Apparatus and method for producing mortise and tenon joints

A method for forming a set of mortises in a workpiece, by means of a tool comprising a rigid plate, and a template adjustably connected to the rigid plate, with upper and lower faces, a mortise guide, a first tenon guide, and a second tenon guide, adjustably positioned with the lower face of the template adjacent to the rigid plate, comprising the steps of:

• (a) securing the workpiece to the rigid plate so that the workpiece is adjacent to the lower face of the template,
• (b) moving the template to a position with respect to the rigid plate such that the mortise guide is adjacent to the workpiece, and securing the template in said position,
• (c) positioning a rotating cutting blade of a router within the mortise guide so that the rotating cutting blade is inserted into the workpiece, and the router may be guided along the edges of the mortise guide, and
• (d) cutting a portion of the workpiece adjacent to the mortise guide by guiding the router along the edges of the mortise guide.

A method for forming a set of tenons in a workpiece, by means of a tool comprising a rigid plate, and a template adjustably connected to the rigid plate with upper and lower faces, a mortise guide, a first tenon guide, and a second tenon guide, adjustably positioned with the lower face of the template adjacent to the rigid plate, comprising the steps of:

• (a) securing the workpiece to the rigid plate so that the workpiece is adjacent to the lower face of the template,
• (b) moving the template to a position with respect to the rigid plate such that the first tenon guide is adjacent to the workpiece, and securing the template in said position,
• (c) positioning a rotating cutting blade of a router along the first tenon guide so that the rotating cutting blade is inserted into the workpiece, and the router may be guided along the first tenon guide,
• (d) cutting a portion of the workpiece adjacent to the first tenon guide by guiding the router along the first tenon guide,
• (e) moving the template to a position with respect to the rigid plate such that the second tenon guide is adjacent to the workpiece, and securing the template in said position,
• (f) positioning the rotating cutting blade along the second tenon guide so that the rotating cutting blade is inserted into the workpiece, and the router may be guided along the second tenon guide, and
• (g) cutting a portion of the workpiece adjacent to the second tenon guide by guiding the router along the second tenon guide.