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Buying a Used Morso Chopper

J

Julia

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Feb 11, 2003
Posts
395
From
Portland, Oregon
Good afternoon:
I am contemplating buying a used Morso Chopper and would like to hear any input you may have on the pros and cons of such an adventure.
Thank you in advance!
Julia
 
Hi Julia,

We will be looking for a used Morso in a couple of months. From what I've heard, Morsos are really good choppers. Someone told me to just make sure that it wasn't extremely old and hadn't been in a production environment. Good luck. If you decide not to buy it, please let me know...I may be interested if the price is good.
 
No cons, they can be very valuable to have in a shop. I have one in my home-shop and use it for almost every frame job, Its probably 15 years old and I love it.
Only suggestion is double check the blades that come with it for dents or nicks. They're easily resharpened, but I've seen some blades in such poor shape or have been resharpened 1 too many times they need replacement.New blades run $175-200.Even so,I would still buy it.
How old is it and how much?
 
BuYIT NOW!!! Just be sure that your sharpening guy knows how to sharpen the blades.Go to a pro saw shapener. be very careful when you first get it, like my delivery guy told me " the blades are very sharp, they don't know you , and they don't like you. I wear heavy leather gloves when I change the blades (that is, after I checked the sharpness the day after I got mine - baaad cut)
 
The Morsø is a great machine - virtually indestructible, but it is extremely heavy. Unless you are able to pick it up yourself (with at least two other people), the freight cost will kill you.

As far as blade sharpening is concerned: Most of the blade sharpening services around here (we are in chain saw country, so there are a lot of them) do <u>not</u> know how to sharpen Morsø blades. They need to be hollow ground. We end up sending them out to Quality Saw in West Babylon, New York. You need to get them done right the first time; otherwise they will be destroyed and you won’t ever be able to use them.
 
We have ended up going directly to Techmark (US importer of Morsø). Their sharpening is much more hollow ground than anyone else we've tried. And now they even sharpen non-Morsø blades for a slightly higher price.

Getting them sharpened right makes the Morsø a whole different machine.
 
Thank you for responsing to my request for info.
Marjorie: I have worked on a Morso for about 7 years but when I opened our shop, we bought a Phaedra system with a DeWalt saw. I agree it is a good piece of equipment.
Putty boy, it is $450.00 and comes with two sets of blades. I am going out to look at it this weekend so I can check the blades for nicks.
Bill: As mentioned above, I just have to make a drive of about 45 minutes to pick it up so I won't have the freight charges. I have been contemplating buying one and often wondered how much you'd get hammered for on the freight costs. I have a place here in town that sharpens by blades for the DeWalt and will make sure to mention the hollow ground.
Many thanks to all who responded-I sincerely appreciate this forum!
 
Hi Artist:
You are right-the blades are very, very sharp. I made the mistake once of changing the blades when I was in a hurry (something one of my managers told me again and again NEVER to do) and I'll remember that little injury for the rest of my life!
Julia
 
If you decide to purchase new blades for the chopper, don't get anything but original equipment replacements. I have several sets of blades I bought from fairly well known sources that aren't worth a flip compared to the originals. The last set of name brand blades I got (from Tech Mark) were much more, possibly double what puttyboy's estimate is for the set, and well worth it.
$450.00 for a functioning chopper is a steal.
 
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