New toy arriving today (Leigh FMT)

[Alden Miller]

I know it's a gloat and I apologize for that but I am excited!

When I get home today my new Leigh FMT Pro should be waiting for me. I can't wait to give it a try. Seems that once I have it set up it will be quicker than the mortising machine/tenoning jig combo I have been using.

-Alden

[Chris Padilla]

No pics...didn't happen!! :D

[Richard Coers]

You are going to love cutting dual and quad m/t. It's a quality tool!

[Alan Lightstone]

I love mine. Enjoy it.

Send us pictures of it in use / results.

[Charles Lent]

You won't believe how accurate your M&T joints will be using the FMT. Once you get it adjusted for a given template, bit, and wood species, record your settings. I keep a small note pad in the box with my FMT for this purpose. You will then be able to get the same fit the next time you want to make that same size joint by using your notes and making maybe one trial joint before doing your project. Pick a light weight plunge router to use with your FMT. You will be lifting it on and off of the jig often if you're doing many M&T joints and a heavy router will wear you out. It doesn't require a big router but the router should at least have a 1/2" collet and an easy, smooth, and accurate plunge motion. I use a DeWalt 618 with the plunge base and it works very well for this. Take the time to learn the jig before you try using it on a project. There are many things to learn but it won't be long, maybe a few good joints, before you are ready. The FMT makes such perfect joints that it's a real shame that they get hidden inside the work. I bought my FMT shortly after they first came out. I needed to make over 1600 M&T joints for a small production run. The FMT easily paid for itself on that one job. I haven't used my FMT as much since that job, but it sure has been handy to have around.

Charley

[Alden Miller]

I'll take pictures...

I unpacked it last night and mounted my router to the router plate. Not a small router (Freud FTE3000) but I don't have 1000+ M&T joints to do so I will manage with this beast. This was my treat to myself afyter rebuilding my workshop that burned. I have to build cabinets for my kitchen so if I use M&T for the face frames of the cabinets and for the doors I'll have about 200 M&T joints to make. Lots of ideas for other projects kicking around in my head also.

I had been debating between the Super FMT and the FMT Pro, I bought the Pro and after looking at the quality of the machining and how it is built I have no buyers remorse.

-Alden

[Charles Lent]

A suggestion - The vacuum attachment works OK for the bulk of the chips, but when cutting the front side of the tenons it doesn't do very well. I put a 4" strip of Velcro along the front edge of the top plate and I have a piece of clear lexan with the mating piece of Velcro attached to it that I hang along the front of the jig below the top plate. This doesn't improve the vacuum, but it does keep the chips from hitting and sticking to you. It also provides a little protection from any possible bit breakage.

A second suggestion - If you ever need to make tenons that are longer than 3/4" or so, do it in two passes at increasing depth settings. If you don't, the longer chips will plug the vacuum port.

A third suggestion - doing a shallow climb type cut all the way around the tenon stock before actually cutting the tenon will reduce shoulder splintering and give you nice crisp edges. I then hog away the bulk of material and follow up with a climb cut type pass following the template guide closely to clean the tenon up of any remaining rough surfaces. Its kind of a polishing step.

A fourth suggestion - Make yourself a router stand that's the same height as the FMT jig and place it in a convenient position next to the FMT jig. Just a box or platform with a big hole in the middle to let the bit and chips go through. It will make those repeated router on and off the jig lifts as easy and short as possible, especially when making 200 M&T joints in one day. If you don't, your arms may not work very well above shoulder height the next day. This is also the reason why I suggested to use a light weight router.

Doing single M&T joints are easy to get your head around. Once you have mastered them well, try some multiple M&T joints. The sliding stops make these fairly simple to master, once you have become comfortable with the jig.
Chair making, where you need M&T joints at angles becomes the next mental step to master. I love my FMT jig. It brought on a whole new level of fast and extremely accurate M&T joint making for me. Their D4R Pro jig is equally accurate for making dovetails and if you haven't got one yet, you probably will after you use the FMT for a while.

Charley

[Ben Thomas]

I've had mine for a few years now, absolutely love it. I had to add my two cents to the vacuum comments. I use adapters and hooked my shop dust collection to it, might be overkill but it works great.

[Rick Markham]

I love mine, and don't have single complaint. I also own the D4R and it's a nice compliment.

[Alden Miller]

Ok, here's the picture that was requested. I didn't get any time to play with the new jig this weekend, I was finishing soffits and repairing my outfeed table for my tablesaw. I did make a base to attach to the jig and that's where I stand with it. Hopefully I can get to play with it one evening this week or next weekend.

-Alden


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[Alden Miller]

Ok, you said without pictures it didn't happen. I got the jig adjusted this weekend and then moved on to making a face frame for my shop cabinet. The first two pictures are during the adjustment period, it took about four or five test cuts before I got the jig dialed in. Then I moved on to making the face frame. Learned how to make double mortise and tenons also. The little bit of fuzz at the end of the tenons is because I trimmed them with the chop saw to leave a little room at the bottom of the mortise for glue, when they come off the jig the tenons are nice and clean.

-Alden


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