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 If you have a tool or jig that's been replaced by a New AND Improved one and don't feel like hasseling with selling or swapping it - find a woodworker long on Woodworking Passion and Short On Cash and make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