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Help with the chisle

1K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  jargo432 
#1 ·
I'm having trouble chisling my stop dados. I've cut the dado with a router stopping 3/4 in short and am squaring up the dado with a chisle. What keeps happening is the cross section doesn't cut clean and pulls some of the wood out from under my cut line. As far as I can tell the chisle is sharp. The wood is pine which may be part of the problem. The panel has a equal size rabbet on each end which I'm able to use a knife and am able to avoid the problem. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
 
#3 ·
It's hard for me to imagine anything other than the chisel isn't sharp enough. Try touching up the edge a little? Maybe lighter taps on the chisel for for shallower cuts with each hit?

I might add that I've found that there can be a big difference between "sharp enough to cut you" and "sharp enough to cleanly cut wood".
 
#5 ·
I've had the same problem with Pine and its defiantly a sharpening problem. I found harder woods seem to cut better even with a duller chisel.

I’ve never liked sharpening chisels and only do it when it’s absolutely necessary, but I have about 4 sets. I have to admit that I sometimes use a razor knife to score the wood when my chisel is not working so well. :blush:

I guess I have to ask Santa for good Powered sharpening machine before I have to buy another chisel set.:laughing:
 
#6 ·
Thanks everybody

After I posted the thread I went out and did the other panel. This time out of frustration I just started hitting it harder and got much better results. I found that if you don't hit it hard enough it doesn't cut it mashes it down. (Probally because the pine is so soft) In short .... physician heal thy self:laughing:

I've got a lot to learn and don't know what I'd do without all of your help. Thanks again!
 
#7 ·
I just finished a window seat with lots of blind dados and the seat is made of pine... I don't like working with pine! My chisels are always scary sharp because I invested in a Tormek sharpening system (expensive but fool proof which I needed for sharpening). I'm also facing the same issues with pine...

So this is what I do... I clearly mark the hidden end of my blind dado and score the surface. I then take my widest chisel, set a corner on the true corner, and line up the rest of the chisel blade with the cut dado sides. Then I rock the chisel along the dado edge to the true corner applying enough pressure to cut the dado up to the corner along the grain side. If working with 1X wood, I take a 3/4 inch chisel, place the corners onto both true corners, and slam my mallet onto the chisel. The waste should snap off!
 
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