Originally posted by topshelf:
Also when you use the 2" auger bit do you just us it to drill the ends of each mortise or do you drill consecutive holes the entire length of the mortise? The feedback here was that if you drilled continuous 2" holes that the overall width of the mortise would be slightly wider than 2".
When we layout a mortise we do it like this:
And we use a two inch bit to do a two inch mortise. We bore half way through from each side when doing a through mortise.
We scribe the outline of the mortise with a knife to prevent the bits from "chipping out" the wood outside the perimeter of the mortise.
When laid out and bored correctly it will not be outside the lines and when squared up will be ok.
Most mortises could have a housing on one side or both, and in those cases the side towards the housing will be covered by the timber with the tenon on it and the mortise shoulder will not be seen. When the mortise only has a housing on one side such as a brace mortise then care should be taken to not bore "outside the line".
Hope this helps.
Jim Rogers
