Cutting a deep mortice

[cumbrian]

Help!

I need to cut a mortice 25mm wide by 84mm deep into a door stile, and I only have about 2mm tolerance on the depth. I'm sure that if I try and do this with a hand chisel I'll be looking to replace the door
The only way I can think of to keep it accurate and control the depth is to mount up a 1/2" router on the stile, but can anyone point me at an appropriate 1/2" shank cutter that will be long enough. Is a bit extension unwise - wobble etc - or might this be the way to go? (Extensions seem expensive but no doubt it would always be useful for other jobs if it works okay!)
I'd really appreciate some advice from someone with experience of doing this, before I waste my hard-earned on the wrong cutter, or try something that might be dangerous!

 

[Paul Chapman]

Why do you want to do this? If it's to mount a mortice lock, for example, an easier option would be to use a shallower lock.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Argee]

25mm Forstner bit on a portable, self-centering drill stand (similar to this one but non-tilting), then clean up with a chisel. The drill stand columns are able to poke through the base, so you can self-centre the outfit on the stile. HTH

Ray.

 

[cumbrian]

Paul - the lock is a special electronic combi jobby; I'm stuck with the depth!

Ray - thanks for the suggestion. I'd been thinking along the lines you suggest, and now I've seen the non-tilting stand on Axminster's site I reckon it has possibilities. What's the likelihood of finding a Forstner long enough? I guess if I need to use an extension it's less problematic at drill rather than router speeds.

 

[gidon]

How about one of these:
http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Onl ... t_233.html
Cheers
Gidon

 

[cumbrian]

Gidon - that looks like it was made with my job in mind! Very many thanks for the link - it looks like you've found me another place to spend my money! :roll:

 

[gidon]

Always happy to help spend other people's money .
Cheers
Gidon

 

[OPJ]

If you have £700-odd going spare, you could invest in a portable chain morticer, like the one's Makita make....

If not set up correctly or used with appropriate care, they can make a real mess of the job though and may not be a good choice after all...

The router option does look good. Make sure you have a fence on either side of the door, or else it may 'jump' out the sides! :?

 

[J D Architectural Joinery]

shame you were not close by as I have a virutex that is its bread and butter work, there expensive now I bought mine for 300 but the price seems to have shot up on them. They do the large euro locks with ease.
See if you can get a shot of a demo, then return it with thanks :wink:

 

[DeanN]

This is also worth a look http://diyessentials.blogspot.com/2007/ ... 13659.html.

Very useful if you're fitting the same lock on a number of doors, as depths can be pre-set - and so save time. I have one, but most of the locks I fit are replacements and its quicker to make the alterations by hand.

Sorry, looks like the link has been disabled. If you do a google for dbb mortice jig, you should get a selection of sites selling this/similiar ones.

 

[DaveL]

Hi Dean,


Welcome to the forum.

Your link has been caught by our spam trap this will stop once you have a few more posts to your name.
Here it is:-
http://diyessentials.blogspot.com/2007/ ... 13659.html

 

[DeanN]

Thanks for the welcome Dave, and for putting up the link.

It's a useful tool, and you can buy additions that will allow its use on aluminium doors, and to drill holes the full width of doors - e.g. for alarm cables. For straight forward mortices though - you can't beat an auger bit and a chisel.