Dovetail jig reccomendations

[Sean Rainaldi]

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a good quality – precision dovetail/box joint combo jig for a router table?


Thanks

[Dewey Torres]

That would be the INCRA LS super system:

http://www.incra.com/product_rtf_lspsuper.htm

Watch the video and see for yourself

[tom martin]

Hi Sean,
When ms cashback was at 30% off I couldn't resist the 16 inch porter cable jig. I have only used it a few times, but it worked great. It is extremely well made and fast and easy to set up. I think the 24 inch jig comes with the box joint template and the variable spacing jig, if it doesn't, it is available as an option.
Tom

[Sean Rainaldi]

Hi Sean,
When ms cashback was at 30% off I couldn't resist the 16 inch porter cable jig. I have only used it a few times, but it worked great. It is extremely well made and fast and easy to set up. I think the 24 inch jig comes with the box joint template and the variable spacing jig, if it doesn't, it is available as an option.
Tom

Porter Cable has a dovetail jig for a router table? I thought they just made one for a hand held router.

[Robert Parrish]

No I think Tom is talking about the PC Omnijigs. I highly recommend the Incra jig for the router table.

[Dewey Torres]

Robert is right.

The competetor is the JOINTECH

http://www.jointech.com/complete_router_workstations.htm

[Joe Scharle]

Look at Stots too.

[Dewey Torres]

Joe,
That STOTS jig doesn't appear to be for a router table. Did I miss something.:confused:

[David Beeler]

I like my Incra Ultra.

[bob cohen]

I own the incra table system and the leigh jig. Once i got the leigh jig, I never again used the incra for dovetails. The leigh is much more versatile, although dust collection is not so good. I have a jointech miter gauge and like it better than the incra router fence, if that helps any. If you do decide to look into non-table options (and do not care about the ability to make variably spaced dovetails (which the leigh excels at), then there are many systems to look at, including the katie jog which is extremely easy to use.

[frank shic]

you can use the stots to build a router for a table mounted router or for handheld router. cutting them by hand is a lot more convenient if it's only a few drawers though.

[Matt Benton]

This one might work:

http://gifkins.com.au/

[John Keeton]

You may want to check this one that Brian Effinger has in the classified section http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=100812 since it has been recommended by some.

I have no connection and don't know anything about the product. Just happened to notice the availability at the same time as this thread.

[Sean Rainaldi]

I own the incra table system and the leigh jig. Once i got the leigh jig, I never again used the incra for dovetails. The leigh is much more versatile, although dust collection is not so good. I have a jointech miter gauge and like it better than the incra router fence, if that helps any. If you do decide to look into non-table options (and do not care about the ability to make variably spaced dovetails (which the leigh excels at), then there are many systems to look at, including the katie jog which is extremely easy to use.

Actually I was fixed on a table system but now after doing a little research the past few days I really like that Leigh D4R jig. It's a bit steep for me now, but I may decide to bite the bullet.

A quick question for anyone knowledgeable of the D4R and the FMT Mortise and Tenon jig - comparing the D4R combined with the optional M2 and the FMT, are there any major differences in the kinds of Mortise and Tenon joihnts I can do between the FMT and the D4R?

Also, are you saying that I can not do variable spaced dovetails on the Incra LS Super System?

[Archie Sullivan]

http://www.kellerdovetail.com/

[Gene Howe]

MLCS has an inexpensive one, a sort of Keller knock off, that can be used with a table mounted router.

[Jim Eller]

Sean,

I just reread your post and realized the jig you wanted was for router table.

I deleted my post.

Jim

Well............. I read it again and see you have changed your mind so here is what I said.

Here is my experience from a previous thread. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=98823

Here are my two cents worth.

I purchased a PC 4212 from Woodcraft and after six month of frustration I sold it. I realize many have had great results with this jig but I just couldn't get it to work for me. I'm sure much of it was operator error.

I then went back into two months of the research mode and decided it was going to be a Leigh or an Akeda. I watched live demo's on the Leigh and video's of the Akeda and Leigh. They were both close in my mind but, for me there was still too much room for operator error with the Leigh so I choose the Akeda. I used the KISS theory.

Dovetails are some thing I would not be doing every day and I didn't want a steep learning curve everything I got it back out. It's so easy, "Even a caveman could do it".

The Akeda has done everything I expected of it. My first through dovetails were cut within an hour after I opened the box. And....they were perfect. Tight with no gaps. That one hour includes milling the material and reading the manual.

I have since many, many boxes, Marc Spagnoulo's clocks and other project and have not have to waste a single piece of material. Sounds like a fairy tale but it true.

I'm sure it's not the jig for everyone but it works wonderful for me. The only real drawback was the price, but I got over that with my first dovetail.

I use blue tape on the back side of the material and have only had one minor tearout. I have used hard and soft maple, black walnut, oak and purpleheart.

If you want to see a couple of pics, e-mail me. I don't know how to get them up here. I'm too old to learn too many new things at once.

Here are some of the reviews that sold me, especially the one here http://www.akeda.com/reviews.web.html (http://www.akeda.com/reviews.web.html) by a guy named Charlie B. He writes on a number of forums and is a guy who says what he thinks. Some others are: http://www.woodshopdemos.com/aked-1.htm (http://www.woodshopdemos.com/aked-1.htm), http://www.inthewoodshop.org/reviews/akeda.shtml#b (http://www.inthewoodshop.org/reviews/akeda.shtml#b)

Some of the reviews are for the 16" version. I have the 24" version. I bought it because I can set it up for pins at one end and tails at the other if the material is less than 12" wide. I use two routers.

Oh.........and did I mention dust/chip collection. Virtually nothing on the floor or in the air.

I also called Akeda in Canada at 877 387 6544. The guy that invented the thing, Kevan, answered the phone and spend all the time I wanted with no sales pressure. I purchased mine from http://www.thejigstore.com/index.php (http://www.thejigstore.com/index.php). Nice folks also.

Good luck in you search.

Jim in TN

[Thomas Pender]

It is my favorite dovetail jig and there are a few others gathering dust in my shop. I think it makes really pretty patterns and have said so before.

[Casey Gooding]

Best one ever made: A pencil, a chisel and a dovetail saw.
Wait.....did I stray from Neander world again??? :)

[Sean Rainaldi]

OK I’m completely confused on the Leigh D4R jig regarding the width of the tails I must be stupid today. I spoke with their very helpful tech support guy but apparently I am not understanding this, maybe he did not know what I was asking.

I am trying to find out, what is the narrowest tail (at the wide end of the tail or the pin) I can cut with this jig – for half blind dovetail joints? I’m talking about the actual width of the tail itself at the widest end, not the distance between each pin and or tail. Can anyone answer and/or explain why ¾ inches is the narrowest? He told me on the phone that the narrowest pin and tail (on the wide end) that can be cut with this jig is ¾”.

I’m confused because with my Woodline Route-R-Jig, I can cut 17/32 inch wide half blind dovetail pins and tails with a ½” D14-51X8 Whiteside bit - ½” cutting diameter, and don’t understand why Leigh jigs can’t go down to ½ inch wide (or less) half blind pins, and I would be embarrassed to call him a THIRD time to ask him to explain it to me again.

A 3/4" tail seems awfully wide to me...

Thanks for any input.

[Joe Scharle]

Joe,
That STOTS jig doesn't appear to be for a router table. Did I miss something.:confused:


http://www.stots.com/cutdov.htm

shows RT use

Joe

[Joe Scharle]

Sean. if you want to cut really fine and random DTs then look at the Woodrat or newer Router Boss. Here's some bits I use.

http://www.thecraftsmangallery.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=W/CTGY/IC

Joe

[Sean Rainaldi]

Does anyone make a precision router table version of a dovetail/box joint jig that ALSO provides the kind of versatility that the Leigh or Akeda jigs have? Excluding the Incra (which I think Incra is great I have their TS fence and have researched it - want to look at all potions)?

Like a Leigh jig for a router table?

Or is there no such animal (yet)?