Mortise and Tenon Jigs: from WoodCentral
“I am looking at investing in a mortise and tenon jig of some type. Currently I have the drill press attachment and it works OK. I have looked at several versions, from the dedicated machine, portable router clamp on jigs, to the multi router. The multi router looks very nice but has a price tag to along with it. The Leigh FMT jig looks very promising with its versatility and the price isn’t completely out of sight. The dedicated machine looks to be just a step up from the drill attachment. Any comments are welcome.” – Jack
Several people responded citing their favorite jig. Some, like the responder below, pair a mortiser with a table saw. – Editor
“I have always cut the tenons on the table saw using the crosscut fence and dado head, while setting the rip fence to the length of tenon needed as a stop.” – Fredd
One person suggested we not forget about hand cutting. – Editor
“Nobody mentions the handsaw, shoulder plane, mortise chisel method. Sometimes, it’s the fastest way.” – Norb
Then someone posted a treatise on the alternatives and their limits, ending with a pitch for loose tenon joinery, and one tool in particular. – Editor
“Router based mortising, including the MultiRouter and Leigh FMT, have limits to the depth of cut: about an inch and a quarter to maybe an inch and a half, determined by the router bit being used. Chisel and bit mortisers will do to about two and a half or three inches. Horizontal boring and mortising machines can handle special mortising bits that can cut mortises to five inches in multiple passes. If you need through mortises, you can double the depth of cut for the router and chisel and bit mortising jigs and machines by cutting from both sides of the stock, but any misalignment will take some hand work to fix, as well as adjustment to the tenon. For almost all furniture sized mortise and tenon joinery, loose tenon joints will do the job and eliminate the need for cutting tenons, and that means all part lengths are their visible length, not their visible length plus the tenon length. If you blow the location of the mortise, it can be filled with a loose tenon and recut in the right location. Notice at the next woodworking show demonstration of the mortise and tenon jigs that they only do one joint. Ask the demonstrator to do a real world application, like four legs with two mortises on each, and four apron parts with a mortise or tenon on each end of each one. Bring a stopwatch and time how long it takes to lay out and cut this real world example and note the number of setups. Which brings me to the overlooked Festool DOMINO. I mentored an absolute newbie to furniture making who did floor to ceiling linen cabinets with well over a hundred mortises. Every mortise was cut with the piece lying flat on my workbench, and most didn't even require clamping the part. Look into the DOMINO before deciding on your purchase. And if you can have someone who owns and has used one, that would be even better since you really can't easily understand or appreciate the DOMINO 'til you've used one on a real world piece.” – Charlie
Co-op Shop?: from WoodCentral
“There was an article in our local paper yesterday about four people who are starting a new business. These four folks, one married couple and two friends, are building a ‘dream woodshop’ as they call it. The premise of the business is to have ‘shareholders’ buy in and have access to the workshop. The owners of this new business have this outline:
To buy in, each woodworker has to pay $10,000
There is an annual dues of $1,000.
Each member is required to perform 40 hours per year cleaning the shop.
The hours of the shop will be M-F 8:00- 5:00 and Sat. 8:00- Noon.
The owners say they will equip the shop with state-of-the-art tools.
The owners also plan to have space adjoining the woodshop where they will sell tools and supplies retail.
So I'm curious what you folks think. Will it work? And for the record, my response when asked was that I'll be looking for their tool auction eventually.” – Tom
The responses were pretty predictable, but still interesting to read. – Editor
“Never, ever go into ventures involving money with family or friends. Eventually someone is going to get feelings hurt, go broke, or lose a friend for a very long time. Been there, done that and still stinging from it.” – Steve
“Seems like a pretty high buy-in fee for equipment one would have to share afterward. That ten grand would go a long way toward outfitting a personal shop where you could own and resell your equipment as you wished. What happens to your share if you move away? I think I'd rather pay someone for use of a wide-belt sander or extra large planer and have the less costly gear in my own shop.” – Kneale
“Ten thousand dollars would outfit any shop with a decent table saw, jointer, planer, routers, and hand tools. Why would anyone sign up for this deal when they can replicate it in their own garage, use it when they feel like it, clean it when they feel like it, and not have to share the machines?” – Nat
“The hours posted are going to be more of a factor in the business not working out than the money. I am assuming they are going after amateur hobby types, and these are the exact hours they are at work.” – Tom
“They sound like dilettantes who have no actual knowledge of the practice of woodworking or those who do it.” – Clint
“The insurance will be a nightmare for compliance, even if OSHA doesn't apply, and will be canceled two minutes after the first injury is reported.” – Mark
“When I lived in California, a local entrepreneur tried to start a woodworking club with attached store with a reasonably well-equipped shop and hours-specific memberships. They also rented shop time to non club members. The operation lasted about a year, until somebody got hurt. The insurance premiums quintupled, and the deductible went to $10,000.00” – Jim
“I can hear the patron questions now: Can I bring in old pallet lumber and railroad ties to clean up on the planer and jointer? You mean there were nails in that old barn board! I need to make a few more cuts, can I borrow this blade so I can finish it up at home? I just put glue on this 100-piece assembly. I can't leave now, give me another 5 minutes to get it clamped up. I'll take a copy of the auction flyer.” – Lee
One wag suggested a possible silver lining to this potential dark cloud. – Editor
“When it fails, they can get a bailout from the government.” – Ken