Keller Journeyman dovetail jig

[Rick Potter]

Does anyone use one of these, it's the one with teeth on both sides....mount it on a backer board, and use it on a router table. Kind of like the Katie Jig, except it uses bits with bearings rather than bushings. I can find plenty of info on Katie, MLCS, and Leigh, but very little on the Keller version.

I am up to the point of making drawers for my kitchen. This looks simple enough for even me.

Rick Potterr

[Rob Holcomb]

Rick, I have the Keller Journeyman series 1500 and love it. I've used all sorts of other dovetail jigs from cheap to expensive and never could get a good joint without a lot of set up, adjusting and frustration. A friend of mine and fellow woodworker would bust my chops and say "should have bought a keller" I finally broke down 3 years ago and bought one. I opted for the 1500 series because it was inexpensive and I already had quite a bit of money tied up in dovetail jigs. The initial set up took about 30 minutes and I made my first dovetails with it. I have used it on my router table and with a stand alone router. Either way, I get a Perfect fit every time! I sold my other jigs and never looked back. The Keller jigs are a great choice. You won't be sorry.

[Rick Potter]

Thanks, Rob,

I seem to be in the same boat. I have tried other jigs, and was not happy with the outcome. Something dead simple is what I apparantly need.

Rick Potter

PS: Amazon has them for about $130 now.

[Jamie Buxton]

I've been using the Keller for several decades. The great thing about it is that it is as complicated as a rock. I can pull it off the shelf, not having used it for many months, and go right to work. No DVDs, no 300-page user manual. That's good.

The trade-off is that it only does the one thing it is designed to do: through dovetails. If you need half-blind, Keller isn't the answer. Well, at least not directly. I almost always build drawers with an applied front. There's a full drawer box -- including sides, front, and back -- and a show front attached to the front of the drawer box. Through dovetails work well in this style of drawer-making.

[Richard Coers]

Best fixture ever!!!!!! Set the fixture and forget it. No dedicated routers needed. Bit height is set to how thick the material is, never changes the fit of the joint like other half blind fixtures. If you want half blind, use a thinner front, make the joints, glue it up, then add a thick face veneer. I usually make the veneer at least 3/16 thick. I cut that oversize and clamp it to the drawer face. Then run a flush trim router bit around the drawer face, and no one knows the difference. Works like a dream on the router table.

[Phil Thien]

I don't use mine a ton, but agree w/ the other posters. I can ignore it for months, then get it out and make fantastic boxes in minutes.

I use mine on the router table.

[Don Morris]

Ditto to the above.

[Rick Potter]

Thanks guys, I am gonna order it.
Just needed a little nudge.

Rick Potter