hello,
i just chiseled my first mortise and am looking for some feedback. i've never worked with mortises or chisels and am wondering if this one is clean enough to accept glue and a tenon or if it needs more work. it can be seen at:
Looks good, but the real test is whether the tenon fits properly. Opinions vary, but the tenon should fit snugly - not so tight you have to pound it in, but not so loose that it falls out unassisted.
Too tight wipes the glue from the wood during assembly and makes for a weak glue joint. Too loose and the glue bond is compromised, as it's not (large) gap filling.
FWIW,
Greg G.
No it looks terrible take up fishing. Only Kidding I cheat.
Looks good. Hit the layout lines cleanly and the sided don't look ragged.
Did you use a mortise chisel, firmer chisel or a bevel sides bench chisel? The latter doesn't work as well as the other two. Because the side of the mortise and firmer chisel are square to the top and bottom they cut at the bevel edge that all three types of chisels do, but also at their sides. They're also self aligning once you get the mortise started.
Did you start in the middle and work to the ends or start at one end and work towards the other end?
If the tenons are going to have shoulders, consider beveling the top edges of the mortise.
If you bevel the end of the tenon a little it's go into the mortise easier - some what self aligning. Also leaves a little space for air and/or glue
This should illustrate things better than just words.
i drilled a series of non-overlapping holes with a fornester bit, then cleaned the sides with a 1 inch beveled chisel and finished the ends with a 3/8 beveled chisel. i chose this method because 1) it *looked* easier for a beginner and 2) i couldn't find a mortise chisel in town.
good tip about the beveling the m&t. i'll give that a try.
interesting article about your bench....now i've got bench envy.
thanks.
i figured i'd have to sneak up on the tenons for that snug fit.
Nice thing about M&T joints - more than one way to skin that cat.
Look at the second and third pictures on this page
This page has two more "tips" associated with M&T joints and mortising chisels. Scroll down to paragraph 5 "And it's in these moments of minor triumph that you get careless..."
Why is it that there are so many opportunities to do something really dumb. Must be a Darwin Thing (or, for the Religious Fundamentalist Fanatics - "God's will".)? Maybe I can, by example, demonstrate what NOT to do - and why.
"So many ways to screw up. So little blood." I'm sure Tim Allen said it first.
Well start collecting iformation now. By the time you have a pretty good idea of the possibilities, know the type of woodworking you want to really get into and which of the possibilities will suit your needs, done a bunch of sketches and then a scaled drawing or two - you'll have the tools to make yours - and hopefully some of the skills to make it. Your mortise example indicates you're on the right track and probably get there sooner than I did.
Mine works nicely for solid wood furniture making - which involves a fair amount of hand tool work. But t sucks for sheet goods stuff - kitchen cabinets and the like - top's too narrow.
charile b
ps - I drive a little Miata with a little 1.6 or maybe it's a 1.8 liter engine. What it lacks in horsepower (and noise) is made up for by the slick 5 speed, tiht rack and pinion steering and a bucket seat that fits snugly. The double delta roll bar I had to add - convertibles without a roll bar scared the hell out of me. When you don't even have hair between your skull and the pavement a functional roll bar is a must. Mine is made by a guy who does NASCAR roll cages.
So that doesn't sound too much like a neener - the Miata is a '91 model.
I skip miropictures.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.