Page 44 - Router Boss Manual

Mortising Table

The Router Boss mortising table lets you quickly
make both mortise and tenon cuts using the same basic
machine setup (a significant advantage over our shop-
made mortising rail), but there’s much more it can do.
The removable top plate can be mounted vertically to
the sliding bar, allowing a wide variety of machining
options. Much of this flexibility stems from a series
of five T-slot grooves that allow a number of different
clamps and hold downs to position the work piece. The
plate also has holes for plastic guide pins that allow you
to position the workpiece at angles of 0, 15, 22.5, 30
and 45 degrees.

Setting Up the Table
To set up the mortising table, start by mounting
the vertical T-slot rails to the sliding bar using 1/4” -20
X 1 1/4” flat head socket screws. Use the thinner of the
aluminum shim plates to provide clearance between the
rails and the box beam. Mount one rail to the sliding
bar using the second set of mounting holes from the left
end. Mount the other rail to the sliding bar using the
fifth set of holes (from the left end).

NOTE: If you plan to use the mortising table with
the router table riser plate installed, you’ll need to drill
and countersink a second set of mounting holes in the
rails -- see Appendix 4 for instructions on how to do
this -- and use both thick and thin shims.)

Before mounting the mortising table, attach two
of the long dual-tapped T-track bars to the spine using
flange-head socket screws at the top and the studded
plastic knob at the bottom (see inset). Leave the screws
and knobs loose for now.

Using your thumbs to hold the socket screws (see
photo at right), slide the T-track bars into the slot on
the rails (get the left one started then slide the right one
along the slot in the spine to line it up). Slide the table
up, then tighten the knobs to hold the table in place.
Don’t tighten the top flange-head screws at this time.

44