By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Butt Chisels
- Cold Chisels
- Deep-mortise Chisels
- Firmer Chisels
- Mallets
- Mortise Chisels
- Paring Chisels
Step1
Look over the workpiece for knots and nails.
Step2
Clamp the workpiece so that it doesn't move.
Step3
Make sure that the cutting edge of the chisel is sharp. A dull chisel is hard to control and makes the job harder than it needs to be.
Step4
Stand with both feet on the floor and don't overreach.
Step5
Use a wood or plastic mallet with a large face. Never use a steel hammer.
Step6
Position the chisel with its bevel side up for deep cuts, convex curves and in places where the chisel can be nearly level to the work.
Step7
Position the chisel with its bevel side down for concave curves and fine shaving and in confined spaces.
Step8
Face the bevel toward the waste side for square-sided cuts.
Step9
Tap the chisel lightly while holding it at an angle of 45 degrees.
Step10
Point the chisel away from your body.
Step11
Chisel across the grain and then with the grain - otherwise, the chisel will split the wood.
Step12
Make smooth finishing cuts by hand without the mallet.
Comments
Bodacious said
on 8/3/2007 Hinge Plates - Chissel several notches to keep the depth even and so YOU control the cut, not the wood grain.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Never use a dull chisel, it will make the task almost impossible and will tend to slip and could cause serious damage to your work piece or the operator.