how are you making mortises ?

[Guest John Morris]

Just curious about how the members here are making mortises , specifically for passage doors .I've looked at chisel mortisers , oscillating , CNC ,and presently own a slot mortiser that I think leaves a lot to be desired . I am losing way too much sleep trying to figure out a better way to make mortises ! Your thoughts are welcome .

[John Morris]

Rob, if your talking about hinge mortises, I have the PC Butt Hinge Template that I have used for over 18 years now, I ran my own residential door business for those years up until last year and I used this jig exclusively with great results. It performs a perfect match up from door to jamb every time.

Porter-Cable 59381 Hinge Butt Template Kit

[Guest John Morris]

Hi John , No I meant frame construction mortises typically associated with classic, old style construction. Yes, I have built a lot of doors but the mortise and tenon construction in the frame has been a pinch point timewise for me, so I am really beating the ground looking at who has the best machinery, best process to be efficient in my small shop. I fully understand that there is no right or wrong way to do mortise and tenon construction. I am just searching for the "best" way to suit my particular needs.

All input is welcome. Thanks, Rob

[John Morris]

Oh!!! Sorry Rob, I hope Ralph comes over here and chimes in, that's right up his alley. He's old school in home building, I bet he'll have something for you for sure!

Sorry I got it wrong on this one.

rob durfos said:

Hi John , No I meant frame construction mortises typically associated with classic, old style construction. Yes, I have built a lot of doors but the mortise and tenon construction in the frame has been a pinch point timewise for me, so I am really beating the ground looking at who has the best machinery, best process to be efficient in my small shop. I fully understand that there is no right or wrong way to do mortise and tenon construction. I am just searching for the "best" way to suit my particular needs.
All input is welcome. Thanks, Rob

[John Hechel]

I would think a router, up-cut bit, and self centering base might be a quick way of cutting some. Of course I havent built any doors that large yet.

[Warped & Twisted]

I have a slot mortiser and find it does a good job for me, but I don't make a lot of large doors.

[John Morris]

Just a thought Rob, I don't know if these guys could stir up your creative juices or maybe they might have a solution for you. I used these guys exclusively to purchase my door hanging jigs, and tools when I was installing doors.

They are tops in their industry.

Norfield Innovative Door Solutions

[Warped & Twisted]

Rob, I'm not sure just what it is you're looking for. You have mentioned quite a few options already but don't seem satisfied with any of them. I would think a CNC would be top of the line.

[Rick Mathison]

What exactly is it that you are unhappy with? Is the quality, the performance, or the time invovled that has you losing sleep? What is it about your slot mortiser that you are unhappy with?

Rick

[A-1 Jim]

Hi Rob

We already talked about a chain mortiser here's one I saw on line.

http://www.toolmarts.com/mak7104l.html

Like I said before I prefer my Multi- router and loose tenons but you can also do integral tenons on it.

[DRAGON1]

I use a drill, a sawzall and a sharp slick.

rob durfos said:

Hi John , No I meant frame construction mortises typically associated with classic, old style construction. Yes, I have built a lot of doors but the mortise and tenon construction in the frame has been a pinch point timewise for me, so I am really beating the ground looking at who has the best machinery, best process to be efficient in my small shop. I fully understand that there is no right or wrong way to do mortise and tenon construction. I am just searching for the "best" way to suit my particular needs.
All input is welcome. Thanks, Rob

[Ralph Allen Jones]

Hello Rob,

I think I might just have the answer for you. I made a jig the allows you to cut as many mortises into a board or face frame or any other need for a mortise. It requires a plunge mortise setting on top of the jig to let you plunge the mortise as deep and as long as you wish.

So my friend here is that Mortising jig;

The above is showing the back side of the jig clamped to the board to be mortised. Now for another view;

This view is showing the router set up to mortise the corner of a leg.

This view is showing the mortise slot with the mortise in the center of the leg corner.

This view is showing a piece of scrap with a tenon inserted into the mortise on the corner of the leg.

In my next thread I will show you my jig for cutting mortises into the side or edge of a stile or any other board that will accept a tenon.

Ralph

[Ralph Allen Jones]

Rob,

I goofed in the first picture it was showing the scrap piece mounted in the mortise of the leg corner as well.

So now I will show you my other jig for mortising straight boards such as stiles, etc.;

As you can see the jig is clamped to each side of the board with the plunge router resting on top with a fence on each side of the router base so the router will cut in a straight line.

This view is showing the back side of the jig with the stop across the jig so when the router base hits the stop it is at the end of the mortise. The first picture showed the front of the jig with the router against the stop ready to plunge into the wood with an up cut bit.

This picture is showing the jig off the board and ready to clamp onto another board. The mortises can be cut any where you desire a mortise to be cut and all mortises will be true in line.

Ralph

[Ralph Allen Jones]

Hello Again Rob,

Here is another method of cutting mortises into post and beams that you might find interesting.

This is the style my family used when making barns and other structures for most all mortises are time consuming any way you go at them for there is no easy way.

Here also is the method of cutting them by hand;

There you have it my friend, I hope you find them useful.

Ralph

[Guest Rick Mathison]

Thank you everyone for all the responses. What I don't like about my slot mortiser is that it is slow. It seems cumbersome to operate. There are times when loose tenons are really the best way to go, but I am trying to get away from the time consuming double mortises and then of course making the tenon stock. A1 Jim pointed out that if I sit down and crank out a year's worth of tenon stock in a few hours, it would save a lot of time and he is right. I also am concerned with the time involved for the extra glue joint on slip tenon construction vs. integral tenons, especially when assembling a door of complex multiple joints. I can overcome this problem somewhat by glue selection. I am still looking at the problem.

[Rick Mathison]

I see. So it isn't so much a problem with the equipment as it is impatience with the operator.
(I tried to insert a little happy face here pulling his hair out but it didn't take, what am I doing wrong?)

Some times you just have to take a deep breath and accept things for what they are.

Rick

[Guest Bobby Hagstrom]

Hi Rick , no the equipment operates fine . I have done several mods to make it better , but it just seems like there must be a better mousetrap out there ! Yes I am impatient

[Bobby Hagstrom]

I just got a hollow-chisel mortiser (Powermatic) and I really like it; I suppose there are faster ways out there (I'm always interested in looking at what people facing production-quantities do). I used to use a router but it was a pain to set up all the time, and was looking for a way to speed things up while maintaining accuracy. With the benchtop mortiser I can center mortises by flipping the workpiece around quickly, then fit the tenon to the mortise. Works great so far. Haven't tried double mortises yet though.

I know there are limitations to what kind of stock it can handle, so I'll use my router jig for bulky things.

Getting curious about a multi-router...

[Ralph Allen Jones]

Hello Bobby,

My Jet hollow chisel mortiser is great and easy to use and to be sure the set up is centered on the machine as you indicated it to just turn the board around end for end and replace it under the chisel. If it is set up correctly it will drop right into the hole. The only thing that I have found is that you don't want to plunge all the way down in one motion on the first hole for the chisel and board become one piece and it is a bear to get them apart. So I drill it out in steps but raising and clearing after drilling about 1/4" each time to clear the hole until I finally reach the depth I wish to have. Then it is a piece of cake to finish each mortise.

Ralph

Bobby Hagstrom said:

I just got a hollow-chisel mortiser (Powermatic) and I really like it; I suppose there are faster ways out there (I'm always interested in looking at what people facing production-quantities do). I used to use a router but it was a pain to set up all the time, and was looking for a way to speed things up while maintaining accuracy. With the benchtop mortiser I can center mortises by flipping the workpiece around quickly, then fit the tenon to the mortise. Works great so far. Haven't tried double mortises yet though.

I know there are limitations to what kind of stock it can handle, so I'll use my router jig for bulky things.

Getting curious about a multi-router...

[A-1 Jim]

Hear is a link to a guy making doors using a Multi router(thats what I use) among other cool tools to make a door.