HELP!!! With dovetail system

[Ron Taylor]

There are so many "systems" out there that it is frustrating trying to decide what to get. No store nearby with humans to talk to, so stuck ordering off the internet.

Some serious recommendations please.

I'd like to do accurate box joints and dovetails in all typical configurations. I already have good routers, so would like to go with a suitable add-on jig or system. Something that works.

Incra Ultra?? Omnijig?? Somebody help me....

[Ed Falis]

I got a WoodRat a few weeks ago, and I really like it. See http://www.woodrat.com, http://www.thecraftsmangallery.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv, http://www.woodshopdemos.com/wr-1.htm and http://benchmark.20m.com/tools/LittleRat/littleratindex.html

It does a lot more than dovetails.

Happy hunting,

- Ed

[Ed Falis]

Ron,

You're going to need to delete the commas off the ends of the first two links. Sorry about that.

- Ed

[Jim Becker]

Ron, if you want to do both through and half-blind dovetails with a single jig, there are three units to look at. (Not including the so-called "incremental" fence systems, like Incra) The Leigh D4, the Akeda (available from Woodcraft only) and the PC 24" OmniJig with the through-dovetail add-on are generally considered the short list, in my experience.

I own the Leigh and love it...'has the best manual in the business. But many folks are truly impressed with the Akeda for ease of use. The only real negatives about the latter is the narrower 16" capacity and the requirement that your dovetail pins and tails be measured in 1/8" increments. I have no real familiarity with the OmniJig, particularly for through dovetails, but I understand it's a quality jig.

Don't forget that each of these units require specific bits for certain size and style dovetails. For example, the Leigh comes with two cutters that are appropriate for through dovetails, but are not appropriate for most half-blind dovetails you might make--particularly for drawer stock.

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Ron, everyone has their opinion as to which jig may be the best or greatest.
I bought a Katie Jig to use on my router table, since I don't have a "work bench" to work on. I use the table saw, the saw horses covered with plywood, the old table on the patio, the picnic table.
So you see we all have limitations.
All the advise above is excellent advise. How much money do you want to spend?
I didn't want to spend $400 to $500 for a dovetail jig, hence my limitations. But then again, I can't make half blind dovetails with the Katie Jig. But I can "fake" them.

[Jim Young]

I have a Leigh. My second dovetail looked great, so to me that made the learning curve pretty short. The manual is great. I don't have experience with any other jig so I can't tell you it's the best or worst, but it does work for me. My decision to buy the Leigh was based on the ability to adjust the spacing along with making half and through dovetails..

[Joe Tonich]

I have the Leigh D-4 and like it also. Very easy to learn (at least thru dovetails, haven't tried the others yet :( ) and just found out last night if you need to make 1/4" finger joints, you can do it W/the D-4 and 3 shims. It's on their website and you can download the instructions.

Joe

[Howard Ruttan]

I am a hand cut dovetail zealot. A few months back Kevan Lear, the president of Akeda Jigs, sent me an Akeda DC-16 to test. I have to say I was very impressed. I wrote a review of it if you are interested. You can find it at the URL below.

http://www.inthewoodshop.org/reviews/akeda.shtml

[Dave Avery]

Ron, I also have the Akeda and like it very well.


Howard - Great review!

[Howard Ruttan]

Originally posted by Dave Avery
Howard - Great review!

Thanks Dave. Normally I'm not a router jig person, but I had a lot of fun doing that review for the folks at Akeda, and I really love their jig.

[Chris Knight]

Ron,

You say you want to do box joints and dovetails in all typical configurations but that isn't really enough to advise the optimum for your needs, an important consideration is the size of the things you want to make.

I have a Leigh D4 Jig, a Woodrat and an Incra and they are all best at something, with the Woodrat being the best all-rounder by far.

I use the Leigh for big pieces - usually half blind dovetails in cabinet "boxes". I use the Woodrat for through and half-blind dovetails in drawers where one can use the very slim special bits to produce stuff that really looks hand-cut (it can use ANY dovetail bits) and for box joints in medium to large pieces and I use the Incra for small box joints.

With the benefit of hindsight, if I had to go for one machine it would be the Woodrat but I would also want the Incra positioning system (Ultra 16) for precise repeatable dadoes etc on the router table.

[jack duren]

as far as the woodrat is concerned what is the speed of the woodrat? i have both the leigh and omnijig. have looked ino the woodrat but cant find answers as far as speed. is it a slow jig or a fast jig? ....jack

[Ron Taylor]

I decided on the Woodrat because as was said, it seemed like the all-around best buy.

For a single set of joints, it is probably not as fast as some of the "one set, many cuts" systems like the Omni, but the ability to gang several peices and cut all of the joints at one time is extremely interesting to me.

The WoodRat seems to be the single most versatile system in that it can do things like raised panels and mortise and tenon with repeatability and accuracy.

This afternoon, I intend to order the Woodrat, the three basic bit sets, the plunge handle, the honing pads, and the video. If memory serves, the total is approximately $900. I'll be ordering the DeWalt DW625 from Amazon to go with the 'rat.

I've posted another thread about the other decisions I've made about tools'n stuff.