Cutting Mortises On Small Boards

[Leaseman]

First I would l like to show you folks the mortising jig I made for my Festool 1400 router and then on to my question. As you can see this is cutting edge engineering at its finest surpassed only by it's elegant design. This is sure to make the cover of Fine Woodworking, etc. Here you go:

I know, it's some scrap wood thrown together but, hey, it actually works. Here's my question. I'm new at making mortise and tenons. With this jig I can make mortises on larger boards but can figure out how to make a mortise at the end of a smaller board. I should point out that in this case I'm making floating tenons so mortises on both sides of the joint. I do not have a router table. This jig or anything I can come up with wont hold the board steady to cut the mortise. This is an apron on a copy table roughly 1 1/8" by 1 3/4" Here's my attempt; not an acceptable outcome. How do you folks do this?

 

[..Kev]

I have used dual edge guides on that router for several years and love it.  

Nothing wrong with your version and it was certainly less expensive than mine!  Always more than one way to get the job done!

[wdwerker]

Glue "wings " on both edges of the board to stabilize the router & your Jig. If you put a sheet of newspaper in the glue joint it's easier to split off the "wing " blocks after you cut your mortice.

[Ronn W]

Routing mortises in the ends of boards with a router is always a trick. The longer the board the trickier.  Wdwerker is correct in that you have to created a platform or "wings" so the router is stable.  I have also seen prople router the router horizontally - a porject in itself.

Honestly my first choice would be a Festol domino, and 2nd choice would be mortise and tenon cutting the tenons on the ends of the aprons on the table saw.

[gee-dub]

This is my old version 1 Mortise Pal that I foolishly sold when I bought my version 2.  If I'd known they would stop making them I never would have sold it.  It excels at bringing the tool to the material when things are long, small or just plain awkward.

Not that it matters but, here's the version 2 with a larger bearing surface for the router and a stop bar for repeatable setups on multiple parts.

[Chestnut]

I use the domino or make an integral  tenon. Is there a reason there needs to be a floating tenon in stock that is perfect for making an integral tenon?

[Leaseman]

7 hours ago, Chestnut said:

I use the domino or make an integral  tenon. Is there a reason there needs to be a floating tenon in stock that is perfect for making an integral tenon?

Not sure I understand your question. I'm trying to make a mortise at the end of a small board. The "wings" idea above seems to be the way to do it unless you have special equipment.

[Chestnut]

17 minutes ago, Leaseman said:

Not sure I understand your question. I'm trying to make a mortise at the end of a small board. The "wings" idea above seems to be the way to do it unless you have special equipment.

To me it's not typical to do a mortise in the end of small pieces. If i was using this as an apron or support of some sort i''d make a mortise in the leg or adjacent rail and make a tenon on the end of the piece you pictured. End grain always gets dicey for me and cutting a tenon is easier than rigging up a jig to use a router like this.