Installing or removing mortiser chisels is a clumsy job, and it can lead to poked fingers or damaged points if the bit drops down and hits the mortiser’s metal table. My cheap fix is to protect the sharp points (and my fingers!) with the plastic cap that comes with most new mortiser bits. I install the cap to help push the auger and chisel up into place. Then I put it back on when I’m through mortising to prevent the bit and chisel from falling as I’m removing it from the machine.
Charles Mak
Calgary, Alberta
