Reasonably priced dovetail jig ?

[dennis thompson]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced dovetail jig for a beginner?
Thanks
Dennis

[Gary Keedwell]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced dovetail jig for a beginner?
Thanks
Dennis
http://www.free-animations.co.uk/home/tools/images/tool_15.gifGary K. :>)

[Matt Day]

Porter Cable 4212

[Alex Berkovsky]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced dovetail jig for a beginner?
Dennis,
Welcome to the forum. You can spend $40 for a HF (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34102) jig (constantly goes on sale) and curse everytime you use it or save up and buy PC 4212 (http://www.amazon.com/Porter-Cable-4212-12-Inch-Deluxe-Dovetail/dp/B0006AAS8S/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-9997593-5347600?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1188581277&sr=8-1) jig and knock out beautiful dovetails in no time. PC jig also comes with a through DT template, collars, and bits.

[Bill Wyko]

The HF jig is the same one Rockler sells for twice the money and it's a difficult one to use. I'd shop around. I personally like the incra jig but it's mainly good for smaller projects. I've never used it for tall pieces.

[Brian Penning]

I second the 4212 -very happy with it.

[Steve Clardy]

Third the 4212 PC

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

http://www.free-animations.co.uk/home/tools/images/tool_15.gifGary K. :>)


What he said.

The price is right and you'll learn a lot.

If you are absolutely going to get a jig don't think of it as a "beginner's tool. Just get the best you can.

If you google hand cut dovetails you'll find a wealth of information
Or just go here:
http://home.austin.rr.com/sawduster/Dovetails%20My%20Way/Dovetails%20My%20Way.htm
http://www2.gol.com/users/nhavens/htmlfile/dt1-e.html
http://home.nj.rr.com/afoust/dovetails.html

[Bill Spievak]

If you mean less than $100, the you will have limited choices, the PC, from my experience is the only one in this category that is useable. By that I mean it won't make you frustrated and angry. You can spend a bit more than you will spend for the PC and get the phenolic plastic Keller. I like if for drawers and projects where the tail spacing can be regular.

You can, of course, spend some time and energy to learn to do then by hand, a good choice if you don't have many to do.

I spent an untold number of dollars on jigs, both purchased and shop made, before I finally bit the bullet and bought a Leigh for those jobs when the Keller isn't appropriate.

[Larry Fox]

I have a PC-4212 and really like it. I have been considering selling it - let me know if you are interested (PM) and we can discuss. I want to make the switch to cutting them by hand is the only reason I would sell it. I have used it to make about 40 drawers so far and the results have been very good - nice Jig.

[Al Killian]

I have the CMT hb dt jig and it works great. Cost around $130.

[Richard Link]

PC4212 is great and very simple. I bought the small template for it and that's very nice for small boxes as well. Thought I'd be upgrading to a Leigh or similar but really haven't felt the need to do so. When I really want to make fine furniture with variable spacing, I think that will be a good opportunity to learn to do it well by hand.

Rick

[Bill Huber]

I guess I will have to add another vote for the PC 4212. I have one and it really does a very nice job.
It took about one night and a few joints to understand what was what and how to get them tight and nice looking.

[Jim Kountz]

I have an older Jet dovetail jig (half blind) and Im pretty sure its about the same thing as the Rockler jig. Ive read on here where its hard to use and troublesome and thats simply not true. If you have a 5th grade education or higher you can use this thing. I took it out of the box, spent about 10 minutes or so reading through the manual and bang, I was making perfectly fitting half blinds. Like ANY other jig on the market it will require resetting for different thicknesses of wood, other than that its idiot proof. With that all being said it does have its limitations as it will only do half blind.

[Cary Swoveland]

Keller's through-dovetail jigs have received very good reviews. Their least-expensive one, the model 1500, is a back-to-back template made of 1/2" phenolic. It lists for $150 but sells mail-order for about $120. That includes the router bits. If you go to Amazon, you'll see most of the 20-odd customer reviewers gave it five-stars.

Cary

[Dan West]

This weekend I used the Porter Cable 4212 for the first time, all I can say is Outstanding! This is my first and I made 4 drawers today using half-blind dovetails and they worked great. I bought mine from Coastal Tool a couple of months ago and it came with the miniature template too. I think it cost me right at $170 bucks.

[Tom Leasure]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced dovetail jig for a beginner?
Thanks
Dennis

From one beginner to another - Do yourself a BIG favor & spring for the Leigh D4 - for dovetails it's the best thing since sliced bread.
If you read the manual & set it up right you will be real happy with it.
Good Luck

[Dan West]

Thought I'd post the first dovetail joint I ever made and using the PC 4212.

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa210/dwest57/DT1.jpg
It needed some tweaking but compared to some other first time joints I have seen it is great.

Dan