User Manual

While ½ Hp motors are the norm, we equipped the
Powermatic 701 Benchtop Mortiser a true ¾ Hp (1725 rpm)
motor with plenty of power and torque to drive the largest
chisel and bit combinations in the toughest woods without a
whimper. That additional power also means that the
Powermatic 701 Benchtop Mortiser runs easier and cooler,
extending its life considerably.
Positioning and securing the wood are crucial to accuracy so
we added a heavy cast iron fence. The 2 ½”-tall faces are
machined square to the huge, 12 ¾”-wide by 8 ½”-deep (fully useable surface) cast iron
table. The fence is adjusted front to back with another rack and pinion gear drive, operated
by large knobs on either side of the column. A pair of lever-operated cam locks makes
securing the fence an easy, one-handed operation. Each side of
the fence has a pre-drilled hole that can be used to attach
auxiliary faces or shop-built jigs when special mortising
operations are encountered.
Even the fence is locked in position
with finger-operated levers.
The material hold down is
designed for ease of use and
efficiency. Note the locking
knob above the hold down that
prevents loosening when the
chisel is retracted.
Even the material hold-down clamp incorporates new thinking
and is designed to work with stock thicknesses of 0” to 5”. The
hold-down can be easily reversed on its post using a finger-
operated knob rather than the traditional setscrew. To
eliminate the frustrating tendency of hold-downs to loosen
when the chisel is withdrawn from sticky wood species we
added a simple but effective dial that is turned down against
the hold-down clamp to lock it in place.
To make keeping the stock firmly against the fence easier a pair of roller clamps are
included. A finger operated knob locks and releases each roller clamp to make positioning
them fast, easy and tooless. These roller-type clamps not only keep the
stock against the fence, they make it easy to reposition it for
cutting long mortises quickly and precisely.
We also gave the Powermatic 701 Benchtop Mortiser a unique
hollow chisel and bit mounting system that makes it compatible
with a wide range of bit set sizes. To accommodate both long
and short-shanked auger bits, we include a specially machined
chuck extension. Two bushings are also included to fit hollow
chisels with 5/8” and ¾” bosses.
The offset between the hollow chisel and the tip of the auger bit
is critical to performance. To simplify this important setup step,
we designed a unique, built-in, two-leaf spacing system that lets
you get this spacing right the first time without tools or having to find a spacer or coin.
When installing chisel/auger sets ½” or less, use the top spacer leaf only, for chisel/auger
sets larger than ½”, use both spacer leaves. Fast, simple and totally tool free.
Roller-style material clamps
keep the wood against the
fence but allow repositioning
for the next cut.