Advice on buying older Leigh 24" dovetail jig

[Mike Manning]

Just got off the phone with Matt from Leigh tech support. The cam action speed clamps won't work with the TD series jigs. These were produced in the early '80s. They are a completely different design from the D series which came next. The issue is that the cam levers put a lot of torque and pressure in a very small area of the clamp bar. This clamp bar is actually a tube. The way they fix this was to put some baffling in the tube to distribute the pressure. The clamp bar tube is a different size with the TD series and thus the cam action speed clamps are not an option.

This won't keep me from buying the jig.

[Jeff Ramsey]

Mike, even with shims it might do all you need it to do. And if you really start cutting a lot of dovetails, you can always sell it and upgrade. If you're near Austin, here's one at a very friendly price:

https://austin.craigslist.org/tls/d/...522217329.html

[Mike Manning]

Mike, even with shims it might do all you need it to do. And if you really start cutting a lot of dovetails, you can always sell it and upgrade. If you're near Austin, here's one at a very friendly price:

https://austin.craigslist.org/tls/d/...522217329.html

Jeff,
That's the jig I'm going to see today.
Mike

[Mike Manning]

More info I picked up from Leigh tech support for the TD series jigs:

- Produced in the early '80s
- Only up to 3/4" material
- Only does through-dovetails

This info may help someone down the line.

[Mike Manning]

Well, I checked the jig out and it looks very lightly used. One finger is missing. Beond that I can't tell if there anything else is missing beyond the #2 Robertson screwdriver for the fingers. Didn't know there were also three Leigh dovetail router bits. Neither did the guy he had never looked at what was in the clear sandwich baggie of parts. There is a bit marked #130, #80-8 and #140-8. They also appear to be very lightly used. Oh yeah, paid an even $50 for everything.

Thanks for the help guys!

Mike

[Jim Becker]

Like I said.... THIEF!!!! (Enjoy!)

[Jeff Ramsey]

The#80-8 is a tail bit of 8 degrees with a max cut of 13/16"; the #140-8 is a pin bit with a max cut of 1" (these are a mating set). The #130; not sure.

[Mike Manning]

Like I said.... THIEF!!!! (Enjoy!)

Thanks Jim!

The#80-8 is a tail bit of 8 degrees with a max cut of 13/16"; the #140-8 is a pin bit with a max cut of 1" (these are a mating set). The #130; not sure.

Thanks for the info Jeff!

[Harvey Miller]

Congrats! One piece of advice I gleaned when I got my D4 was to stick some sandpaper on the inside of the clamping bars. Less chance of the workpiece slipping and less need to whale on the clamps.