Dovetail Jigs: Drawers and Boxes.

"Alan Smithee" wrote in news:VuJ1h.229423$1T2.106962@pd7urf2no:

The Akeda is a very nice tool. There are some limitations, but these are things that should be overcome with a dovetail saw and chisels. The Akeda makes beautiful joints.

Patriarch

Reply to
Patriarch
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I have the leigh d4. To me, this definitly falls into the category of cry once. To me, the variable spacing is was sold me. The akeda wasn't out when I bought it.

The only thing the akeda has over the leigh is dust collection. You can get this router attachment from leigh that helps with the dust collection, but it's only a partial solution. I plan to experiment with a plexi box to see if I can improve the situation.

The d1600 would be an option only if you knew you would never want to do casework, i.e. drawers only. The project I'm working on now will use 22" long dovetails for the case. With the d1600, you also lose the ability to do variable thickness pins.

You also have the isoloc templates and the other attachments if you want to use those. I think they're overpriced so I'm waiting to get one on sale or something.

Another thing you may want to consider is the table saw. There was an article a few years back (FWW iirc) where this guy had a table saw blade reground so that the bevel on all the teeth went the same way at the dovetail angle. Then he would tilt the blade to the same angle. Then he could gang-cut all the drawers at the same time. He was left with a little waste that he cleaned out with a scroll saw. Pins were cut with a dado set. The advantage here is that you can make the pins as skinny as the saw blade thickness, whereas with a router, you're limited by the shank size on the router bit. I haven't experimented with this yet, but it's on the agenda.

brian

Reply to
brianlanning

I have the leigh d4. To me, this definitly falls into the category of cry once. To me, the variable spacing is was sold me. The akeda wasn't out when I bought it.

The only thing the akeda has over the leigh is dust collection. You can get this router attachment from leigh that helps with the dust collection, but it's only a partial solution. I plan to experiment with a plexi box to see if I can improve the situation.

The d1600 would be an option only if you knew you would never want to do casework, i.e. drawers only. The project I'm working on now will use 22" long dovetails for the case. With the d1600, you also lose the ability to do variable thickness pins.

You also have the isoloc templates and the other attachments if you want to use those. I think they're overpriced so I'm waiting to get one on sale or something.

Another thing you may want to consider is the table saw. There was an article a few years back (FWW iirc) where this guy had a table saw blade reground so that the bevel on all the teeth went the same way at the dovetail angle. Then he would tilt the blade to the same angle. Then he could gang-cut all the drawers at the same time. He was left with a little waste that he cleaned out with a scroll saw. Pins were cut with a dado set. The advantage here is that you can make the pins as skinny as the saw blade thickness, whereas with a router, you're limited by the shank size on the router bit. I haven't experimented with this yet, but it's on the ajenda.

brian

Reply to
brianlanning

At some point, if you don't already have one, you're gonna have a router table. And it's gonna have a fence. And if you want to do half blinds and through dovetails, as well as box/finger joints and perhaps DrawerLok or MiterLock joints, maybe even raised panel doors or box lids - you're gonna look at Incra and JoinTech fence "systems" because a shop made, clamp on fence ain't gonna do it.

I skipped over the dovetail jigs and got the JoinTech - which I highly recomend. Replaceable zero clearance fence inserts, dust collection through the inside of the sqaure extruded fence, T-slots on top for attaching hold downs, stops etc., fence moveable in 0.001" increments (click indicators for each step of course), . . .

The jigs - well you'll only use them for dovetails and maybe finger joints. A router table, with the JoinTech Cabinet Maker System - well that'll get used a LOT more often - and you don't have to buy "special" router bits.

Now if you have a cabinet saw with an extension table, and your router is mounted in the extension table, JoinTech has the Saw Train - which does everything the Cabinet Maker System does PLUS you have a precision positionable fence.

When you think of machine making dovetails - skip the jigs and get a JoinTech!

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Here's my router table set up - ALL the joinery done with the JoinTech. And this was my second or third woodworking project.

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Before you buy a "jig" at least have a look at what this puppy can do.

charlie b other than being a very satisfied customer, I have no connection with JoinTech.

Reply to
charlie b

I've had Incra Jigs for years, and I love them for some work, especially fancy or "creative" projects.

But for repetitive tasks, like building drawers, they're a tedious PITA with continuous resetting and multiple passes. My Leigh D1600 is far easier to setup (just once), and a single pass cuts all the pins (or tails) with absolute accuracy (no chance of ruining a workpiece by being "off one notch" when moving the fence).

Hans

Reply to
KØHB

I've been working my way up though the less expensive jigs with mixed success. I started with a Craftsman that didn't hold the work very well. I upgraded to the Porter Cable 4112 which works well but doesn't do through dovetails. When the Porter Cable 4212 Deluxe model came out for $150 and it did through dovetails, I jumped on it and thought I was done. However, I don't like the looks of the 4212 joints, they seem too big for draws and the bits provided with the jig are very low angle (7 degrees?). This low angle results in dovetails that almost look like box joints. For my last project with draws, I went back to the 4112. The bottom line here for me is that I'm on my third jig, am not happy, and have spent almost as much at the cost of a Leigh...

Scott

Reply to
onoahimahi

why not try the Woodrat ????

Reply to
Me

Reply to
Alan Smithee

I would also consider Stots:

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It is dramatically less expensive than everything else mentioned here.

Mark

Reply to
Mark Wells

Now that's neat. Not all _that_ much cheaper than Rockler's 60 buck Incra when you throw in the cost of a sheet of MDF but still that's neat.

Reply to
J. Clarke

Not exactly.

You use the same setup for matching pins and tails, but use opposite ends of the jig for different layouts at each end of the board.

I learned it here!

Reply to
B A R R Y

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