![]() To make the final cut, place the edge of the chisel in the scribed line (Photo F),Īnd then drive it with a series of light mallet taps. (Avoid taking too big a bite at once, or the chisel bevel will act like a wedge, forcing the tool backwards and possibly past the scribed line.) If there’s more than that, pare back to the scribed line taking a series of slices. ![]() Ideally, you want to leave just enough waste so that it can be pared away in a single slice afterward. In a sense, this is the first cut in making the joint.Īfter scribing the joint layout, the next step is to chop or saw away the bulk of the waste. Tear-out at the joint edge while creating a tiny trough for registering the chisel tip. Never place your hand or other body part in the path of a chisel, in case it lurches forward.Ī neatly scribed line–whether made with a knife or marking gauge–creates one of the best guides for a chisel. ![]() ![]() Don’t work with a dull chisel, which requires more force and tends to slip in use.Always secure work in a bench vise or with clamps to prevent it from slipping during cutting.To prevent slicing the hand that grasps the blade, ease the sides of a chisel with 400-grit sandpaper, beginning about an inch from the cutting edge.Conversely, when the bevel is oriented downward, it has minimal contact with the surface, requiring a steady guiding hand to hold the tool at a consistent cutting angle while preventing the tip from digging in too far. That is, when the face is contacting the work, it helps guide the blade parallel to the work surface, somewhat like the sole of a plane. It’s usually best to work with the bevel up because the back, or face, is self-referencing. To clean up squared notches, use a guide block with a squared end.Ī chisel can be used bevel up or bevel down. This is particularly helpful when paring miters, as shown in Photo E. When your angle of attack needs to be absolutely precise, there’s no shame in using a guide block. A short chisel works best for this, as a longer tool tends to sway due to its top-heaviness. When chopping with a mallet, rest your left hand on the workpiece while pinching the blade between your fingers (Photo D). For instance, if the wood starts to tear, or the tip of the chisel digs into the surface, you may need to try a different angle of attack. And pay attention to the nuance of a particular cut. For example, practice orienting the tool vertically (or horizontally), just as you practice keeping a handsaw properly oriented during sawing. Learn to guide a chisel as much by feel as by sight. When possible, establish the direction of travel by using the surface to be cut as a reference, as shown in Photos A through C. It also provides a fulcrum for fine directional control and braking at the business end of the chisel while your right hand provides general steering. Your left hand serves as an anchor, as it contacts both the chisel and the work or adjacent workbench surface. That is, you use it to locate the chisel tip on target before driving the blade into the work using your right hand. Use your left hand to register the blade against the work and to provide fine control. When maneuvering a chisel, use your right hand to power it, either by grasping the tool handle or by tapping it with a mallet.
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