Adjustable Mortising Jig - WIP

[McRabbet]

At the Charlotte Woodworking Show, several North Carolina Woodworker.net members took advantage of a great buy on the English-made small plunge router, the Trend T3, for $70 (Here's a review). I got one for making mortises in rails and stiles for cabinet doors, but needed to make a jig to hold stock both horizontal (for stiles or table legs) and vertically (for ends of rails). I found a good plan in the June 2003/Issue 147 of ShopNotes and here are some progress pics:

1) 2) 3) 4)

1) Source of the plan: ShopNotes, Issue 147 (June 2003)

2) Top with adjustable stop blocks surround hole for bit. Stops slide on hardboard rails in 1/4" dadoes.

3) Trend T3 set in place with stops adjusted for a 1" long mortise.

4) Cutting circular holes for clamps in front of jig -- need to use lots of caution using this whirling gadget!

More to come -- t-tracks for hold-downs and assembly. Rob

 

[Monty]

Nice! That looks like it will be very useful... makes me wish I had picked up one of those T3's!

 

[michaelgarner]

Craaaappp,,,I have been wanting to make something like that. I saw your post ran to the shop (sound of worried man stumbling over everthing in house to get to shop) jerked open my cabinet,, and NOPE dont have that issue. DAMN THE MAN. It was prob during my deployments when I wasnt home to make sure the subscription was re-ordered. Anyone have extra copies? Be blessed friends

 

[JohnsonMBrandon]

Thats a pretty neat deal. I missed them at the show.....not that I needed to spend the money anyway.

 

[woodguy1975]

Nice work Rob. I think that is a perfect application for the T3. I've given it a test ride. It works pretty good. If that little router had a trigger start on the handle Trend would definitely have a top seller. It is a great router at a great price.

John

 

[Travis Porter]

That looks very impressive. You and Insom are as detailed as Woodsmith in your project posts. (That was meant to be a compliment). I have a hard time remembering to even take pictures.

 

[McRabbet]

Re: Adjustable Mortising Jig - Finished!

Today I finished the Jig and tested it out. Here's a few pics (numbers continue from first post; click on thumbnails for full sized pics):

5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

5) The finished jig, clamped to my outfeed table.
6) Vertical stop on front side perpendicular to top, with a rail centered in the top opening and clamped in place.
7) Up top, front and rear stops set to restrain router to side-to-side motion on axis of rail; bit set to left end of mortise and left stop clamped - note 1" opening to right stop. Plunge and go!
8) Finished rail end mortise.
9) Stile clamped in place (vertical stop not moved).
10) Finished rail and stile mortises ready for a loose tenon.

Time to build - 7-1/2 hours. Improvements: 1-3/4" long 1/4" Spiral bit can only plunge 1" due to 3/4" top. May make a 1/2" thick top next time. I need to buy a 3/8" x 2" long 1/4" shaft spiral upcut and I'll be home free!

 

[Monty]

Wow - that's cool! Looks like it does just what it's supposed to do! Great job!


One question... how does the vertical stop stay square? Or do you just square it up by butting it on the end of your workpiece?

 

[McRabbet]

One question... how does the vertical stop stay square? Or do you just square it up by butting it on the end of your workpiece?

The vertical stop is squared to the underside of the top or to the bottom edge of the front -- it is 1/2 the width of the stock to one side of the center line. Notice the stop block is slotted so it can be set at any angle you might want. There is another stop block I need to made to secure stiles better than I did for the demo.

Rob

 

[woodguy1975]

Great work Rot. I looks like you have a great working and looking jig. :icon_thum:icon_thum

So, what is your opinion of the T3 now that you have used it a few times?

John

 

[McRabbet]

Great work Rot. I looks like you have a great working and looking jig. :icon_thum:icon_thum

So, what is your opinion of the T3 now that you have used it a few times?

John

Hope the typo of my name wasn't intentional (hehehe -- I know you better that that John, it clearly was not intended!).

The T3 is fine for smaller work -- say trimming laminate, edge banding, cutting 1/4" slots, mortising hinges and small mortises like I'm doing. One minor disappointment is the plunge bearings are a little sloppy and my unit rocks very slightly on the shafts. I've used the edge guide and it works well, but it is just over 3/4" high and so it can't be used on 3/4" thick stock on a bench surface. Overall price/performance is good, but like you, I don't like the switch. I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Rob

 

[D L Ames]

Rob, you did a great job putting that jig together and it looks like you are getting some great results with it. That T-3 appears to be a pretty handy little router.

D L

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Hi, folks. My first post. I will do intro and shop tour at a later date.

When I first contemplated building the Shopnotes mortising jig I wasn't happy with lack of a way to register the bit and stops for the first cut. When I get my new shop done and finally get around to making this jig I will do the following:

1. Cut dados on the bottom side of the jig below each stop and the same width as the opening.

2. Make replaceable pieces of 1/4" masonite that will ride in the new dados. These pieces of masonite will be attached to the topside stops * and extend to the center of the jig opening.
* attached either with a through bolt in a slot or at the outer edge of the jig or both.

3. Since the pieces of masonite extend to the center of the opening they will be cut by the router bit and will then indicate the edge of any cut, making easy to align the stops.

This may be hard to follow without pics.

 

[McRabbet]

IMHO, you don't need the additions, Alan. With the router bit plunged to full depth and held, measure from the cutting edge of the bit to the T-Tracked front board and move the router until the mortise edge inset is established and lock both the front and rear top stops. Place the vertical stop on the front in any position and repeat measure from it to the cutting edge on that side. Lock that top side stop to the router base plate. For a 1" mortise, move the other side 1" away from the base and you are ready to go.

An improvement I might make is to add tape rules from the center line and away from the zero point (flush with Front).