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Mortising?


kmealy

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I'm trying to decide what I want to do about efficient mortises
 

Fe$tool Domino is out of the question unless I'd get a super deal on one.  I don't see that happening.  Same for a dedicated mortising machine.  Super fast, though.

 

I attended a Glen Huey seminar last spring and PopWood recently reposted an old video of his using the same technique.  Basically a plunge router with a fence.  I do see a lot of scorch marks on his faces.

 

Matthias'  Pantarouter is nice, but overkill for me.

 

Thinking of making a sliding horizontal router jig, but have not looked up the pattern in a recent Wood magazine, or even sure I have it.

 

I have a "Bead Lock" that I've used for a few things.   It has inserts to drill the overlapping holes, then another to guide a chisel square.  Maybe too slow for a large number of them.  Stock gets expensive for a large number of them, and custom router bits to  make the stock crazy expensive.

 

Hand mortising, again, too slow (at least at my skill level)

 

Then it occurred to me,  my Shopsmith has a router chuck and I could use it to plunge out the mortises.  Hmm.

 

What to do, what to do?   Are there other options I have not considered?

Edited by Ron Dudelston
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3 hours ago, kmealy said:

Fe$tool Domino is out of the question unless I'd get a super deal on one

 

saw a few reports that the transmission on them have failed...

OUCH!!!!

 

3 hours ago, kmealy said:

Thinking of making a sliding horizontal router jig,

 

edge guides...

install the rods into your plunge router...

install the guides to either side of the router so that router is placed exactly where the router needs to cut and it won't move to left or right...

if you need to do lateral movement because of mortise width set the guides accordingly...

don't forget your start/stop blocks... go as far as a one piece adjustable unit... (picture a set of calipers for this jig)

 

 

3 hours ago, kmealy said:

my Shopsmith has a router chuck and I could use it to plunge out the mortises.

 

why use up router bits prematurely.. they cost money..

 

3 hours ago, kmealy said:

What to do, what to do?   Are there other options I have not considered?

 

DP and a Fostner bit to hog out material... use the router to finish to size...

either square up the mortise or RO the tenon corners to match.....

do the square up w/ a corner chisel...

http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=30011&cat=1,41504,41541&ap=1

 

 

Edited by Stick486
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1 hour ago, Stick486 said:

don't use a spade bit to hog w/...

the guide point sets up a fault line in the wood that may split later... VOE....

Nor a fortsner bit...especially smaller sizes...can't eject the material fast enough 

Woodsmith Shop just aired an episode about this...they highly recommended brad point bits

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4 hours ago, kmealy said:

Thinking of making a sliding horizontal router jig, but have not looked up the pattern in a recent Wood magazine, or even sure I have it.

Let me know if you don't Keith...I can fix you up or login to your Woodsmith on-line access to view/print.

 

Watch CL for drill pres mortising attachments sets. I see them quite often fairly local here for $50-$100...some brand new..

Also check CL & local Pawn shops for dedicated bench-top mortising machines...I've seen Delta, Shop Fox, H-F, Craftsman and Jet several times locally in the past year. 

Edited by Grandpadave52
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What I tried, and what I like:

--Loose tenon design:  I like it.  Simpler in planning piece lengths.  Rounded-end tenon and mortise are structurally good.  Tenon narrower than mortise also good structure strength.

--Router:  Problematic.  Set up is a pain, and I never liked the occasional need to use router in the horizontal.  Depth limited.

--Drill press and DP mortiser:  A pain.  Could be that it was just the Delta design,  but conversion took time, obviated the use of the DP, and was limited on the length of pieces that could be end-mortised. 

--Jessem mortis mill:  what I have and really like.  The bit is a milling edge (can cut sideways), and the jig sets up for lever-action movement side to side as you plunge in.  Jessem at the time was $100.

Edited by PeteM
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23 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

What was your cutting tool used w/the SS? 

If the table is plumb with the spindle, your hole will be square to the face. 

 

 

1/2" shank router bit.  If I was going to adopt this, I'd probably eventually opt for an up-cut spiral router bit.

 

I did this in drill press mode, but I might try in horizontal boring mode

Edited by kmealy
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I built a  slot mortiser to do loose tenons.   The tenons I can rip on the TS and size to precision  in the Planer. Sometimes I round the edges, but there's no need.

Got an X/Y table  took the dials off and mounted  swing handles.

Built a frame for a router that also tilted and supported the X/Y table out of heavy Angle Iron. 

Built stops for the table so I can reliably make repetitive accurate width  & depth slots

Used a Triton Plunge router - any plunge router will do. 

The router is usually horizontal to the table I can raise and lower the router  respective to the table.

I can tilt the Router, but have  done so only for chairs and one goofy Box.

Because the table is heavy cast iron  I can mount  multiple pieces to the same locations within a couple thou of consistency of each other one piece to the others.

It was some work but it's worth it:

shop%20made%20milling%20machine%20-%20Co

 

tenons%20_zpspfxkaste.jpg

 

lower%20frame%20-03_zps78ldrzpd.jpg

 

 

Edited by Cliff
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