Boring a Through Mortise: Shop Update 3/17/17

After the questions I got last week when I chopped out a through mortise, I decided to bore one out this week. Boring a through mortise seems like a shortcut, but I think you will find it isn't that much of a time saver over chopping, unless you are dealing with very large mortises.

[JimDockrellWatertone]

There is nothing like watching a master at work. Thank you Shannon.

[iancraigen]

some great tips, working on some mortises at the moment, and was finding them tough to chop out. The raamtang is also very interesting for workholding.

[tbayboater]

At one point your pup is looking at you and then at the camera as if to say "why are you talking to that thing?".

[Orxenhorf]

The shop has now been thoroughly inspected for interesting smells. :-)

[krisw.]

Hi Shannon. Great video. Any reason you prefer drilling only half way (or a little extra) rather than drill until the point of the auger bit pokes through?

[shroboy]

What do you do if your mortise is about 4 and 1/2 holes long. (Minus the 1/8 on the end and webbing). Do you leave a large web in the middle?

[russveinot]

as to the wedges slipping, glue a strip of sandpaper on the wedge surface and the slipping will stop.  enjoyed this video.

[Slothpellet]

Do you think that the wedges keep moving out because they are at too steep of an angle?

[erikjoven]

That sir - is a MIGHTY chisel you used to chop out that waste after drilling (the bench chisel you used initially).

How do yo find those hefty ones? For me - even if my mortise is 2-3" wide - i still find myself using 3/4" chisels to clean it out. Something about 1" or larger chisels - i tend to mash them out of line :/

[BenHolmen]

Thanks for the demo! I just cut some 4" deep through mortises in spruce and now I want to try a more friendly wood.
Have you considered adding leather to the raamtang wedges to avoid the slippage when chopping?

[raybartlett]

Do you have any content on straightening old bits?