Replies

1. 
   BigNat | Feb 04, 2007 11:45pm | #1

   If you're making mortises wider than your widest chisel, a good strategy is to use a chisel a bit less than half the final width and mill two mortises, leaving a bit of waste in the centre. This waste can be easily cleaned out with one quick final pass on the mortiser or by hand with a sharp chisel. With one side of the chisel unsupported, you run the risk of deflecting the bit or moving the stock if your clamping system is less than ideal (a common problem with the bench-mount machines I've used).

   As far as using a router, I see no problems if you take light cuts. A heavy cut may run the risk of running out a bit in such a deep cut.

   Nat

1. 
   Hammertoes | Feb 05, 2007 01:10am | #3

   Thank you kindly. The solution suggested in your first paragraph is what I was hoping could be done. Thanks for helping a novice.HT

2. 
   Routerman | Feb 05, 2007 12:37am | #2

   You're pushin' it to rout 3" with a router.

   But you can dig a pretty deep hole with this, then drill the rest of the way through on the drill press, flip the work over and attack from that side with an ordinary trimmer and router.

   Let the trimmer bearing roll on the machined surface of the 1/2 mortice; it will copy that excavation as a templet.

1. 
   Hammertoes | Feb 05, 2007 01:11am | #4

   Thanks for your help. A novice appreciates getting help from those more experienced.
   HT

3. 
   Troy | Feb 05, 2007 03:43am | #5

   You might try a combination of drilling most of the material out with a forstner bit then cleaning out the rest with a plunge router with a jig.

   Troy