# How Do You Cut Your Mortises



## Nick6685 (Mar 23, 2011)

Hi everyone,

Was just wondering how everyone likes to cut their mortises. I'm limited to a drill press and chisel so I only have done it in this manner. So what do you prefer? Plunge router, mortiser, drill press or just skip it altogether and pocket screw it haha.


----------



## Corbin3388 (Jan 22, 2011)

Prefer doing it by hand if time allows but I have a PM701 if it's a rush.


----------



## Dvoigt (Dec 6, 2007)

I do the router method


----------



## Brink (Nov 22, 2010)

6 or more, I set up the mortising attachment. less than that, forstner bits and a chisel


----------



## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Forstner bits and a chisel. If possible I do the hand screw guide trick to keep the chisel straight...

I REALLY want a good bench top mortiser. And although I am no Harbor Freight hater, I am less than impressed by their very affordable machine, and am plunking my quarters in a jar for a Shop Fox 3/4 HP machine and a set of chisels...


----------



## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

Don't buy your mortise chisels at HF either.:no:


----------



## Getting better (Dec 3, 2009)

I use a plunge router.


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Mainly drill, chisel and mallet. But I have used the plunge router a couple time and found that for me set-up is too much of a time sucker...

~tom


----------



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

I use a brace and bit; then chisels. I just finished a patio table in white oak. The method got faster with each joint.


----------



## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Let me start by saying I love jigs. I will spend all day making jigs to make a 30 minute project. This is one of the jigs I made in order to build my own cabinet doors. This jig cuts the Mortis in the end of the style at a 45* angle. So this is how I cut mortises.


----------



## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Forgot to add this. If I was working in the middle of a board I use a router with a jig to keep the router straight.


----------



## Brink (Nov 22, 2010)

Wrangler said:


> I use a brace and bit; then chisels. I just finished a patio table in white oak. The method got faster with each joint.


That's how I made a window bench (70+ motises), the first couple took all day, the last few just minutes. When I finally got a grill press, I found M/T joinery isn't a big deal.

I like using a bit and brace (I have three). I can relate to workers from the past, and the sound is easy on the ears.


----------



## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

I use a drill pres with a cross slide vise. For a cutter I use either a straight cut router bit or an mill end bit. 
I also have recently started using a Grizzly mortising machine.


----------



## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Drill press attachment. :smile:


----------



## sankofa (May 2, 2009)

dbhost said:


> Forstner bits and a chisel. If possible I do the hand screw guide trick to keep the chisel straight...
> 
> I REALLY want a good bench top mortiser. And although I am no Harbor Freight hater, I am less than impressed by their very affordable machine, and am plunking my quarters in a jar for a Shop Fox 3/4 HP machine and a set of chisels...


What is the hand screw guide trick ?

I clamp a piece of square stock down at the ends of my mortises to guide the chisel down straight on the ends. After I get about an inch deep or so I then remove the square stock as the end wall of the mortise gives me a sufficient guide.


----------



## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

I think it's the same think Sankofa, just using a handscrew for the guide instead since it clamps by the mortise.


----------



## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Simple, if possible, you clamp down your hand screw clamp to the work piece, with the edge lined up to the side of the mortise. You rest the back of the chisel against the side of the hand screw, and use the hand screw to keep the chisel upright... I got the idea from a video I saw years ago. It was probably NYW before Norm got his mortiser...


----------



## sankofa (May 2, 2009)

Thanks.

Ive been looking to buy some hand screws and some f type clamps.

Right now Ive just got a couple of large c clamps and it is sort of a pain trying to hold a block of wood square on a line while tightening the c clamp.


----------



## JerryO (Jul 26, 2010)

I got lucky one day i walked into sears tool dept. Just killing time. They had just gotten a mortising machine to sell. I had just seen the machine at the woodworking show with another name on it and had an idea what it was worth. They were selling it for $85.00. I bought it.


----------



## cramer (May 5, 2011)

JerryO said:


> I got lucky one day i walked into sears tool dept. Just killing time. They had just gotten a mortising machine to sell. I had just seen the machine at the woodworking show with another name on it and had an idea what it was worth. They were selling it for $85.00. I bought it.


nice! sounds cheap. does it work well?


----------



## JerryO (Jul 26, 2010)

cramer said:


> nice! Sounds cheap. Does it work well?


 the price sears charges now is $285.00. It works fine. The only draw back is putting it away. It weighs a ton and putting it on a shelf is a job.


----------



## JohnSo (Mar 20, 2011)

I built one of these tools http://woodgears.ca/slot_mortiser/index.html although I completely changed so much of it for dust collection etc... so making mortises is fun for me and I look forward to them.


----------



## illcrx (May 15, 2011)

Handyman said:


> Let me start by saying I love jigs. I will spend all day making jigs to make a 30 minute project. This is one of the jigs I made in order to build my own cabinet doors. This jig cuts the Mortis in the end of the style at a 45* angle. So this is how I cut mortises.


At least you admit this lol I dont know if I can!


----------



## illcrx (May 15, 2011)

JohnSo said:


> I built one of these tools http://woodgears.ca/slot_mortiser/index.html although I completely changed so much of it for dust collection etc... so making mortises is fun for me and I look forward to them.


Wow that is one of the coolest machines I have ever seen!


----------



## JohnSo (Mar 20, 2011)

*Aw thanks*



illcrx said:


> Wow that is one of the coolest machines I have ever seen!


 Aw thanks, if you're interested I'd try to post some pics of the one I made so you could see the dust collection mods I made.


----------



## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

American Woodworker No 37 (April '94) has a cover story and plans for a (large) jig that uses your table saw's miter slots. The thing is billed as a combination horizontal router table and "slot mortiser/tenoning machine"

Looks neat. Haven't tried it. As of today, the article is available free at google books here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=kf...page&q=american woodworker april 1994&f=false


----------



## woodmeistro (Jul 9, 2010)

I am lucky enough to have a mortiser <but for my birthday my wife bought me the Leigh FMT Pro> it is awsome


----------



## Woodworkingkid (Jan 8, 2011)

i use a craftsmen mortiser because i got it on sale


----------



## dribron (Jul 19, 2010)

I use my plundge router to make mortise, then make loose tenon stalk on the router table. It works out pretty well and is fun to do.


----------



## CasinoDuck (Jun 15, 2011)

JohnSo said:


> I built one of these tools http://woodgears.ca/slot_mortiser/index.html although I completely changed so much of it for dust collection etc... so making mortises is fun for me and I look forward to them.


 
This is one of the coolest things i've ever see...!


----------



## abetrman (Mar 18, 2011)

JohnSo said:


> Aw thanks, if you're interested I'd try to post some pics of the one I made so you could see the dust collection mods I made.


Did you post pics somewhere?


----------



## JohnSo (Mar 20, 2011)

abetrman said:


> Did you post pics somewhere?


Here are a few I hope, I'm trying this upload thing for the first time. Didn't work...dang


----------



## JohnSo (Mar 20, 2011)

*Pictures of Mortising maching I built*

Trying again, ok just go to my album...sorry about all this confusion


----------



## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f16/how-post-photos-1120/


----------



## abetrman (Mar 18, 2011)

JohnSo said:


> Trying again, ok just go to my album...sorry about all this confusion


Very nice job! Excellent display of patience and craftmanship.


----------



## JohnSo (Mar 20, 2011)

abetrman said:


> Very nice job! Excellent display of patience and craftmanship.


Thank you, it was my first machine


----------



## CasinoDuck (Jun 15, 2011)

Little excited, just ordered one of these!


----------



## dribron (Jul 19, 2010)

@CasinoDuck what is it that you ordered? I have never seen one.


----------



## CasinoDuck (Jun 15, 2011)

dribron said:


> @CasinoDuck what is it that you ordered? I have never seen one.


 
Sorry guys, it's Leigh Super FMT Link


----------



## CasinoDuck (Jun 15, 2011)

*Yeah baby!*

Look what the nice UPS man brought me...


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

CasinoDuck said:


> Look what the nice UPS man brought me...
> 
> <img src="http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=26732"/>


Sweet... Do a review for us!

~tom  ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


----------



## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

*HF mortiser*

I have the HF mortise. haven't had any problems with it with the exception of the fence rigging is JUNK, but once you have her set up she cuts mortise's well. As I'm sure it is with most mortise machines, the first plunge in oak you feel like you must be doing something wrong to be applying that kind of force.
The one oddity with mine though is that i haven't seen one like it, mine is solid black, none of the HF green. Believe it was 90 with tax between sale and coupon.


----------

