FMT or Super FMT

[John Pratt]

Other than the price savings with the Super FMT, is there an advantage to one over the other? I am seriously contemplating a purchase, but am trying to gain information on whether one is better than the other over all. If more money means a considerably better product, I would gladly go that route. Thoughts? I read the comparisons on the Leigh jigs site, but I would rather hear from end users.

John

[Dave Gaul]

I am not an end user, but I did recently read an article about the new Super FMT (No, I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express!!) in either WOOD or WJ I think. From what I remember, the two jigs work exactly the same, but the Super version is made of more aluminum and the Pro is more iron or steel? Basically, the Super is a lighter, less expensive version for the hobbysist, from what I gather anyway...

[Peter Gregory]

It is super solid and twice the cost of the Super. I think the "new" clamping system of the Super should be better. The Leigh friction clamps don't work that well. I have used the original a bunch, I'm having trouble believing the Super will not work just as well.

Unless the Super is flimsy or bendy (it is steel after all), I would buy it and save the money. On the other hand, if you like the original, I bet there are a few lightly used units for sale somewhere.

I find that I used my mortiser over the FMT, unless I'm doing lots of them. If you asked which one FMT, Super FMT or floor mortiser, I would choose the mortiser.

Good luck.

[John Pratt]

Thanks for the info on the FMT. The big reason I am looking at one is my dissatisfaction with my floor mortiser (Delta) it may be great for a small number of joints, but I am not impressed with it overall and I need to make numerous joints at one time.

[Don L Johnson]

John,

What's nice about the FMT is the repeatability. I just finished a 10 chair set of Missions style furniture. I counted the number of M and T's but can't remember, but it was a bunch. I think my arm would still be whipped if I had to pull the lever down for each "portion" of a mortise. With that said, if you are only doing ones and twos, I'm not sure the cost could be justified. Good luck with the decision.

[Tom A Brown]

I just bought a used FMT Pro from a fellow woodworker (it's like brand new). Great unit, really solid and very easy to use. This guy had every size insert also. Fixing to do a load of repeated tenons and mortises and the set-up is too simple and the execution is near perfect. Much faster than a dedicated mortiser.

[Ryan Griffey]

I bought the Super FMT about two months ago. The Super is made of stamped steel I believe. Thus making it cheaper. The Pro version is milled out of aluminum.

I've used the Super on a couple of projects since receiving it and the results have been excellent. I haven't touched my mortiser since I got it.

[Johnnyy Johnson]

I am considering buying the super, does an instructional DVD come with it?

[Peter Aeschliman]

My question looking at the Super FMT is how to square up the stock... It looks like you just clamp the workpiece on... I don't see how you easily ensure that it is square to the table top without pulling out a square.

Maybe not a big deal.

[Johnnyy Johnson]

Seems like the one I saw on YouTube had a stop that it aligns with. I went ahead and ordered the Super.

[Paul Johnstone]

My question looking at the Super FMT is how to square up the stock... It looks like you just clamp the workpiece on... I don't see how you easily ensure that it is square to the table top without pulling out a square.

Maybe not a big deal.

I have not used mine in awhile, but there's a metal bar which attaches to the jig that you can use to square it up. You can also tilt it if you want to do angled mortises.