LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner

Project Information

Hi Friends I have been building (amongst other things) a desk for my daughter-in-law (will post tomorrow) I have since joining Lumberjocks become a fan of loose tenon joinery so I found a jig on the site made by Sawdustonmyshoulder
But after sending him a couple of PM's without reply (anyone know where he is?) I decided to guess dimensions myself & have a go this is what I came up with it is slightly different but works in the same way. I used Kreg tee track & mitre track but made the stops from some 1/2" poly prop sheet I had lying around. Sawdust did a great video on using it very informative check it out. I used a deWalt 625 plunge router (removed for clarity) & I have to say it's a great jig. This site is a great reference library, If anyone wants to build one I can save them some time with measurements etc. I have a commercially madeTrend mortice & tenon jig (a cheaper version of the Leigh MT) but capacity is limited, this however will handle most things I'm liable to throw at it. Hope you like it & build one
Best regards to you all
Trevor

Gallery

Comments

· In Loving Memory
Joined
·
3,011 Posts
I have the Leigh FMT and have just made 22 cabinet doors works like a dream..
 

· Registered
Joined
·
878 Posts
Hi Trevor, very nice job on the jig! How about showing us what it can actually do? :)
 

· Registered
Joined
·
6,114 Posts
Hi Trevor,
It's really well made. I love it. When I get to work on mine, I will look at this one for inspiration.
Best thoughts,
Mads
 

· Registered
Joined
·
810 Posts
Nice looking jig there. Especially since it does the job.. Thanks for the post.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
123 Posts
looks good….well done…i may have to make me one of these…
 

· Registered
Joined
·
2,185 Posts
Wow. Nice build. I like it.
Favorited.

Steve
 

· Registered
Joined
·
607 Posts
Wow Trevor! Now that is sweet! Looks like you have yourself one well built Cadillac of a mortise jig….

Very cool and well done!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
462 Posts
Sweet jig! Nicely executed. Looks like it will make highly functional loose tenons. So exactly how will it put a mortise in the end of a long (like 6') stretcher? This is the same problem I'm having with the one I built. I may have to build a portable mini version for extra long items like workbench stretchers.
Thanks for sharing your work with us.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
709 Posts
Nice work Trevor. I've not considered using loose tenon joinery before simply because I have no way of holding the material. Your jig would solve that issue for me. May I take you up on your offer for the dimensions? Thanks for the post.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
682 Posts
Hi Trevor, I love seeing well made jigs and fixtures. These extrusions available now for the tracks and the knobs and handles make it so nice to make things like this. I'm spending this morning making some fixtures based on a book by Yeung Chan, "Classic Joints with Power Tools". This is a great little reference book that I think Mads made mention of before. I confess, I know almost nothing about "loose tenon joinery" but there's nothing wrong with learning a new way to do joinery. I'll have to check it out. Good work, man. I appreciate it very much.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
411 Posts
Thanks guys as I said if anyone needs measurements or info let me know

Ratchet
It is mountable on any work surface just a couple of clamps, it cuts about 9" above the mounting surface & I built a router station (see post) which is 4' 6" so I could do a 5' rail end or pack it up on a temporary box to achieve 6' I guess

Ken
The thing I like about loose tenons is that the router bit cuts the same every time, All the rails are simply cut to length without allowing for the tenons & you mill up your own tenon stock through the thicknesser
and get the perfect fit & if you make a mistake with the tenon you just throw it away & make a new one instead of scrapping the rail or messing around having to glue veneers to the cheeks. As Larry (degoose) said the FMT is brilliant but very expensive & this will cover the same tasks even angled

all the best
Trevor
 

· Registered
Joined
·
211 Posts
Say, tdv, your jig looks good. I really like the clear plate for the router. You can really see what your doing under there and the plastics stops look good too. I used mostly scrapes and parts I had around the shop so mine looks like the "Mad Max" version. 8^)

Do you incorporate the hold-down for routing the side-grain?

Ratchet, for a 6 foot stretcher, I would go with a convention tenon or get a tall bench and ladder set-up.

Jig Projects: First posting ---- Second posting

Jig Video is here.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
411 Posts
Why thankyou I'll definitely take that as a compliment. I also used up scraps for mine I was lucky & found some thick poly sheet for the stops & offcuts of track from a previous jig & yes I did make a hold down for the side tenons but I borrowed the knob off my drill press table & put it back when I was finished I'll have to get another. Good luck with the house build by the way, If you have any morticing to do let me know I'll bring my jig over & we can do them 2 at a time
Best
Trevor
 

· Registered
Joined
·
1,398 Posts
Great Jig Trevor!

From the video it seems to make easy to cut those loose tennon.

Thanks for sharing!
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
20,131 Posts
Nice work. Looks like the way to go if you have a lot of mortises to do.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
321 Posts
Trevor that is a good piece of a jig,
It is also nice and tidy.
One thing i am learning is that tidy jigs help to make tidy projects.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
657 Posts
tdv;
how can I get a copy of the measurements?
Really like your jig; simple and accurate.
Thanks,
 

· Registered
Joined
·
19 Posts
tdv,

I saw Sawdustonmyshoulder's video and jig as well. I am in the middle of making a bed for my son and was thinking to use loose tenon joinery. This jig would be excellent and I think I will make one. Thanks to both of you for sharing!

Rgds,
-Ajay
 

· Registered
Joined
·
411 Posts
Julian Sawdust is posting the dimensions with his drawing but if you need them in a hurry send me a PM & I'll send you MY measurements I had to guess them so I'm pretty sure they will be slightly different to his but it's similar & I know mine works too anyway let me know

AyjayO you're welcome I have used it for building a desk I used 3/8" mortices 1 1/8" deep cut with a spiral cutter they are the best & take it in gentle passes if you are cutting deep. I made a couple of beds using 1/2" mortices & loose tenon joinery before I made this jig & it was hard work, again the spiral cutters are the best. It's a real nice jig does a good job & from all the research I did loose tenons are every bit as strong as the originals
Have fun
Trevor
 

· Registered
Joined
·
535 Posts
vey nicely build
 
Top