New Mortise/Tenon Jig from Leigh

[TOMARTOM]

I would like down the track to purchase a mortise and tenon template for the D4, now the guys have brought out another seperate unit that rivals the existing template. Does anyone know of this new offering.

Cheers Tony

[mikmaz1]

hi tomartom,
i was in mik international about a month ago and 1 of the guys there said it was going to cost around $1000 yes i had to pick myself of the floor as well!!!!
the leigh is certainly 1 of my favorite pieces of kit, but i wont be getting this attachment for it.
he did say it was more aimed for the pro market.
seeyasoon mik.

[John Saxton]

I haven't seen it yet but it would have to be something special to compare with Leigh's existing Mortise & Tenon template ...more than capable in holding its own in its ability to produce a joint.
I am intrigued by Leigh's choice in duplicating a template for a profile namely the joint in question so I expect the difference must be of some note for them to take the trouble.
I await.
Cheers

------------------
Johnno

[Vonrek]

I've only seen these new jigs in American WW magazines but it looks the business. I dont have a leigh but I believe that the M&T capabilities are more along the lines of the multiple type for joining carcase sides. The new M&T jig resembles the idea of the "Quicktenon" jig (www.quicktenon.com) where the jig uses a router and template guide to cut matching mortise and tenon components, with the mortise being cut "on-end". The advantage is that this process/jig enables a rounded tenon to be cut which exactly matches the rounded mortise left by a router bit. The new Leigh M&T has a very wide range adn uses a M&T cut in a matchstick for WOW affect.
Just recently I'Ve seen another jig by Trend in an English magazine based on the same principle.
The idea seems to be perfect as it allows the router to be fully supported at all times on a flat surface and by useing various adjustment systems the tenon will always fit the mortise.
Considering the price though, $1000 for the leigh and I'm sure something similar for the Trend unit, I'm sure that with a little bit of lateral thinking these jigs could be replicated in the workshop at a fraction of the cost. I've put a bit of thought into this since first seeing the quicktenon jig as it really is quite simple. I think the whole thing is a matter of getting the template opening and guidebush sizes to work so that with one guide bush perhpas with an expansion bush/ring the mortise can be routed, and then with the same guidebush minus the expansion ring the tenon can be routed using the same template. All that is needed then is "table" to set the template on and a clamping system. As luck would have it, the quicktenon site has free downloadable plans for a dedicated table with an integrated clamping sytem and stops.
It would seem that this method is a lot easier than many other M&T methods and solves the problem of square tenons and rounded mortises that is often the case.
I'm sure I'm not alone when i say that if anyone with the necessary nouse designs or has designed a home made jig like this i would be very interested to hear your experiences andd thoughts.

Cheers, Tim


[This message has been edited by Vonrek (edited 07 September 2002).]

[rbjozzia]

I bought one of these a while ago, just had to have it. I intended to turn out some stools with M & T frames with woven tops, but haven't got round to it yet. I have used it once to put half inch tenons on rails for a coffee table, the mortices were in end slabs too wide to fit in the jig. These were done on the drill press. If any one intends to buy one get the imperial model not the metric. the jigs are the same and cost the same but the metric one doesn't come with a cutter. From my research most cutters obtainable are imperial. BTW the coffee table was made out of Chestnut planted in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne by Baron Ferdinand von Mueller century before last. I've got some frame & panel cabinets to do for a guy so I'll get to use it pretty soon.

[hcbph]

Go to the Leigh Website and see if you can request the tape "Leigh Router Joinery Jigs". I just bought the D4 recently and I received this a couple of weeks later. It shows a nice demo of the D4 and the FMT jig. I saw both the D4 and the FMT at a Woodworking show recently. The FMT is a beautiful system, pricey but beautiful. Maybe one day I can add one to my shop.

[Rocker]

hcbhp,

The trouble with the Leigh and Trend jigs, apart from their high price, is that their accuracy is affected by having to use guide bushes, which may not be perfectly concentric with the axis of the router's cutter. My router joinery jig, see

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ead.php?t=5633

and

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ead.php?t=7272

avoids this problem by guiding the router with a fence and stops, rather than with a template and guide bush. The disadvantage of my jig is that it does not produce rounded ends for the tenons. Actually I usually cut tenons using a table-saw tenoning jig

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ead.php?t=6993

and dado set, which do not round the ends of the tenons either; but this is a small price to pay for the advantage of having precisely sized and precisely located mortises and tenons, produced by shop-made jigs costing less than $100 to make.

Rocker

[Mik]

Guide bushes are a good thing! We sell a lot of router universal base plate and guide bush systems for use with jigs and templates and what have you, and one of the FEATURES is the perfect concentricity. You only have to centre it once, using a simple centring tool included. From then on any guidebush you use is always perfectly centred!

You get what you pay for with tools and Mortise and Tenon jigs are no exception. Not everybody wants or needs the higher priced benefits but many do. The Trend jig is accurate enough, but the Leigh is revered for it's incredible precision, which is only one reason for it's price. For example you can literally turn a knob for ANY tightness of fit you want for your joints, from 'slip out due to gravity' to 'impossible to pull apart with your hands' and anything in between.

Regards from all at Mik (International).