Did you know the world’s first portable electric carpentry power tool was a chain mortiser, invented by Mafell in 1926? (Wikipedia)  A little known fact—and yet it makes perfect sense if you have tried to drill and chisel a mortise by hand—it was just a matter of time before an innovator came along and said, “We must automate this process!”

Since then Mafell has been ahead of the competition creating the most precise and durable power tools, and thankfully they never forgot their chain mortiser roots.  Chain mortisers are to a timber framing shop what a Running Back is to a football team—they are worked harder than any other position and must be in top physical condition or they will be forced into early retirement!

With that in mind, there are only two chain mortisers on the market that justify their price point and deserve your attention, each with a video demonstration:

Makita 7104L Chain Mortiser

Mafell LS 103Ec Chain Mortiser

Demonstrated by Tim Rau of
New World Barn Company

Demonstrated by Micah Seals of
Homestead Timber Frames

Here’s What Our Customers are Saying Lately:

"So far I have nothing but good to say about the chain mortiser. It works flawlessly as it should. It has already helped restore an early 1800's 30'x74' timber frame and several smaller new frames. Thank you and we look forward to our next Mafell tool purchase soon!"
-Jesse J. Reed, American Barn & Building

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"We love to use the LS 103Ec chain mortiser, because it is very well designed. This tool can also be used as a slotting tool to provide a channel for recessed lighting in timbers or to remove material in pockets. It has ample power for all applications and can be fitted with different chain, bar, sprocket sets. This is our brand of choice for many reasons, and will wait for funding to buy the Mafell before buying any other brand."
-Robert Ward III, Grand Wood L.L.C.

"The LS 103Ec chain mortiser is the must have of timber tools. I use this machine in every timber project we do. It's not just limited to the normal mortise connection. I wouldn't know what to do without it. I've used it from building huge structural truss beams to building furniture."
-B.J. Pendleton, Tombstone Timbers

"We love our Mafell mortiser. We use it to cut all our mortises. We do a lot of oak timbers and we use this machine every day. Very light and stable. If we ever need another one, it will be a Mafell again."
-Reuben, Woodland Timberframing

"The Mafell LS 103Ec chain mortiser is very nice and light, motor is strong for timber framing."
-Kiefer Bradley, Wooden Shoe Timberframes, Quebec

"That machine went right through the IPE. Which is not an easy feat. This chain mortising machine is working great. Thanks for the prompt delivery and follow up email. That doesn’t happen to often."
-Rich B.

"I have had a chance to use the Makita chain mortiser and it works really well so far, it sure beats drilling and chiseling out mortises. I do wish there was another clamp spring to hold the tool more evenly and square. Also, it was a pleasure buying my mortiser from Timberwolf Tools, the price was the best online with shipping, but more importantly I could talk to a real person that knows the tool. The tool arrived on time and was packaged well."
-Brandon D.

"The mortiser is fantastic. The only suggestion I would make is that they make some more marks on the “index” to delineate the front, back and right side of chain if possible. The left side delineation is accurate but the other sides are trial by fire. But the tool in function is excellent and a huge time saver."
-Matthew

"The best thing I can say about this mortiser is that it is versatile. One can make a mortise of any size with it. I've even made jigs for it to work on round material. The second best is that it is a workhorse. It is probably in a category with a Toyota pickup, where it runs and runs. Then the third is the price tag. For anyone getting into the trade it is the first attainable mortiser. There are downsides to it, that are well known in the industry:

  • It is not the fastest
    •
  • Learning how to use it is like learning to drive a stick shift car
    •
  • You have to manually oil the chain
    •
But like any tool you use you get to know its strengths and weaknesses and after that it is a very predictable and dependable tool. Four out of five stars. Mainly because of the speed."
-Gerald

Which Chain Mortiser is Best for Your Shop?

It all comes down to how often you use these tools.  The Mafell is over three times the price of the Makita, but the Mafell is more than three times the speed (because it does not need to clamp and it cuts the full width of the mortise in a single pass).  If you are doing one or two frames a year, go with the Makita! But if this is a daily part of your business, you should invest in the Mafell.

Here’s a helpful guideline: if you are thinking of buying a second chain for your Makita mortiser because you can’t wait 1-2 weeks for one of our Recommended Sharpening Companies to send one back, you should consider a Mafell mortiser.

Makita 7104LMafell LS 103Ec
Mortising depth: 7-1/8" 5-7/8"
Mortising width: 1-15/16" by 9/16" to 15/16" 1-1/16" by 1.5" or 2.0"
Nominal speed - no load: 3,200 rpm 4,050 rpm
Current: 10.5 A 13 to 20 A
Weight: 38 lbs 29.7 lbs
2024 Price: $2,140 to $2,315 $6,355 to $6,640

Makita Customizations

Makita 7104L Customization

Not only does Timberwolf Tools have the market cornered with the best price on the Makita 7104L Chain Mortiser (and no sales tax except for Illinois and Maine customers) but we are the only dealer able to customize the chain size for you, and the only ones with the special Hardwood Chain available.

85% of 7104L customers prefer the Standard 18mm (~11/16") Chain option because larger chains plunge slower and smaller chains require additional plunges.  So you would only pick a different size if you were using this as a slot mortiser for knife plate joinery (24mm Chain for 7/8” plates for example) or if you are working almost entirely with hardwood such as Oak (in which case use the Hardwood Chain).  All of these chains work on the same chain bar and sprocket if you want to switch sizes at a later date.

And please note:  there is no such thing as a 12 or 12.7 Amp version of this tool!  Makita dealers listing this are working with out-of-date information because Japan divides the wattage by 100V and North America uses 120V.  The only thing that has changed on this tool in the last 30 years is the new silver color!

Mafell Customizations

Mafell LS 103Ec Customization

Click Customize and Add to Cart on our LS 103Ec web page to easily select your voltage and chain size.  About 75% of our customers prefer 120V for maximum portability and 55% prefer 1.5” chains for versatility.  35% of our customers also add an Extra Chain so they can keep mortising while one chain is being sharpened.  We definitely recommend using this chain mortiser with the FG 150 Mortising Guide—it is essential for accuracy and safety!

If you ever want to migrate from 1.5” chains to 2.0” chains or vice versa, the Sprocket is the same but the Chain Bars are different, so most timber framers stick with one chain size.

Mafell Mortiser Diagram

Once you have the Mafell LS 103Ec motorized tool, you can upgrade later to a slot mortiser for knife plate joinery. You just need to purchase the chain, bar, sprocket and stand as you can see in the diagram here. For example: if you wanted to make slots up to 11-3/16” deep for 3/8” knife plates, you would need to purchase the 11mm Chain, Bar, Sprocket, and SG 230 Slotting Guide.

For large trusses: horizontal slot mortiser stands are also available enabling depths up to 15-11/16" deep (SG 400) or 19-5/8" deep (SG 500) as well as angles up to 45 degrees.

We list the nine most popular chains on our website but there are no less than 49 different Mafell chains compatible with the LS 103Ec if you have a niche application! Just let us know your project needs and we would be happy to build out a quote with price and availability.

Chain Mortiser Operation Tips

  • To reduce splintering, score one side of the mortise with a chisel before using the Mafell LS 103Ec, or typically three sides before using the Makita 7104L.
  • Chains should be tight enough to barely fit a pencil between the chain and bar, and should be loosened at the end of the day.
  • Lubricate the chain with Sprayon LU202
  • Keep running the mortiser in-between plunges and let the machine run for a few seconds after mortising to bring cool air into the motor.
  • BE SAFE AND ENJOY YOUR WORK!

Hope you are enjoying some May flowers after all that April rain!  Below are some coral Peonies that made the wife very happy on her birthday.  Something for our sensitive side after a rugged tool blog  :)

Jeff Powell and the Timberwolf Tools Team
Toll free:  1-800-869-4169
www.timberwolftools.com