Chopping Mortises

[Brian Holcombe]

I agree with Warren, and I apologize I scanned the OP quickly and assumed since this is a bench-building topic that we were talking about much larger mortises. 12mm is best done as Warren describes above.

I have mortise gauges set to the exact size of my mortise chisels for that same reason. I have also found sitting on the piece to help significantly with mortising.

[Patrick Chase]

I have also found sitting on the piece to help significantly with mortising.

I gave that a try last night after seeing your post and Warren's, and I see the benefit. Among other things it's easier to eyeball and maintain vertical from that position. Thank you Brian and Warren.

[Pat Barry]

I gave that a try last night after seeing your post and Warren's, and I see the benefit. Among other things it's easier to eyeball and maintain vertical from that position. Thank you Brian and Warren.

Just make sure the board you are working with is long enough and wide enough or you could be in a painful situation.

[lowell holmes]

Why buy pig stickers if you don't have to have them?

Of course, many of us including me, have to have one of each tool.

I will go for months not buying anything, and then see something and . . . . . .............

[Kevin Perez]

My critique was that the pigsticker would have been faster if he'd taken the time to optimize his technique for it.

Just curious--what is the optimized technique for using a pigsticker for a mortise? (I just use Seller's technique with bevel edge chisels in furniture and have had good results. But, I'm not adverse to "having" to buy a better/ another tool...)

[steven c newman]

There is no "optimize' with a pig-sticker chisel.......brute force is what they are all about. Maybe one could try such a chisel when chopping dovetails?

[Brian Holcombe]

I disagree, finesse is useful in chopping mortises.

[ken hatch]

There is no "optimize' with a pig-sticker chisel.......brute force is what they are all about. Maybe one could try such a chisel when chopping dovetails?

Sorry but that is Bull. The design is optimized for chopping mortises, not for brute force. All pounding on a EOBMC will do is slow you down and make a mess of the mortise.

ken

[ken hatch]

Just curious--what is the optimized technique for using a pigsticker for a mortise? (I just use Seller's technique with bevel edge chisels in furniture and have had good results. But, I'm not adverse to "having" to buy a better/ another tool...)

Kevin,

Not much different from any other chisel. Controlled taps on the chisel stopping when the chisel tells you to stop or slightly before and having space to lever the waste. Of all the factors space to lever the waste with out excessive effort is most important. Going Conan on either the tapping of the chisel or levering is slowing and counter productive as well as likely to damage the walls of the mortise.

ken

[steven c newman]

usual suspects.jpg
My usual tool kit....
trimmed.jpg
Results in Curly Maple.

[Patrick Chase]

I disagree, finesse is useful in chopping mortises.

I agree with this.

Not much different from any other chisel. Controlled taps on the chisel stopping when the chisel tells you to stop or slightly before and having space to lever the waste. Of all the factors space to lever the waste with out excessive effort is most important.

The part about having space to lever out the waste is key as Ken says, and is also where Sellars' technique was non-optimal. In the video he starts at one end and simultaneously works down and towards the other end, which is what I meant when I described it as "end-in" technique. IMO he develops an initial bottom profile that is overly "steep" (i.e. each sequence of cuts forms a very acute "V" shape) and lacks space for waste clearance.

Simultaneously working away from the center of the mortise in both directions works better for me, because the resulting "V" profile is much shallower. There are at least two other ways to achieve adequate waste clearance that I know of, and probably more, but that's the one that works for me.

[steven c newman]

Used to be a series of videos from GE Hong......maybe some people should watch them again? He does show a few ways to chop a mortise....and does it FAST. He is still moving the chisel when he start the next swing...and never misses. Look it up, sometime when you get bored....

25 videos on Youtube.....look up "Traditional Chinese Woodworking"

[Nathan Johnson]

I agree with this.



The part about having space to lever out the waste is key as Ken says, and is also where Sellars' technique was non-optimal. In the video he starts at one end and simultaneously works down and towards the other end, which is what I meant when I described it as "end-in" technique. IMO he develops an initial bottom profile that is overly "steep" (i.e. each sequence of cuts forms a very acute "V" shape) and lacks space for waste clearance.

Simultaneously working away from the center of the mortise in both directions works better for me, because the resulting "V" profile is much shallower. There are at least two other ways to achieve adequate waste clearance that I know of, and probably more, but that's the one that works for me.

Maybe this is a stupid question, but I haven't tried it so....would starting in the center work fine with a bevel edge chisel also?

[Brian Holcombe]

It should work fine.

Mortise chisels offer a genuine advantage in that they're shaped in a way that self jigs once the cut begins to be established. Bench chisels can work fine but I feel the process is overly harsh toward them at certain stages of the work.

[Nathan Johnson]

Really appreciate all the suggestions here.
Two things have helped a lot:
1. Sitting on the workpiece.
2. I switched from my Narex chisel to my Aldi chisel, and it seems to wander much less as I strike it. Thicker sides? I'm not sure, but I can tell the behavior is different.