Mortise and Tenon Joinery - Jeff ...
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Mortise
and
This project has 2 pages.
Tenon
This is Page 1.
Joints
Go to Page 2.
For Boxes
Resources for making Mortise and Tenon Joints
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Mortise and Tenon Joinery - Jeff ...
Bandsaws | Chisels | Drill Bits | Drill Presses | Measuring Tools |
Miter Gauges | Vises | Hand Saws
This is a companion article to the article on this site titled Oriental Box of
Drawers. There are a great many ways to cut mortise and tenon joints,
however here we will focus on methods for cutting the joints required to
make the Oriental Box. The basic procedure I describe here requires that
you have a drill press with a mortising attachment and a band saw, but
also described are alternatives if you don't have these machines.
A mortising attachment for the drill press allows you to cut square holes
with the machine. This seemingly impossible task is accomplished with a
square chisel that surrounds a circular bit (photo 1). This chisel is
attached to the quill of the drill press on a special fitting, and moves up
and down with the bit, but doesn t spin. The chisel cuts four square
corners around the bit as the bit clears the waste from the hole. A
separate fitting attaches to the fence on your drill press table, and holds
your work down as the chisel is retracted from the hole. Most drill press
manufacturers offer chisel mortising attachments for their machines. Be
certain to get an attachment that fits your drill press model # when you
order. The attachment must have the correct diameter fitting to fit your
machine's quill. The quill is a round flange just above the chuck which
moves up and down with the chuck, but doesn't spin. I once got a
mortising attachment made for a quill larger than my press, then I had to
pay a machinist to make a sleeve spacer. Avoid that by getting the right
tool.
Fisch Bench Top
Mortiser
Dedicated machine- no
need to set up your
drill press for
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Mortise and Tenon Joinery - Jeff ...
mortising.
Photo 1- A chisel
mortising
attachment for
your drill press
lets you cut
square holes
quickly and
easily.
4 pc Mortising Chisel
Set
1/4, 5/16, 3/8 and 1/2
inch chisels.
Delta 12" Drill Press
MORTISING
ATTACHMENT
available separately
with different chisel
For drill presses and mortising attachments, click here.
sizes.
Use a 3/8" mortising chisel to cut the mortises for this project. Set up the
fence so that the holes will be centered within your top and bottom rails.
Carefully mark out on those rails exactly where the mortises will be. Make
the top rail mortises 1" wide, and the bottom rail mortises 3/4" wide. Note
that on the bottom rails, the edge of the mortise is 1/8" away from the
inside edge of the post.
Place the top and bottom rails onto the drill press as in photo 1 and line up
the cuts to your pencil lines. Place a loose piece of hardwood beneath the
top rail, and punch the hole through the rail into the hardwood. Move this
piece after each cut, so that the chisel always punches through to fresh
wood on each cut. This reduces tearout on the bottom of the hole.
TIP- USING A CHISEL MORTISER
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Mortise and Tenon Joinery - Jeff ...
Sometimes the chisel gets stuck during the cut, particularly when cutting
hardwoods. Rub parafin onto the chisel between cuts to reduce this, but
only if you will not be gluing the joint, such as with pinned tenons that
don't require glue. Otherwise, take the cuts in stages, never cutting in one
spot deeper than 1/4" before retracting and cutting the area adjacent the
same amount. A sticking bit can also mean the chisel is dull. Follow
manufacturer s instructions for sharpening the chisel.
To cut the mortises in the posts, first cut all four posts to exactly the same
length. Then mark out the mortises on only one of the four. Use that post
to set up each cut on the top and bottom of each 3/4" long mortise. Clamp
a stop block on the drill press table at the end of the first post, holding it in
proper alignment for the cut (photo 2). Use that same setting to cut the
other three. Use similar progressive setups to make all cuts for the
mortises.
Photo 2- Use an
end stop clamped
to your setup as
shown to make
the mortises in the
posts. The stop
guarantees that
the mortises will
all be correctly
aligned, and
reduces to one the
number of parts
you have to mark
out.
This is Page 1 of this project.
Go to Page 2.
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