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egon
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Dovetail jigs
04/14/03 06:38 AM
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Need advice:
I am considering getting a dovetail jig. My router has 1/4 in. shank and is a 30 + year old black & Decker. The jig will mainly be used on drawers and half blind is fine with me.
My knowledge on jigs is nil.
Thanks for the help.
Egon
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RobS
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/14/03 07:36 AM
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Egon, my first router was a Craftsman and I still have it. It's OK but nothing compared to my 3hp Dewalt. Shortly after I got the Craftsman I bought a Craftsman dovetail jig. Big mistake. The clamps don't hold the wood well, the alignment features are crude and it's not wide enough. I have made a lot of drawers with it but I will upgrade next time I need to do any dovetails. Probably a Leigh or another top line jig 
Rob
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pbenven
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/14/03 10:03 AM
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Canadian Tire has a cheapy model - I don't think the fingers are adjustable.
Busy Bee Tools has some nicer units - but again, not adjustable.
If you want the one that Norm uses, you can get one here - but YIKES on the price.
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RobS
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: pbenven]
04/14/03 11:08 AM
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Whew, you guys gotta warn us when you throw out those Canadian dollar prices  I knew these things were expensive, but not THAT expensive.
Another nice jig is the Porter Cable but it doesn't have the flexibility. With the Leigh you can set your spacing to whatever you want
Rob
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beenthere
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/14/03 12:43 PM
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There is an article on building your own dovetail jig in one of the wood magazines, and I think it is either Shop Notes or Woodsmith. I will look for it and if I find it again, I will post it. A friend of mine made one for me, and it works very well (albeit I have to "think" a lot about what I am doing everytime I go to use it). Making dovetails is an art, whether by hand or with a good jig. I can't imagine trying to make them with a poorly made jig.
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wingnut
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/14/03 01:24 PM
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we did a review of dovetail jigs at our workworkers giuld meeting several months ago. One guy brought in a 30 year old Craftsman and it worked very well ... much better than any of the new ones (craftsman).
I'm partial to the Incra jog ... it can be configured to do dovetails, blind dovetails and a host of other joints.
I got mine at "The Tool House" in Edmonton ... believe they do mailorder and they put out a pretty nice catalog.
Good dovetail jogs are NOT cheap.
pete
it's a shame that common sense isn't
http://www.dahlhausminiatures.com
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chrisjbell
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This might be the article you're looking for - it is from Popular Woodworking and can be found here. It was printed a while back - my copy is from Winter of 2001 (I could find it, though, because it was carefully filed in the Reading Room  ).
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beenthere
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No, not the one. This was complete with clamps, both boards in and being cut at one time, and fully adjustable (ahh, the headache) for a variety of tails, and with several templates.
I will look. And I found it. Woodsmith, Vol. 10, No. 58, 1988
No. 58
Edited by beenthere (04/14/03 03:35 PM)
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egon
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Thanks for all the replies fellows.
I've done some net browsing and it would seem that its about $100.00 or $600.00 with not much in between. Anything over 12 inches gets real pricey.
There seems to be one style that comes in many different colours for around $80.00. The one name I remember is King.
Decisions and broke so really no decisions.
Thanks again.
Egon
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egon
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This is the jig.
</content/houseoftoolscom/images/250/Products/C/CNW/CNW_30671.jpg>
Egon
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jtd
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/15/03 06:37 AM
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Unless you are going to make a lot of drawers, I suggest that you purchase a good backsaw for dovetail work and make them by hand. With a little practice these can be made reasonably fast. For general cabinet drawers, sliding dovetail joints work very well and can be simply made with your existing router. The jigs are best for large volume work. The dovetail joint has become a marker for "high quality" furniture and cabinetry that is easily marketed to the general public rather than design, selection of materials, execution of the design and finish.
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egon
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: jtd]
04/15/03 07:01 AM
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I do have a very nice Japanese Saw. There are also some very sharp chisels available but no wooden mallet as of yet.
The through dovetail would be fine as well as box joints for some projects that are still in the pondering stage.
My wood is still drying. There are small amounts of wild cherry, apple, beech, grey birch, pine, oak and poplar. The wood has been cut to rough sizes and whatever length possible. It is stacked in the basement drying.
Egon
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jtd
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/15/03 05:13 PM
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How do you like the Japanese saw? Haven't tried them yet. Which type do you have? I know they have different names for shape/cutting stroke.
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AndyF
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/15/03 05:47 PM
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I like the Porter Cable Omni-Jig. It works well and is fairly easy to set up. My Dad has used the Leigh jig and was happy with the results, but has found that for a lot of the work he does it is quicker to cut them by hand as to set up the jig, do a test piece and then do the good pieces.
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egon
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: jtd]
04/16/03 12:07 PM
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Really don't know the name. It is about 14 inches long, has very fine teeth for finish cuting. Cuts very well and easily. My cutting methods are still not adapted to pull versus push. The teeth are very brittle and a few have broken of when saw was used to prune a lilac bush.
This is a saw that should only be used for detailed finish work and for that I really like it.
Egon
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jtd
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/16/03 07:49 PM
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It's probably a dozuki. I assume it's a crosscut style but rip teeth are also available. Given the hardness/brittleness of the teeth I can understand why it didn't like the lilac branch. I think that on rip saws the teeth near the handle are smaller to start the cut. Thanks
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JohnMiller3
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/16/03 08:08 PM
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Craftsman 16” Box/Dovetail Jig ~~$99. when on sale.
Hi Egon,
A friend of mine bought this 16" at Sears ~~ 2 years ago and he loves it. ~~about $99.
I have the smaller/cheaper 12" and I think it works great... better than using a "dovetail saw" and cutting everything by hand...
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egon
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Thanks John.
My skills are not well enough developed to do "hand work". Neither do I have a suffient patience factor.
Egon
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egon
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: jtd]
04/17/03 08:27 AM
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Jtd:
Just went to the basement and checked. the saw is a Dozuki [ 240 mm blade 25 TPI ]
From the japanese instructions and several pictures I assume the blade is replaceable.
Egon
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jtd
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
04/17/03 06:42 PM
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Lee Valley Tools sells the replacement blades. You can check their website for prices.
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fivestring
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
08/15/03 09:11 AM
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Egon, did you buy a jig yet? I'm wanting one also. You must have my router. Mine is about 20 years old, 1/4, 1 1/2 hp, I think.
Gary
Bluegrass Music ...
Finger-pickin' good!
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egon
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5 String:
I got a Vermont 16 in router with four templates but have not used it yet. Paid around 226.00 canadian for it. It looks to be the same as the craftsman models.
Ones like the Leigh were too expensive and looked just too complicated for me.
My B&D 1/4 in. router is over thirty years old. That was still when B&D made good stuff.
Egon
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fivestring
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Re: Dovetail jigs
[re: egon]
08/18/03 11:46 AM
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I haven't seen that one. I was looking at a Porter Cable unit for around $100.00. Maybe someone has one and will reply.
Gary
Bluegrass Music ...
Finger-pickin' good!
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