# Make your own Dovetail Jig



## paulwc (Aug 21, 2010)

Is there any one out there that has any ideals on making your own Dovetail jig's ?


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## Cassandra (Mar 15, 2006)

Hi Paul:

The are a couple of chapters in the book _Working With Routers_ from Taunton Press that might help. One chapter describes how to make a jig, while another shows how to quickly bang out a couple of templates on the table saw.

The two chapters are in Section 4: _Make Your Own Dovetail Jig_ on page 80 and _Shopmade Dovetail Templates_ on page 84.

Cassandra

Amazon.com: Working with Routers (New Best of Fine Woodworking) (9781561586851): Fine Woodworking: Books


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

Hi Paul

If you look under Katy jig on the forum there is a discussion about making one. The beauties of the Katy jig are that the dovetails are variable space and you can use it either on the router table or with a hand held router.

Cheers

Peter


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Popular woodworking has run an article a couple of times on the $19 dovetail jig, Popular Woodworking - $19.99 Dovetail Jig, and there are a bunch of guys who have tablesaw or bandsaw dovetail jigs.


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## leisurdaz (Apr 1, 2007)

I like your idea


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## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

*Box jount or dovetale and pin's ???*

I thought if it was cut on a table saw . It wasn't the dovetale and pin's?? I do dovetale and than cut the pin's. If you look at the frount it look's like a dovetale. If cut on a table saw wouldn't it be a box joint ? Just wondering. Both are fine . I have the gifkin'g dove tale jig for about 4 ys now and use it just about every day . I make like 500 small box's so far. I set up at a craft show. It work's fine.


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## newwoodworker (Mar 27, 2009)

del schisler said:


> I thought if it was cut on a table saw . It wasn't the dovetale and pin's?? I do dovetale and than cut the pin's. If you look at the frount it look's like a dovetale. If cut on a table saw wouldn't it be a box joint ? Just wondering. Both are fine . I have the gifkin'g dove tale jig for about 4 ys now and use it just about every day . I make like 500 small box's so far. I set up at a craft show. It work's fine.


No its a dovetail ive never done it but seen it done before they angle the blade to get the edges then hog the middle out at 90*


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

I have seen many,many shop made dovetail jigs and they just don't work, the joints must be dead on or to say the jig must be dead on and made with a CNC machine the norm or a true copy of the template (finger guide) if it's not dead on you will need a big hammer or just one big dovetail..


If you want to keep the price down take a hard look at the EZ dovetail jig.
The General Tools & Instruments Newsroom | The EZ Pro Dovetail Jig Instructional Videos

http://www.amazon.com/General-Tools...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1286554950&sr=1-1
========


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## wescox007 (Nov 22, 2010)

Can someone give the specs on MLCS's dovetail jig? Just make a copy outta plastic or even 1/4" 3/8" or 1/2" plywood? If you are gonna use a bushing, it should not wear out, just make another if it does.


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## Kelly Rittgers (Aug 6, 2010)

Has anyone seen one by slots? I don't have the link. You can make your own with that. BJ have you tried that?

That General is very inexpensive, does it work well and easy to work? I might have asked before and forgot.

KR


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

*Wheels and the re-invention thereof*

I find it interesting that people and companies continue to attempt to re-invent the DT jig "wheel" - usually motivated by economy. Although the geometry of a dovetail isn't all that complicated, it changes in subtle ways with any variation of stock thickness - a fact that complicates the design of a jig. Then, there's the whole alignment and registration issue - That is, not only getting the tails and pins to fit, but keeping them in registration around all four corners of a box. This is another area where many jigs (both commercial and shop-made) fall short. Unless one is able to achieve machinist-level precision, the jig is doomed to be a failure, or require excessive fiddling to make it work. 

Being frugal is good. But, as Harry (the dirty one) said, "A man's gotta know his limitations."


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi KR

I did try it and I'm not a big fan of it 

Stots.com - Woodworking Products

Stots Dovetail Template Master- "You can make your own jigs." - Page 1

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/menu2.htm

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Kelly Rittgers said:


> Has anyone seen one by slots? I don't have the link. You can make your own with that. BJ have you tried that?
> 
> That General is very inexpensive, does it work well and easy to work? I might have asked before and forgot.
> 
> KR


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## Kelly Rittgers (Aug 6, 2010)

BJ

Which is easiest to use in your humble opinion.

KR


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi KR

By far the Katie jig and then the EZ Pro..

The General Tools & Instruments Newsroom | The EZ Pro Dovetail Jig Instructional Videos

Katie Jig Tool System - Make Dovetail Joints Simply, Easily, and Quickly!

==++++++++==


Kelly Rittgers said:


> BJ
> 
> Which is easiest to use in your humble opinion.
> 
> KR


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> Hi KR
> 
> By far the Katie jig and then the EZ Pro..
> 
> ...


As one who mostly cuts their dovetails by hand or when I did some kitchen drawers for a friend and a few for myself the PC4212 I have a question about the EZ Pro.

From what I've read, it comes with a bearing guided but but I've heard complaints about the quality of the bearing. I've yet to go pick up one of these jigs (cheap enough that I could skip a few Saturday night pizza-and-beer sessions to do this).

So, I'm curious Bob, what is the quality on the bit and bearing? Is it a standard size and could be easily upgraded?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Rob

" could be easily upgraded? " = yes,,,some of the jigs come with a short dovetail bit and one bearing and some of the newer ones come with 2 bearings and a longer dovetail bit..I do suggest getting the longer shank bit..

Amazon.com: General Tools 860 dovetailer EZ Pro dovetail Jig: Home Improvement

with 2 bearing and a longe dovtail bit ▼
Amazon.com: EZ Pro Dovetail Jig: Home Improvement

I do suggest getting the longer bit in the set below or one from MLCS with the  lock rings the bearing are all the same so you are covered for that..

note the Leigh part number..
16 pc 1/4 Shank Dovetail Router Bit Set For Leigh Jig - eBay (item 140499233022 end time Jan-16-11 18:37:20 PST)

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rwyoung said:


> As one who mostly cuts their dovetails by hand or when I did some kitchen drawers for a friend and a few for myself the PC4212 I have a question about the EZ Pro.
> 
> From what I've read, it comes with a bearing guided but but I've heard complaints about the quality of the bearing. I've yet to go pick up one of these jigs (cheap enough that I could skip a few Saturday night pizza-and-beer sessions to do this).
> 
> So, I'm curious Bob, what is the quality on the bit and bearing? Is it a standard size and could be easily upgraded?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI KR

I forgot to say why I'm not a big fan of it, the 1/2" bearing on the bit would NOT fit into the slot of the jig, I said no big deal I have other bits with the same bearing on them, I must have 40 or so bits and not one of them would fit in the slot ,so I said OK, I will use a brass guide and the same error so I put it in the lathe and turned it down so it would fit into the slot, it got to me so I sanded the slot out a little bit so the bearing would fit into the slot just right..

I will say by using the brass guide it's a bit tricky and I must take care not to wipe out the master jig with the router bit..

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bobj3 said:


> Hi KR
> 
> I did try it and I'm not a big fan of it
> 
> ...


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