Trouble with Leigh D4

[Ryan Welch]

I have always cut dovetails by hand but, I was able to acquire a D4 for a real good price and picked it up. I am making a couple chest of drawers and could use the speed of this jig to make the drawers. Anyways, to my question, my joints are loose and I am interested in a way to tighten them up. I have already lowered the bit so far that it is beyond its cutting capacity. After about 10 failed attempts I am getting frustrated and could use any insight you would have to correct this issue.

[Jim McFarland]

If through dovetails, router bit depth should be level with a scribe or pencil line at thickness of the stock. You can adjust the fit by moving the finger assembly out (tighter) or in (looser) in TD Pins mode. The manual is great in my opinion and there is an online version here:

http://www.leighjigs.com/support.php#r23

[Ryan Welch]

[QUOTE=Jim McFarland;1364882]If through dovetails, router bit depth should be level with a scribe or pencil line at thickness of the stock. You can adjust the fit by moving the finger assembly out (tighter) or in (looser) in TD Pins mode. The manual is great in my opinion and there is an online version here:

http://www.leighjigs.com/support.php#r23[/QUOTE

sorry, forgot to mention that I am making half-blind dovetails. I do have the manual and it is excellent but, cant locate a resolution to adjust the fit other than lowering the bit.

[Jim McFarland]

Not sure I can help if you're following the manual. Leigh's customer service is good so emailing/calling them would likely get you can answer.

For reference, which dovetail bit are you using? I use the 112-8 for 1X (3/4" thick) stock for HB dovetails and no problems. You do have to use one of the purpose-designed bits for HBs (1/2" cutting width). The #101 bit should also work for 3/4" pin board where I don't think #80 will work since depth of cut is 19mm or ~3/4" (too deep).

[Tom Hintz]

Something to check is how well centered the guide bushing is on the bit. I had some trouble with a new router getting my dovetails to fit on my Leigh and eventually found that the baseplate was made offset a little. I replaced that with an adjustable baseplate, centered that and my dovetails instantly got way better in terms of fit.

A buddy of mine also "ran out of adjustment" with his bit and we eventually found that he was just installing it too deeply to start with. He actually was seating the bit in the router so we just raised it a little off the bottom and that gave him plenty of reach to adjust his half-blinds in as he wanted them.