What is the FMT jig?

[Mike Vermeil]

I've noticed quite a bit of talk lately about the FMT mortise & tennon jig, but I've never actually seen one. What is this jig? Who sells it?

As you can see, I'm way behind on reading the all the catalogues that jamb my mailbox.

[Dave Arbuckle]

I took mine over to a friend's place a little while ago for a get-together. This is one of my favorite pictures of it:

http://users2.ev1.net/~arbuckle/nmmwc/Mvc-012e2.jpg

I'm the guy operating. That's Greg behind me. You see, I had changed the settings on the jig, because the owner of the parts being milled asked me to tighten the joints. Greg was skeptical, because I didn't make a test joint after changing the fit, I just started running.

I didn't know until I saw these pictures that he had snitched one and test fit it. I think the look on his face is priceless. :D

What it is, is just that, a mortise and tenon jig. For reference we timed the session I showed. Four legs, four aprons, eight mortise and tenon joints. Not rushing, 15 minutes.

Should be available wherever the Leigh D4 is sold. A lot of stores might not be stocking it due to price, however. I've heard the good folks at Lee Valley have a great price on it.

Dave

[David Rose]

they have the best ad I've seen for the jig on the back inside cover of the 2002-2003 catalog.

Don't listen to a thing Dave says. He is one peddling dude! He is just in love with the machine. He convinced me to try it, and I am soooo glad!

But let me tell ya... if you are fussy about face frame tenon and mortise fit, this thing will do the job. It is OK if you listen to Dave's time report. He must be pretty slow. :D What impresses me the most is the speed and tunable accuracy. Do you like .005" glue fit? Would you prefer a little snug? A twist of a dial, and a couple of test cuts and you can have either. Once adjusted, set a stop, slide in the next piece and cut with no fitting. Quickly, simply, and accurately. That's about all I can say.

Oh... and it cuts round ended tenons to fit round ended mortises. Not many machines do that.

David

[Joe Tonich]

Here's the Lee Valley web page for it.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2&page=46523&category=1,43000

Wish I could afford one:(

Joe

[Dave Arbuckle]

David wrote: Don't listen to a thing Dave says.

Everything I write is stongly based on that assumption... ;)

Dave

[Mike Vermeil]

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like a nice piece of equipment.

How's the tear-out on the shoulders of the tenons?

[Dave Arbuckle]

The instructions direct you to make a light climb cut around the tenon piece to begin the shoulder. Haven't had any tearout.

Dave

[David Rose]

to me, but there is really no place for things to go wrong. You are pretty well trapped as far as things getting away.

It really works. I've cut lots of test tenons and a few "real" ones and the only tearout I've gotten was when I "missed" a bit with the climb cut and tried a normal cut. Very clean edges on the shoulders with no "fuzz" even on some cranky looking pieces.

David