# Centre finder.



## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Been using one of my centre finders yesterday, marking up a number of mortise and tenon joints, certainly makes for ease and accuracy.


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## Doak (Mar 20, 2009)

derek willis said:


> Been using one of my centre finders yesterday, marking up a number of mortise and tenon joints, certainly makes for ease and accuracy.


Interesting Derek

How does it work with your Mortice and Tenon Joint. I am always interested in new ideas.
Tom


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

It will simply find the centre of the length of timber where you may want to cut a mortise or even to centre for dowel drilling, the legs are placed either side of the timber, turn and depress the pin, then you have a centre point.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Derek,

So do you have to make one for each width of timber you are going to work with?


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Bob, of course not. One size fits all up to a point, the ones shown will centre timber from 12mm. up to 75 mm. wide, if you go over that you will of course need something much bigger, I actually have one some where that will centre 150mm. wide timber.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

The pins are in line and evenly spaced. When the outer pins contact the wood the center pin is exactly in the center of the material. This is how the Oak Park mortising plate works. BJ posted a photo of the jig used with this plate and could tell you where to find it quickly. When a mortise falls on the end of your stock an additional piece of the same thichness is butted against the end to extend the length.

To see a photo of BJ's jig: Router Forums - View Single Post - Mortise centering jig


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Just the same as the mortising jig that I made some years ago and posted on here and can be found in my gallery.


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

*Mortise jig,*

Here it is again,


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

http://www.routerforums.com/jigs-fixtures/2641-mortise-tenon-jig-plunge-router.html

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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Doggonit!!!

I made one with a pencil instead of a nail. WAY too inaccurate. Too loose. Shoulda used a nail or DW screw. 

Thanks Derek.

Gene


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

derek willis said:


> Been using one of my centre finders yesterday, marking up a number of mortise and tenon joints, certainly makes for ease and accuracy.


As soon as I saw the photo at the bottom of the page after logging in, I thought such a simple but clever jig could only come from Derek, I'm impressed with it's simplicity. The idea may not be new, but the five minute construction must be.


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