Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 33

Thread: Woodpecker Morty

  1. #1

    Woodpecker Morty

    Woodpeckers has introductory pricing on their new MORTY™ LOOSE TENON JOINERY JIG - https://www.woodpeck.com/morty-loose-tenon-jig.html.

    I'm interested in people's opinions/thoughts on this latest tool. I really like the Festool Domino so the idea of using this for exposed and non-parallel tenons seems like it could be very useful and a real time saver like the Domino itself. Trying to determine if the functionality/time savings is worth cost versus using other methods to make exposed tenons. Haven't seen it discussed in the forum yet so I'd really appreciate people's thoughts on it.

    Cheers,

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Silicon Valley, CA
    Posts
    989
    So they didn't beat the domino in price (I'm assuming both woodpeckers and festool are competing for the higher price point), although you'll still need a router and selection of spiral upcut bits.

    It reminded me of the mortise pal, but designed for a single mortise width (+/- for the tenon thicknesses). Interesting new features include the ability to adjust the angles, the index pin, and stops. It looks a bigger than the mortise pal, which was sized about right to support a router.

    I'll be curious how the tool does with chip evacuation -- this was sometimes an issue with the mortise pal, and something which the domino does well. Might be better with a router that has integrated dust port out the top.

    The mortise pal worked pretty well for mortises on edges/ends, but I never did mid-panel mortises into a board face like you might with the domino. For small pieces, I like having the the jig clamping to the piece (mortise pal/morty) rather than the domino's style. But the domino's alignment is pretty convenient when you are putting multiple loose-fit mortises down the length of a board where you can hold it in place and cut as fast as you plunge.

    I was wondering why they are sizing the loose tenon stock in metric, but their suggested bits are imperial.

    Also seemed like a lot of pieces to keep track of.

    Are the different bushings to give you different fits on tenon width?

    Matt
    Last edited by Matthew Hills; 05-26-2021 at 10:58 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Lebanon, TN
    Posts
    1,719
    Got the email this morning and watched the video.

    It's a nest product, but at $600 it's too rich, for me, for what it does.

    I have many Woodpeckers tools and would probably have more if their prices was a bit more reasonable and I also think they sell a lot more.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,492
    Blog Entries
    1
    Wow, a $600 Mortise Pal . Beautifully made as is the norm for WP. The ability to angle is cool but, I would like the ability to change length as well as width like the MP does. Maybe an alternate center rail will be offered as an accessory.
    Last edited by glenn bradley; 05-26-2021 at 11:24 AM.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Central Michigan
    Posts
    1,508
    To pricey for what it does in my book... but to each there own. As there are lots of alternatives.
    Richard Poitras
    Central, Michigan....
    01-02-2006


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2021
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    652
    Looks like a nicely built product. But at $640, that's getting into Domino territory. Its a very high price point for a product that sits awkwardly between a shop made jig like the Morley Mortiser and a Domino/Pantorouter.

    If you don't want to spring for a Pantorouter or Domino, I'd suggest making a slot mortiser with some linear bearings and a lead screw off Amazon ($130ish) and some BB plywood. Here is cool vide of one that Philip Morley did awhile back:

    https://youtu.be/i0uDlQz-dAI
    Last edited by Keegan Shields; 05-26-2021 at 2:48 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    4,443
    Oh, but it has a sustainer!!!!!! Perfect for those who prefer to do woodworking on the internet instead of in their shop. The price is okay if you have the application, but if you buy it for imaginary work you might do some day, then the price is very high.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,529
    Pass.

    ————

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Crozet, VA
    Posts
    645
    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    Wow, a $600 Mortise Pal . Beautifully made as is the norm for WP. The ability to angle is cool but, I would like the ability to change length as well as width like the MP does. Maybe an alternate center rail will be offered as an accessory.
    I thought the same thing, but the ability to make longer tenons with the mortise pal is the reason I still have and use mine from time-to-time. That's a real shortcoming of the Morty design in my view.
    There is a very fine line between “hobby” and “mental illness.” - Dave Barry

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Kansas City
    Posts
    854
    I really like my Mortise Pal. And even if I could get either tool for free, I still think I would choose my Mortise Pal

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Coers View Post
    Oh, but it has a sustainer!!!!!!
    The Systainer is a value with all the small parts to keep track of with the Morty...

  12. #12
    Too slow. To me, that's one of the real advantages of the Domino - it's fast.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Matthew Hills View Post

    Are the different bushings to give you different fits on tenon width?

    Matt
    Thanks for the time to reply. I'm assuming the guide bushings pair with their recommended bits to give you the equivalent of a tight fitting Domino mortise in any of the sizes. That's what I took from the video anyway.

    The combination of guide bushing and plunge routing would give you a lot of flexibility on use since, if you're OK with one of the Festool Domino sizes, you could cut your tenons to length and plunge as deep as practical. Chip evacuation would mostly depend on your router I'd think. I really like through tenons but for as little furniture as I actually make with exposed tenons it's worth cutting them by hand or making a jig to template route them if I want the round edges.

    The Morty would do some things pretty well but for face frames I now use the Seneca Dock Plate along with a dock I built using the Domino Dock by Ramon Valdez of Ramon Valdez Fine Furniture (props - works great). The Morty would be just as accurate, just slower so that doesn't make sense.

    I don't see myself building enough louvered projects that the $600 cost is worth it.

    I'd just get the Systainer because of all the small parts if I ever bought the Morty. My Domino XL Systainer is great since I keep all the bits, the Seneca kit for using small Domino bit sizes, and all the jewelry in one place. It's funny that I think a $100 case is the only obvious value here....

    Really like the idea of the Morty. I just don't think I'd get enough use out of it to make the cost worthwhile... Appreciate the feedback everyone is giving because I didn't get the Domino at first until I used it the first time. Now I wouldn't make cabinets or face frames without it. I also approach some projects (e.g. beds) a little differently with the Domino since you can use the floating tenons and other traditional joints to combine quick machine with hand work for nice finished projects. I'm not seeing that with the Morty but I have a history of not seeing the possibilities immediately.

    If you have a small Domino and want big Domino sizes for some projects I could see the Morty making sense for some people since it'd compliment their workflow without dropping an additional $1400 on the bigger tool. It'd also make sense for someone doing a lot of small projects who didn't want to pop for the Festool tools and wanted all the Domino sizes. Again, it's slower than the Domino in this use case so it's a time/value proposition over the Domino unless you're using angles.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Jacob Mac View Post
    I really like my Mortise Pal. And even if I could get either tool for free, I still think I would choose my Mortise Pal
    Thanks for this feedback and to everyone who mentioned the Mortise Pal. I never noticed the Mortise Pal and it seems like they've been unavailable at retail since ~2014.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Henderson View Post
    Too slow. To me, that's one of the real advantages of the Domino - it's fast.

    Mike
    FAST AND ACCURATE! I really like the Domino for a lot of things. I probably am overthinking the Morty since I see it as a compliment to the Domino rather than replacing it. Seems just too expensive for me for just the ability to angle mortises since I already have a Domino XL. Seneca Woodworking has addressed everything that would motivate me to buy the Morty otherwise (e.g. small diameter Domino's with the Domino XL adapter, small stock with the Dock Plate).

    If I only had the small Domino the Morty would make sense to use the exact same workflow without having to pop for the bigger tool. I don't do enough large projects where the time would be an issue. I only bought the big Domino because Seneca had so many accessories available.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •