HF Dovetail Fixture (Item 34102)

[cwsmith]

I've been eyeing dovetail jigs for the last several months, everything from the Leigh D4 (like get back to reality Smith ) to just those comb-things that MLCS sells. Stuff is really expensive and for someone who's "never gone there", it can be a chancy decision.

For the few drawers and boxes that I've done in the past, two or three dowels on the joint worked fine and really didn't appear to be unattractive.

But, early last week when I was in the local HF I spotted their dovetail jig sitting out on their woodworker's bench. It was sealed in the box, so nothing to look at but the picture. But it was enough to inquire about the price, and I was surprised that it was only $30! (That was WAY less than anything else I had seen!)

So, my wife spotted me standing there with "my tongue hanging out" and figured I probably wanted it. So, with a 20% coupon from her purse, we walked out the store with this thing for only $24, plus tax. (Did I mention what a terrific wife I had?)

So I get it home and it seemed okay, except the 1/4-inch thick aluminum template was so rough that you couldn't slide anything across it, much less attempt the smooth plastic baseplate of my router. The side stops didn't move too well either because of burrs. Actually, one wouldn't move at all, even after I completely removed the lock bolt.

The instructions were pretty wanting too, and barely gave enough instruction to even begin to play around with a live router (no mention at all was made of what that angle-iron-like thing was that looked like a fence).

So, I went looking through Google and found this HF unit to be a deadringer for Woodstock International's D2796 which costs $79. I also notice Grizzly's H0983 which also appears to be the same unit at the same price and Grizzly also sells some optional templates. It is also very much like Lee-Valley's basic jig ($129), though the L-V has several refinements and includes a couple of templates and bits included.

Bottom line is that the HF was remarkably inexpensive, but needed some cleaning up. It only took a couple of minutes to run a stiff sanding block with some worn 220 grit over the template to smooth it. I also deburred the edges of the comb teeth. The side stops required disassembly and a bit of filing and some dry lube, to make them work smoothly.

After that, I mounted the jig to a piece of 17-1/4 x 12 pine and clamped it temporarily to my bench. Got out the router, mounted a 7/16th guide bushing and a 14-degee, 1/2" dovetail bit and began to play.

The HF instructions provided very little set-up instructions but my search gave me a better manual and I even found a nice YouTube video with some good hints.

It took me three test cuts before I got a joint that was "tap-with-a-mallet" tight, and I'm happy! Surely it's not perfect and I'm sure my technique needs improving, but that will come.

I'll have to revisit this with an edit to provide some pictures, but I thought the product needed to be mentioned. I imagine there are already a few members who may have this jig, but in case not, or for the sake of those who are looking for a low-cost way to get into "half-blind" dovetails, this may be an answer.

(For whatever reason, I can't seem to paste either an image or thumbnail here, all I'm getting is a blank frame from Photobucket. I'll try again later.)

CWS

[dbhost]

Good to know they are still offered. I had one, sold it, and regretted it since the day I sold it... I want another one...

The big thing is the HF jig doesn't do through dovetails, just half blinds. I got the "comb" things MLCS sells for that.

[JimD]

I use my HF jig to make drawers for chests and cabinets. It works very well. I nearly always use a Grizzly template guide, however, with 7/8 spacing rather than the 1 inch the HF template provides. The Grizzly is also better made. My normal material is 1/2 Baltic Birch plywood. I leave the jig set up for this material so I don't normally have to mess with the setup much if at all. The HF jig is mostly metal and pretty well made but, as you note, may require a little work with a file initially. That is minor to me considering the price.

Jim

[dbhost]

Do any of you know if the MLCS jig templates for their dovetail jig work with the HF jig?

[JimD]

I only tried the Grizzly. They fit. The holes are not identical but close enough they work.

Jim

[Cochese]

I have that jig as well. Haven't played around with it enough in the couple years I've owned it, but hopefully I'll get around to it eventually.

[cwsmith]

I don't know. The jigs look significantly different, though the templates themselves are quite similar.

The Grizzly H0983 jig looks exactly like the HF and according to their catalog, they offer 1/4", 7/16", 1/2", and 9/16" dovetail templates, as well as 1/4, 1/2, 5/8" box joint templates... all are $13.95 each.

They also list a 1/2" sliding dovetail template, but I not clear on how that would work with this jig... so perhaps the templates aren't necessarily related.

The "Economy Dovetail Jig" offered by Lee-Vally (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...94&cat=1,43000) appears to also be the same, albeit with some modifications to the side support clamping (winged finger adjustments, instead of hex-head bolts). It includes two templates, and says it does "through dovetails as well as half-blind. (I wonder how they accomplish that, it would be good to see.)

Unfortunately, L-V doesn't offer anything separately though.

Here's a picture of my recently purchased HF jig:

[JimD]

I made a stand to raise mine up about 6 inches. The stand holds a drawer, dovetailed of course, that holds wrenches for the nuts, the spare template guide, and setup aides. I like to use a U shaped piece of plywood with a drywall screw in it to set the router bit depth. I also added side guides to make it easier to line things up.

Jim