Strother Purdy of Fine Woodworking asked several woodworkers how they cut mortises. He sought out Carl Swensson, Brian Boggs, Jeff Miller, Nial Barrett, Tom Stangeland, and Chris Becksvoort. Swensson spoke about how good design, fit, and glue make strong mortises. Boggs uses chisels for low-cost but high-skill mortising. Miller prefers plunge routers for fast, simple, and precise mortises. Barrett uses hollow-chisel mortisers. Becksvoort likes his slot mortiser. Purdy picks his favorites among the options and includes tips on router milling jigs. Side information addresses the question “What makes a good mortise?”.
