$500 to burn - thinking Leigh dr jig

[Dan Karachio]

I have some gift funds and I have almost everything I need, but am thinking a good dt and box joint jig would be used and useful. Maybe the 18" model? Can anyone offer their experience or opnion?

P.S. Don't tell the neander guys about this.

[David Weaver]

Busted...

With $500 and not many tools, I'd buy wood or stash it away for the inevitable needed carving tools for future projects.

[Dan Karachio]

Alas, I have plenty of wood and plenty of tools (for now) - the DT jig is about the only thing that gets me excited to spend the $. Are there people with the 18" who can chime in on their experience? Thanks.

[Kevin Womer]

Sorry guys can't help with jigs, just learned to cut mine by hand, a class at Kelly Mehler's school helped a lot (and I read a lot of articles too) and I know I have saved a lot of money instead of buying a jig. Most importantly I enjoy it, handcut dovetails that is-unless you are going to be making production type cabinetry, the same sizes over and over again, this option could save you some money.

[Sylvain Deschamps]

Dan, I bought the Leigh jig two years ago, used on four projects , not as mush as I was hoping for, but with the minimum experience i have in dovetail jigs, I believe it to be one of the most precise and accurate tools in my shop. It is very well made, has pleanty of add ons if your willing to pay the price, but most of all the manual is very well made and understandable. To me it is what I read about on the internet. Once you get the adjustments to perfection, which is easyly done, repetition of the cuts are perfect and quick every time. To me that is worth the extra price.

[Dan Karachio]

Thanks Sylvain! Can I ask what size jig you bought? 12" seems a no brainer to avoid, but if you get the 18" why not go all the way for 24"?

To the others, I appreciate the advice on hand cut and I will continue to pursue this, but I have many years for this and in the short term not enough patience or willingness to ruin a project with my sloppiness.

[Tom Matthews]

I bought a D4R Pro this spring, made a couple test boxes, then a set of drawers for a dresser, and a small box out of cherry for another project. I haven't used it much since, but my time in the woodshop has been pretty scarce since the weather is good and I'm working outside. Once you learn how to use the jig, you'll be able to crank out boxes very quickly. The drawers I made (the third project with the jig) were perfect and I was very happy.

I was considering an 18" SuperJig but ended up going with the D4R Pro for a couple of reasons. The D4R's side stops are machine aluminum and part of the main jig body, so they're super sturdy and not going anywhere unless you break one off somehow. I'm sure they're fine, but I was afraid the plastic side-stops wouldn't be as good in the long term. When they added the ability to do single pass dovetails to the D4R, it made the decision easy (that was the main reason I was considering the SuperJig). I know there are some blanket chests in my future, so the 24" size will eventually be nice to have.

You'll hear this from other people too I'm sure, but get the VRS. It is a must-have accessory and really keeps the mess down. Plus it's nice to "park" the router off to the side while you're swapping boards in and out.

Once I picked up my router out of the VRS and put it down in front my workpiece and routed out the board - looked down and I was covered in chips because the router throws them right back at you. I was instantly glad I purchased the VRS.

[Sylvain Deschamps]

I went with the 18'' Superjig. Didn't have the need for 24'' at the time and I guess money was a factur also. So far I haven't done a projet that requires 24'', mainly drawers, and a number of boxes. One other important point to consider is the web site, it has alot of info and great explanations about techniques and practice projets to get you started with your new jig. I don't work for them, I just believe in paying for quality and I don't like wasting time.

[David Christopher]

Dan, I have a leigh super 18" that I have used once... PM me

[Ben Martin]

Invest it!


(Haha, sorry, I had to...)

[Mark Woodmark]

I have owned a 24 inch Leigh and I currently have a 24" Porter Cable and a 24 inch Akeda. I sold the Leigh as it was too time consuming to set up and I wasnt happy with the results. The PC is easier to set up than the Leigh and the results are slightly better than the Leigh. The Akeda is fairly new, but from my limited experience, it is the easiest of the three to set up and the results are the best of the three. I would buy it again mostly because of its easy set up

http://www.akeda.com/

[Ryan Hellmer]

I'm with Mark, the AKEDA (while I only have the 16") is awesome. Let the hand-cut guys keep cutting there joints by hand. I don't think that you would be one penny ahead in that route (by the time you go to the class, read the articles, get yourself a few nice saws, chisels, etc.). I do know that I can make reasonalbe looking dovetails in a wide variety of sizes and configurations with my AKEADA that are just as strong and, IMHO more accurate than what I could do by hand. The other cool advantages of the AKEDA are almost perfect dust collection, great router base support and perfect repeatability. Try that on the LEIGH or OMNI and you will find out. Sure there are a few things that the LEIGH can do that the AKEDA can't but vice versa is true as well. LEIGH makes a great product (I have the FMT and LOVE LOVE LOVE it) but the AKEDA is a better DT jig with a super learning curve and great results.

My only additional advice on the AKEDA, get all the accessories at once, I think you'll use them (as I have) and it's nice to have them around when you want them.

[Chris Harry]

No pressure, but if you are thinking about going Akeda, I have a DC16 for sale. Feel free to PM me.

-Chris

[Nathan Allen]

A no brainer Box/DT Jig is the ticket. You won't use it every day, but when you need it you can blast through the cuts in no time at all.

I have an unconverted D1258-24 that I picked up very cheap off of Craigslist, at the price it's invaluable, at the retail price... Try to hold out for a good used version from Leigh, Delta or Akeda.

[Jerome Hanby]

My only additional advice on the AKEDA, get all the accessories at once, I think you'll use them (as I have) and it's nice to have them around when you want them.

Is there a package available that includes the whole shooting match?

[Dan Karachio]

Invest it!


(Haha, sorry, I had to...)

Ben, this is exactly my dilemma. I swear, if I don't buy a tool, it is going into a fund. However, I am going to check into the Akeda a bit more here. They now have a 24" model.

[Chris Harry]

Is there a package available that includes the whole shooting match?

The "C" kit has most everything. There are other small accessories that are available only separately (and indexing accessory that allows you to use spacings other than multiples of 1/8", extra bushings, etc)

[Chris Harry]

Ben, this is exactly my dilemma. I swear, if I don't buy a tool, it is going into a fund. However, I am going to check into the Akeda a bit more here. They now have a 24" model.

Im waiting on the 24" model too, the problem is the only place to get it in the US is backordered indefinitely. I emailed Akeda today and they said they couldnt give an ETA as to when the 24" model would be available again.

[Mark Woodmark]

I'm with Mark, the AKEDA (while I only have the 16") is awesome. Let the hand-cut guys keep cutting there joints by hand. I don't think that you would be one penny ahead in that route (by the time you go to the class, read the articles, get yourself a few nice saws, chisels, etc.). I do know that I can make reasonalbe looking dovetails in a wide variety of sizes and configurations with my AKEADA that are just as strong and, IMHO more accurate than what I could do by hand. The other cool advantages of the AKEDA are almost perfect dust collection, great router base support and perfect repeatability. Try that on the LEIGH or OMNI and you will find out. Sure there are a few things that the LEIGH can do that the AKEDA can't but vice versa is true as well. LEIGH makes a great product (I have the FMT and LOVE LOVE LOVE it) but the AKEDA is a better DT jig with a super learning curve and great results.



My only additional advice on the AKEDA, get all the accessories at once, I think you'll use them (as I have) and it's nice to have them around when you want them.

+1 on everything Ryan has said. Also get a dovetail jig that will do through and sliding dovetails as well as box joints. I had a half blind jig for a while and outgrew it quickly. If all you plan to do is drawers the half blind will probably work for you, but if you want to add visual joints to your project, get a jig that will do all that is listed above

[Will Blick]

I think everyone struggles with the size issue.....

If its just drawers, 12" is more than sufficient. Easier to store, lower cost accessories, etc. There is other options if you want to occasinaly go bigger, like the Chess Mate (?).... assuming you don't want every possible joint option. But if I ever wanted to do a large dovetail, I wouldn't hesitate buying this jig....

http://www.chestmatedovetailjig.com/


I went with the 18" Leigh Super, but never needed more than 12" so far... and I will give kudos to their accessory box joint jig...superb. Leigh jigs have brilliant designs, but the entire process is little bit non intuitive, but the instructions are about the best I have seen for ww tools. The Akeda from what I can tell is the simplest to use, so if you don't like learning curves, that might be the jig for you. My only problem with the Akeda was the fixed 1/8" spacing.... not always a deal breaker, but sometimes its a nuissance. However, it has a huge advantage too, repeatability....

The PC top of the line is quite big, but they seemed to spare nothing when building it... settle on a size first...that $500 will go real fast, once you start getting bits and accessories for the jig, such as templates, dust collection, etc....

[Dean Karavite]

I struggle with this myself. I live within a few miles of the Philadelphia Furniture Workshop and am embarrassed to say I have yet to check out any of their classes. I will soon! They have a two day dovetail class and that looks like the ticket, but the cost is almost as much as a jig. They also have a class on using dovetail jigs which also costs almost as much as a jig. I think Akeda has the edge here since the others are complex to the point where you might need a class. So, if you really want to spend some money, you could do all three!

[Paul Canaris]

My issue with my Leigh is that unless you use it often (I can go a year between uses) it is like learning it for the firt stime. And it is not just a pick it up and use it tool. If I had to do so again i might go with something simpler. However, i am not sure there is anything on the market that is as versatile.

[Will Blick]

Paul, fully agreed.... like everything else, with added versatility, often comes added complexity. I think this was the basis of the Akeda design... less to think about.

After doing dovetails with the Leigh Super 18, and considering how few drawers I build, if I had to do it over again, I would have NOT bought any dovetail jigs :-) Instead, I would sub-out the few drawer boxes I need dovetailed. There is many vendors who specialize in drawer boxes, prices are incredibly cheap... even Rockler will make em for you. Since the bigger vendors buy wood in such volume, and have all CNC equipment to knock out the dovetails, sometimes the cost of the finished drawer is near the price of my wood cost. But since I have it, I will keep it for those occassional uses... to me, it was one of those, live n learn experiences...

But for others, the joy is in the "accomplishment" aspect of the joinery, I get it.... everyone has a different approach to ww, as we all put different emphasis on different components. Factors are many, such as, shop time, budget, space, number of drawer projects / yr, desire to take on new skill sets, etc.