The Forestry Forum

I want to center the braces on the ridge I am cutting.  Any photos or ideas as to the best way to cut the brace pocketshoulder?  I do have a router so I am thinking about a jig. 

I've always done my fully housed joints with a chisel bevel down for the cleanup. I typically try to avoid fully housed joinery because of the added time to cut the housing, and I don't seem to see them in historical work.

I cut my mortise and then take my circular saw set to the proper depth and saw the outline of the pocket.  Then I take my router and cut from the mortise to the saw line leaving just a fine strip of wood. 
I clean it up with my chisel (bevel down). 

Just remember that the table (bottom bearing surface) of the housing must be parallel to your reference face or plane. If the face is out of square and you're using a router jig or circular saw you should set it to the shallowest depth and then chisel the table down to the proper depth, checking with framing square and combination square to stay parallel to the reference.

I use a plywood template cut to the exact size of the housing, for bits I use top bearing down shear mortise bits by CMT and a plunge router set to 8000 rpm.  I'll cut the housing in three steps.  The down shear bit makes a clean cut without chipping the surface and the only chisel work is to clear the rounded corners, except for Will's above guidance.  Big bits make quick work.

Honestly, if you are just doing a single ridge, don't buy any special bits or make templates, just go after it with  tools you already have.

Thanks.  I appreciate your thoughts.

Jon