Homemade Chain Mortiser (Using Chainsaw)

Mortise and tenon joints are strong and useful, but the mortise part of them (the slot) is hard work and time-consuming to make by hand. There are two machines that do the job - one is basically a bench press that incorporates a drill bit inside a square chisel, and then there’s the chain mortiser. The problem is that both types are specialist equipment - they don’t do anything else - and they mostly sit around doing nothing at all. Plus, we need a big version for making the big joints on wooden gates. So I had a go at making my own.
If you’re tempted to make one of these things yourself, then obviously you need to be careful. Chainsaws like to jump up and take chunks out of you. I am very respectful of them and that’s why this is a lumpy, solid machine and weighs a lot. I did not want it hopping about the yard..
An electric chainsaw would have been much easier to work with. And here’s a technical point to bear in mind - the bar is tapered towards the end (it helps stop the chain slopping about on the bar). This means the mortises it makes are tapered too - not a problem if you taper the tenons. A couple of wedges will help make the joints tight. We hope to make gates soon - and if we get around to it we’ll try to film it for this channel…
And now you can see the first gate we made with it here! • Making A Five-Bar Gate...
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[@invictu4488]

There's a word we have for people like you - Genius! Two thumbs up!! 👍🏿👍🏿

[@benmatthews3732]

I've watched you create and jury rig the most amazing fixes over the last year of your blogs. Pretty awesome if you ask me. It's an ability that is dying out, I fear, and it's great of you to share it all!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks Ben. We're so lucky to have a workshop and the time to experiment. In fact we have everything we want - except money. And we're managing to survive without much of that too.

[@graemecooper3653]

Great piece of engineering! I will never need one but I admire your problem solving skills.

[@cesarromero850]

Aserfsddarod tinbergit con motocierf

[@henaken08]

Great job! Nice to see people using their brains :-) A mortiser is so expensive. I hope I can use some of your ideas. Best regards

[@MaghoxFr]

Refresment for man and machine LOL Poor old deaf Bob looks like a great companion. Great video.

[@owpeterj]

A fine little piece of doing. Works a treat. Nice you found the time to share.

[@cruzmissile25]

Saw the title "home made" clicked instantly. I don't even do this kinda work

[@Crash5291]

Looks great, Some improvements i seen that could be made are: On the 2 rail slide, the vertical play is likely causing some movement, you could try using a piece of plastic cut in a U on the underside with a clamp to make it a bit tighter. Second thought is to have your chain bar mount closest to the work as close as you can get it to the tip of the bar and still have the needed plunge depth that should help with any bar flex. I seen a comment About using an electric saw, that would be slick indeed.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Crash5291 Thanks for your suggestions - it's already mounted as close to the end as possible for the timber I'm using, but you may be right about the rails..

[@thundercloud47]

Your ingenuity knows no bounds. When watching some of your videos (while viewing in awe), sometimes I think of things that could be made with the aid your inventions. Here's hoping your gates go together as smoothly as your new implement works. I tip my hat to you both, you folks share mighty fine information on you videos. many thanks to both of you! Mrs. Tc

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks so much Mrs Tc - hoping to get some gates made soon, but there's always so much else that's urgent..

[@twestgard2]

Fantastic. Glad to see this works, will do the same. I think I’ll use an electric chainsaw though. They’re a little slower, maybe more precise.

[@Barnagh1]

Very interesting and clever. You could prevent the tear-out with a tap with a chisel on the line at the end of the mortise. You could close the space where the mortise was too large by wedging the tenon to spread the end of it, or simply by hammering the wedges into the gaps. Well done though, good job overall.

[@suleshangodoyin]

Thanks for shown the learning views and I like it very much to watch it many times. It's me, Sule Shangodoyin.

[@jitbc214]

Hi

[@utunyee8318]

Marvelous idea! Congratulations!

[@alwayslearning3671]

I might try this with a little electric chainsaw I picked up at Harbor Freight. Thanks for the video.

[@Organikmechanic]

Great piece of engineering. You've made a really useful device out of recuperated materials and a good deal of ingenuity, love it!!!!!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Organikmechanic Thanks - a bodge really, but it works and it cost nearly nothing!

[@themasterofallthingsgood3468]

Awsome work thinking outside the box. Some people just know how to sort s..t out. I'm sure once tweeked you can get a factory finish with this.

[@cordelldutoit5236]

Nice work and I love your dog. I had to put my old English sheep dog down last year... miss him loads. Bob looks like an awesome animal. All the best

[@WayOutWestx2]

Bob won't last much longer and we will miss him so much too. He's still enjoying his life though and we're happy to have him around.

[@benmatthews3732]

You are a remarkable engineer! Thanks for sharing.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Ben. Not sure you're right, but I appreciate the comment : - )

[@mikew151Manhattan]

not too bad at all and totally worth it coz these tools cost a bomb!

[@matthiaswandel]

I had thought of doing something like this myself too, if I ever need to do any timber framing. But I'd probably use an electric chainsaw.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Me too - but I don't own one. Yet.

[@redportleft]

Great bit of kit. Well done .

[@WayOutWestx2]

***** Thanks Tom - I can see it sitting in the back of the shed most of the time, but sometimes being very useful indeed. (A bit like me really!)

[@_P0tat07_]

LOLOL you should make one Matthias I'd love to see it. Maybe modify your slot mortiser instead of building a new one?

[@Smegmachess]

+Matthias Wandel please Matthias make machine and plan like this jig !!

[@chaitanyavedak2412]

This is a great project.. who would have thought of using a Chainsaw as a Slotting machine..

[@PaulAdamsTheHandmadeFisherman]

tis a thing of beauty, i await the chainsaw mill made from a set of ladders and a trolley

[@WayOutWestx2]

Ha! funny you should say that Paul...

[@unclefuddelmer9224]

I’ve seen that. Works great

[@poco1990]

I understand. Really enjoy your videos. Keep posting. Love those horses working.

[@edsautter51]

How did I miss this? Good idea and a fun watch. Again this is one I'll be thinking about for a while

[@HondoTrailside]

Awesome idea for multiples. One can safely plunge cut wood if one needs to. And there are situations in cutting where one does need to. I have freehanded mortises also, but I wouldn't put the result up against a series capable machine like yours. I mean they were good, but it would get very tiring to do a lot of pieces that way. The deal is to plunge with the chain at the 3-6 o'clock of the bar. Then when that penetrates to the point of the center of the tip, rotate the bar up so that you can plunge forward for the rest of the cut. For that very first part of the plunge after rotation, be aware that the nose will lift for the first little bit. Hold it down. The nose is sunk at this point so you won't get the top coming violently up. Sharp chain, safety gear, alert.

[@WayOutWestx2]

+Hondo Trailside Interesting, Hondo. Thank you. I know it's not perfect, but it does work and that's the main thing.

[@artregeous]

best fucking tool for those who is specialized on impossible

[@MrRidgedog]

Clever piece of work, very cool. Thanks for posting.

[@donaldasayers]

Genius! I may well have to make one of these.

[@trouts4444]

Very nice idea and implementation.

[@robbietuned]

Solid joint. I may have to do this for the table I am building my wife. 4" thick Poplar treecenter cut for the top, a 2x12 spaner and 4x6 ends

[@69sungam]

I did try this with and old electric change saw a couples a years a go in some similar style but of course I did now succes. For me it was trial and error... actual more of error. So with this video i will givet a new attempt! Thanks for very nice vids. And i like the moode of them! (sorry about the pour English) //Swede A small woodworking Farmer

[@WayOutWestx2]

69sungam Thank you 69sungam - an electric saw would be best. Easier and quieter for sure. I hope your next design works!

[@davidtrees1714]

Great idea. Great starting place to explore 2nd 3rd and maybe 4th editions too. If I know you from your videos, you'll be thinking of ways to improve it all the time. Great start again. Thanks for sharing.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Cheers David : - )

[@tweakerkid]

Great job 👍

[@joaomonnerat9827]

Very good job... Congratulations.

[@davidbostock6776]

Realy nice. Saw is obviously working well in the orientation you are using. Things to check for someone using any other saw including electric would be chain oil pickup location. Remove bar, check chain oil tank is full , run saw & check it's pumping oil out of rhe feed hole onto where the blade would be if in place. My cheap 14" electric bar is pumping oil like crazy out of the hole with a near full tank and the bar oriented straight up. With gas also need to worry about fuel pickup and venting and engine lubing ( pickup location for two stroke ) and thongs leaking and maybe also leakage / blocking of vents. Chainsaw as table saw with crosscut and a miter sled would be interesting. Straight blade of chainsaw could also cut "rounds" that a circular blade would leave an odd edge on. Arrangement could be made with chainsaw in near normsl position and table saw table and sled at a steep incline blade orientation vertical or horiz if fuel & oil tank pickups permit.

[@WayOutWestx2]

David Bostock Thanks David - you're right, of course - lubrication is essential. The oily spray that arrived on the timber I was cutting was proof enough in this case. But if the fuel isn't getting through you'll surely find out before too long!

[@sawdustonthebrain]

Thanks for posting....There's some good ideas in your work and I think you are on the right track. I was wondering if that was a straight ripping chain. It looked to be the standard cross cut chain, but it's hard to see for sure? I've got a friend who can cut timber as straight as a sawmill along the grain and he uses a straight 90 degree tooth ripping chain. He said he got terrible cuts for years before switching to a ripping chain from the standard tree felling/firewood angle chain. He told me the standard chain just wobbles from side to side when you rip along the grain....No matter how good you are. Just a thought:)

[@WayOutWestx2]

Daff You're right Daff - a rip blade is exactly what I need for bigger jobs, but they cost money! Thanks for your help though : - )

[@mikemcorky5418]

Awesome, I'm going to try to make one out of an electric chain saw.

[@johnc.stevens831]

THIS is fantastic, thanks for sharing!

[@WayOutWestx2]

thanks, John.

[@Moenchengladbach]

Awesome work!

[@rudyhernandez6510]

Thanks to sharing?? Now, I know its possible to do. Great.

[@meehan302]

I might need to make one,because one of the 2x4 posts on my greenhouse has got rotten near the base. Its load bearing . Greenhouse constructed from heavy patio windows. Thank for sharing the video.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Go for it Patrick!

[@Svendus]

Nicely done make a small approach with a chisel first where the chain comes out to prevent the splitting out a chain grinned in 15 degree (ripping chain) will make a cleaner cut :-)

[@thehomesteadcraftsman8975]

Pretty cool, you could modify this initial design to do all kinds of stuff, Like adding another axis for horizontal cuts, some sort of way of backing up the cut would avoid most tear out. It could just be a piece of wood that is mounted at the fences plane that the bar goes through. Regardless, as is it's a cool contraption and for what your doing it looks to work perfect as is but could be refined to accommodate finer jobs if needed. Enjoyed the video.

[@WayOutWestx2]

The Homestead Craftsman thanks H.C. - you're right, if I had the time and enough work for it, there's a lot that could be done with this. I really only made it because we need some wooden gates though, and it works perfectly for that. I subbed your channel - you're doing lots of interesting things too! Have a good one. Tim

[@peterbarlow8912]

Ran across your video looking for a way to cut a mortise with a chainsaw. Tried plunging my Ryobi cordless saw through a 4x4 but it took to long. Definitely need horsepower. Need to make 40 1 1/2 “ X 4” mortises for crossmembers in 2 post trail head kiosks. May end up boring and chiseling. What could go wrong with an all volunteer retired professionals crew D’oh!

[@h7oslo]

Handy jig... looks fine for the task at hand ! rc

[@myquad]

Great design, I think if you clamped a piece of scrap wood behind the board that you are plunging into it would reduce tear out.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Since this was made, I seem to have solved the shudder problem simply by having a washer under the bar. Check out 'Making a 5-bar gate' video.. Making A Five-Bar Gate With The Homemade Chainsaw Mortiser

[@michaelbrown4596]

Thank you for the videos and this follow up!I realize that I am kind of late to this party, but you mentioned the tear-out and I haven't seen yet whether you found a solution for it. It may not be important to you, but on projects which you don't want the tear-out place a piece of sacrificial wood at the exit side so that the wood of the project piece is fully supported and the sacrificial piece suffers the tear-out instead. It can also be done on the entrance side depending on the level of tear-out there, which will depend on the sharpness of your chain. I've enjoyed your videos a LOT. Thank you kindly.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

Very clever and resourceful. For the sort of mortises you would be using this for, eyeball accuracy is quite good enough too. The only reservation I have is from a safety perspective - you are bolting the bar to the carriage while the chainsaw motor is powered on. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that and I wonder if there is a way to redesign the carriage or use a different saw to allow you to bolt the saw to the carriage before powering it on.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Chuck. An electric saw would be simplest. But I don't have one of those.

[@tazaxx21]

Very good idea. This could be made much more precisely though with indexing for measurements. The chain bar is out way farther than it needs to be- that's why it's chattering...

[@billwessels207]

Thanks, I needed that.

[@Dair.Builds]

love your ideas love to get my self a nice piece of land stuck in Dublin would have ya demented :D

[@royormonde3682]

No need to be cynical about it...you made a mortising jig for your chainsaw. Good, nice work, couldn't you have just shown that. Anyone who does free hand mortising or simply cutting into a tree to drive their saw through for a tongue and groove fall, doesn't do it like you showed here and I'm sure you don't either. You drive in the bottom half of the tip, then straighten the saw out, then plunge in, there's no other way.

[@Centar1964]

Love to see new uses for a chainsaw, well done!

[@phucphuc5963]

su su d

[@pamp5797]

Sandra, handy Hub's you have. You also have a handsome dog.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Isn't he though?! (Hubby's not too bad either!)

[@chipwright6193]

Thanks, now I'm going to want to build one.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Go for it, Chip!

[@sirvaldo54]

you are Super Man, thanks for this

[@bubbagreensmith7174]

Great idea. Thanks for sharing!!!

[@terryteague164]

i like it very much and the joint is well enough, you might try a another piece of flat steel under the bolts the reduce shudder but not worth it when you consider the critics all have four legs. lol

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks Terry - there is a flat piece between the bolts already, but good idea!

[@Chewiedognottaken]

That is so damn way cool. Great job!

[@user-qz2ue8zj1c]

Секс matore lezbejke velike matore lezbejke matore lezbejke

[@user-qz2ue8zj1c]

Ш lezbejke matore lezbejke velike мј

[@justdoit4771]

no ripping chain on that one, although now I have a bigger bar and have filed my chain to a 25 degree instead of 30. will post new videos when I mill another tree. thank you and God bless

[@2drsdan]

The bounce you are getting is coming from an engine vibrating at the end of a bouncy piece of steel. Support the motor head and I bet it will cure the problem. Nice piece of kit.

[@artromik76]

Hey brother very good! I will do that one. Finger up!

[@Camerounisme]

Good job!

[@slimanebettaieb6718]

Bon travail

[@GordonGarvey]

It's dangerous but not to hard to do. Just go slow and fight against the kick and keep steady until you're in, then it's easy and safe.

[@GordonGarvey]

Very smart design though, well done.

[@rajeshfurniture1954]

Good

[@contreeman]

HOW MUCH I WANT ONE . GREAT VIDEO BROTHER GOD BLESS

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thank you Contreeman. You too could have one : - )

[@FixAllFixer62]

Sweet like plunge router

[@conantdog]

really cool

[@randymerced4370]

Very cool rock on

[@neogovernment]

Excellent!

[@elonscum9836]

good job

[@CALOCALKY]

Up down in out and mad look deceptively easy all credit to U

[@WayOutWestx2]

Cheers, Michael!

[@Fondlyours1960]

I haven't looked over all the comments, but if you clamp a piece of wood on the back side of the board you are plunging into. you will have less Tear out..

[@WayOutWestx2]

Fondlyours1960 Yes, thanks, Fondlyours. You're right, of course and I should have thought of that. In fact, tightening the blade and sharpening it helped a lot - did you see the gate I made?

[@Fondlyours1960]

What video is that in? The finished fence?

[@poco1990]

What if you added a bearing top and bottom of the bar to the frame next to tip at the mortise piece to get rid of the shutter effect?

[@WayOutWestx2]

Worth a try - but we only have a couple of gates to make for now, so we'll probably just live with it, I guess

[@ChirpyMike]

Smart....very smart!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Cheers, Mike!

[@joseramonmorterafernandez7902]

Chirpy Mike yy

[@thomasarussellsr]

Good thing the dog is deaf, he would have been after sitting that close anyway. HaHa. Nice bit of kit.

[@Hyungbu]

Awesomeness :)

[@buckmetta]

interesting projec..but I would not try this at my shop - because of the noise and dust lol

[@SouberTools]

Not very portable. I wonder how you would get it up the stairs ? Maybe the DBB Mortiser would be a better choice.

[@ahmetbayram5991]

harika cok cok güzez

[@rodgerhall7553]

You COULD just use a flat wood drill the size of the tenon and square the round ends along the sides with a chisel.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Well you COULD..

[@admangeezer]

for people who have a strong aversion to drills and chisels?

[@1crazynordlander]

I looked at a chain mortiser and knew right away I could not afford it. Not sure it there are stiffer square not tapered bars out there or chains that are better suited for mortising? I would consider a hydraulic head if I had to fork out $1600 for a chain mortiser. Very good idea! One of my arms looked like Popeye' arms after building a farm table with mortise and tenon joinery using a drill press on the mortises. Actually my arm felt like wet noodle after I was done. Great Video, I will subscribe!

[@WayOutWestx2]

1crazynordlander Yes, I know all about cutting deep mortices by hand - not fun! I'm sure you're right about real chain-morticers, but we really only need one occasionally, so even if we had the money I couldn't justify spending it. This thing I made cost almost nothing - and works well. Let us know if you come up with a better version?

[@markrainford1219]

You need to make a cover for your Guinness, err I mean coffee next time.

[@killingoldgrowthsince]

Bridge building we cut mortise free hand with chainsaws all the time, don't know what your problem was.

[@p0lyglot]

Why does it not have horizontal travel? Instead of having to plunge in in two locations with a bunch of unclamping and reclamping of the work-piece, I would have thought it would be easier to plunge in once and then travel along the length of the slot, i.e. in the usual chainsaw manner.

[@WayOutWestx2]

William Brodie-Tyrrell Yes, it would be good to have horizontal travel as well, but you'd still need the up and down and in and out travel, so it would be a bit complicated to build, that's all.

[@Projectoftheday]

Interesting solution, do you still use it? or is there any upgraded version

[@WayOutWestx2]

+Project of the day I haven't for a while, but it will come in handy for a project I have planned. The only thing I would change is the chain - I'd try to get a ripping blade instead of the normal cross-cut

[@HondoTrailside]

+Project of the day I have had one as an amateur for 25 years. I don't use it much, but not because it isn't fabulous (whatever kind you have), but because I get so much wood from a few hours on the right tree, that I am snowed under for years. Last big show I did was some beech I cut in 2010. The purpose was to get some big sticks for a bench project (number 5), and enough for a whole shop full of planes and molding planes. There is enough work there to do probably a year full time. The first tree I got was a black cherry, I split the wood with a friend, and my half paid for the saw and mill. That was a short afternoon. It worked out to 2.2 bft of wood an inch. Roughly a thousand board feet over the 40 feet we cut. We are talking some 12-20 inch boards in there.

[@kaiwenhe5518]

can you use a shorter bar?

[@helikopter86]

Brillant

[@TheJinixie]

I think if you used a shorter bar the shudder should stop.Too much bar out of the wood saw is prob 60cc lot of power. Although, could you knock me up a morticer. I have lot of work for one. Where you based I am west o shannon

[@WayOutWestx2]

Liam Daly thanks Liam. Yes the shudder stopped when the blade had a proper sharpen. Too busy with the bees now to make another one but someone could start manufacturing them?

[@estoneckrasnojarsk6269]

👍

[@thooney2934]

Not a bad job at all pal

[@hpw59]

👍👍

[@arcadiovarela9101]

you need precise pipes now!

[@edhorsegolfer4784]

That looks a whole lot cheaper than the chain mortisers I've seen.

[@carrollsanders9376]

I would have just made a boring chain for the saw, You are going to damage the chain or the bar tip that way but to each his own.

[@WayOutWestx2]

I'm intrigued Caroll - what do you mean by a boring chain? Remember, I'm ignorant of all this stuff really, I just make it up as I go along but I would like to know. Tim

[@carrollsanders9376]

A boring chain is a standard chain with the back of the teeth ground off. That way the back of the teeth does not cause the saw to jump out of the wood, and the tip and chain does not burn up as yours will.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Carroll Sanders Thanks Carroll - really interesting and makes a lot of sense. I'll see if I can find an old chain to experiment with..

[@Wanous-hv7zo]

what would you need to cut like that for?

[@WayOutWestx2]

I use mine for making gates (see the link) but they're also used for making wooden houses

[@MrFakit]

Mortise and Tenon joints for "Timber framed" or "Post & Beam" Buildings, old school, very beautiful.

[@user-mx2im6ub7x]

Чет походу, это когда заняться неху.м, такие конструкции городят.

[@p0lyglot]

(PS you appeared on hackaday)

[@WayOutWestx2]

William Brodie-Tyrrell Really? Is that a tv channel or what? (Are we famous now?!)

[@p0lyglot]

WayOutWest Blowinblog it's a nerd website/blog, usually with electronics builds on there but the occasional mechanical item like yours: hackaday.com/2015/04/25/massive-wood-joints-with-chainsaw-mortiser/