Dovetail Jig Suggestions

[andyzee]

So as I mentioned in another thread, just getting into carpentry, wish me luck. I had just purchased a router Bosch MRC23EVSK, came in today, yeaahhh!!. Next thing, I noticed this thingee called a dovetail jig. Hey, I want dovetails, they look strong right? Ok, saw the General EZ Pro at a local Home Depot, saw a video on it, great tool, right? Upon further research, nope, never realized how many options there are. I'm trying to save some money, so want to keep costs as close to $100 as possible, any suggestions?

[jussi]

If you just want to do half blind dovetails check out the porter cable 4210. If you want to through dovetails as well then go with PC 4212. This is all fixed spacing

[mpc]

Think about how wide a board you'll want to dovetail. The various jigs out there vary in their capacities. The least expensive ones typically will do up to 8 inches or so. There are monsters out there that'll dovetail panels big enough for blanket chests. And the Prazi (sp?) jig which is really a few small parts that you attach to scrap boards to make as big a panel as you need/want. I've never tried it so I don't know how well it works.

As jussi noted, many of the jigs make ONE size dovetail at ONE specific spacing. A few, like the classic Leigh jig, let you space the joints however you want though the dovetails are still one size.

And as you'll see, there are multiple types of dovetails and not all jigs can make all styles. Full/through dovetails and half-blind are probably the most common; most jigs can do one or both of these; and with add-ons can do both. The PC 4210 and 4212 are very good jigs: good size, they have extra features to help with alignment of the workpieces, router bit depth setting stops, etc.

Browse Rockler and Woodcraft web sites using their "search" functions to find the jigs. You'll get a pretty good idea of the varieties out there this way. And remember: dovetails don't have to be made with a router + jig. Hand cut dovetails (any size & spacing you want!) were the only options available to craftsmen until recently; many folks still hand-make dovetails with small hand saws and chisels. There are also table saw jigs you can make to cut the angled pieces; and I think it's Freud that just recently introduced a table saw blade with the teeth beveled at the traditional dovetail angle!

mpc

[vaking]

Hey, I want dovetails, they look strong right? Ok, saw the General EZ Pro at a local Home Depot, saw a video on it, great tool, right? Upon further research, nope, never realized how many options there are. I'm trying to save some money, so want to keep costs as close to $100 as possible, any suggestions?

Dovetail joint earned its reputation centuries ago. Back then glue was the weakest link in woodworking. The strength of dovetail joint is that it does not rely on a strength of glue. It is a joint where wooden pins and tails interlock under pressure and stay together without any glue. You only need glue in that joint to keep parts together when there is no pressure. Centuries ago dovetail was the strongest joint possible. Today most glues are stronger than wooden fibers. There are many joints available today that are easier to make and are as strong as dovetail. Dovetail joint today is considered "the mark of craftsmanship" because of its complexity. It is used mostly for show. If you want just a strong joint - there are better options. Check out joints that use "drawer lock" router bit or double-dado joint that does not need router at all, only table saw.

[LCHIEN]

first thing you will need to educate yourself on dovetails.
There are two basic types, half blind and though. The half blind show the distinctive dovetail fingers on one side of the joint only, the through dovetails show fingers on two sides of a corner joint.

Usually the half-blind joints are used for drawers and are the cheaper simpler jigs at around $50 to 100 depending upon capacity.

The through joints are more complicated. Often there are options to set the width and spacing, either with templates (usually uniform spacing) or with adjustable guides which give variable spacing. THen there's the width capacity of the jig. Lots of ways to spend up to $300 for a jig.

probably do a little research using google.

[JimD]

I only do half blind dovetails for drawers. I make drawers this way for bedroom furniture and cabinets for kitchens and elsewhere in the house. I make them with a dovetail jig so they take about the same amount of time as other less decorative and weaker joints. I've built a dovetail jig, using a finger guide and plans from Woodsmith magazine, but I use a Harbor Freight dovetail jig. The instructions that came with it are almost incomprehensible. With better instructions, or with somebody helping you the first time or two, it is a very good option at a great price if you catch it on sale. I almost never use the finger guide it came with, however. It is cast aluminum and produces dovetails on 1 inch spacing. I mostly use WoodSmith plans which assume 7/8 spacing. I bought a finger guide from Grizley which works fine and is nicer made.

The two basic types of half blind dovetail jigs differ in the way the depth is controlled. The one I originally used has a non-adjustable back stop and works on wood 1/2 inch thick up to about 3/4 thick. It works OK and is much easier to set up but I like using 1/2 baltic birch plywood for the drawers and you can't easily use it with this type of jig because it is less than 1/2 thick. The Harbor Freight is the least expensive of the other style of jig and has a bar to adjust for different wood thicknesses but adjusting of this bar can be frustrating especially with bad instructions. Otherwise the two types of jigs work similarly. You set the depth of the dovetail jig in the router, put a template guide on the router, set up the stops on the jig and the rout the pins and tails for one corner in one pass. Once everything is set it takes only a few minutes to do a drawer so I just dovetail the backs too.

If you think you might want to do through dovetails on wood up to 12 inches wide the newer Porter Cable jig would be a decent to good option. I don't like the spacing of the joints with the stock template but you will get good instructions which is significant is you don't have somebody to show you how it works. It does half blind dovetails or through and has stops for the bit depth built into the jig. If the joint spacing is OK for you, this is a good option.

The half blind dovetail jigs I use will cut joints in wood up to 12 inches wide, at least in theory, but the capacity is really more like 11 inches. You'd have to take some stops off the HF to get it to do 12 inches. That's no big deal because an 11 inch deep drawer is awfully rare. A 12 inch deep drawer is just not necessary.

For drawers, half blind and simple jigs well within your budget are the way to go IMHO. Through dovetails are for things like blanket chests and I've never attempted them so I have no dependable guidance. I've cut LOTS of half blind for drawers. 4 sets of bedroom furniture, one complete kitchen, and other cabinets. Once you get the hang of it, I see no reason to use a different joint for drawers. I have a friend that bought a jig just like the HF, however, and gave up on it. He didn't call me when he wanted to cut joints and I didn't call him when I was doing some. Instructions are a big deal without an instructor.

Jim

[Shep]

+1 on the PC 4210. It's very easy to use and easy to learn on.

[andyzee]

I've done some research on half blind vs through, learning. Actually like the through for two reasons, 1. Looks nicer, 2. Imagine it's going to be a stronger joint, correct me if I'm wrong. As a result looking at the Bosch 4012, most likely will be purchasing. In addition, "drawer lock" router bit that vaking mentioned, looks really cool as well, looks like something I want in my arsenal. Thanks all, love this site. Next up, drill press and router table. This handy man woodworking stuff is getting expensive

[pelligrini]

Dovetail jigs are handy, but not totally necessary. I have an old craftsman jig I got several years ago. I don't use it a whole lot. I've used my box joint jig and other methods more.

Hand cut dovetails aren't that hard to do. I'm still practicing mine.

Frank Klausez's three minute dovetails using a bowsaw: http://woodwork.ars-informatica.ca/t...dovetail_video

Rob Cosman knocked 'em out in about 3 1/2 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxIgNel0H_I

[jwd12]

I'm about 16 drawers into my PC 4210 jig. It was very easy to set up because the instructions are so good. I think I practiced 5-6 times before the prefect settings were obtained. The hints are imprinted on the jig. Once correctly set up, it will cut prefect dovetails. I have two routers and I will buy a new router before changing setting on the router used with the jig. (Obvoiusly I beleive that you can never have too many drawerrs.)

[LarryG]

As jussi noted, many of the jigs make ONE size dovetail at ONE specific spacing. A few, like the classic Leigh jig, let you space the joints however you want though the dovetails are still one size.

I think that's true of the Leigh Super Jig models, on which the adjustable guide fingers are each one piece. But on the D4R series, the fingers are two-piece and can be spread apart, allowing you to do pretty much whatever you want on through dovetails. The new D4R Pro will even do five different sizes of half-blinds, something my older D4R won't do. Of course you'll pay nearly $600 for that capability!

andyzee, I have a Porter-Cable 4212 (the fancier version of the 4210) that I no longer need and would make you a good deal on. If interested, send me a private message.

[dbhost]

If you are interested in just fixed spacing dovetails, check out the MLCS master joinery set. A decent jig with templates for half blind, and through dovetails as well as box joints, and to top it off, they include the bits and collars to make it all work nicely.

I have the MLCS Pins & Tails template set as I wasn't originally planning on doing half blind dovetails. I was WRONG... I will likely be picking up the above mentioned set to keep from having to have a through DT jig, a half blind jig, and a box joint jig. This set will do all 3. Space efficiency you know...

Now if you want to do variable spacing, hang on to your wallet, that gets awfully spendy in a big hurry...

[natausch]

My advice is you can go the jig route, pick up something reasonable to bash out a few and keep your eyes on Craigslist. PC and Leigh jigs will very occasionally show up in the sub-$200 range. I got absurdly lucky, Leigh D1258 12" for $50.

The other route is you can pick up some bench chisels and a crosscut saw and a pile of scrap lumber. Hand cut dovetails are not incredibly difficult to learn, though it will take lots of patience and practice. The biggest advantage of jigs is ease and speed. If you're looking to do a few drawers then hand-cut is perfectly fine. Lots of drawers and a jig is a good solid route.

[andyzee]

(Obvoiusly I beleive that you can never have too many drawerrs.)

Or routers.

[andyzee]

I've done some research on half blind vs through, learning. Actually like the through for two reasons, 1. Looks nicer, 2. Imagine it's going to be a stronger joint, correct me if I'm wrong. As a result looking at the Bosch 4012, most likely will be purchasing. In addition, "drawer lock" router bit that vaking mentioned, looks really cool as well, looks like something I want in my arsenal. Thanks all, love this site. Next up, drill press and router table. This handy man woodworking stuff is getting expensive

Look at me, trying to soak up too much knowledge all at once. I meant PC 4212. Next up, router table and table saw. Gee, hope I get to use my new toys.