Need Leigh FMT Jig User To Review of Procedure

[charlieb]

Loose Tenon mortise and tenon joinery is becoming more accessible to, though not necessarily affordable for, the amateur woodworker thanks to several products that have become available over the last several years. Right now, I'm aware of three router based - non CNC - jigs / tools that will cut end grain mortises - the TREND M&T JIG, the Leigh FMT jig and the MultiRouter - along with the new Festool DOMINO that's not router based.

What I hope to do is show, with simple annotated diagrams, the procedure for doing end grain mortises with each jig / tool and describe the strenghths and weaknesses (if any) of the available jigs / tools when it comes to this specific application.

I know the procedure for cutting mortises in end grain using the TREND M&T JIG and the Festool DOMINO. I've never used the Leigh FMT jig or the MultiRouter. I'm working on the Leigh FMT jig first, trying to under- stand how it works and the procedure for using it - in real basic steps.

The goal is to provide info that can help other woodworkers, looking into ways to make loose tenon M&T joinery part of their joints arsenal, with their purchasing decision. I'll put the stuff up on my woodworking site after "peer review" is completed and post the URL to it in rec.woodworking.

I have NO connection or affiliation with any of the jigs /tools makers or sellers of any of the jigs / tool noted above, and paid the going price for the TREND M&T JIG and the DOMINO. - no freebies or discounts to influence the evaluation. (When I got the DOMINO I gave the TREND M&T JIG to a woodworker long on Woodworking Passion and Short on Cash. If you have a tool or jig that's been replaced by a New AND Improved one and don't feel like hasseling with selling or swapping it - find a woodworker long on Woodworking Passion and Short On Cash and make his/her day. What YOU get - priceless).

I've posted an illustration of the Leigh FMT procedure as I think it works to alt.binaries.pcitures.woodworking with this post's subject line.

Need someone who HAS used the FMT - preferably successfully - to look over the attachment and let me know if I've missed something significant or got something wrong. Comments can be posted here under this post's subject line, or to a.b.p.w using this post's subject line or e-mailed directly to me (my e-mail address is real, and the only one I have - no HotMail or Yahoo drop outs).

Thanks for reading all this and hope to thank some of you for helping out.

charlie b

[Leon]

FIY, and FWIW, the current Wood magazine has a comparison of butt joints made with the Domino, the PC Plate Joiner, a Doweling Jig, and a regular mortise and tenon. You might get some interesting information from that article.

[Charley]

I have had the FMT for several years, and love it. Cutting mortices in end grain (or long grain) is simple. I would be happy to edit your procedure for the FMT. Where is it ?(hasn't shown up yet on ABPW - I'll watch for it). I also owned the Trend jig before buying the FMT, so I know the differences between these two jigs.

To mortice with the FMT

1. Pick a mortice size template and mount it
2. Pick a spiral upcut router bit and mount it in the plunge router.
3. Extend the cross hair alignment piece on the jig and clamp the part to be morticed in the FMT with it's top end touching the alignment piece.
4. Release the XY positioning lock and move the top plate so the crosshairs align with the mortice center position marks on the part and retract the Crosshair alignment piece.
5. Place the plunge router with FMT baseplate on the FMT
6. Set the depth of the mortice by setting the plunge depth of the router.
7. Make plunge cuts with the router to remove the bulk of the material from the mortice. The pin that follows the mortice slot of the template prevents the router from cutting anywhere outside the perimeter of the mortice dimensions.
8. Follow the mortice slot in the template in a counter clockwise direction to clean out the mortice. Done

The same template (outside perimeter) can be followed to cut a matching tenon and an adjustment of the tapered template follower pin allows for precise mortice/tenon fit adjustments, if you wish to make matching mortice and tenon joints, which are repeatable (today, tomorrow, or next month) once the ideal setting for this size and wood type has been found and recorded.

Leigh provides a very thorough FREE demonstration DVD of the FMT and their Dovetail jigs along with their catalog that is complete enough for anyone to learn how their jigs work and how to use them. I also have their D4R dovetail jig and the F2 Finger joint attachment. These Leigh jigs have increased my woodworking joint accuracy more than any other tool that I own. Their jigs do everything that they say they will do to CNC accuracies without the "Hocus Pocus" and "Kentucky Windage" that is required to get precise fits with other brands of jigs.

I have no connection to Leigh. I'm just a very satisfied customer.

[charlieb]

Right now I'm just after the TREND M&T JIG, the Leigh FMT jig, the MultiRouter and the DOMINO. But for those on a budget the DowelMax looks like a well thought out system that can be positioned accurately.

Charley:

thanks for the info. will post response in a.b.p.w.

charlie b