Lee Valley Mortising Chisels

[forrestb]

I am using a ⅜ inch Lee Valley Hollow Square Motice Chisel & Bit ($46) for the mortises in my hall table.

The odd spelling of Mortice must be because the tool is actually made by Japan's Nakahashi Seisakusho Co. Ltd.

What has always been true about mortising still is: sharp chisel and sturdy bench. Since I plan to mortise the end grain on 4 ft. aprons, I plan to use the horizontal boring mode.

Compared to my previous efforts with Delta tools, the Lee Valley tools are flat from the get-go and only require polishing.

The unpolished chisel:

Before.jpg (619.61 KiB) Viewed 4792 times

The same chisel after 10 strokes on 40u paper. The tip was covered with black ink before work.

After.jpg (577.51 KiB) Viewed 4792 times

The face is obviously flat.

This is a square mortise (my first) using a ⅜ inch that I polished yesterday. The wood is poplar (softer than cherry, but I have to start somewhere) and my Shopsmith is in the horizontal mode. Three configurations of support were required before it was sturdy enough to allow the chisel to penetrate. Not an overly amount of pull on the quill handle was required after that.

Mortise.jpg (310.32 KiB) Viewed 4792 times

I will now set up for the cherry aprons.

Forrest

[algale]

Hope future posts will show how you braced the table.

[JPG]

Hope future posts will show how you braced the table.

I would keep the table 'low' by using a tall spacer under the workpiece and clamp, clamp, clamp, clamp . . . .

[forrestb]

I had very good support - the first 2 tries showed me that.

The main table was too low for stop dollars, but it was tied to the end aux table with
3 ft. tubes. They did have stop collars to prevent them from slipping.

In addition to the fence, it was supported at both ends with 4x4 pieces that were clamped to the table.

The PP was run all the way up against the end of the tubes.

This cannot be the configuration for the real aprons, but it told me what support is needed to get a square mortise in the horizontal mode.

They are so long that I think I will have to butt them against the wall in addition to clamps along the way. Those clamps will keep the aprons from bowing and the wall will provide the real support.

I will use the 5 ft. tubes to get the support of the end aux table behind the PP.

Forrest

[masonsailor2]

How far past the end of the support table will the piece of cherry extend ? One option I have used in the past is to take some 2x4 and make a quick brace that acts like a stop block that extends out past the end support table and then clamp it to the main table and the support table using two longer pieces of 2x4. You can also screw two blocks of wood on the under side of the 2x4s up against the support table to help keep it from moving. Hope this makes sense.
Paul

[forrestb]

How far past the end of the support table will the piece of cherry extend ? One option I have used in the past is to take some 2x4 and make a quick brace that acts like a stop block that extends out past the end support table and then clamp it to the main table and the support table using two longer pieces of 2x4. You can also screw two blocks of wood on the under side of the 2x4s up against the support table to help keep it from moving. Hope this makes sense.
Paul

And that's the kind of brace I need! The shelf support post just wasn't stiff enough.

I went whole-hog and used more angle iron bolted to the fixture.

Angle iron brace

Bracr.jpg (340.93 KiB) Viewed 4530 times

The fixture will be clamped to the main table as prior done and now also will be clamped to the end table.

Thanks, Paul.


Forrest