Hollow Mortising Chisels--Do or Don't

[wyogunwriter]

Hey Guys, it's been quite a while since I was here. Getting back to filling my lungs with sawdust, and it feels good. I have a question, though:

I am making a handrail for a stairway. I'd like to use a 3/4x3x2 inch tenon to connect the stiles to the top rail. I bought a Delta 17-924 mortising kit for my drill press, but it only goes up to a 1/2 inch. So...will a Fisch Hollow Mortising Chisel (3/4 inch) fit my Delta jig? Or can I nibble away at the top rail with the 3/8 chisel I already have--i.e. side by side.

Thanks in advance!

[JGrout]

I would not bet on the chisel fitting your setup 

Your description of what you are doing has left me scratching my head. 

If the handrail on the outside of a staircase or against a wall that you are wainscoting?

If it is against the wall you certainly do not need 3" tenons and most likely you would never get one that deep that was accurate. 

Add in the angle of the handrail and the issue just compounds itself 

IMO there are better solutions 

Joe

[mike4244]

Hey Guys, it's been quite a while since I was here. Getting back to filling my lungs with sawdust, and it feels good. I have a question, though:

I am making a handrail for a stairway. I'd like to use a 3/4x3x2 inch tenon to connect the stiles to the top rail. I bought a Delta 17-924 mortising kit for my drill press, but it only goes up to a 1/2 inch. So...will a Fisch Hollow Mortising Chisel (3/4 inch) fit my Delta jig? Or can I nibble away at the top rail with the 3/8 chisel I already have--i.e. side by side.

Thanks in advance!

Trying to imagine the "stiles". Are you connecting the balusters to the rail? What dimensions are the balusters?
Your post indicates that the balusters are 2" x 3" x 3/4" , the tenon is 3/4" x ?
Often an easy and practical way to connect the balusters to the rail is as follows.
A 3/8" thick x width piece is nailed or screwed to the top of the balusters after being cut to length and proper angle, I refer to this as a stretcher. Balusters are set in the treads ,cut line at height of underside of rail minus 3/8". Spindles are plumbed and then fastened thru the top of the 3/8" stretcher. When all of the spindles are fastened the rail which is plowed out for the stretcher. Rail sets on the stretcher and fastened from underside.
Store bought rails often are already plowed out, the dimension may vary.
mike

[Steve N]

I'm not sure if the chuck would have trouble taking the Fisch bit, which is 3/8" From reviews the problem may be clearance under the drill chuck. The suggested drills to use this attachment with

Look below on that page, the comments/questions about it not fitting their drill. Seems like the page lists a limited number of Delta, and a few Sears drills only. Certainly not what I would call "universal".

If the mortiser does fit your drill, and would work properly, just check the bits that came with the mortiser, if they are 3/8" diameter shank, then that is what the Fisch bits say they are, so unless the larger bit interfered with the hold down of the mortiser, it should work. But them not offering it, makes me wonder?

[Alan S]

As the hollow chisel increases in size, you need to push it harder to make the mortise.  A dedicated mortiser is likely to be better suited to mortising than a drillpress, largely because it's made to push harder.  So no, I don't think it's a good idea to use a 3/4" chisel with a drillpress mortising kit.  It might work, but just making a few cuts using the smaller chisel may be faster, easier, and less wear and tear on the drillpress.

[goaliedad]

Hog out as much material you can with a large forstner but, then use the chisel you have

[rwe2156]

Takes a helluva machine to run a 3/4" mortise bit. I have a Powermatic floor model and 3/4 is about all it can handle in hardwood.

Just take two passes.

[wyogunwriter]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I nibbled away at the 90-degree mortises for the landing and got acceptable results. The angled mortises will probably have to be done with a Forstner bit and chisels, as one of you suggested. And my apologies for calling the balusters "stiles." Woodworking isn't my primary vocation, but I appreciate the correction.

[jteneyck]

It will be far easier if you do it as Mike described above.  Here are a couple of photos of a balustrade I built using that process.  Here's one where I set the balusters in a plowed dado in both the floor trim and handrail, then the spaces between are filled with short trim pieces, glued and pin nailed in place.







And on the stairs I set the bottom of the balusters in place with 1/2" dowels after drilling holes in the treads. 



The top of the balusters were cut off at the same angle as the handrail and filler pieces were added just like with the horizontal handrail I showed above. 



You can see in the last photo where the balusters transition from the handrail to the horizontal section.  That would be just about impossible to do with mortises.  Also, note that riser heights vary so the length of the balusters need to vary, too.  The method I showed here allows you to easily adjust the length of each baluster, as necessary, to fit the circumstances you find. 

John

[rwe2156]

You're an excellent carpenter, which makes you a woodworker!!