Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Mortises are traditionally made with chisels. After marking the opening, a chisel is used to dig out the waste. This method takes a little time. But if we switch to a drill press, we can hog out most of the material quickly and then come back to clean up the edges with a chisel.
It can be tricky to know exactly where to drill each hole. (But) If the holes are too far apart, you’ll have more work to do later on. If they’re too close together, the brad point bit can wander into an already made hole.
Here’s a tip to make this process easier and more precise: After marking your stock for the mortise, draw a centerline down the middle. Next, set a compass to half the width of the mortise. Place the compass point on the centerline and mark spots on either side, following the line with marks to indicate where each hole should be drilled. For even more control, start by drilling smaller pilot holes before using the correct size. This will guide the brad point bit tips. Once all the holes are drilled, you can easily hog out the rest of the waste with a chisel.
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Michelle B
Keith Current
William L McNally
Jerry Adams
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
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Les N.
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Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
Doug F
Make Things.
#MTbitesize
Mortises are traditionally made with chisels. After marking the opening, a chisel is used to dig out the waste. This method takes a little time. But if we switch to a drill press, we can hog out most of the material quickly and then come back to clean up the edges with a chisel.
It can be tricky to know exactly where to drill each hole. (But) If the holes are too far apart, you’ll have more work to do later on. If they’re too close together, the brad point bit can wander into an already made hole.
Here’s a tip to make this process easier and more precise: After marking your stock for the mortise, draw a centerline down the middle. Next, set a compass to half the width of the mortise. Place the compass point on the centerline and mark spots on either side, following the line with marks to indicate where each hole should be drilled. For even more control, start by drilling smaller pilot holes before using the correct size. This will guide the brad point bit tips. Once all the holes are drilled, you can easily hog out the rest of the waste with a chisel.
Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
William L McNally
Jerry Adams
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Mike Lornitis
Les N.
Gary G.
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
Doug F
Make Things.
#MTbitesize
