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Mortise Jig
One of the techniques that I learned a Paul Sellers 9day foundation class was the construction and use of a mortise jig. I don’t always use them these days, but occasionally I find them helpful. After my latest experience with making mortise and tenon joints it seemed prudent to take my time and make a new jig.
ITs really a sinple process and involves selecting a small piece of scrap to act as the back and then planing a seconpiece the correct thickness to act as a guide for the chisel. Once glued together and clamped (I sued my bench clamp) it acts as a great guide. I must have 6 or seven guides now of varying thickness.
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These jigs are super handy. I like them best for door frames. They have never let me down. My door frames always come out flat and no twist.
It’s the little things that make a big difference
I’ve made some of them as well. It looks in the last photo like you’ve got a double sided one. What a great idea – I hadn’t thought of that. I’ve had a problem using mine where the mortise still was not perpendicular to the surface in which it is cut. Apparently when my vise clamps shut, the tops of the jaws touch first and the bottoms are still apart by a couple mm. This causes the jig to lean out of square with the work piece. It’s caused a few headaches.
I’ve had that happen as well definitely something to be aware of
Since I don’t have a decent vise, I simply make my mortise guides extra long and clamp them to my workpiece at the ends of the guide. I chop on my benchtop, not in a vise (that would be a nightmare with my setup at present). Might want to give that a try if you think your vise is pulling the guide out of square.
That’s a different way of doing it, may have to give it a try