Keller Dovetail Jig

[Steven Bolton]

From posts I have read in this forum, the Keller dovetail jig seems like it has a lot going for it in terns of being user friendly.

My question is whether it is hard to change the number of pins and tails in order to make it look less machine made.

Can you easily skip every other pin or tail peice and get a look that looks less machine like?

I don't want to buy a Keller and then hand chisel the joints out. I would only want to do this if it can be done using the jig and if it was not real difficult.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts, especially from Keller owners.

Steve Bolton

[Maurice Ungaro]

You need to ask Robert Strasser. See his thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=49554

[Steven Bolton]

Well, I hope Robert is out there and will speak up. He did a great job with that modification.

I have noticed there are quite a few Keller owners on this forum. I hope some will have answers.

Thanks

Steve Bolton

[Jerry Olexa]

The Keller jig is VERY simple to use and easy & quick to set up. Have not done it yet but also easy to skip a section to give it a handcrafted look. For me for through DTs, I'm very happy with mine. The leigh would be even better but at a bigger $ investment and more adjustments.

[Robert Meyer]

You can skip any of the pins - tails you like and I have. My results came out well on a 30" tall cabinet for under my bench - but still didn't look like handcut dovetails. I have rebuilt a bunch of old furniture during the past few years and find most handcut dovetails unattractive. Lots of then have tiny narrow pins which I find ugly. I'm probably too anal - but I "like" orderly, consistently spaced dovetails. My Keller is great and the support from Mr. Keller has been outstanding.

[Steven Bolton]

well, I am sure there are no comparisons with hand cut dovetails. But in being on this forum for over a year now, I have noticed that people like to post things about their dovetail jig and there is a very common thread: The Keller is simple to operate. To me, that would be important.

I have seen the new PC Omnijig in person and it is quite a machine. But it appears to me that it would take quite a bit of time to get used to it.

My 2 cents.

Steve Bolton

[Jim Becker]

Keller does have a reputation for ease of use. Do remember it's only for through dovetails, however. No half-blinds. Not a problem, even for drawers as long as those drawers will use a false front or you like exposed dovetails on the face of the drawers. For carcass construction, many folks use through dovetails.

Personally, I use a Leigh D4. I find it simple to use because it has the most incredible manual on the planet from a tool perspective.

[Steven Bolton]

I really don't care about cutting "real" half blind dovetails. I would glue on a front. Charles Neil does that and that would be good enough for me.

I think the Leigh is king. On there website you can download the entire manual. That manual is the best one I have ever seen. It really is the benchmark that all manuals should look at.

I have a friend who has a Leigh and he does very nice work with dovetails.

Thanks

Steve Bolton

[Maurice Ungaro]

Well, you can always get a Keller and a Leigh and find out for yourself. Im sure which ever one you don't want will sell quickly in the SMC Classified section.

[Steven Bolton]

That would be interesting but I couldn't pay for my kid's college for a month.

SB

[Maurice Ungaro]

Decisions, decisions. I made it easier on myself - I prefer not to have kids!

[John Keeton]

Decisions, decisions. I made it easier on myself - I prefer not to have kids!
Maurice, only trouble with that preference is that it pretty much precludes you from having grandkids - one of God's greatest blessings. Now, if one could have grandkids first.........hmmmmm!

[Maurice Ungaro]

now, if one could have grandkids first.........hmmmmm!

there"s the rub!

[Jim Kountz]

Personally, I use a Leigh D4. I find it simple to use because it has the most incredible manual on the planet from a tool perspective.

Amen to that Jim!! The best Ive ever seen too.

[Al Navas]

The Leigh D4's manual is THE best manual, bar none, for any machine. And after a while the procedures are second nature. I believe the steepness of the learning curve might be greatly exaggerated.


.

[Steven Bolton]

Their website is also great (Leigh's). I assume that support would also be great.

They seem like leaders. I noticed that the Akeda is made in the same region of Canada. I wonder if this is a split offf?

Steve Bolton

[Sean Rainaldi]

Just curious, has anyone used both the Woodline Route-R-Joint and the Keller and compared them? How do they compare as far as joint quality and squareness is concerned?

[Michael Gibbons]

Steven, you could alter the spacing for a more hand made look although the spacing between the tails is at the mercy of the diameter of the router bit that you use. It would be impossible to get the super narrow gap of a saw blade on the pins because the bit would most likely break when you turn on the router.

[Steven Bolton]

I agree with your statement about it being impossible to capture the look of hand cut. The Wood Rat seems to be the only one that can come close.

However, I like the fact that the Keller is a 7 degree bit (or at least I think it is). I think the longer narrow dovetails look the best, but that is just me.

I just thought if you could skip every other pin, it might look nice (some of the time). I don't know if having a fixed template is that bad or not.

I think the KISS principle would indicate that a Keller is worth trying after I get my finances under control. Two college kids. Unreal. Some days I could have bought the entire Porter Cable Omnijig with all accessories.

Thanks for the info.

Steve Bolton

[Jeff Mohr]

I love the Keller jig. Back when I was a big newbie to woodworking my father in law let me use his. Wow....it was EASY and made really nice dovetails. Yeah..they are only through dovetails but they are nice. I've had much more experience since then and my FIL upgraded me to an INCRA on Christmas (GREAT GUY, eh?) but I still find myself reaching for the Keller plates when I want a simple dovetail.