I was searching the internet and came across these plans for a dovetail jig:
Thanks,
Charlie
Charlie...
I haven't seen the Woodsmith issue. My own shop-built dovetail jig can be seen at
I have not tried to make a complete jig. The generic blue monster jigs are so cheap and do a decent job with half-blind dovetails that it don't seem worth the effort. However, I have made my own templates to use with my blue monster that allow me to cut through dovetails. Could send some pictures if you are interested. Earl Creel
Having just purchased one of the 'blue monsters' from Harbor Freight I'd be very interested in pictures and any construction and setup/use hints you could offer regarding through dovetail templates. Perhaps you could post them to alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking for all to see. If you prefer to email note that the anti-spam 'DOT' must be deleted from my email address.
Thanks, David Merrill
Five pictures have been posted on a.b.p.w. Earl Creel
That's quite a machine! Not quite what I had in mind, though...
Charlie
I read a review of the JET dovetail jig on amazon that basically said that the harbor freight version is somehow sub-standard as far as fit and finish goes. Is there any truth to this? The jigs from HF, JET, Grizzly, and Rockler all look identical but vary in price from $39.99 to $79.99. I know the Rockler ($79.99) comes with the necessary template guide and bit, but I believe that the rest are jigs only. Any comments from owners of the various brands?
Charlie
Haven't seen any of the dovetail jig imports in the flesh except the HF version. However, see my comments in the following thread regarding the HF version and Eric Anderson's comments concerning improvements he made to the very similar, but not completely identical, Woodstock International version.
All considered, I felt that I got my money's worth with the HF product (both the dovetail jig and the bandsaw referenced above). Note that I'm a hobbiest; I only buy at their sale prices; I don't buy sight unseen; and I'm prepared to do a bit of tweaking and modifying if needed.
David Merrill
I made it and it works great. Have tried several of the blue monsters and while they probably work well for soft woods, I had trouble with them when making drawers out of 1/2 inch oak. The vibration caused movement of the sides in the jig. I beleive the problem is with the bars that are used to hold the sides in place. While they look impressive, they do bend every so slight and allow for movement. The Woodsmith jig has oak bars that do not bend. I really like it.
I modified the plan a little by using the Porter Cable 5/8 template made out of 1/4 aluminum. That way I can use a 1/2 dovetail bit on a 1/2 shank and get much less vibration.
The stotts jig is the jig which comes with a shrinkwrap license. You don't own it, you cannot loan it, you cannot let your buddy use a template you make from it.
Therefore I won't be a buyer/licensee
snipped-for-privacy@worldnet.att.net (Alan W) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:
There is nothing to that effect on the Rockler website. Therefore, if I were to buy that stuff, I am not subscribing to to any restrictions. I buy it, I own it, and that's that.
Read the FAQ on the Stots site--it really is a shrinkwrap license like with software. "If you remove this sticker you agree to . . ."
What a court would have to say about it is another story.
With shrinkwrap licenses, it doesn't have to be on the Rockler website. By your act of breaking the seal on the product, you are agreeing to all terms and conditions in the license accompanying the package, so by opening the package without reading the license, for all you know you may be agreeing to become Bill Gate's towel boy in his new mansion (obscure Dilbert reference) in exchange for getting to use the product. Your agreement is not with Rockler, but with the weasels selling the jig. IMHO, (IANAL) such an agreement on a tool would not be very likely to withstand a court challenge, but then who wants to go through the hassle, you're better off finding another product that does not have such an egregious and arrogant opinion of itself. Ed Foster's gripe line in Infoworld has had quite a bit of fun with this extreme example of "sneakwrap" licensing.
The EULA is not on any website you buy your software from, nor is it printed on the outside of the box. Try to get your money back after you open the software box. To my knowledge EULA has not been challened in court yet.
Any company which dis-respects their customers with a tool as Stotts does, does not deserve my business.
ALan
snipped-for-privacy@worldnet.att.net (Alan W) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:
I've read a bit of the website shrinkware announcement. As I understand it, Stottswhatever his name is doesn't want you to go in business with
*his* system and start making jigs with it for everyone you know, or loan it to all your "friends" so they can do it themselves. I think that is a somewhat reasonable request. However, if I can freely share my router or drill to my friends, I think I should be able to do a similar thing with some other "tool" that I have bought. Therefore, I do not feel encumbered by his request (unfortunately I do not (yet) know many people who could conceivably be interested in it).HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.