# mortise



## 2x4wood (May 2, 2007)

Hi, I'm new to this site. 
Just wondering what jig or method to use to cut mortises for mission style headboard in a 6'x6" long 3/4 oak piece (having hard time with delta mortiser keeping practise wood steady; same problem with upcut bit in a router keeping it flat and steady). I have to cut about thirty four total.

Thanks


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

hi 2x4wood

It comes down to the right tool for the the right job..

Take a look at the links below 

The Horz.Router table will do it I think, it will put in the male and the female parts quick and easy, you have the bit and the router and you need is the table...
and maybe a stand to help you hold the 6ft long stock.

You said you have 34 to do, that's alot of work so it may be worth the extra money for the Horz.table plus you can use it for so many other types of router jobs.

Just a Note*** Rusty made a great Horz.router table and you will see a link to in the links below.(that would save you a bit of money)
You may also want to pickup one more bit , Oak is hard on router bits  

http://www.routerforums.com/show-n-tell/3111-horz-router.html

http://www.routerforums.com/show-n-tell/3014-new-toy.html

Hope they help 

Bj


----------



## cabinetman (Apr 23, 2007)

I'm just trying to envision your project. A more detailed description would be helpful. Generally in multiple mortise situations, you'll need to make a surety (holding) jig to guide long stock. If the tenon is part of the stock that the mortise is to accept, and there are several, absolute identical mortises have to be cut. The possibility of one or more being slightly off will disrupt the fitting of the others. An example that's easy to understand is a handrail and balusters. If multiple mortises are the plan, for the mortiser, make a jig to slide the stock and hold it perfectly. It's important to create in your jig a clamping method that locks the stock in the correct position before machining. 

To mortise with a plunge router, a running jig, like rails to hold the stock, with the ability to move the router to position on top of the rails, and guides to position the router so the stock and the router don't move. It would be like a channel that the router sits on with the stock inside. It sounds like a lot of trouble, and maybe it is. Doing it right, only one time is what you should be after. 

An alternative I've used is to use dowels as a loose tenon. Depending on the size of the pieces, if you think about it once the dowel is in one piece it becomes technically a tenon. Sometimes it is easier to drill holes or use a forstner bit in a drill press. But still in any case you should make a guide jig to hold the work.


----------



## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

2x4wood said:


> Hi, I'm new to this site.
> Just wondering what jig or method to use to cut mortises for mission style headboard in a 6'x6" long 3/4 oak piece (having hard time with delta mortiser keeping practise wood steady; same problem with upcut bit in a router keeping it flat and steady). I have to cut about thirty four total.
> 
> Thanks


2x4wood,

*W e l c o m e . . A b o a r d !!*

You're getting some good advice...

Just curious, what size of mortises are you making & how many per joint?
Sounds like maybe two per joint fo a 6" width...
Is the tenon going to be the same width of the piece... or a slight reduced / cut tenon?

After you post a little more, you can post some pics of what you're doing.

Enjoy yourself... let the questions fly!! We'll try to catch them!


----------



## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Welcome 2X4, glad to have you "aboard"... umm no pun intended 

Corey


----------



## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

Welcome to the forums 2x4wood.


----------

