# Best method for cutting Mortise.



## Bluefilosoff (Mar 25, 2013)

I am making the verticals for a large trestle table that will have through mortises to hold the stretcher with either a tusk tenon with a key or a wedged tenon. These verticals are composed of two 1.5 x 7.5 (roughly) fir boards laminated to form a 3" deep piece. I may have jumped the gun in gluing them up already but it's too late now so what would you suggest would be a better way to cut the 3/4" x 3" through mortises? I have the tools to enable me to do either one of these three:
1. On drill press with Forstner bit with extension and clean up with chisel.
2. Use a plunge router with upcut bit. 
3. Rip the boards in half, cut the mortise halves with a dado stack and then glue up to re-form the member. Here is a rough sketch. 











Thanks for your help!


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## Black540i (Jan 4, 2013)

I would probably use the drill press method. If you use the router method you'll still need to clean up with the chisel. That's pretty deep to route as well, would likely take a lot longer than the drill press.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

If someone does find the "best" way to do mortises let me know!!!!!!!!!!!! In the meantime I would second the drill press and clean up with chisel.

or

Use a dado and cut the each piece and glue together.


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

I do a lot of mt joints and the drill is my go too tool for hogging them out. I use the router if I need a mortise on the flat side of a wide board. Like Black540i reminds us, because of the depth of your cut, a router is not a good idea.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I'd use a chisel mortisers. Wouldn't take more than 2-3 minutes for the whole thing.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

mengtian said:


> If someone does find the "best" way to do mortises let me know!!!!!!!!!!!! In the meantime I would second the drill press and clean up with chisel.
> 
> or
> 
> Use a dado and cut the each piece and glue together.



My chain mortiser does most of my work. My Maka oscillating mortiser does the rest. I recently was able to get rid of my hollow chisel mortiser once I got the maka set up.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*3" deep through mortises*

I would use the drill press, a 5/8" or 3/4" Forstner bit, and some sharp chisels. A 3" deep mortise is too deep for a router.... JMO. 

It's a bit of hand work, but some times it's the best or only way. I do use a router and mortising jig for 1/2" X 3/4" deep mortises. I also have a hollow chisel mortiser, but real fond of that machine for larger than 3/8" wide mortises..... I've tried most methods including stopping the center board short and adding another inside to form the mortises in the center. 

You can get hollow mortising chisels with a handle insert so you can use a mallet on them:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mortise-Chi...148?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a958c9b4c


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> My chain mortiser does most of my work. My Maka oscillating mortiser does the rest. I recently was able to get rid of my hollow chisel mortiser once I got the maka set up.


I had to look up that make, its an interesting machine. Kindve like a jackhammer for wood if I'm looking at it right.

As far as the issue at hand goes, use a drill press and forestner bit to hog out the majority and finish it with a chisel. A router won't be able to go deep enough and it isnt worth the effort to split in half just to go at it with a dado


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*good advice as previously stated above*

echo..., echo.... echo....


Quoting
" I would use the drill press, a 5/8" or 3/4" Forstner bit, and some sharp chisels. A 3" deep mortise is too deep for a router.... JMO."


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

epicfail48 said:


> I had to look up that make, its an interesting machine. Kindve like a jackhammer for wood if I'm looking at it right.
> 
> As far as the issue at hand goes, use a drill press and forestner bit to hog out the majority and finish it with a chisel. A router won't be able to go deep enough and it isnt worth the effort to split in half just to go at it with a dado


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDLEuyOEDdQ


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDLEuyOEDdQ


That is a pretty awesome machine. Ive never seen anything quite like that.


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## Black540i (Jan 4, 2013)

That's definitely an awesome machine.


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## CcCaraway (Apr 6, 2015)

Omg I want a Maka Mortiser. I looked them up. ..., $10, 000 bucks


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## bauerbach (Mar 25, 2012)

is all 3 an option? drill first to remove the bulk of the waste, route as deep as possible to get precise edge for the outer inch, clean up the middle and corners with a chisel.

Id be mostly concerned with the exposed joint having a nice clean tight joint for aesthetics, and a router can do that. Leave my sloppy chisel work to the inside where I cant ruin anything.


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## rabies (Apr 3, 2015)

never seen one of those before. like an oversized biscuit joiner. which i dont have either :/


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

after double checking the layout on both faces, i would drill the bulk out with a slightly undersized bit (5/8" or 11/16"), then chisel remainder to the lines. working in from both sides toward the center.


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## Bluefilosoff (Mar 25, 2013)

bauerbach said:


> is all 3 an option? drill first to remove the bulk of the waste, route as deep as possible to get precise edge for the outer inch, clean up the middle and corners with a chisel. Id be mostly concerned with the exposed joint having a nice clean tight joint for aesthetics, and a router can do that. Leave my sloppy chisel work to the inside where I cant ruin anything.


 Yes that's an idea for the exposed side as I have been experimenting and there is some tear out. I'm going to try what you suggested, My only concern would be duplicating the size of the mortise cut between the drill bit which would be one cut at 1.5" and the router pass which would necessarily be a trim to the size in several passes. Thanks for your help!

But then again now that I think of it I will be trimming with the chisel so I guess my concern is completely invalid sorry about this. I couldn't figure out a way to remove my post on this tablet. Thanks for your help.


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

We woodworkers all have our preferred methods of accomplishing our tasks at hand. I'm not trying to say that the routing method isn't the best way of cutting that perfect mortise. If that is the method you are most comfortable with, then by all means stick with your router. I simply want to say that accomplishing that perfect mortise can be done with a chisel. I take a wide chisel, lay it over the drill work and cut the excess out.


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## DrRobert (Apr 27, 2015)

Option 3 would be the easiest and fast way although maybe not the most traditional way.
If you've got the skills to do a through mortise 3" deep then for for it with hand tools.

If you do #3, obviously, make sure you joint the faces before regluing.

Good luck.


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## Barn owl (Jul 1, 2013)

Here is whats do when a larger piece doesn't fit in the mortiser. 

Mark you mortise and outline it with a sharp chisel. Then bore out the majority of the mortise with a bit at the drill press or drill making sure than at least a portion of ghe mortise is open all the way through. make a jig or use a straight edge and cut out the mortise using a router and an upcut bit only going as deep as you can. Then I flip the piece over and use a large bottom bearing staring bit to do the rest. The bottom bearing rides on the completed edges on the other side.


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## BAD WOLF (Jan 2, 2015)

I picked up this mortise attachment for a drill press from Woodcraft was like $130 you just attach it to your drill press and bam instant mortise.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/159737/WoodRiver-Mortising-Attachment.aspx


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## BAD WOLF (Jan 2, 2015)

I still needed to clean it up with a chisel but it was very minimal


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