I am looking for a new dovetail jig for dovetailing drawers on upscale kitchen cabs. and built in. Anyone have any suggestions. I am presently using a 30 year old craftsman jig.
Thanks, KPG
I am looking for a new dovetail jig for dovetailing drawers on upscale kitchen cabs. and built in. Anyone have any suggestions. I am presently using a 30 year old craftsman jig.
Thanks, KPG
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Replies
Leigh is the go to in most of the shops I have been in, PC also is decent.
I think the PC is limited in the half blind use, but I am not certain anymore.
I've found that for me, and few that I do, I can whack them out faster by hand. Maybe lacking the symetry of machine cut, but some find that offensive anyway.
I think wayyyyyyyy back in FWW there was a great jig for the pins, and you just bandsaw the tails from it, which is what i employed before getting proficient in dealing with the task.
Frank Klaus had great way to cut tails, he has a bow saw with the blade twisted 90 degrees from each end, push half way, it cuts the rip orientation, and the remainder of the stoke cuts the cross cut at the tail base...slicker than snot.
I ain't that good. LOL
I've visited Frank's shop a few times, and have seen that technique. He can cut a full set of dovetails in less time than it takes me to lay them out LOL
But I bet I can still pound a nail faster than he can <G>
Do you know Ellis?
I worked at Woodrose with him, cool guy.
If all depends. If want a versitle one I would go with the Leigh or PC. If you wan one that will just bang out DT mostly thru DT there are many to choose from but I would recommend the Keller. You will cover the front of the thru DT's with the drawer front.Anyway just my opinion
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Thomas Paine
I totally forgot the Keller ( probly cuz I chewed one up, being stoopid) LOL
good call
so how ya doing bud...everything going OK for ya..
I was looking to getting one.But a friend of mine talked me into getting another which I regret and just hangs in the shop wall. I might start using it again..But the one I got is great fo making sliding DT joints for home made drawer slides if I ever need them.....I might try them out o this new project Im doing..
Dont know though I just got a idea about making the set up easier..so maybe Ill take it off the wall and give it a shot this winter....                  -->-->Thomas Paine
Edited 8/11/2007 12:15 pm by Sancho
I don't know Ellis.
The guy I knew who worked for Frank before going out on his own is Andy Rae. We were both in the same woodturning club for a while, before he moved to Pa., and then NC.
Andy was an assistant editor at American Woodworker, when it was a good mag, and has written several books. He's also the guy with the really nice tool cabinet that was on the cover of a book.
Ok. Ellis is outside of Hellertown, Pa.
You'd like him I am sure. IIRC he had a shop fire, and rebuilt ( as did I).
Do ya know a feller named Michale Mode? Now there is a wood turner..he moved to VT. I think, but was in Pa when we met.
Andy Rae..yeah, we've been introduced to each other.
Being as we're name dropping have you met Sandor? I ain't gonna try to spell his last name...snerkk.
I know of Michael Mode, can't remember if I've met him. I used to go to the AAW national symposiums, and have met and talked to a lot of "famous" turners- David Ellsworth, Bonnie Klein, and others.
Are you talking about Ellis Walentine? That's the only Ellis I've ever met, but I doubt he'd remember me. It was at a trade show, and he was busy.
And yeah, I've met Sandor. Pretty cool guy. Too bad no one can pronounce his last name LOL
I don't have one, but from what I do know about them, the Leigh jigs are the most versatile dovetail jigs out there.
I also understand they take a while to get familiar with.
Damm skippy they do..best to have two or three routers set up as well...dedicated as Nhhaaamm says.
I have the Leigh, and don't use it all that often. It does a great job, but I have to review the tape and manual before using it to refamiliarize myself on how to work it. You can do blind, through, and sliding dovetails.
My machine is at least 15 years old (gift from wife,) and was pretty expensive then. They've probably improved on it, making it more intuitive, but I don't know that for sure. And I think it is still expensive.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
Thanks for all he info, I'll look into the recommened brands
KPG
The Leigh is the way to go. I've had one for about 18 years. They've changed and gotten better since I got mine. Although, if anything they have gotten more expensive. You need to practice with it some, read the directions several times and watch the video, once you get it down you'll be amazed at how quickly you can make drawers
http://www.woodcraft.com/depts.aspx?DeptID=1055&Dept=True
Shows the Akeda Dovetail jig.
This had a great review when it was introduced. Unfortunately the factory burned and it was off the market for quite a while. It is very flexible and I love it. Anyone else out there have one???"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
i have the akeda jig and i think it is the jam. the cutters, on the other hand blow dead bears. tear out city.
I have two Leighs....I wouldn't buy one if I was looking. Also have a PC Omnijig that we inherited....will get that up and running this year, but already I prefer the concept to the Leigh. Unless you like fiddling around. I don't.Cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
From what I understand, the Leigh is the $hit- blind, half blind, through, sliding, totally adjustable spacing (individual template fingers), and more stuff I can't recall at the moment. I think the cost is somewhere in the $300-$400 neighborhood.
Pretty much a "ditto" response
I have the leigh, and I've used the PC. Now the PC has some things going for it. Built like a brick $hithouse solid and heavy. I like that. The fingers are durable as well, but it limits your layout to the template they give you, period.
The Leigh does take some work to learn, but not a ton. Actually I usually burn the end of a test board several times to get the bit set at just that perfect depth for a nice tight joint. But once you're there, you can run drawer sides all day long bam bam bam. So it can be a little frustrating for one drawer, but if you had ten, twenty, then you're ahead of the game by a long shot. And I do like how you can adjust the spacing.
On drawers, since I almost always side hang them, I leave the middle half blind tails spanning where the dado for the guide will go, so the drawer face automatically becomes the stop. You cant do that with the PC. And with the leigh, like mentioned, half, full, sliding, and if you're going to do much of it you can buy finger sets for all kinds of other designs, fingerjoints, etc. You can even use the jig if thats all you have to make pretty good dado work, although a tablesaw is certainly an easier option.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
I have Leigh and Keller -- I like Leigh for the versatility but like Keller for the set up speed - it has the slots fixed so you have to like what is provided. Both are good -- Leigh does take some fooling around and notes on the jig to be sure you are putting the right end in the right place -- Dudley