Dust control dovetail jigs?

[Gary Keedwell]

Saw LEIGH advertisement for vacuum & router support. Is there an issue with dust control using a dovetail jig? I do not own a router dovetail jig but am seriously thinking of buying one but am curious about chip and dust control. Is it something to be concerned about?

Gary K.

[Dennis Peacock]

Gary,

In the past there hasn't been any dust control at the dovetail jig. Akeda came out with one that actually works pretty good. The Akeda will be my next DT jig. Normally on most DT jigs, it's just an open air cut via the router slinging wood in most any direction.

[Roy McQuay]

I have a Leigh dovetail jig, and yes it does make quite a mess since you are removing a lot of material. But I have not seen this as a problem. I just clean up with the shop vac.

[Al Navas]

I have a Leigh D4. The first time I used it, I had wood chips and dust up to my knees - much, if not MOST, of the material is thrown at the operator, and falls to the floor! I immediately ordered the old-style vacuum accessory - it is so much better these days!

The new Leigh vacuum system should be a big improvement over the old one. I know I will be buying one.

The dust collection system has a huge benefit: It reduces dramatically the dust I have been breathing; I don't cough following a session of making dovetails. I recommend dust collection highly.


.

[Greg McCallister]

You might want to check out this thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=515246#poststop). It might give you some ideas.

[Gary Keedwell]

Gary,

In the past there hasn't been any dust control at the dovetail jig. Akeda came out with one that actually works pretty good. The Akeda will be my next DT jig. Normally on most DT jigs, it's just an open air cut via the router slinging wood in most any direction.
Dennis....thanks, that's what I thought. I'm going to consider the Leigh 1600 and maybe order their new dust control due out this spring. They have a real good video where they attatch a Festool vacuum. Couldn't see any dust at all.
http://leighjigs.com/vids.php#

Gary K.

[Bart Leetch]

Thanks I'll just wear a dust be gone mask & turn on the overhead dust filter & then vacuum up the chips. sometimes the simplest way is the quickest & best.

Why make it complicated & have one more thing to try & find a place to store & fit into the shop. I already have all of the above & they work fine.

I can understand having dust collection which I do have but when I look back to the past. The older wood workers like my Dad 85 years old no lung problems & no DC all those years he used a mask when needed. I am blessed with a DC, shop vac & good mask & I am not in the shop 8 hours a day like my Dad, just a few hours a week. Please feel free to protect yourselves as you feel necessary. But I feel a bit of thought & a mask will go a long ways without going overboard. I can spend a lot of time making something to try & catch all the chips & dust or looking to buy something to do it or just put the mask on & get back to making the project at hand its really quite simple.:)

[Rick Thom]

The Triton 2 1/4 hp router includes 2 separate dust collection systems. One encloses the space above the router base with clear plastic shields. It's for above-plate dust extraction. The other is essentially a 'cup' that attaches to the base plate protruding below the plate and partially enclosing the bit area (on the operator side). The latter is designed for freehand edge routing or with jigs like the DT where the bit does it's work below the plate. The 'cup' has a vacumn port on the side of it to extract the dust and chips produced. http://www.tritonwoodworking.com/tritontools/data/files/data_sheet_MOF001KC.pdf They are quite effective.

[Gary Keedwell]

Thanks I'll just wear a dust be gone mask & turn on the overhead dust filter & then vacuum up the chips. sometimes the simplest way is the quickest & best.

Why make it complicated & have one more thing to try & find a place to store & fit into the shop. I already have all of the above & they work fine.

I can understand having dust collection which I do have but when I look back to the past. The older wood workers like my Dad 85 years old no lung problems & no DC all those years he used a mask when needed. I am blessed with a DC, shop vac & good mask & I am not in the shop 8 hours a day like my Dad, just a few hours a week. Please feel free to protect yourselves as you feel necessary. But I feel a bit of thought & a mask will go a long ways without going overboard. I can spend a lot of time making something to try & catch all the chips & dust or looking to buy something to do it or just put the mask on & get back to making the project at hand its really quite simple.:)
Bart.. This is one time that I'm thinking about the mess rather than my health.I usually avoid the router because I think it is loud and messy. I think I would use it more if I put on ear protection and hook up my vacuum.
Gary K.

[John Lucas]

Leigh sells a dust collector that fits on most routers. It is pushed out of the way when you slide the router into the dovetail jig template.
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/dts-om31.jpg

and the story: http://www.woodshopdemos.com/dts-omni-3.htm

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

ya need one of these

57501

And one of these

57502