Great project. I have been using the Morley mortiser with great success. Just remind people that they will need to buy longer router bits to account for the plywood top. I forgot!😂
Nice clean design. I've started making most of my jigs to use matchfit clamps and hardware; wish I'd discovered it before I built my tablesaw sled, but I already bought the t-track clamps. Oh well. And thanks for making the plans available.
I really want to build this thing, but I'm VERY nervous to even try it. If there is a way to screw it up, I'll find it. And, given the price of wood nowadays, I don't want to make mistakes. I have the plans, so after Thanksgiving, I will give it my best shot so that I can use it to build the gift I want to make for my wife. Wish me luck. I love this Microjig Matchfit system! Those ratcheting clamps are the bomb as well! I don't have any (yet), but I've seen so many videos with that system being used, and I love it's versatility! The components are rather expensive, but I'll just get what I need as I go (until my wife finds out).
My one comment (besides my other comment😅) is that in addition to referencing the center to set up the jig, I’d also be sure always reference the show face for all parts against the jig, that way if you don’t absolutely nail the center (and have perfectly milled stock) then it won’t matter. Conversely, if your center is off by a tiny fraction of an inch then those errors will compound if you flip stock as you go and your faces will not be flush when you go to assemble.
You could consider adding drawers to fit in from the back of your stand. That gives you a place to store your ever growing collection of spacers. Or, just add a simple block, say 2" tall, across the back to prevent the spacers from falling out if you move the jig around.
Great Design, I have though for a long time now that all the greatest ideas have been had, our challenge is to take that Great Idea and Improve upon it, and clearly you have done that here, Thanks for sharing this with us!
This is a great evolution of a great design, and very well presented. Perfect shop project that's relatively cheap and super versatile. This feels like a more reasonable route vs a domino, especially for an occasional hobbyist like myself who also is in the market for a mid size router). Three thoughts for additions: 1) 45 degree jig (or any angle) would be an nice way to lock in an angle if you have a lot of miters 2) Alternative top if you need a larger width mortise. Maybe something that's adjustable? 3) Metal/Plastic/Colored Spacers on a key ring - Because I loose every small wood jig/space I make!
I looked into making a micro jig based mortising jig like this but buying all the microjig swag needed for it isn't really a micro price tag. At least it was more than i wanted to spend. I did buy some t track for the face of the jig and some fairly cheap 1/4-20 t-bolts off of amazon. also some toggle clamps; also super cheap. The jig works very welll, whatever route you choose to go. Well worth having one of these if you need MnT joinery with any frequencey
+1 on the Forstner bit to define the start/stop of the grooves to cut. Learned that trick a long time ago by going past my markup lines. Love the black top on your router table, perhaps a strip of masking tape when you do the next video so your start/stop lines are more apparent for us. Or use that magic white marker you use on Walnut layouts. I don't have them handy but IIRC a similar jig was in the old Shop Notes mag from decades ago. Looks very useful and perhaps will save me from buying a domino for a few more months... Again, thanks for the great videos Mark. dc
Marc- why not just cut the start/stop point with a drill or forstner bit? I still cut them in two passes on each side, flipping to prevent tear out. Keeps me from making dyslexic mistakes… I made one of these several years ago from plans that didn’t require a bushing. I have since added the microjig dovetail fences to the front. Mine is router specific-I wish that I had used plans using the bushing because I would be able to use my smaller router. HDPE makes great runners for these plywood jigs. They slide much easier.
I intend to build one like this someday, but the size will be a consideration as I’d see a smaller one having the advantage of being more able to handle larger workpieces if you can attach it to the workpiece and then secure the workpiece rather than having to fit it all under bench height. I first saw this concept in a smaller package made by 3x3 Custom. I also recommend checking out Izzy Swan’s mortiser machine from almost a year ago. More complicated to build but the ease/speed of setup and use seems better within its size capacity. I just finished my first project with it and it was a fantastic domino substitute.
Just so you know, I really come solely for the Oreo moments. You & your woodworking are truly tangential to him. 😹 Yes, as you can probably tell from my profile picture (my late cat, Barney), I am a proud lifetime member of the Crazy Cat Lady Society! 😸 Having said that, I do like your projects, and this one is no different. It will probably be a while - OK, probably quite a while - before I could build this, as I do not yet have a router table. At least not one that is constructed & not in pieces & parts in my garage woodshop. Anyway, thank you for posting this. I will keep this for reference, for the day when I DO build my router table. I hope you have a fantastic day! 😺
Love floating tenons. The only shortcoming that I have found to this type of jig is that you are limited to the length of stock you can mortise (think mortising bed rail ends). I’ve used a variation of this jig and a ladder in the past - I wouldn’t do that today. 😂
We had another design in the works that was more portable for that very reason. But I didn’t want to over complicate things and went with the most common use-case.
Thanks for the video- looks like a great mortising jig. The one thing I do not like about matchfit is that after you tighten them down they bind, and the next time you make an adjustment (after loosening the "bolt") you almost have to press and pop them loose to get them to slide. At least this is what I experience on my BB matchfit drill press table.
Jeseem's Workstation for their Pocket Mill Pro is a similar approach. They are super handy to use. A couple of limitations but definitely a nice easy way for floating tenons!
What I like best about this video aside from the very informative and detailed production steps is the very relatable items in your shop. 1) I have all the match-fit products you used in this video. 2) I have the same Milwaukee tools you used in this video. 3) While not in my shop the kitchen cabinets, I just installed, are the same color blue/grey as your shop cabinets. 4) and close enough, my router table is made with Black laminate and Jessum products. I shifted the table saw rails to the left and installed my RT there so I could utilize the Tablesaw fence and an add-on fence for the router table. This allows perfect squareness to the table and is easy to set up. It also allows the sharing of dust collection connections. I plan on making a workbench 3' x 6' that I can then add side panels using Micro-Fit products to enlarge the work surface in length and width if ever needed. Thanks for this video and info
Brilliant design, Marc! Thanks a bunch! 😃 I'm definitely going to make something like that... The only issue is that the router table scares the heck out of me. 😬 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊 BTW, Oreo ❤
I have the Jessem Pocket Mill pro and they have a similar workstation with the matchfit hardware. Its only problem is it needs more height like the jig you bought. The Jessem jig is quite nice but you have a Jessem part that sits in the top of the jig to put your Pocket Mill Pro in and that makes it move to various angles. I also have the dowel jig that fits on the same workstation so I need to figure out how to make a new jig similar to yours but hold the Jessem Pocket Mill Pro.
Ok, last comment… I love the transition you’ve made from “oh great, there’s a stray cat outside the shop🤨” to: several Oreo-centric segments in a single video, yard signs that say “don’t take Oreo”, cat artwork, and about 25% of Instagram content being cat related. 😻
What was your cost to builds this jig? Reason I'm asking is the Jessum Pocket mill pro outfit isn't as elaborate, but the drill alternative is a consideration especially if I have to but another router. Looking at your parts list I think this jig outfit could cost a bit.
Hey as always thanx for the video was jus thinkin bout building something similar n this video definitely helps, off topic question i jus bought a piece of common board pine that has alot of BIRDS EYE, is this common ???
Get idea! I think I might make this. I do however have a question. If you needed to make a mortise at the end of a 8 ft length stock how would you accomplish that?
Clamp the workpiece at an angle to reduce its height and mount this thing on the end of the board using some additional clamps. Or just use your router with an edge guide.
Thanks for put a metric version in there too, i was lost when you tried to explain the 1/16 x 2 etc etc. my mind works fast in metric but a totall lost on your system.
I have made individual mortise jigs for a specific project. Drawer full of them over the years. The greatest improvement is router dust collection. Without it you have to remove the router and vacuum out the mortise after each partial pass. Quite annoying.
@@woodwhisperer Maybe, I just hadn't ever heard the other term before. Though I can see the logic of it, since the tenon is "loose" within the joint, as in not connected to either piece beyond the glue. In that sense it may even be more logical than "floating" tenon.
Off topic but I can't help but notice that Kapex in the background. Any reason you switched back? We're looking to replace ours and was leaning toward Bosch per one of your older videos...
Honest question as someone who has a lot of mortises to fix/replace to restore some dining chairs, is the advantage to this over the domino primarily based on cost? Obviously the ability to customize the size of the loose tennon is a plus.
If the Domino is within your budget and you have a good use-case for it, get the Domino. This is a solution for folks what either can't afford or just don't want to purchase a turnkey solution like the Domino and instead are looking for decent repeatable results using more standard tooling. The joinery produced by this method would also be stronger and more customizable as you pointed out. But there aren't many applications where the difference in strength between a classic floating tenon and a Domino will be something to be super concerned about.
sorry if this is a stupid question....I watched this over a few sittings....but does Microjig sell all the component parts for this jig as a kit? (if they don't...they should....seems like a no brainer).
I like Micro Jig products but this is just a take on the Leigh Mortice and tenon jig except it leaves out the best part of the Leigh jig is that it cuts a tenon to fit the mortice perfectly. I do admit I did not watch the whole thing, I have a Leigh M/T jig.
Had to cut out any background images of a DF500/700. This whole jig reminds me of the Omni-Man/ Invincible meme for Festool: "Look at what they need to mimic a fraction of our power!"
Save 10% on MatchFit products using my code TWW-MATCHFIT www.microjig.com/collections/matchfit?sca_ref=6620295.r84SMzrDUo
Thank you sharing the plans and making the video. Excellent job!!!
Great project. I have been using the Morley mortiser with great success. Just remind people that they will need to buy longer router bits to account for the plywood top. I forgot!😂
I screamed at my TV "The square moved!" And then you noticed and fixed it. You're welcome. 😂
That’s badass. But makes me want a domino that much more. It’s a great work around. Thanks for the video.
thank for your generosity in sharing the plans
Nice clean design. I've started making most of my jigs to use matchfit clamps and hardware; wish I'd discovered it before I built my tablesaw sled, but I already bought the t-track clamps. Oh well. And thanks for making the plans available.
Very nice. I appreciate the jig history and always appreciate you are willing to show your goofs.
Great design. Yet another cleverly disguised cat video, masquerading as woodworking. You and Keith Johnson have gotten so good at it.
Another great video. My, has time flown by. You started me on this stuff many years ago. Thanks, you do good work.
Nice jig Marc, as far as micro-jig I’m already addicted! Love and own a lot of their products!
3x3 custom built a mini version of this a few years ago
I really want to build this thing, but I'm VERY nervous to even try it. If there is a way to screw it up, I'll find it. And, given the price of wood nowadays, I don't want to make mistakes. I have the plans, so after Thanksgiving, I will give it my best shot so that I can use it to build the gift I want to make for my wife. Wish me luck.
I love this Microjig Matchfit system! Those ratcheting clamps are the bomb as well! I don't have any (yet), but I've seen so many videos with that system being used, and I love it's versatility! The components are rather expensive, but I'll just get what I need as I go (until my wife finds out).
Great build! I have a bunch of Matchfit stuff lying around and now have a use for it.
My one comment (besides my other comment😅) is that in addition to referencing the center to set up the jig, I’d also be sure always reference the show face for all parts against the jig, that way if you don’t absolutely nail the center (and have perfectly milled stock) then it won’t matter. Conversely, if your center is off by a tiny fraction of an inch then those errors will compound if you flip stock as you go and your faces will not be flush when you go to assemble.
Nice shop, you have really great equipment. Interesting project.
You could consider adding drawers to fit in from the back of your stand. That gives you a place to store your ever growing collection of spacers. Or, just add a simple block, say 2" tall, across the back to prevent the spacers from falling out if you move the jig around.
Great Design, I have though for a long time now that all the greatest ideas have been had, our challenge is to take that Great Idea and Improve upon it, and clearly you have done that here, Thanks for sharing this with us!
These types of jigs with the clamping system make production work so much more efficient
I like your awesome jig Marc! Thanks for the free plans. I enjoy using MicroJig products. They are well thought out and easy to use .
Oreo is such a pretty cat. o nice jig too lol
This is a great evolution of a great design, and very well presented. Perfect shop project that's relatively cheap and super versatile. This feels like a more reasonable route vs a domino, especially for an occasional hobbyist like myself who also is in the market for a mid size router).
Three thoughts for additions:
1) 45 degree jig (or any angle) would be an nice way to lock in an angle if you have a lot of miters
2) Alternative top if you need a larger width mortise. Maybe something that's adjustable?
3) Metal/Plastic/Colored Spacers on a key ring - Because I loose every small wood jig/space I make!
I just recently got the matchfit bit and clamps so this could be a cool little thing to build for me. 🙌🏻
I looked into making a micro jig based mortising jig like this but buying all the microjig swag needed for it isn't really a micro price tag. At least it was more than i wanted to spend. I did buy some t track for the face of the jig and some fairly cheap 1/4-20 t-bolts off of amazon. also some toggle clamps; also super cheap. The jig works very welll, whatever route you choose to go. Well worth having one of these if you need MnT joinery with any frequencey
Wood Wisperer videos are always worth watching
You could use Woodpeckers domino bits and then use standard Festool dominos. The jig looks really useful. Thanks
Good call. Didn’t even know they made them.
+1 on the Forstner bit to define the start/stop of the grooves to cut. Learned that trick a long time ago by going past my markup lines.
Love the black top on your router table, perhaps a strip of masking tape when you do the next video so your start/stop lines are more apparent for us. Or use that magic white marker you use on Walnut layouts.
I don't have them handy but IIRC a similar jig was in the old Shop Notes mag from decades ago. Looks very useful and perhaps will save me from buying a domino for a few more months...
Again, thanks for the great videos Mark.
dc
I have the Leigh FMT jig… I’m going to dust it off and try it again! Thanks for another great video
I made a similar one a couple years ago from leftover bits in my cutoff bin. Works well.
Made mine years ago. It’s amazingly accurate.
Brilliant. Great design and very handy. I'm going to have to build one.
Marc- why not just cut the start/stop point with a drill or forstner bit? I still cut them in two passes on each side, flipping to prevent tear out. Keeps me from making dyslexic mistakes… I made one of these several years ago from plans that didn’t require a bushing. I have since added the microjig dovetail fences to the front. Mine is router specific-I wish that I had used plans using the bushing because I would be able to use my smaller router. HDPE makes great runners for these plywood jigs. They slide much easier.
16:26 "I'll check it for square once again, but honestly, if it's not square at this point, you're in trouble." lol
I intend to build one like this someday, but the size will be a consideration as I’d see a smaller one having the advantage of being more able to handle larger workpieces if you can attach it to the workpiece and then secure the workpiece rather than having to fit it all under bench height. I first saw this concept in a smaller package made by 3x3 Custom.
I also recommend checking out Izzy Swan’s mortiser machine from almost a year ago. More complicated to build but the ease/speed of setup and use seems better within its size capacity. I just finished my first project with it and it was a fantastic domino substitute.
This looks GOOD! I will probably be making one. I already have some of the MatchFit products and I don't have a Domino budget.
Just so you know, I really come solely for the Oreo moments. You & your woodworking are truly tangential to him. 😹 Yes, as you can probably tell from my profile picture (my late cat, Barney), I am a proud lifetime member of the Crazy Cat Lady Society! 😸 Having said that, I do like your projects, and this one is no different. It will probably be a while - OK, probably quite a while - before I could build this, as I do not yet have a router table. At least not one that is constructed & not in pieces & parts in my garage woodshop. Anyway, thank you for posting this. I will keep this for reference, for the day when I DO build my router table. I hope you have a fantastic day! 😺
Thanks for making the plans available !!!!!!
Love floating tenons. The only shortcoming that I have found to this type of jig is that you are limited to the length of stock you can mortise (think mortising bed rail ends). I’ve used a variation of this jig and a ladder in the past - I wouldn’t do that today. 😂
We had another design in the works that was more portable for that very reason. But I didn’t want to over complicate things and went with the most common use-case.
Oreo is a very handsome kitty! 😻
Thanks for the video- looks like a great mortising jig. The one thing I do not like about matchfit is that after you tighten them down they bind, and the next time you make an adjustment (after loosening the "bolt") you almost have to press and pop them loose to get them to slide. At least this is what I experience on my BB matchfit drill press table.
A nickname for your cat: The Wood Whiskerer.
Jeseem's Workstation for their Pocket Mill Pro is a similar approach. They are super handy to use. A couple of limitations but definitely a nice easy way for floating tenons!
amazing jig ....now i want to build it
Very cool jig and system… and it’s Oreo endorsed! 😂
Very nice. Thank you for sharing.🙂🙂
Nice. Looks exactly like a jumbo version made by 3x3 Custom. I’ve been meaning to make one for a long time.
That New York license plate though!!! 😂😂😂👏👏👏
Classic Seinfeld reference. Gotta love it.
What I like best about this video aside from the very informative and detailed production steps is the very relatable items in your shop. 1) I have all the match-fit products you used in this video. 2) I have the same Milwaukee tools you used in this video. 3) While not in my shop the kitchen cabinets, I just installed, are the same color blue/grey as your shop cabinets. 4) and close enough, my router table is made with Black laminate and Jessum products. I shifted the table saw rails to the left and installed my RT there so I could utilize the Tablesaw fence and an add-on fence for the router table. This allows perfect squareness to the table and is easy to set up. It also allows the sharing of dust collection connections. I plan on making a workbench 3' x 6' that I can then add side panels using Micro-Fit products to enlarge the work surface in length and width if ever needed. Thanks for this video and info
And they say marketing doesn't work! I've noticed the same thing in my own shop.
Very impressive jig.
Just wanna say thank yu!
Brilliant design, Marc! Thanks a bunch! 😃
I'm definitely going to make something like that... The only issue is that the router table scares the heck out of me. 😬
Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
BTW, Oreo ❤
Hold up, did you just tease a Matchfit dovetail squeeze clamp at 10:35?!
Would also love to see a Matchfit toggle clamp...
Love the Oreo break, haha.
I have all the components ready...except for an Oreo. 🐈⬛
I actually built something very similar to this. Its great to larger mortises than what my domino can do
I believe the Leigh FMT came out in mid-2003.
BTW, an earlier, but less well-known vertical-router jig, is the WoodRat.
OH that's a blast from the past. I totally forgot about the WoodRat! And I guess we need to recognize the Router Boss too!
I have the Jessem Pocket Mill pro and they have a similar workstation with the matchfit hardware. Its only problem is it needs more height like the jig you bought. The Jessem jig is quite nice but you have a Jessem part that sits in the top of the jig to put your Pocket Mill Pro in and that makes it move to various angles. I also have the dowel jig that fits on the same workstation so I need to figure out how to make a new jig similar to yours but hold the Jessem Pocket Mill Pro.
What a handsome ass cat, man.
Microjig. Thanks Marc!
Ok, last comment…
I love the transition you’ve made from “oh great, there’s a stray cat outside the shop🤨” to: several Oreo-centric segments in a single video, yard signs that say “don’t take Oreo”, cat artwork, and about 25% of Instagram content being cat related. 😻
What was your cost to builds this jig? Reason I'm asking is the Jessum Pocket mill pro outfit isn't as elaborate, but the drill alternative is a consideration especially if I have to but another router. Looking at your parts list I think this jig outfit could cost a bit.
Was that a Microjig squeeze clamp on the drill press?
Looks like the jig that Phillip Morley made
16:44 Marc's hearing protection collection is unmatched.
Marc
@@johndoe6032 doh! I knew that. And fixed!
I recommend a pad on your floor as the first accessory. 😁
lol
A decent upgrade to Philip Morely and those before him. Apologies for jumping to conclusions earlier.
I have a tuxedo Kitty also there a riot oh yeah killer video that's what my kitty said
Damn you Spags. Now I have to go spend more money 😂😂😂
Hey as always thanx for the video was jus thinkin bout building something similar n this video definitely helps, off topic question i jus bought a piece of common board pine that has alot of BIRDS EYE, is this common ???
We don’t have an Oreo just a black and white Cookie Monster.
2:53 is it safe to plane something this thin? I really need to know the answer. Thanks.
thank you..!
Thank You ..!!
THANK YOU ..!! !!
I got an ad for Ted’s 16,000 plans before this video ahhh! I thought we were past that.
Us too. We will look into how to exclude the ad. If you see it again you can report it
The Shaper Workstation for the Origin looks similar
Will these clamps work in the slots in the sawstop table saw?
I stopped by for the "Oreo". I think he's relation...
I follow you because you are not a T-slot yunkie. Great video. Thanks
Get idea! I think I might make this. I do however have a question. If you needed to make a mortise at the end of a 8 ft length stock how would you accomplish that?
Clamp the workpiece at an angle to reduce its height and mount this thing on the end of the board using some additional clamps. Or just use your router with an edge guide.
Thanks for put a metric version in there too, i was lost when you tried to explain the 1/16 x 2 etc etc. my mind works fast in metric but a totall lost on your system.
I have made individual mortise jigs for a specific project. Drawer full of them over the years. The greatest improvement is router dust collection. Without it you have to remove the router and vacuum out the mortise after each partial pass. Quite annoying.
I've heard it called a "floating tenon", not a loose one.
Both are common terms for the same thing.
@@woodwhisperer Maybe, I just hadn't ever heard the other term before. Though I can see the logic of it, since the tenon is "loose" within the joint, as in not connected to either piece beyond the glue. In that sense it may even be more logical than "floating" tenon.
They're also called "slip tenons" or if you want to be cringe: Dominos. :)
@@woodwhisperer Hahaha.
Off topic but I can't help but notice that Kapex in the background. Any reason you switched back? We're looking to replace ours and was leaning toward Bosch per one of your older videos...
How about Microjig make a 1/4" version of the dovetail router bit, that would be helpful.
They do. Select 1/4” shank from the dropdown. www.microjig.com/products/dovetail-bit-14-12?sca_ref=6620295.r84SMzrDUo
@@woodwhisperer Thanks but it's hard to find in backwater Australia!
Ten hour loop Oreo break video when?
Man, buy the thumbnail I was hoping to see cat powered tool. 😂😂😂
Very cool
Honest question as someone who has a lot of mortises to fix/replace to restore some dining chairs, is the advantage to this over the domino primarily based on cost? Obviously the ability to customize the size of the loose tennon is a plus.
If the Domino is within your budget and you have a good use-case for it, get the Domino. This is a solution for folks what either can't afford or just don't want to purchase a turnkey solution like the Domino and instead are looking for decent repeatable results using more standard tooling. The joinery produced by this method would also be stronger and more customizable as you pointed out. But there aren't many applications where the difference in strength between a classic floating tenon and a Domino will be something to be super concerned about.
@@woodwhisperer thank you Marc!
Wow, Baltic Burch is expensive in your area 😊. I can get it for half that price in the west 😊
If you don’t have an Oreo you could use a Hydrox
What is this "before youtube" you speak about? I can't find any videos talking about that time .
Keep looking!
😂
sorry if this is a stupid question....I watched this over a few sittings....but does Microjig sell all the component parts for this jig as a kit? (if they don't...they should....seems like a no brainer).
I like Micro Jig products but this is just a take on the Leigh Mortice and tenon jig except it leaves out the best part of the Leigh jig is that it cuts a tenon to fit the mortice perfectly. I do admit I did not watch the whole thing, I have a Leigh M/T jig.
You should watch the whole video 😂 I mentioned the FMT. Also, there’s no reason this jig couldn’t be adapted to cut tenons as well.
@@woodwhisperer Fine have it your way I will watch the WHOLE THING.
Would that also work for cutting board handles? might be too narrow
You could adapt it for that if you made a slot for a bigger bushing. I assume you’d be using a bit larger than 5/8
I think it would, but you might have to get a little creative or simply make the hand holds in multiple passes.
Oreo 🥰😊
Add Bluetooth - that improves everything! ;) 🤣😎
i think this video just spanked the red tool guys. i have been designing this in my head for a few weeks now. probably should just get your plans.
THANKS FOR A GREAT VIDEO
Finally someone who uses the guards on the machinery
Had to cut out any background images of a DF500/700. This whole jig reminds me of the Omni-Man/ Invincible meme for Festool: "Look at what they need to mimic a fraction of our power!"
👍👍👍👍👍
Drink every time Marc says MicroJig…