Dado Jigs - DadoMax / DadoWiz / Infinity Precision Dado Jig

[George Bokros]

Has anyone used one? What do you think of it, is it worth the $0 - $100 they cost? Would you buy it again?

I am thinking of getting the Infinity Tool Precision Dado Jig. It looks the best to me and received a good write up in a recent issue of Woodsmith.

Thanks all


George

[glenn bradley]

Most jigs have benefits as well as limitations. I use a shop made "Auto-adjust" jig that took about an hour to make several years ago. The limit on the shop made jig, as with other guided jigs like the ones you mention, is the length. The AUto-adjust is here (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?46406-Auto-Adjust-Router-Dado-Jig-Pics). It has been slightly modified to accept a different router and standard PC template guides but is basically as you see it in the thread. Others here have made similar ones. You might give it a try out of some scrap before you spend your money. If it doesn't meet your needs, you can always order a diferent one later.

[Don Dorn]

I bought an Accu-guide years ago which does a fantastic job, but they apparantly went out of business and you can't get them anymore. If I didn't have it, I'd make the home-made version which others have said works well too. Even though I'm a handtool guy, I can't pass using this jig as it's so nice to have perfectly fitting dado's for anything you want to put in.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why people buy those undersize bits for plywood when the type of jig you speak of gets them a custom fit no matter what the width.

[David Hawxhurst]

depend on where the dado needs to be i use micro fence edge guide (also have the adapter for the ez smartrail) or router table. this pretty much cover my needs when it comes to make dados.

[Gene Howe]

Most jigs have benefits as well as limitations. I use a shop made "Auto-adjust" jig that took about an hour to make several years ago. The limit on the shop made jig, as with other guided jigs like the ones you mention, is the length. The AUto-adjust is here (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?46406-Auto-Adjust-Router-Dado-Jig-Pics). It has been slightly modified to accept a different router and standard PC template guides but is basically as you see it in the thread. Others here have made similar ones. You might give it a try out of some scrap before you spend your money. If it doesn't meet your needs, you can always order a diferent one later.

Excellent jig Glenn. Your post back in '09 saved me about $300 and the jig works like a dream.

[Matt Winterowd]

Sadly, I fell for the lure of the DadoMax. I think if you combined the ball bearing guides of the Infinity jig with the auto-sizing slot of the DadoMax, you'd really have something, but as they are, you're much better off building a jig like Glenn's. The DadoMax is a complete PITA because it binds and wobbles on the guide. The Infinity has to be adjusted between passes to make a properly fitting plywood joint. Build one in about an hour and be much happier.

[George Bokros]

Okay, you guys have me sold. Couple of questions:

It appears that you don't use a guide bushing in the router sub base, is that correct? I don't see where in the set up you allow for that.

To cut the slots in the pieces to allow the movable fence to move what is the best way? I am somewhat of a newbie so I am thinking to use a straight cutting bit in the router table and plunge it in then feed to where you want the end of the slot, that make sense.

Thanks.

George

[Matt Winterowd]

There are three options (at least). You can run the router base against the rails, use a guide bushing, or use a top bearing pattern bit (in which case, you don't need the separate top and bottom rails. Each will work fine, and in the first two cases you will basically be dedicating the jig to a particular size bit since the distance from guide rail to the bit or bushing is set by your first cut. The guide bushing doesn't allow for a direct fit to the intersecting piece, but if you cut into the cross rail, you will have an index of where your dado will start. With the pattern bit, you can work with any bit size, but there really aren't any suitable bits below 1/2" that I've found, so if you want to do dadoes for 1/2" plywood, you're back to one of the other options. At the end of the day, I think that I prefer using the router base, as it's easy to build, fits directly to the stock, and you can work smaller grooves. You'll probably just want to build two versions. One for, say, a 3/8" bit, and one for a 5/8" bit. That way you can do everything from 3/8" up to 1 1/4" dadoes without having to move or readjust the jigs.

You're method for cutting the slots is exactly right. It's even easier if you drill the start and stop points out first so that you don't actually have to plunge through the material, can use the workpiece to set the fence distance, and can start and stop freehand.