Dove tails with Incra's router fence.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

Anyone have one and used it for dove tails before? The guy in the video had it look sooooooooooooo easy!!
https://youtu.be/2R8_qa90CQ0?list=PLD84A1B7A30099264

[Prashun Patel]

I have, yes.

It's easy once it's set up. It really IS as advertised.

There are a couple of less-than-perfect things, though: The right angle guide rides on nylon screws. You have to have them tight enough to hold, but loose enough to slide. It works, but it's not as solid as the other components.

There is a some set up involved. Each step is straightforward, but there are a lot of steps. The trickiest thing is getting the pins and tails to be too loose or too tight. But they have a nifty method for figuring out the exact amount of the correction, so you can dial it in perfectly without having to use trial and error.

The spacing of the pins and tails is determined by a measuring tape that you slide into the carriage. It's confusing because there are slots for a couple tapes, so you have to remember which one you are looking at.

It goes quickly once set up, because (this is the genius part) the carriage has micro-detents. You slide the carriage into the next position by eye. When you pull the cam clamp (it's a lever, not a knob, so it's quick) it locks into the correct position. The point is, it's designed to be fast and accurate.

As with any dovetail routing, get a good bit, like a Whiteside. Don't skimp. MLCS sells an Incra kit that is tempting to purchase, but having done that, I can attest that two of the smaller bits' wings snapped on me. Routing the tails must be done in a single pass, which is taxing on the bit, so you want a quality one.

The other great thing about this jig is that you only need a single bit for both operations.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

Thanks for the detailed write up. Maybe I didn't catch it while reading about it, but does it do through dove tails as well or just half blinds? I've been kicking around the idea of getting their ls-32 ts fence for my SS saw and figured I'd throw in the router fence as well while I'm at it if it really works like they show.

[Prashun Patel]

It can do half blinds and through dovetails. it can also do box joints, and even double dovetails and double box joints.

That being said, if you are interested in making more 'custom' looking dovetails, then this jig (or most other jigs) are not what you want. Nowadays I prefer to cut my dovetails with smaller pins; you can't do that with this jig. IMHO it's most appropriate for a homeowner who's doing 'production' work, like making a room full of cabinets. For 'just one' drawe it's not really worth all the set up this requires. However, the fit IS perfect.

So, I don't really use mine for dovetail work.

That being said, the Incra LS positioner is genius not because it can do joinery, but because of the micro adjustment. This makes it super precise for jointing doors or smaller parts. It's more accurate than a jointer or tablesaw, because you can dial in the depth perfectly.

To get the most out of the Incra routing system, you may wish to look at 3 components: The LS Positioner, the Wonderfence, and the MastrLift. You can add on the other stuff if you're not ready to buy the whole timeshare in Florida yet.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

Thanks again. Mostly, the TS fence is what I REALLY want. I have a bad habit of always having to come back to a previous measurement to make a few more cuts and of course, their always a hair off. The Incra fence seems to solve that problem and the route fence just seems cool. I already have an incra router lift on a table I built. It's a year old and I still haven't used it yet.

[Herb Smith]

+1 on the LS Positioner and agree with Prashun regarding getting the entire setup if you can. There are a lot of variations that you can do to make what would seem to be incredibly difficult joints quite easily. Can use the positioned to make finger joints, half blind and through dovetails and variations on each. Well worth it.

[Prashun Patel]

Ok, so if you are trying to just solve the repeatability function of your tablesaw fence, have you considered the Wixey digital fence? Ask Glen Bradley for feedback on that. I just saw a friend's set up with it, and he really loves it.

Having a cheaper solution to the TS issue may free up some $$ to eventually buy a separate router table, which has benefits over sharing it with the TS...

[Jim Barstow]

I recently upgraded my home grown router table top/lift/fence to a full Incra setup with a Woodpecker lift. (My old setup used a Bench Dog lift that was getting old and the fence used 2 old plastic incra jigs with limited range.)

I have had an LS Positioner on my table saw for 8 years and I can't imagine working without it.

In order to test out the new router table setup, I tried cutting a set of box joints in 1/2" baltic birch to model drawer making. The setup and operation is remarkably simple. In the future, I would use a backing board on both the back and front. The result was absolutely perfect. I would have tried dovetails but don't have the required bits yet.

I normally do dovetails by hand (very, very rarely) or with a Leigh jig. For drawers, the incra will be wonderful. (I normally use through dovetails to build a box then mount a completely separate drawer front.)

For larger pieces, I'll continue to use the Leigh because the joints are more exposed and I can be more creative with the layout, pin size, etc.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

I made about 25 dovetail drawers for my kitchen with an older Incra Ultra positioner and shop made fence.
It works pretty well, but I'd think that a Leigh jig would be faster.
But as a router fence, I've been using an Incra for 20 years or so, and wouldn't want to be without it.

[Mike Nguyen]

Hi Hoang,
I have the same SawStop with the same bad habit and installed the Wixey DRO because I want to to back to previous marks. With the Wixey, you may become a little anal about the measurement like I am because I want to be within .001. The Wixey also allow me to use dado stack differently by cutting a dado in 2 passes by measuring the stock with a caliber and moving the fence over by the exact amount. I also have the Incra LS Positioner 17" version on my router table but for the table saw, I much prefer the Wixey DRO. If you get the Wixey DRO, make sure to get the new version that uses AAA battery.
Hope this helps.
Mike

[Hoang N Nguyen]

Thanks all for the replies. I think I'm sold on the Incra TS fence along with their router table and router fence. I'm in a garage shop so space is limited and having a router table on my TS would be great. Now to talk the wife into letting me get it.

I thought about the wixey DRO but I'm afraid I'll be one of those guys that will spend hours tapping the fence back and fourth until I get it to .001 of previous measurement. I think how the threaded rod on the Incra system just locks in at 1/32", less tapping of fence, more cutting.

[Joe Cowan]

I bought the entire Incra router table, lift, positioner etc last fall and love it. I just completed a project and did enlayed walnut dovetails. I am sort of like the NRA guy that says you can have my rifle when you pry my dead cold fingers off of it. Same with my new router table.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

I bought the entire Incra router table, lift, positioner etc last fall and love it. I just completed a project and did enlayed walnut dovetails. I am sort of like the NRA guy that says you can have my rifle when you pry my dead cold fingers off of it. Same with my new router table.

I like the way you think (concerning the NRA)

I got the green light from the wife last night and jumped on the ordering right away. I got the 32" TS fence, router fence with all the jointery stuff and also the 28x32 router table. I already have the incra router lift that I've never even used yet and I've owned it for a year now. I'll be using that lift on the new set-up and convert my home made router table to fit my MFT/3 table.

Thanks for all the great input guys, it made dropping nearly a grand on a new fence a little less heart stopping.

I won't be getting it any time soon though, it seems there's a shortage of Incra fences from every vendor. They all state 3-5 week lead time.