Dovetail and Box Joint jig recomendations?

[dirk martin]

I've just started looking for a jig to make dovetails, box joints, or both.
I like the looks of both of these joints, tho I do see there are some pretty fancy dovetail joints out there....I think they call them isoloc joints?

I've run into the Leigh D4R, and their model 1600 which I guess in discontinued.

Seems like the dovetail jigs produce a joint faster than the box joint jigs....and it seems their easier to get dead-on, but I only say that from watching a handful of youtube video's on some of them.

Can some of you give me some recommendations of a good setup?
Here's my criteria....



I want to use my router, not my table saw.
I'd like to stay under $400
Isoloc joints are nice, but not a must have.
Needs to be simple to use. I don't mind taking my time in assembling the thing and setting it up, but my female half will be using it a lot, and she doesn't have much patience.

[Charles Lent]

With a Leigh D4R you will be able to make great dovetails. With one of their Isoloc templates and the D4R you will be able to make great Isoloc joints. With their D4R and their F2 template you will be able to make great box joints, but significant setup time is required for each. I have a D4R and an F2 template for it, but now rarely use the F2 template for making box joints because I now also have an I-Box jig.

When I just want to make box joints quickly with a minimum of set up I use the Incra I-Box jig. I make most of my box joints on the table saw, but the I-Box will also work very well on a router table if you have a standard 3/4 X 3/8" miter slot in your table. The advantage to the I-Box jig is that it usually only takes one test cut to verify that the joint is correct before you can begin using it and it can easily and quickly be adjusted for different size box joints just by turning a knob, again with only one test cut after the adjustment to be certain that it is set right. A second knob allows adjusting for joint tightness, but this almost never needs to be changed after you have made your first box joint. There is a piece of 1/4" MDF in the jig that works as a backer board to prevent chip-out. It can be re-positioned and used many times before it needs replacing. You can easily make replacements for these strips from a piece of 1/4" MDF using a table saw and a drill press. I buy the MDF from Home Depot in 2' X 4' sheets and get about 20 of the I-Box sacrificial strips out of just one of these sheets. The I-Box jig won't make dovetail joints, but it's sure cheaper and easier to use if you are only making box joints.

Charley

[dirk martin]

I like what I see with the IBox, Charley. And the ease of use that you report, is a big plus.

I'm seeing the iBox for $154 on Amazon, and the Leigh Super 12 Dovetail jig for $269.
I like that the Leigh jig is expandable....I can add templates, as I get the money. But again, it sounds like the iBox is super simple in comparison.

[Michael Kaplan]

Check out Akeda dovetail jig. I've used one for 5+ years now. Easier to set up and use than Leigh jigs with the trade off that there is slightly less freedom for pin size.