What size mortce chisel?

Re: What size mortce chisel?

paul womack

>If you work with the tenons/mortises 1/3 the size of your timber, 5/16" is a very good size when working with 1" timber.

I suspect this was in TLN's mind.

BugBear

Re: What size mortce chisel?

Adam Cherubini, NJ

>Can you pick 1/4" and 5/16"? That would be my recommendation. I find little use for 3/16 mortises.

Adam

Re: What size mortce chisel?

Jonathan Peck - N.Y.

>Thanks Adam and Bugbear,

I think that the 1/4" and the 5/16" sizes will work nicely. Given, I don't have any particular project in mind, but I think that'll cover the bases. If I feel an urge to work in 1+1/4" stock or larger, I can always add on.

Regards

Jonathan

Mortce chisel sizes...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Here ya go...

3/4" stock 1/4" (3mm) chisel

4/4 " 5/16" (6mm) chisel

5/4 " 7/16" (10.5mm) chisel

You can always get by using a 3/16 (4.5mm) for 3/4 and 4/4 stock. Anything thicker get a 1/2 (12mm).

Re: What size mortce chisel?

Alan Hamilton

>Jonathan,

To follow the old saw that a mortise should be sized so it's more than a third and less than half the thickness of the stock, you would need a 5/16" chisel for 3/4" stock. I don't kow how many people follow that rule these days--or even how many people know it.

Alan

Re: What size mortce chisel?

Jonathan Peck - N.Y.

>Doh! This is pretty much where I started, but I'm easily cornfused and lacking in experiance. I'm trying to avoid getting the whole encillada and just want to order a couple sizes that I will use the most and/or plan a project around the sizes I have.

Then I stumble into the 1/3 vs. the slightly over 1/3 third thing. Thaaaaaanks

I was originally thinking to get the 5/16" and the 3/8" but ordered the 1/4" and the 5/16" instead. I can always change the order, but I would definitely like to stay with two chisels and not three.

I plan to work mostly in 3/4" and 1" stock. Guess if I add the 3/8" size, I got most of the bases covered either way..dangit...but I can always add it later on if I really need it....dangit...this is really going to bug me now

Re: Mortce chisel sizes...

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Check your math:

3mm = 1/8"

6mm = 1/4"

11mm = 7/16"

Pam

Re: Mortce chisel sizes...

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>I'll trust Pam's conversions and not address the metric sizes (Trees don't grow in metrics, never seen a tree with ten fingers, powers of two make more sense, unless you use a slide rule for joint layout).

I would add a sixteenth to every one of your recommendations.

I find that a 5/16" mortise chisel gets the most use for cabinetmaking, with the 3/8 a close second. For truly monumental construction, my third acquistion would be a 1/2" and a 1/4" fourth for really delicate work.

Re: Mortce chisel sizes...

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>I pretty much agree with you, William. I'd like to add that for making shoji I often use a 4.5 mm (3/16") for the kumiko and 6mm (1/4") for runners and the like.

Pam

Re: Mortce chisel sizes...

Patrick Gibbons, Houston, TX

>Metric sizes are approximate to Imperial sizes. What's a 1/16" here or there? The surface area of the tenon has more of a bearing on the joint strength. Modern glues do fine on a thinner but well-fit mortise and tenon. I've hand-chopped 172 mortises (or will have in short order) for bunk beds I'm building (that's right I'm still not finished). Eight of those are 1/2" for the long rails to fit into the posts, 132 are 3/8" and the rest are 1/4". The 1/4" size was used on attaching the headboards and footboards to the posts. The posts are approximately 2 1/2" square and the rails are 3/4". Long story short, I would say that 1/4" and 3/8" chisels are plenty. Once they're glued up you can tell people they're any size you please.

Legs & Stretchers/Aprons

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>I just trotted over to look at some pieces I made a few years ago. The legs are 8/4 (1.75" actual). The stretchers are made from 4/4 stock. Damned if I can remember what size the mortises are, but 1.75"/3 = 0.583", which is a little less than 9/16".

So, here is a vote for some larger chisels for leg mortises.

Actually...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>7/16=11.1125mm� Seeing how you like to split hairs.

Most all here know I use Japanese mortice chisels. All the Japanese tool catalogs I have list a 7/16 mortice chisel as 10.5mm. That's why I posted it that way. I've never see or heard of an 11mm Japaneese mortice chisel.

As far as sizes go whatever sinks yer barge...

Re: Actually...

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Well, it was your 1/4" = 3mm that got me started. That's just plain wrong, Scott. As to Japanese chisels, I honestly don't remember who uses them or not, so I did a straight math conversion, didn't even know you were talking Japanese. Two Cherries makes an 11 mm mortising chisel.

Pam

Really?

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>Who's got an 11mm Two Cherries mortise chisel? All I can find are 10s and 12s...

Scott, Jonesin' for an 11mm somethin'

Re: Really? *LINK*

Ted Shuck, Centennial, CO

>Two Cherries makes them every mm from 3 to 14, plus 16mm. Dieter Schmid carries them.

Ted


Dieter Schmid mortise chisels

Sweeeeet...

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>Thank, Ted. Everyone else has them in the even sizes...

Re: What size mortce chisel?

Alan Hamilton

>Jonathan,

You're welcome.

But I really can't take credit. I'm just passing along what someone did to...er...told me awhile ago.

Alan

Re: Mortce chisel sizes...

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>...until the kids jump up and down on the beds, and the suboptimal joints fail catastrophically.

There's a lot more to a M&T than the glued surface area of the mortise sides and the tenon cheeks. If that were not so, then we could all glue up our rails and stiles (or legs and aprons) from three sheets of veneer, each, and be done with it.