Mortise machine.......other options?

I waited a long time to get a mortiser. As soon as I got one, I realized that all this time I’d been avoiding the “bread and butter” joint in woodworking. I’d say get one—you’ll use it a ton and never regret it.

-- Laziness - Apathy = Efficiency

Steve: The suggestion I have may or may not work,cause of the curve on the headboard. But—If you have a drill press and a set of Forstner bits, you could cut the mortises on the d.p., and then clean them out with a good sharp chizel. You may have to rig up a jig or fence for alignment of the mortises. But it beats the alternative. Hope this helps a little.

-- Remember--- one good turn-- gets most of the blanket!!!!

I cut them by hand, but I’m not real good at it yet. It takes a little practice.

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

I’m another that put off getting a mortiser for way too long and then broke down, got one and that was followed by the kicking myself for not doing it sooner period.
Cutting mortise and tenons on a curved piece can be tricky (cut them before cutting the ac if you can…) but lots of things can be done pretty easily if you stop and think about how to get it done. One of the things I love about woodworking is how it lets your mind overcome problems.

-- Tom Hintz, www.newwoodworker.com

I have a mortiser and it is a very useful tool. However, if you have to choose between a mortiser and a plunge router, I’d get the router. You can make good mortises with a router, and you can use it in areas that might not be accessible by a mortiser. I’ve used both and while I like my mortiser, the plunge router is more flexible.

-- Working at Woodworking www.VillageLaneFurniture.com

I agree with Russel.
You don’t list where you live. You might search LJ for other members near you. One may have a mortiser.
It always helps to develop friendships with other woodworkers. I have a friend with a mortiser and a friend with a wide belt sander.

Lee

-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.

If you buy a mortiser you will have to give it room in the shop. I agree that a router would be much better investment. It is very easy to hand cut mortises but only if you know the secret of doing this efficiently. I learned how to do this from an article in Woodworker’s Journal magazine a few years age written by the old school English woodworker Ian Kirby. I have been grateful ever since. Here’s how he does it.

You mark up the mortise with a width the same as the chisel you will be using, then put your chisel vertical about 1/2” from the middle with the flat side of the chisel pointed towards the middle. Then you bang it good with a wooden mallet. Now spin chisel around so the flat side is pointed in the direction of the first cut and about 1” away and bang it again. You now have a “V” shaped hole, and you probably understand the technique.

Continue in this fashion working your way out towards the ends of the mortise, but about 1/16” shy of the end. Now start all over again towards the middle and repeat the original sequence again. Keep repeating until you are at the depth you want. You shouldn’t have to clean up the mortise sides much. You will have to finish chopping or shaving the 1/16” you left at the ends.

It is best to have a mortising chisel which is thicker and therefore stiffer and without tapered sides. However, I don’t have any, so I use my bench chisels for this. I have done some pretty deep mortises this way, up to 2-1/2”, but that was in pine. a 1” mortise in hardwood should pose no problem.

Good luck with your project. If you try this let me know how it worked out for you.

-- Mike, American in Norway

Wow thanks for all the wonderful information everyone!!!

If I were going to quit hand cuting them, I’d go with the plunge router because of more versitility and lack of space ror another dedicated tool.

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

I guess I’ll have to jump in here too. I also prefer a plunge router . I like tools that can multi-task. Small shop calls for versatility. Space is a premium you can ill afford to lose.

-- Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy-May all your dovetails fit tight and right the first time

Porter Cable makes a plunge base for the 690 router unit-I have one. It’s much cheaper than buying a mortiser, and works well if you create a template to use with guide bushings in the router.

-- Gerry

Thanks for the input there gerry, I did recently find out about buying that plunge router base for the 690. Please excuse me but I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “create a template to use with guide bushings in the router”. Does that have anything to do with mortises?

you dont even really need a plunge router. i’ve seen mortises done with a fixed base as long as the two ends of the mortise were drilled out first (presumably on a drill press).

although i’d recommend getting a plunge router (or at least a plunge base to fit your existing motor). it’d be faster that way, plus you can use it for lots of other useful things as has been said already.

If you’re buying a router, it might be a good idea to buy one that has a fixed base and an interchangeable plunge base. I know De Walt makes one, and I assume others do as well. It adds a lot of flexibility to your routing options.

-- Mike, American in Norway

A plunge router and Mortise-Pal gives me good results

-- If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking.

I just use a plung router and then just round the tenon over.

Steve,
Regarding my comment about the template and guide bushings. You would create a template out of masonite or 1/4” MDF that would be slightly larger than the mortise you cut-to accomodate the diameter of a guide bushing in the router base. The guide bushing runs along the edge of the template and cuts a mortise the size of the router bit (e.g. 3/8” straight bit will cut a 3/8” mortise). When you cut the tenon to fit the mortise, you’ll have to round over the corners since the mortise will have rounded ends.
Hope this helps.

-- Gerry

...or chisel the mortise ends square (but i pick rounding tenons too – just want to underscore the multiple options available).

Another option:

A Primer for Mortice-and-Tenon Joints
Part 1: The Blind Joint

Regards from Perth

Derek

-- Building and Reviewing Tools at http://www.inthewoodshop.com

I lucked up and got a Jet Mortser off Craigslist for $75, So you might be able to check out CL and luck out, other wise I think I would go with the router first.(multi-tasks)

-- I can fix ANYTHING!.... Wheres the duct tape?