# I need an on deck circle for my bench



## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

Or a practice green before I start making cuts in the project stock. I'm making a step stool using M&T and trying to use only hand tools. I laid out my tenons and cut them. They got progressively better as I moved along. Maybe I should have made a few practice cuts with the tenon saw before hitting the project wood, but that's water passed the bridge now. I think I can clean them up and they should work. However now I need to make the mortises now and they're at an angle. (see pic below)

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make these mortises at the angle required? I was thinking of using a cut-offs with the angles (there are actually two different angles) and then use them as a guide to rest the chisel against. Or is that necessary? Should I just clamp the stock in the vise at an angle that allows me to hold the chisel perpendicular to the floor and drive the chisel straight down? I'm thinking that the stock will slip in the vise no matter how hard I crank down on it. Any tips out there for this?


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## ste6168 (Mar 12, 2015)

I am no expert, far from actually, but I would have done it like this, instead. I don't think it would too late to modify the tenon a bit?










Maybe someone else can offer up a better solution?


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## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

I was originally going to do it that way, but because of their orientation in the project, they need to be straight tenons.












> I am no expert, far from actually, but I would have done it like this, instead. I don t think it would too late to modify the tenon a bit?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

Before leaving the shop for the day, I cut a mortise in a piece of poplar. I discovered it's easier to manipulate the stock vs attempting to attack it with the chisel at an angle. However I think my next practice run will be to glue a piece of stock that's cut at a complementary angle to the angle of the stock and mortise straight down and then remove it after the mortise is created. Doing it as I did was tedious. I think it would be tough to do repeatedly with good results.

I guess if I were doing this with power tools, it wouldn't be such an issue.


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## kiefer (Feb 5, 2011)

Absolutely use a guide block and drilling out as much waste as you can first which ever way you chose bit and brace or drill press at the proper angle .

Klaus


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## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

Hi Klaus. I was trying to do this without power tools, but that depends upon the results I get with my next test 


> Absolutely use a guide block and drilling out as much waste as you can first which ever way you chose bit and brace or drill press at the proper angle .
> 
> Klaus
> 
> - kiefer


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)




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## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

That's sort of what I did on my first try. Cutting the end of the mortise that slopes toward the center was easier than the other end. It was difficult to not cause the wood to start to come up when undercutting the edge. 


> - waho6o9


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## kiefer (Feb 5, 2011)

I did not mean power tools I meant guide block for the bit and brace and for the chisel

Klaus


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## theoldfart (Sep 9, 2011)

^ spot on. Drill a hole in a square piece of stock then cut the desired angle in that piece clamp it to your work and drill away.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

> ^ spot on. Drill a hole in a square piece of stock then cut the desired angle in that piece clamp it to your work and drill away.
> 
> - theoldfart


Great idea


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