Thinking of buying a Leigh dovetail jig

[Lloyd Kerry]

I'm thinking of buying a Leigh 12" or 18" super dovetail jig. I've read good things about them, but have seen a couple problems getting all the settings exactly correct every time.
Do any of you folks have one? Like it?
I think being able to adjust pin and tail widths is a neat idea, that's why I'm looking at this one.

[Chris Hachet]

I'm thinking of buying a Leigh 12" or 18" super dovetail jig. I've read good things about them, but have seen a couple problems getting all the settings exactly correct every time.
Do any of you folks have one? Like it?
I think being able to adjust pin and tail widths is a neat idea, that's why I'm looking at this one.I find that I am not a terribly mechanically inclined person but I have been able to make a decent adult living in the trades by being patient and working with things. When I first started in the electrical trade a Journeyman told me the biggest difference between a journeyman and an apprentice is that a journeyman will work with a problem until it is solved, an apprentice will give up and move on to some other task.

Any dovetail jig will have a learning curve, but all of them are accessible to someone with common sense and persistence. The Leigh jigs get a bad reputation because they require a little bit more initial learning curve and people generally want fairly instant gratification.

If you are willing to play with some scrap lumber and invest a few Sunday afternoons in figuring it out, the jig should give you a lifetime of service. I talked with a gentleman on another forum who had used that jig to build about 3000 drawers. I am thinking of buying one myself to upgrade from my Porter Cable jig.

On the other hand, if you wish for instant gratification Ikea is open in more locations all of the time. (No sarcasm intended here, actually...)

Good luck and let us know how it works out for you, I actually think you would be very happy with the Leigh products.

[James Zhu]

Love my Leigh D4R Pro.

Like Chris said, you need patience. Once the jig is dialed in, it will make perfect fit dovetail. Leigh probably has the best tool manual I have ever seen, do not skip anything, spend time to go thru it, it will answer all the questions you may have.

Do buy the Leigh VRS vacuum and router support, you will have a dust free working environment.

James

[Malcolm McLeod]

Love my Leigh D4R Pro.

Like Chris said, you need patience. Once the jig is dialed in, it will make perfect fit dovetail. Leigh probably has the best tool manual I have ever seen, do not skip anything, spend time to go thru it, it will answer all the questions you may have.

Do buy the Leigh VRS vacuum and router support, you will have a dust free working environment.

James

+1 - My experience and advice is the same.

[Jim Becker]

Leigh makes a quality product in general. I have an older version of the D4 and while I don't use it a lot, it's never let me down when I have put it in play.

[Randy Red Bemont]

I have their 24" jig that I purchased back in 1995 ish. Once you learn how to use it, it's simple enough to get it dialed in. As with anything woodworking related, practice!! You can make some beautiful dovetail joints with this jig. Leigh makes a quality jig.

Red

[Wayne Jolly]

I have an older D3 that has been upgraded to the D4 specs. As has been mentioned, there is quite a learning curve, but once you understand it, the results can be very good. While I was near the bottom of the curve I made an ID10t error and would up calling their customer support line. Their support was excellent.

Wayne

[Charles Lent]

I have the D4R Pro with the VRS dust collector. I have no experience with the Super Jigs, but most of my comments should apply to any Leigh Dovetail Jig.

Having a wide 24" jig not only lets you dovetail something 24" wide, it also lets you do both sides of drawers up to 12" wide at the same time. This makes the 24" jigs much more worth buying over the narrower jigs.

The jigs do require some experience before using, but the manual is about the best instruction manual that there is for any woodworking tool or jig. Their videos are also very well done. Follow the instructions and you will get a good dovetail joint on your very first try.

I strongly recommend using two routers with identical guide collars when you do dovetailing, one for the straight bit and one for the dovetail bit, because once you get the bit depth set just right you won't want to have to change it. You can make do with just one router, but it helps a whole lot to have two. This is especially true when doing 1/2 blind dovetails.

The VRS not only collects most of the saw dust, it also keeps the router from tipping toward you when you pull it out of the slot to move over and cut the next slot (pin or tail).

If both routers are the same make and model, put some tape on the top of the motor and draw a picture of the bit that's in the router, so you don't pick up the wrong one DAMHIKT. This is a good idea, even if the routers are different.

Draw an arrow on the top of the router base, and point this arrow toward the jig whenever you cut dovetail pins or tails on the jig. Doing this eliminates any possible error caused by an off center router collar/bit. Even if you center the collar before starting, this is a good idea. It keeps any bit to collar error always in the same direction and your dovetails may be offset slightly, but will still fit together perfectly if you do this.

If you will be doing a lot of dovetailing, it helps to build a platform the same height as your dovetail jig to set your routers on when not using them. A loose clearance hole for the router bit and collar plus a ring or brackets to position the router base when it's being placed, helps reduce arm strain from moving the router onto and off of the dovetail jig. My stand sits just to the right of myD4R jig when I'm dovetailing.

The lightest possible routers that can take 1/2" shank router bits will reduce arm strain as much as possible. You don't need big and heavy routers for cutting dovetails, but you should avoid also using 1/4" shank bits because they flex too much when cutting dovetails. The 1/2" shank bits or the metric bits supplied by Leigh are preferred. and the smallest, lightest routers that you can find that will accept 1/2" shank router bits. This will become very important if you dovetail all day, or most of it, less important if you are only making one box or drawer.

Use Johnson's Paste Wax, Butcher's Wax, candle wax, or Paraffin Wax on the router bases and the top of your Dovetail jig to make it easier to slide the routers as you rout the dovetails. DO NOT use car wax or any wax containing silicone, as it will cause finishing problems of your wood when you reach that point. Silicone or anything containing it is banned from my shop.

Charley

[Jim Barstow]

Great responses. I have an older jig I upgraded to the latest hardware which I use exclusively for through dovetails. The setup is a little more complicated
than others since you are cutting dovetails from both ends of the jig. I've learned to use gauging blocks to set the finger positions so that I can get
a matching layout on both ends.

The one key piece of advice I would have is to be sure to mill extra wood with the exact thickness of the actual pieces. This will allow you to make some test
cuts and dial in the settings exactly.

Do not even consider using it without the vacuum system. Before I retrofitted mine, I looked like the abominable snowman after using the jig.

[Tony Leonard]

I may be the odd man out here. My wife bought me one for my birthday a few years ago. I was excited... However, after several weeks of testing and tuning, several rounds with Leigh and Lee Valley, I returned it. I found several issues that I thought a jig at that price level should not exhibit. The folks at Leigh and Lee Valley were great about it. The gentleman that owns Leigh even sent me test joints. It is quite an investment and I just didn't see that it was worth it (for me).

Tony

[Malcolm McLeod]

I have the D4R Pro with the VRS dust collector. I have no experience with the Super Jigs, but most of my comments should apply to any Leigh Dovetail Jig.

Having a wide 24" jig not only lets you dovetail something 24" wide, it also lets you do both sides of drawers up to 12" wide at the same time. This makes the 24" jigs much more worth buying over the narrower jigs.

The jigs do require some experience before using, but the manual is about the best instruction manual that there is for any woodworking tool or jig. Their videos are also very well done. Follow the instructions and you will get a good dovetail joint on your very first try.

I strongly recommend using two routers with identical guide collars when you do dovetailing, one for the straight bit and one for the dovetail bit, because once you get the bit depth set just right you won't want to have to change it. You can make do with just one router, but it helps a whole lot to have two. This is especially true when doing 1/2 blind dovetails.

The VRS not only collects most of the saw dust, it also keeps the router from tipping toward you when you pull it out of the slot to move over and cut the next slot (pin or tail).

If both routers are the same make and model, put some tape on the top of the motor and draw a picture of the bit that's in the router, so you don't pick up the wrong one DAMHIKT. This is a good idea, even if the routers are different.

Draw an arrow on the top of the router base, and point this arrow toward the jig whenever you cut dovetail pins or tails on the jig. Doing this eliminates any possible error caused by an off center router collar/bit. Even if you center the collar before starting, this is a good idea. It keeps any bit to collar error always in the same direction and your dovetails may be offset slightly, but will still fit together perfectly if you do this.

If you will be doing a lot of dovetailing, it helps to build a platform the same height as your dovetail jig to set your routers on when not using them. A loose clearance hole for the router bit and collar plus a ring or brackets to position the router base when it's being placed, helps reduce arm strain from moving the router onto and off of the dovetail jig. My stand sits just to the right of myD4R jig when I'm dovetailing.

The lightest possible routers that can take 1/2" shank router bits will reduce arm strain as much as possible. You don't need big and heavy routers for cutting dovetails, but you should avoid also using 1/4" shank bits because they flex too much when cutting dovetails. The 1/2" shank bits or the metric bits supplied by Leigh are preferred. and the smallest, lightest routers that you can find that will accept 1/2" shank router bits. This will become very important if you dovetail all day, or most of it, less important if you are only making one box or drawer.

Use Johnson's Paste Wax, Butcher's Wax, candle wax, or Paraffin Wax on the router bases and the top of your Dovetail jig to make it easier to slide the routers as you rout the dovetails. DO NOT use car wax or any wax containing silicone, as it will cause finishing problems of your wood when you reach that point. Silicone or anything containing it is banned from my shop.

Charley

Nice summary, Charley.

For those contemplating purchase or use, ^^this^^ is about 80% of the learning curve.

[Lloyd Kerry]

Nice summary, Charley.

For those contemplating purchase or use, ^^this^^ is about 80% of the learning curve.


Thanks to everyone who posted- both pro and con. It gives me a lot to think about.
Charley- I think you could write a book on dovetail jigs!
I'm still up in the air about buying one, and I'm thinking about trying the hand-cut method. One doesn't necessarily rule out the other.

[Willem Martins]

I have both the 12" and the DR4 Pro. Love them!!!

If I can give any advice:
After the third time I used the 12", I had to build a blanket chest. 12" Was not enough, so I had to buy again, hence the DR4-Pro. I really don't need both, but normally do drawer sides on the 12".

[Lloyd Kerry]

I have both the 12" and the DR4 Pro. Love them!!!

If I can give any advice:
After the third time I used the 12", I had to build a blanket chest. 12" Was not enough, so I had to buy again, hence the DR4-Pro. I really don't need both, but normally do drawer sides on the 12".

Hi Willem,
Are you interested in selling the 12"

[Jon Nuckles]

I bought the 24" Leigh jig in the late 1980's or early 1990's, and updated the star knobs to cams when those came out. It is well made, but I didn't use it often enough to be able to set it up without referring to the manual every time. It allows you to do variable spacing, which the simpler jigs don't, but it won't allow you to cut the very thin pins that you can do by hand. (Of course, there is no practical reason for doing thin pins; they just look good.) I eventually gave my jig away and now cut my dovetails by hand. Of course, I don't typically need to get my projects done on a deadline!

[Willem Martins]

Hi Willem,
Are you interested in selling the 12"

$275 new, not really worth selling with the hassle of packing and shipping. Might as well keep it for smaller jobs.

[Charles Lent]

Nice summary, Charley.

For those contemplating purchase or use, ^^this^^ is about 80% of the learning curve.

Thanks Malcolm. I've had my D4R since about when they first became available. I've been very happy with it, but like you said, I've learned a lot along the way. Just sharing with everyone what I've learned that isn't in the manual, but makes using the jig so much easier.

Charley