I am looking at various mortise and tenon type machines. I am looking
for something for a quasi-production environment. Of course my budget
won't allow me to buy some huge dedicated Italian beauty (machine not
girlfriend) so I am looking at benchtop type solutions.
I've pretty much narrowed it down to the Leight FMT.
1. The WoodRat looks a bit gimmicky with the crank feed and attach to
wall, plus from what I can tell it makes round end mortises and square
end tenons. Go figure. Is that true?
2. The Multi-Router looks like what I really need but at $3k to get
setup, I think the Leight will have to do for starters at less than
$1k.
My questions:
Has anyone used the Leigh?
If I had to do 150 mortises an tenons once or twice a month...
do you think it can take that kind of usage?
do you think I could be reasonably productive?
I am thinking I might make some custom, air actuated clamps and build
out some adjustable stops that can be setup for various reproducable
pieces.
Any comments would be helpful.
BW
"Bill Wallace" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I am looking at various mortise and tenon type machines. I am looking
> for something for a quasi-production environment. Of course my budget
> won't allow me to buy some huge dedicated Italian beauty (machine not
> girlfriend) so I am looking at benchtop type solutions.
>
> I've pretty much narrowed it down to the Leight FMT.
>
> 1. The WoodRat looks a bit gimmicky with the crank feed and attach to
> wall, plus from what I can tell it makes round end mortises and square
> end tenons. Go figure. Is that true?
>
> 2. The Multi-Router looks like what I really need but at $3k to get
> setup, I think the Leight will have to do for starters at less than
> $1k.
>
> My questions:
> Has anyone used the Leigh?
> If I had to do 150 mortises an tenons once or twice a month...
> do you think it can take that kind of usage?
> do you think I could be reasonably productive?
>
> I am thinking I might make some custom, air actuated clamps and build
> out some adjustable stops that can be setup for various reproducable
> pieces.
>
> Any comments would be helpful.
>
> BW
I have done 140 joints in a week end without getting in a hurry. Expensive
jig but does exactly as advertised.
Bill,
I went to a Woodcraft demo of the jig last Saturday. Watched him cut
a double M&T in less than 5 minutes. Expensive, but if you are
looking to do more than a couple, may be worth the price. Everything
fit perfectly. I would see no trouble with the volume you listed
based on what I saw. A little too rich for my blood, but I only cut a
few MT joints here and there.
According to the Woodcraft salesman, Leigh is doing very well with the
FMT (not necessarily woodcraft).
Joe
[email protected] (Bill Wallace) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I am looking at various mortise and tenon type machines. I am looking
> for something for a quasi-production environment. Of course my budget
> won't allow me to buy some huge dedicated Italian beauty (machine not
> girlfriend) so I am looking at benchtop type solutions.
>
> I've pretty much narrowed it down to the Leight FMT.
>
> 1. The WoodRat looks a bit gimmicky with the crank feed and attach to
> wall, plus from what I can tell it makes round end mortises and square
> end tenons. Go figure. Is that true?
>
> 2. The Multi-Router looks like what I really need but at $3k to get
> setup, I think the Leight will have to do for starters at less than
> $1k.
>
> My questions:
> Has anyone used the Leigh?
> If I had to do 150 mortises an tenons once or twice a month...
> do you think it can take that kind of usage?
> do you think I could be reasonably productive?
>
> I am thinking I might make some custom, air actuated clamps and build
> out some adjustable stops that can be setup for various reproducable
> pieces.
>
> Any comments would be helpful.
>
> BW
"Larry Jaques" <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Why not build your own horizontal mortiser, a Multi clone, for 1/4 of
> that price and a day of fun in the shop? (Can you tell that I've
> already mulled this over for a long while?)
>
> Use pairs of good drawer slides for movement, perhaps set in slight
> tension to remove any play. Or upgrade to 3' long 3/4" precision-
> ground drill rod. It's available from Enco for $6.49 a pop (Qty 2+).
> Drill out blocks of UHMW-PE for slides or spend $40 a pop for linear
> guides. Use 3/4" baltic birch for platforms/mounts and t-slot for
> holddown.
So I take it you did actually build the Shop Notes model.. How is that
working out for you.
dOn 24 Nov 2004 15:50:51 -0800, [email protected] (Bill Wallace) calmly
ranted:
>I am looking at various mortise and tenon type machines. I am looking
>for something for a quasi-production environment. Of course my budget
>won't allow me to buy some huge dedicated Italian beauty (machine not
>girlfriend) so I am looking at benchtop type solutions.
>
>I've pretty much narrowed it down to the Leight FMT.
>
>1. The WoodRat looks a bit gimmicky with the crank feed and attach to
>wall, plus from what I can tell it makes round end mortises and square
>end tenons. Go figure. Is that true?
It sure looks that way, doesn't it? (Though I've only seen them in
pictures.) They tried to save too much money and lost the solid look
& feel.
>2. The Multi-Router looks like what I really need but at $3k to get
>setup, I think the Leight will have to do for starters at less than
>$1k.
Leigh definitely looks to be the best bang for the buck.
Why not build your own horizontal mortiser, a Multi clone, for 1/4 of
that price and a day of fun in the shop? (Can you tell that I've
already mulled this over for a long while?)
Use pairs of good drawer slides for movement, perhaps set in slight
tension to remove any play. Or upgrade to 3' long 3/4" precision-
ground drill rod. It's available from Enco for $6.49 a pop (Qty 2+).
Drill out blocks of UHMW-PE for slides or spend $40 a pop for linear
guides. Use 3/4" baltic birch for platforms/mounts and t-slot for
holddown.
www.wwhardware for slides
www.use-Enco.com for FA409-0045 rod stock and Acme threaded rod/nuts.
Use one of your existing routers.
Shop-Notes Vol. 12 Issue 68 has a modest plan for one which you can
upgrade as you see fit.
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On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 00:43:42 GMT, "Weldon Griffin"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> Any comments would be helpful.
>>
>> BW
>I have done 140 joints in a week end without getting in a hurry. Expensive
>jig but does exactly as advertised.
>
I agree. Mine gets used a lot for production work. Once set up (easy
and quick) can do joints all day and all fit perfectly.
"Bill Wallace" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Hi Bill -
Please contact me by email...
Cheers -
Rob