Craftsman Dovetail/Box Joint Jig

[Ken Massingale]

Since we don't have the 'Tool Snobs' here that populate the rec, I want to suggest this dovetail and boxjoint jig from Sears:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...&bidsite=CRAFT

It has 16 in. wide capacity, cuts 1/2 in. rabbit, flush offset and flush half blind dovetail joints. Cuts through dovetail joints too. It has been $200 until the Holiday catalog came out, now it is $150.
Go here and register to receive Craftsman Club email savings notices. After completing the form you can print a 10% off coupon.
http://www.sears.com/sr/framework/fr...rame_partner=Y

I believe most U.S. folks have received a Sears flyer in the mail with a 10% off coupon on the front, which is valid for tools.
Together with the coupon above, the jig is $120.

This is a fine piece of equipment.

The only problem I had was that the somewhat less than efficient folks at the local Sears didn't have a Holiday catalog, so I had to take mine in to show the $150 price.

(LOML got me one for our anniversity, I got her a Toolbox with a nice assortment of wrenches, screwdrivers, etc.[8D] HEY, it's what she asked for!!!.[:0] But I know I still gotta get her something feminine, also)
ken

Knowledge and experience are wasted, if not shared.

[Istvan]

Hmmm, I have to get one dovetail jig. Actually I never used the router yet but the next project is a dresser for the newborn baby.
Is it easy to setup an work with?

Laszlo

[Ken Massingale]

Laszlo,
The instructions tell step-by-step how to prepare the material and setup the jig. I had the HF and could never get decent dovetails. The first set with the Craftsman jig were beautiful.
For the ability to do different half blind, through dovetails and box joints, it can't be beat.
ken

Knowledge and experience are wasted, if not shared.

[pnctar]

I've have this set along with the box joint templates that go with it and have used it alot. Perfect through dovetails and box joints. Haven't used the half blind yet but, I wouldn't expect them to turn out any less. The instructions are great and the jig is easy to use (unless you're trying to cut dovetails in 4' boards [B)]). Ended up clamping the jig to 12" of scrap to get it high enough for the board I was cutting.

Steve
Shadow box?! and you want it when?

[Istvan]

What router bit to you need to make dovetails? Sorry for the ignorance.
Any good book about how to do it for dummies?
My next project is s dresser and I need to learn how to use the router. What is the best way to learn on using it?

Thanks

Laszlo

[pnctar]

quote:Originally posted by Istvan

What router bit to you need to make dovetails? Sorry for the ignorance.
Any good book about how to do it for dummies?
My next project is s dresser and I need to learn how to use the router. What is the best way to learn on using it?

Laszlo, my Craftsman set came with a set of three bits and guide bushing. It has a dovetail bit and two straight bits.

Best book I've seen for starting with a router is called "Router Basics". You can usually get it off of e-bay for about $15.

Steve
Shadow box?! and you want it when?

[jnesmith]

This set has more accessories, but this is the same jig some of us bought a while ago on sale for $49.

John

[Ken Massingale]

quote:Originally posted by jnesmith

This set has more accessories, but this is the same jig some of us bought a while ago on sale for $49.

John

John,
I believe you are referring to the 12", half blind DT jig,
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...&bidsite=CRAFT

This one is the 16", and does through DT's and box joints.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...&bidsite=CRAFT
I have had the 12" model for awhile, and it being so good is why I wanted the larger one with additional capability.
ken


Knowledge and experience are wasted, if not shared.

[Thom2]

Ken,

a year or so ago Sears changed that kit and added the box joint templates to it. At that time they clearanced the old kits that only contained the dovetail templates for $59 and then $49 <regularly $150>, I think it was a website only deal and they were kinda 'iffy' when you tried to order them.

It is indeed the same jig, but we had to buy our box joint templates seperately.

If it ain't broke.. don't fix it!!!... but you can always 'hop it up'

**one and only purchaser of a BT3C official thong**

[Ken Massingale]

quote:Originally posted by Thom2

Ken,

a year or so ago Sears changed that kit and added the box joint templates to it. At that time they clearanced the old kits that only contained the dovetail templates for $59 and then $49 <regularly $150>, I think it was a website only deal and they were kinda 'iffy' when you tried to order them.

It is indeed the same jig, but we had to buy our box joint templates seperately.

If it ain't broke.. don't fix it!!!... but you can always 'hop it up'

**one and only purchaser of a BT3C official thong**

My Bad..[:I] Thanks Thom
ken


Knowledge and experience are wasted, if not shared.

[davedbear]

Sears offered 10% off everything today (11/15/03), so I went to the Sears Hardware near me to get the 16" dovetail jig. (My brother has this jig, and he recommended it -- especially at $150.00.) The shelf price for the jig was the regular price ($199.99). I asked the salesman if it was on sale, and he looked it up on the computer -- no sale price. I mentioned the holiday catalog price, but he didn't know anything about it.
Was the catalog a mailer? I don't recall receiving anything, and I usually get all of Sears stuff. I've also looked at Sears.com, and couldn't find anything showing the sale price.
Could you post a part # -- I've heard Sears frequently modifies item numbers slightly for sale items.
Thanks!

davedbear

[Ken Massingale]

quote:Originally posted by davedbear

Sears offered 10% off everything today (11/15/03), so I went to the Sears Hardware near me to get the 16" dovetail jig. (My brother has this jig, and he recommended it -- especially at $150.00.) The shelf price for the jig was the regular price ($199.99). I asked the salesman if it was on sale, and he looked it up on the computer -- no sale price. I mentioned the holiday catalog price, but he didn't know anything about it.
Was the catalog a mailer? I don't recall receiving anything, and I usually get all of Sears stuff. I've also looked at Sears.com, and couldn't find anything showing the sale price.
Could you post a part # -- I've heard Sears frequently modifies item numbers slightly for sale items.
Thanks!

davedbear

Davebear,
I had the same problem. I had to take the holiday catalog in for them to see the price. Here is the link to the holiady catalog online,
go to page 23, it is at the bottom right corner. Don't forget to print the 10% off coupon at the link I provided above.
Both the regular catalog and the holiday catalog are there, use the holiday one.
Good luck,
ken

http://www.sears.com/sr/framework/fr...rame_partner=Y

Knowledge and experience are wasted, if not shared.

[davedbear]

Thanks, Ken. I printed out page 23 with the sale price, and called the 800 number on the cover page to check whether Sear Hardware stores offered the same sale prices. The Sears rep assured me they did -- Sears policy.
SO . . . I went back to my local Sears Hardware store today with the catalog (and 10%-off coupon ). The floor salesperson said the manager would have to give me the sale price. The manager balked, claiming the sale price didn't 'take into account shipping charges'. I told him that I had called the 800 number and was told the sale price would be honored. He was peeved at this -- he took my catalog, marched over to the phone and called the 800 number. When he got an answer, he bawled out whoever the unlucky operator was, telling him/her to quit telling customers that the hardware stores honored the catalog sales, and now he was out $50.00 (I hadn't told him about the additional 10% yet), blah, blah, blah. VERY unfriendly and unprofessional -- not a pleasant guy.
Then he tried the 'I'm not sure we have this' ploy, so I pointed it out to him on the shelf. I also wanted the 3-piece dovetail carbide bit set that was on sale. Again, he 'wasn't sure if they had one' (I showed him where it was). He then disappeared to fetch the key for the router bit cabinet.
He reappeared several minutes later with another Sears sale flyer. He pointed out some small print in that flyer about sale prices were from 'affiliated' Sears stores just so I'd know next time in case the next manager 'wasn't so friendly'. (!) Blah blah blah blah.
SO . . . I finally got the 16" dovetail set for $135.00 (and the bit set for $18.00 -- reg. $25.00) after the additional 10% off. I'm happy for that, but I REALLY didn't like the attitude of this guy.
To be fair, I've never had a bad experience at Sears before. But I was PO'd by this incident. When I got home I called Sears Customer Service and made a complaint. They were very apologetic, and said they'd send me another 10% off coupon for my trouble. I'm curious if anybody else has had this sort of experience getting sale items at Sears Hardware stores.
Anyway, I really appreciate the heads-up on this, Ken. It looks like a good system (my brother has it and likes it a lot), and I'm glad I (eventually) got it at the sale price.
Thanks!

davedbear

[mudder]

quote:Originally posted by davedbear


To be fair, I've never had a bad experience at Sears before. But I was PO'd by this incident. When I got home I called Sears Customer Service and made a complaint. They were very apologetic, and said they'd send me another 10% off coupon for my trouble. I'm curious if anybody else has had this sort of experience getting sale items at Sears Hardware stores.

davedbear

I had an experience with sears that made me never to want to shop there again. They were running a sale on a table saw. $499.00 saw for $394.00 I bought the saw online, got my notification as to expected time in store. The time passed by and I called customer service to inquire. The girl said she could not find a record of my order so I gave her the number and she said she would check on it and call me back. She called me an hour later and said she did not know what the problem was but my saw was in the store waiting for me. I went down to the store the next day and some jamoke from customer pickup took my paperwork and went to look for my saw. 45 minutes later he comes back and tells me that I was never charged for the saw and there was no order. I had the manager summoned and he told me the same thing. I pulled the paperwork out of the pickup guys hand and asked the manager to look at it and tell me why I would want to forge something like this.
He told me to hang on a minute so he could talk to the tool manager and see what they could do for me. 10 minutes later he escorted me out to the showroom floor to talk to the tool manager and they offered me a Craftsman jobsite saw that is normally $399.00 and had the nerve to tell me that they were offering me a “better” saw. I freaked on them and told them to cancel my order. Took them another 35 minutes to do that and it took a week to process the cancellation to refund my credit card. I emailed customer service a real nasty letter and told them that Sears is now the LAST place I will buy a tool and that is if it is the only place that I can get it. I have been a customer of Sears for many years and I have seen their quality and customer service steadily decline in the last few years. I buy most of my tools at woodworkers warehouse now. I may pay a little more but these guys have bent over backward to help me and I have never had a problem with anything that I purchased there. They have even taken back items that I had purchased 5 months earlier and found that it was not what I needed.

I feel better now


Mudder


I let my mind wander and I still can't find it.

Do you masticate?

[monte]

and never an apology from Sears?

Monte
Reporting Live from somewhere near Kalamazoo