Craftsman Professional 16" dovetail jig

[Larry David]

Anyone using this Craftsman dovetail jig?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...26+Attachments

If so, anyone like it? Are the templates plastic or aluminum? I can't tell from the pictures on sears.com. I would like to buy this setup but I also like the Porter Cable dovetail jig as well, even though it's only a 12" jig. What do you guys think?

[ExYankee]

Last month, I found one on EBay and it looked interesting, so I did a search on the forums here and found enough to make me bid on it, I (WARNING, GLOAT AHEAD) won it for $22. It was marked as used, but when I got it was store return and all the parts except for one bit, were there. My first thought was “this is huge” it’s about twice as bit as my HF . I wanted a jig for thru dovetails and I thought the box finger joints would be cool too. It’s mostly aluminum and seems well engineered. There are some nice touches, like micro adjustors on both sides. The picture gives you the idea the guide is aluminum but there not. But still well made of glass reinforced plastic. I have yet to make something with it but plan a set of quickie ‘dynamite boxes' for storage in my shop. I will post when I get it all sawdusty. It a major leap from my HF to this but I can’t say I’d spend $200 on it. But that’s why I love EBay; keep watching you might find another
(Pause whilst I go check)
Hey there are some as of right now Dec 5th 2006

http://cgi.ebay.com/Craftsman-Indust...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/CRAFTSMAN-16-Ind...QQcmdZViewItem

Hope this helps

[Ken Massingale]

I've had that one for a few years. I like it. It does thru and half blind DT's and box joints.
As for the price, I paid around $140, but others have 'stolen' them, as John pointed out. Any questions/issues to the support number gets you to the engineer that designed the darn thing, my 2 calls did anyway.
There are instructions in the manual (which is excellent) on how to do projects larger than 16" also.
Good luck with your decision, and whichever jig you decide on.
ken