Mortising jigs are the kind of shop-made helpers that quietly earn permanent space in a woodworking workflow. A good one brings repeatability, cleaner joinery, and far less fuss when you need accurate mortises for tables, frames, doors, or loose-tenon work. Below, you’ll find ten free DIY mortising jig plans and tutorials from a broad mix of respected makers and woodworking publishers, ranging from quick plunge-router guides to more refined shop-built systems and one hand-tool-focused alignment jig.

Free Plan: Router Jig Cuts Many Different Mortises

Overview: Fine Woodworking’s free plan features a simple, self-contained mortising jig used with a router and template guide to cut mortises in many different sizes. It is a smart choice for woodworkers who want one flexible jig instead of building a new fixture for every joint.

Why it is great: It balances versatility and simplicity beautifully, which makes it especially appealing for real-world furniture work.

Link to original plans: https://www.finewoodworking.com/2011/08/19/free-plan-router-jig-cuts-many-different-mortises

How to Make a Mortise Jig for a Plunge Router

Overview: Jon Peters shares a straightforward jig made from simple wood strips and a center guide section that slips over the workpiece and clamps in place. It is designed for repeatable mortises without a lot of setup drama, making it easy to see why this style is a favorite in many small shops.

Why it is great: This is the kind of jig you can build quickly and start using the very same day.

Link to original plans: https://jonpeters.com/blogs/woodworking-projects/how-to-make-a-mortise-jig-for-a-plunge-router

Mortising Jig

Overview: Canadian Woodworking presents a versatile two-part jig made up of a top guide surface for the router and a clamping mechanism underneath. The article explains how the top can be positioned and centered on layout marks, and notes that dimensions can be adjusted to match the router and guide bushing you use.

Why it is great: It feels like a refined, adaptable shop jig rather than a one-off shortcut.

Link to original plans: https://canadianwoodworking.com/project/mortising-jig/

Mortising Jig

Overview: Matthias Wandel takes a more mechanical approach here, using a simple plywood jig that hooks over the fence on a sliding table sled and supports the router horizontally. It is an especially interesting build for woodworkers who enjoy clever workshop engineering and want precision from materials they likely already have on hand.

Why it is great: It turns existing shop equipment into a highly capable mortising system with real ingenuity.

Link to original plans: https://woodgears.ca/mortise/mortising_jig.html

A Simple Plunge Router Mortising Jig

Overview: Ravenview’s build is all about keeping things easy: a simple hardboard jig with slots, guide screws, and carriage bolts that can be made in about an hour. If you want a low-cost, low-commitment way to improve router mortising accuracy, this one is especially appealing.

Why it is great: It is beginner-friendly, budget-friendly, and refreshingly direct.

Link to original plans: https://ravenview.com/a-simple-plunge-router-mortising-jig/

Cut Mortises with a Plunge Router and Jig

Overview: Woodworker’s Journal walks through a simple dedicated jig for cutting mortises of a specific dimension with a plunge router. The top plate uses a slot for the template guide, and the process is explained step by step, which makes it especially approachable if you prefer a guided how-to over a formal drawing set.

Why it is great: It is an efficient option for repeat joinery when you want accuracy without a complicated fixture.

Link to original plans: https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/cut-mortises-with-a-plunge-router-and-jig/

Router Mortise Jig, Part 1

Overview: Heartwood’s first installment introduces a very direct router mortising approach that works especially well on legs. The system uses an auxiliary router base plate with adjustable fences that hug the sides of the workpiece to eliminate side play, creating a clean and controlled setup for accurate work.

Why it is great: It is thoughtfully designed for precision where alignment really matters.

Link to original plans: https://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2017/06/29/router-mortise-jig-part-1/

Devloping My Mortise Alignment Jig

Overview: Paul Sellers offers a different perspective from the router-heavy entries in this list by focusing on a mortise alignment jig developed to help students chop accurate mortises by hand. It is rooted in teaching experience, and that practical classroom origin gives the design a lot of credibility.

Why it is great: It brings a thoughtful hand-tool solution into a category often dominated by router jigs.

Link to original plans: https://paulsellers.com/2017/12/devloping-mortise-alignment-jig/

Router Jig for Perfect Mortises

Overview: Woodsmith’s jig keeps the concept refreshingly simple with a slotted auxiliary baseplate and two adjustable guides that help position the mortise and stabilize the router on the workpiece. It is a practical design for woodworkers who want accurate results from a jig that is easy to understand at a glance.

Why it is great: It delivers a lot of usefulness without asking for a fussy build.

Link to original plans: https://www.woodsmith.com/article/router-jig-for-perfect-mortises/

Make Your Own Mortising Jig | The Morley Mortiser

Overview: Philip Morley’s Morley Mortiser video is a complete build-and-use walkthrough for a highly regarded shop-made mortising jig. It is a strong pick for visual learners, because you get to see not only the build logic but also how the finished jig behaves in actual use.

Why it is great: Watching the jig in motion makes the design far easier to understand before you invest your own build time.

Link to original plans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHIOTXABu60

The best mortising jig is not always the most elaborate one. Sometimes a fast hardboard guide is exactly right for the job, while other shops will benefit from a more adjustable carriage-style build or even a hand-tool alignment guide. Pick the version that matches how you actually work, and you will end up with cleaner mortises, more confidence at the router or bench, and a much smoother path to strong joinery.

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