In the video below, you’ll learn quick and easy tips for cutting mortises with a router from Canadian carpenter Jesse De Geest (aka The Samurai Carpenter).
De Geest uses a plunge router equipped with a straight bit and guide bushing to cut a mortise in 2 ¾-in. Douglas fir. The template he uses for the guide bushing is made out of scrap MDF that he assembles with 2P-10, a 2-part quick-setting adhesive. What’s cool here is how he cuts the through-mortise. It involves a drill bit and flush trim bit and, as De Geest points out, yields perfect results every time. This approach is particularly useful if you have to repeat cut mortises—he’ll be cutting 18. The template makes aligning the mortises precise, every time.
