Reply To: Having trouble chopping bench mortises
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I’m adding this just for completeness and in case someone turns it up in a search of the archives.
I finally got back out there and tried to apply all that appears above. Results first, details below for those in a hurry. I did get to the point where I can chop (barely) acceptable mortices in this wood but I’m starting to think it’s not worth it just to use this white wood. Here are the points that I think made the difference between acceptable and unacceptable:
1) Use VERY sharp chisels AND check the bevel.
2) ONLY take 1/16″ bites at a time.
3) Work only while you can focus on the job.
4) When you start to rush, stop.
5) Use a lighter hammer for better control.
As long as I stick to those rules I do fairly well. Not nearly as well as I did on that scrap piece of much harder 4X4 though.
I found my chisels, Marples brand (and I thought from before Irwin but I could be wrong), lose their razor sharp edge in a hurry even in this soft wood. Chopping even one direction of one side would remove the shaving edge. I’m sharpening 2 to 4 times per hole to keep a razor sharp edge and that’s using Paul’s method including the cambered bevel.
Also looking at my chisels I found that over time I’d gone from a 30 degree bevel to a 35+ degree bevel. I brought that back down to 30. I’m not certain that was part of the solution but it was a lesson in not taking things for granted.
I also took a ruler and made a tick mark every 1/16th of an inch all the way up the bevel to help me regulate my bites. Now I’m not guessing. I know how much I’m taking with each chisel bite, at least on the first path.
I found that with a repetitive task like this I have a certain amount of time where I can truly focus, and every bite is like a separate project in itself. I’m 100% “there” and on task. But after some time my mind starts to wander and my hands keep going. Ordinarily I’d have told myself to pay attention and gone back to work. This time I just stopped chopping and did something else for a few minutes. Again, I’m not 100% sure this contributed to the solution but I think it did and the dog certainly appreciated all the ball throwing sessions.
I can only stand up bent over chopping so long. Once the back starts gnawing I need to sit down. When I feel this approaching I start working faster to “get it done” or at least get one phase done thinking it would be a better stopping point. Instead of telling myself to slow down I just stopped. Again, out came the ball or sand papers, something I could do resting the back.
And finally I did switch to a lighter hammer. I like the feel of the heavier one but felt that the lighter one kept my mistake smaller. It takes more passes to get through the wood though.
The results, as I said, are acceptable but marginally so. I’m sure they’ll hold the bench up, but they’re going to bug me every day they’re down there. The bad news is this makes for a VERY slow process. The good news is I think it’s good training for developing my focus both on the work and on myself.