# Fast Joint Precision Joinery System



## kschouweil (Oct 25, 2010)

Hello all,

Has anyone used the MLCS Fast Joint Precision Joinery System? My wife saw it in one of my magazine and wants me to buy one to join contrasting colored woods into boards with the heart template. The ads only show the hearts in a standard half-blind configuration. Looking at it, I believe it would but I would hate to buy it and find out it can't.

Thanks,
Kevin


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Kevin

It will do many, many, many of them but keep your CC card handy it's not a cheap system..

Fast Joint Precision Joinery System

see video on the same web page

Also see the link below and video
http://us.oak-park.com/catalogue.html?list=RTS-LDS-

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kschouweil said:


> Hello all,
> 
> Has anyone used the MLCS Fast Joint Precision Joinery System? My wife saw it in one of my magazine and wants me to buy one to join contrasting colored woods into boards with the heart template. The ads only show the hearts in a standard half-blind configuration. Looking at it, I believe it would but I would hate to buy it and find out it can't.
> 
> ...


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## kschouweil (Oct 25, 2010)

Thanks!


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Greetings Kevin and welcome to the router forum. Thank you for joining us, and remember to have fun, build well and above all be safe. I have looked at it from time to time, just need extra funds!!


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## jeepered (Nov 8, 2013)

POOR REGISTRATION! I'm having trouble with my male and female pieces fitting together properly. When I attempt to make a boxtop with the joint running lengthwise along the center of the boxtop the male and female pieces do not mate. Both the male and female pieces appear to be short and too wide. I cannot join the two pieces without destroying them. When I overlay one piece over the other they appear too be short. I can see that a space (gap) would occur between the end of the receiving female cutout and end of the male complement. Even if I were able to join the male and female pieces, the respective pieces are too wide (fat) and if I were to force one over the other (ie., male piece forced on top of the female piece with a hammer) the male piece would leave an impression on the female piece at it widest point.
If any one else has had this problem I sure would like to hear from them and how they solved it. I believe that the fault (error) is mine but I just haven't been able to identify it yet. Could my error be in faulty centering of the cutter in the bushing????
Please get back to me.
Thanks,
ED


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## jeepered (Nov 8, 2013)

Hi Kevin and welcome,
I'm new to the zoo too. If you are curious about the "Fast-Joint . . .System" contact Peach Tree (that's my next step). I spent over $500 with MCLS over the past 2 years and am STILL trying to get a decent "end-to-end joint. I believe the templates are not matched properly. Check out MCLS at (800) 533-9298 and ask Lisa or Debbie to patch you to the head tech guy, Jeff and see if you can get some definitive answers from him. I couldn't. When I do contact Peach Tree I'll let you know how successful I was.
Thanks,
ED


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Ed, yes indeed you will have fits getting a proper joint of that type if the bit is not accurately centered in the bushing. Seems a much more likely cause than an inaccurately machine template.


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

+1

I had the same jig, but the one sold by Woodline. It's also sold by Peachtree. Each company has a different name for their jig, but the design is the same. 

If your router collet is not perfectly centered to your router bushing you will not get joints that fit together. You must use a bushing centering tool to get the collet and bushing centered with respect to each other and you need to check this centering frequently. Peachtree sells a wave washer to help hold the nut on the Porter Cable type bushings tight.. If the bushing loosens during your cut your joint will not fit together. If you change the router depth setting this may also cause the collet and bushing to no longer be centered. They must be perfectly centered with respect to each other for this jig to work properly.

Charley


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## jeepered (Nov 8, 2013)

Tried it again Duane with a different router and paid special attention to centering the cutter in the bushing. You are correct! Even though this last attempt of mine was not perfect it was within 90% of being acceptable. I noe believe I'm on the right track and eventually get it right! I'll let you know.
Thanks,
ED


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## jeepered (Nov 8, 2013)

Charley,
You are right on! After eliminating all of the possible mechanical error possibilities and being certain human error was not a factor (ego got in the way) I humbled myself and concentrated on me centering the cutter in the bushing. I got very close to "on center" this last time (within 90% acceptability). This is the best joint I've produced so far. I've tried all of your suggestions and I must confess now that the fault is mine. I'll let you know when when I get the joint to fit perfectly.
Thanks,
ED


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## jeepered (Nov 8, 2013)

Kevin,
Check the last few weeks of posts in this forum. You'll find many similar questions to the one you posted and many suggested referrals. Phew. this is a landmark-my first helpful response. Man, it feels good.
Thanks,
ED


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

jeepered said:


> Charley,
> You are right on! After eliminating all of the possible mechanical error possibilities and being certain human error was not a factor (ego got in the way) I humbled myself and concentrated on me centering the cutter in the bushing. I got very close to "on center" this last time (within 90% acceptability). This is the best joint I've produced so far. I've tried all of your suggestions and I must confess now that the fault is mine. I'll let you know when when I get the joint to fit perfectly.
> Thanks,
> ED


It takes a perfect alignment and then some practice before you will get good joints. If you ever watch someone demonstrating these at a trade show, the one thing that they never do is adjust the router depth setting or the bushing during the show. That's because it is so difficult to get the bushing exactly centered again. They do it way before the show starts and then just show you how easy it is to cut the perfect joints with the jig. Their many years of practice makes a big difference too. They make it look so easy that they sell a lot of jigs, but very few of the buyers ever get their jigs to produce the same quality of joints that the demonstrator does and most give up before figuring it out. It is possible, but you have to have the bushing and router bit perfectly centered with respect to each other. Now that you know this little secret I'm sure that you will be able to make great joints with just a little more practice.

Charley


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## jeepered (Nov 8, 2013)

You're absolutely right Duane! The more precisely the cutter is CENTERED in the bushing the better the fit will be. I've also come to learn that the more intricate the template design is, the more critical is the "absolute centered" factor ie., the _cat eye_ (easy) as opposed the _large dog bone_ (very difficult).
Thanks for your suggestions,
ED


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## jeepered (Nov 8, 2013)

Amen to that Charley,
Here is a copy of the reply I sent to Duane, "You're absolutely right Duane! The more precisely the cutter is CENTERED in the bushing the better the fit will be. I've also come to learn that the more intricate the template design is, the more critical is the "absolute centered" factor ie., the cat eye as opposed the large dog bone (very difficult)."
Thanks,
ED


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