Tips on Mortise Accuracy - Which method?

[James White]

You may have purchased the original version on close out when the new one came out.

James

[mreza Salav]

I have built and used extensively the following jig with excellent results. For doing end-grains just clamp a piece perpendicular to that (to make a T) so that the jig can ride on it side-to-side. One thing to note is that: always the location of the mortise w.r.t. the thickness of the board is critical to get flush joints. If you you keep your mortise a little
bit wider (not thicker) you will have a little bit of play side-to-side for your tenon to get it at the right location that you want. You won't loose anything in the strength of the joint as the
end-grain to face-grain glue-joint (at the ends of the mortise) don't provide any (or very little) strength to the joint.

mortice2.JPGp5.JPGmortice5.JPGDSC02135.jpgDSC02138.jpg

[Kirk Poore]

I think you'll find that a simple benchtop mortiser, if equipped with a good clamp and hold-downs, will be extremely accurate and have a quick setup time. You can check to make sure you're on your marks without having the machine on, and do fine adjustments as needed. The noise and dust will be much less than any router. And you'll be able to see what you're doing.

Kirk

[John Piwaron]

I have not made one of these yet, but I am going to make a pantorouter. Can make motises similiar to a slot mortiser and also make the tenons. very neat little tool.

http://woodgears.ca/pantorouter/

How can we combine that with this: http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/...ne/index3.html That's Jeff Greef's router device that makes a spherical surface. What's the connection? They're both fairly complicated jigs to get the router to do something.

[John Piwaron]

Bob;
I have never ueed an end mill in a router. Can one run them @ the same RPM as router bits?

Yes. I use them all the time for making mortises, dados and even rabbets.

[John Piwaron]

Pat Warner has a website where he shows his solution for using a router to cut mortises.

FWIW, I use a Delta table top mortising machine and a big plunge router. Most of the time it's the Delta hollow chisel mortiser. I learned along the way that the chisels supplied with it weren't particularly good for the purpose even after tuning them up. The nice Austrian made chisels Delta sells/sold are much better - they stay sharp longer and have an overall better build quality. There are similar hollow chisels available from Lee Valley. With good chisels and technique I think the hollow chisel mortiser is quick and easy to use.

When the project requires a mortise that's either bigger than the mortiser can do, or is otherwise located in a place that won't fit in it, then I use a plunge router with a shop made template. That method tends to yield better results. I use 2 flute solid carbide end mills for that. They allow plunging and get a nice vertical wall and make a clean flat bottom.

In both cases I like using 2 shop made tenon jigs on my tablesaw to cut the shoulders, cheeks and the ends of the tenons. Of course, some projects have parts too big for my jigs. Either physically big or just too long. Then I'll make a mortise and use a floating tenon.

I'm a hobbiest. Most of the time I'm not all that worried about justifying the cost, but there *are* limits. I won't be buying expensive machinery for this task. Those things are just beyond any kind of justification for me to make one of something. Most of the time I can't even justify it to myself solely for the purpose of owning a cool machine. The mortiser with the good chisels isn't "free" but it isn't especially expensive either. The big router is a jack of all trades.

[David Giles]

I've owned a mortising machine and the newer system using a hand drill, but the Mortice Pal is a step above either one. Joints are tight and the two wood pieces fit within several thousands of an inch. It does not work if the board is wider than 3-4", but a handheld plunge router with edge guide does fine for these mortises.

[glenn bradley]

I love the Mortise Pal and I have the rather simple original model. Within its designed range or sizes it is the best method I have found. I have done everything from picture frames (1/4" x 3/4" x 1" tenons) to Maloof styled tables (1/2" x 3" x 3-1/2" tenons).

[Troy Turner]

Money is really not a factor up to about $500. I'd really like to find a solution that allows me repeatable accuracy without taking as long for set up as I do for the actual cutting.

I've got a Steel City benchtop mortiser. Bought it a couple years ago to do some production work and loved it. Originally, I was cutting the mortises on the drill press then cleaning them up with a chisel. Got a good turn out, but production was SLOW. Convinced my finance manager (a.k.a the LOML) that I needed it and she said ok.

Man that thing was awesome. Once you get it setup WOW. And for your budget, you could probably get Top Shelf at that. I haven't used any of the others methods so I can't comment on those, just give you my opinion.

[Shawn Pixley]

I make mortises one of two ways. One is to go all neander on the stock. The second is a PM benchtop hollow chisel mortiser. With a modicum of care I have a high degree of accuracy. Find the method right for you and hone your technique.

[Jim Rimmer]

Here's a couple of videos on how I do mortises with a shop made jig. The jig is not an original with me and I could probably improve on it if I made another one. One video is small mortises requiring only a single plunge and then another video with longer mortises.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2KCI...0&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeiIh...7&feature=plcp

I was having some problems with the plunge return mechanism on my router and a little wax on the jig would have helped.

[James White]

Jim,

A bit OT but, what are the headphones you are using in the second video?

James

[Chris Padilla]

I use a Festool Domino but that is north of your $500 budget.

[Charles Lent]

The Leigh Super FMT jig is available for about $500. It has the same capability as the FMT Pro, but is made from stamped steel parts instead of machined aluminum.

I have the FMT Pro jig and am extremely satisfied with it. The FMT is the only M&T jig that I know of that has a fine adjustment for tightness of joint fit. I can actually adjust the size of the mortises and tenons by thousandths of an inch to achieve exactly the tightness of fit that I desire, and I can cut both the mortise and the mating tenon with one jig setup. I have owned a Delta hollow chisel mortiser, a home made router mortising jig, and a Trend mortise and tenon jig. The FMT jig is far superior to them.

Charley

[Alan Lightstone]

The Leigh Super FMT jig is available for about $500. It has the same capability as the FMT Pro, but is made from stamped steel parts instead of machined aluminum.

I have the FMT Pro jig and am extremely satisfied with it. The FMT is the only M&T jig that I know of that has a fine adjustment for tightness of joint fit. I can actually adjust the size of the mortises and tenons by thousandths of an inch to achieve exactly the tightness of fit that I desire, and I can cut both the mortise and the mating tenon with one jig setup. I have owned a Delta hollow chisel mortiser, a home made router mortising jig, and a Trend mortise and tenon jig. The FMT jig is far superior to them.

Charley

I have been thinking about getting an FMT Pro jig myself. Was about to ask if anyone owned one. Outside of cost (which is far more than the OP wanted to spend), any disadvantages to it?

I also have a Laguna jointer/planer so I could get their mortiser attachment for it (nice because the machine is so powerful), but I thought that the FMT Pro would be more versatile. I also thought, due to the fine tuning available, that the FMT Pro would make very accurate and precise joinery.