sale from Home Depot. If you are cutting mortises every day you would want a more powerful machine but for occasional use this machine is fine. It is very easy to setup. Take a little time to sharpen the chisels. This makes a difference. Setup is quicker than a router and beats the heck out of pounding them out by hand. The hold down is not perfect but not bad either. Take a little time setting it up and give the bit and chisel time to do its job. So far I am happy with this purchase.

I bought this item because I wanted a machine to cut mortises and one that is relatively lightweight. At 44 pounds this one worked. Most of the others are significantly heavier. The machine does what it says. It comes with longer than average bit and chisel. If you order the Delta ones from Home Depot or from some other supplier, they will be much shorter. There is an attachment that comes with the machine to utilize the shorter bits. I found the attachment a bit hard to put on but once there I decided to leave it and use the shorter bits. If you are cutting pine the cut is not as clean as if you cut a hardwood. The fibers get easily crushed. Also, it is not easy pulling down the lever. It takes a considerable amount of force to do so. The harder the wood the more the forces. I have shoulder issues, so I need to clamp the wood and then use both arms to pull the lever. Slower but it works. There are some excellent videos online about how to set up and use the Jet Mortiser. I would recommend searching them out as they help explain how things are done. How to cut and how to set up the bit and chisel are very important, and the videos will walk you through it. This is a fully manual system. You will have to move the product by hand back and forth and side to side. There are no scales of measurement to move your work to. This means lining things up by the pencil marks that you will need to make to show the size of the mortise. I like the machine for the small amount of work I do on it. Not for a professional woodworker but it is great for the occasional user.

I saved 50 dollars buying this on sale from Home Depot. If you are cutting mortises every day you would want a more powerful machine but for occasional use this machine is fine. It is very easy to setup. Take a little time to sharpen the chisels. This makes a difference. Setup is quicker than a router and beats the heck out of pounding them out by hand. The hold down is not perfect but not bad either. Take a little time setting it up and give the bit and chisel time to do its job. So far I am happy with this purchase.