Mortise and Tenon - I am ready

[Dan Karachio]

As I get into making actual furniture, nothing is more satisfying than a good M&T joint. They are fun, but I want better results and I want bigger!

I want to buy a mortiser and a tenon jig. For the mortiser, I think the General bench top is the bench top to get. Is it? Opinions welcomed. I don't mind spending for this. What about bits? Who makes good ones please?

Tenon jigs (for the TS) are frustrating. From many posts, it seems they all are kind of junky with really spotty quality control. Does anyone make a good one that is reliable out of the box? Dumb question - what blade do you all use with a tenon jig? Rip? Combo?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dan,

I have the General International benchtop mortiser. It works great.

I also have the Rockler tenoning jig. It works well too. Almost all of the tenoning jigs are very, very similar.

One thing to watch for when you buy a tenoning jig. Check the distance from the saw blade to your miter slot on your tablesaw...get that measurement and make sure the tenoning jig will set up for that distance. The miter guide bar on the Rockler has 2 positions...in other words...there are 2 sets of screw holes so that the bar that rides in the miter slot will allow the jig to set up midway within the adjustment range of the jig....at 2 different distances. Not all miter slots are the same distance from the blade.

[Stephen Cherry]

I've got the older non-tilting powermatic 719, which I think looks just like the general. I use the el cheapo woodcraft bits, which seem to be OK. Mortise machine bits live a hard life.

For the tenons, I bandsaw cheeks, using a shim to match the desired width (one cut with shim, one without, resulting in a tenon of proper width-- the shim need to match the mortise bit). Shoulders on the table saw.

[Neal Clayton]

Dumb question - what blade do you all use with a tenon jig? Rip? Combo?

dado. all the surfaces need to be really flat, not kinda flat.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Dan - I second the advice above. Measure your table and the tenoning jig. I have the Delta tenoning jig, and it's OK but was not good "right out of the box". plus, on my old saw, because of the distance from the miter slot to the blade, it would never actually read 'zero' on the gauge so I always had to use a tape. Also, a dado blade - or at the very least, not a Hi-ATB blade, which would likely leave a little 'notch' in the tenon if not very careful.

[Gary Herrmann]

The LV mortise bits work very well. If you get lucky, you may be able to find an old Delta 1172 tenon jig...

[Rod Sheridan]

Dan, I've owned the GI mortiser for 8 years and made thousands of mortices with it, great machine.

When I cut tenons on the tablesaw I used a rip blade for the cheek cuts since it's a ripping operation.

Regards, Rod.

[Will Overton]

Dan,

I have a Craftsman/Orion mortiser and it works fine. However, everything I've read about the General says it is an excellent machine. I don't think you will be sorry with that purchase.

My tenoning jig is a Delta "184". Out of the box, you do need to set it up. One of the pluses mentioned in reviews is the handle placement on this jig. It's the only one I ever had, so I don't know if this really makes it better, but it works great. I do use it following the directions that come with it, rather than the way Norm used it.

For a blade, I agree with what was said above ... rip blade.

[John Coloccia]

Don't forget about the Leigh Super FMT.

[Dan Karachio]

But John, I want square mortises! Seriously, I do. Want to do some craftsman style joinery.

I guess buying a tenon jig is low risk for the $ involved, but maybe I will make one of those instead.

[glenn bradley]

When I was looking at benchtop mortisers I did my usual exhaustive research. No offense to anyone who has any particular machine but, I didn't find anything worth the effort till you got to the General 75-050T. Even then, those happy owners had eventually upgraded to better chisels (add another $100+).

I decided on the Mortise Pal and have been very happy. There are many happy benchtop mortiser owners here and I would listen to them if you are set on a machine. The main complaint I found was that the mortises were NOT square overall; they were a series of square holes that sorta lined up; the General being the exception. This is a non-issue (as no one sees them) until you want through mortises (which I do).

Just my experience and worth exactly what you paid for it ;-)

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

The main complaint I found was that the mortises were NOT square overall; they were a series of square holes that sorta lined up; the General being the exception. This is a non-issue (as no one sees them) until you want through mortises (which I do)

Hmm...I think this is good advice. I noticed the 'series of square holes' issue when I first tried out my benchtop. I've found that it can be remedied, but it does take some extra care to make the chisel perpendicular to the fence, that's for sure.

[Terry Welty]

I've got a super cheap Harbor Freight mortiser... but it works great because I added a cross-slide vise... works great even with a crappy mortiser... mine is kinda like this, but different.

http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/r...cles_414.shtml

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

Stay away from powermatic. At the price point it goes for they will not support it. I have had nothing but bad luck with powermatic tools.

[harry boyer]

I bought the leigh Super Fmt this summer. Built the jigs they suggested to hold the work. Bottom line, I'm very happy with the setup. I also have the Delts bench top mortiser. I like both of them but for diff. reasons. Since we grow in woodworking. I like the Fmt a little better. I got into chairs with compound angle joints the FMT is really nice. I found that cutting the tenon shoulder was a little tricky on the compound angle tenon. The FMT eliminates an extra setup on the tablesaw or band saw. The half inch bit cuts up to 2.25 inches. I'm plunge cutting some thru mortses using a backing board. Just another idea, I'm not an expert