my perfect mortice

[Trigs]

I've been thinking of how i can cut 30 odd mortices quicky and accurately without buying a chisel moriticer until i remembered i have a Souber mortice jig for doors, so i thought id try it on some scrap. Much to my delight i have perfectly centred and square mortices, i just had to square the corners off with a chisel and the whole thing took under 5 mins. Also rattled up a quick tendon on the band saw and hey ho presto.

 

[blackrodd]

I've been thinking of how i can cut 30 odd mortices quicky and accurately without buying a chisel moriticer until i remembered i have a Souber mortice jig for doors, so i thought id try it on some scrap. Much to my delight i have perfectly centred and square mortices, i just had to square the corners off with a chisel and the whole thing took under 5 mins. Also rattled up a quick tendon on the band saw and hey ho presto.

Not the tendon in you're hand I hope!
Look like you're on a winner A lock jig, I take it and you've adapted it for you're morticing,
Same thing really, I s'pose, once you get set probably faster than a cheepo morticer.
Regards Rodders

 

[Trigs]

yeah, same thing, defiantly faster than a morticer. Cant believe i didn't think of it sooner. i spent an hr chopping mortices yesterday to test some chisels and to get some practice in as its been a while.

Super simple just turn the handles to clamp and it self centres, highly recommended if you cutting door mortices, i cut lock mortices for 5 external hardwood doors in less than 30 mins last year with perfect results, the cutter head is like a router bit. Tendons all good.

 

[NazNomad]

I have one of these and have never ( and will probably never) use it. Good idea though.

 

[custard]

Good for you Trigs for using a bit of ingenuity and cracking on with the tools at hand, it's depressing to read so many posts from people wringing their hands with indecision and fretting that they don't have the "correct" kit.

Just for future reference, the main weakness with the device you have is that it centres the mortice. Great for lock mortices, but for the majority of furniture applications you don't want a centred mortice. Easily solved though, you just shim it on the outside face of the workpiece, either loose or with a bit of double sided tape, then you'll produce the same consistent mortices only they'll be bumped towards the outside of the legs or stiles, which is where you often need them to be.

 

[Trigs]

Good call Custard on shimming the sides for an off centre Mortice, Im sure I would've thought of it sooner or later. The only drawback would be the 16mm cutter is the smallest they do but the 19mm is perfect for the massive gates I have to build in the next few weeks (expect questions soon on that one)