Tréteau VIII

Let the cutting begin then. Layout started on the beam, so I figured cutout could start in the same place. Not looking forward particularly to all these weird mortises and tenons that lay ahead, but that's the task I've chosen for myself, now isn't it? My workshop is again the kitchen, and my workbench the good old irregular splayed sawhorse.

A start with the trim router, decking the underside of the beam to the set depth:


Another view:


Now a tilt-head mortiser with a tiltable bed would be jolly nice, however I don't have one of the those, and my wife would undoubtedly frown upon the presence of such an item in the kitchen, so i'll muddle through with cordless drill and eyeballing it:


Drilling half-way from each side, here you can see the beginnings of one mortise:


One side (the top) now drilled out:


Here's the underside after the drilling was done:


I can put the power tools away now and it's chisel time:


A few minutes of chopping and digging, and a passage is put through:


A while later, the mortise is at about the 90% mark:


That's one down and seven to go on the beam mortising.


Two down, six to go.

I'll save final clean up of these mortises for when it is time to fit the tenons. --> Go to part IX