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Morticing Guide





Paul Sellers created a set of saw guides with different offsets for the beauty shoulder. My version is similar, with a few exceptions:

    (1) The fixture adjusts for any offset (it is not a fixed distance from the edge), replacing several fixtures with one.
    (2) It is held in a face vise, but the chopping takes place on the bench (in my case, over a leg). Paul chops his in the vise (not so good for the life of the vise?).
    (3) The fence also acts as a hold down, preventing the work piece to be lifted by the mortice chisel.

    The front ..



    The rear …


    The fixture is simply a long fence with a fine sandpaper as non-slip, against which the stretcher is clamped, and a short sliding fence, which will act as the depth control.

    The marked mortice ..




    Place the stretcher on the bench and drop the fixture on top of it. Clamp the fixture in the bench …



    Now adjust the sliding fence alongside the registration side of the mortice …



    Clamp the stretcher against the long fence and begin chopping with the chisel against the sliding fence ..



    The aim here is to achieve perpendicular sidewalls.



    Another way to use this fixture is to drill out the waste, and use the sliding fence to pare the remaining waste ..





    Regards from Perth

    Derek





September 2022