# New member needs help with dovetail jigs



## EdWilliams (Sep 19, 2011)

I have always been interested in woodworking. I am interested in making small wood boxes from keepsake size through medium sized toyboxes. I still need to acquire a dovetail jig for making the joints. Looking for any recommendations and advice on making tight joints.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Welcome, Ed;

Depending on the type of dovetail you want to make, determines what jig to use.
There are many, both cheap (but good) that make hidden DTs, and more expensive ones for through and hidden DTs.
I have a Harbor Freight for hidden. Also have a Porter Cable for those.
Others will come in with more options for you.


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

Hi Ed, welcome.
I have the Porter Cable 4216 with all the templates for doing full size & miniatures. With all the templates you can do half-blind dovetails, through dovetails, sliding dovetails & box joints. It is a good jig. The different 4200 series (4210 thru 4216) is the same basic jig but higher the number the more templates that are included. You can also buy the templates separate.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Ed, welcome to the forum


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Greetings and welcome to the router forums, we are glad to have you join us.

I have an Akeda they ain't cheep unless you happen upon one like I did on Craig's list. I paid 200.00 for it and it included a DeWalt 618 router, made it a worth while expenditure. The jig works great and is simple, a real plus for me!!


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## 4yanks (Oct 8, 2011)

I know this will sound like heresy. Unless you plan on producing a lot of dovetails don't use a router and dovetail jig. For small projects or one-offs it is faster, easier, less expensive and less wasteful to cut them by hand. Don't get me wrong I love routers. I look to the router for solutions to my woodworking problems before I consider most other options. I have owned a couple of jigs in the past but have gotten rid of them even though all of my case projects and drawers are built with dovetails. If I was planning on doing a kitchen full of half blind dovetails I would get a simple half blind jig. If I wanted to do production runs of case pieces/boxes that were dovetailed I would get a Leigh, Porter Cable, Woodrat, etc... jig.

I apologize for my sacrilege in advance. I know this is a router forum and that I am new. I assumed I had to have a dovetail jig when I first got started. I wasted time and money when I didn't have to. I think that the OP might benefit from this additional perspective.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi 4yanks

I must disagree with you on that one. 

Putting dovetails in by hand is a art and takes many years to get down right not to say anything about putting in blind dovetails, most of the members have home shops.

You don't need to drop 200.oo plus for a dovetail jig if you only need one now and than unlike the hand way that you need to drop tons of good money for saws and chisels  not say anything about all the wood you will make in to firewood for a long time b/4 you get it down right..

For 50.oo you can put dovetails in easy with just a router and one router bit that comes with the jig..

http://www.routerforums.com/project-plans-how/30687-ez-dovetail-jig.html

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4yanks said:


> I know this will sound like heresy. Unless you plan on producing a lot of dovetails don't use a router and dovetail jig. For small projects or one-offs it is faster, easier, less expensive and less wasteful to cut them by hand. Don't get me wrong I love routers. I look to the router for solutions to my woodworking problems before I consider most other options. I have owned a couple of jigs in the past but have gotten rid of them even though all of my case projects and drawers are built with dovetails. If I was planning on doing a kitchen full of half blind dovetails I would get a simple half blind jig. If I wanted to do production runs of case pieces/boxes that were dovetailed I would get a Leigh, Porter Cable, Woodrat, etc... jig.
> 
> I apologize for my sacrilege in advance. I know this is a router forum and that I am new. I assumed I had to have a dovetail jig when I first got started. I wasted time and money when I didn't have to. I think that the OP might benefit from this additional perspective.


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## 4yanks (Oct 8, 2011)

Bob J.

I knew that to make such a suggestion on a router forum would be controversial. I stopped using a dovetail jig, not when I acquired the skill to cut dovetails, but when I started looking at furniture in museums. It seemed to me that the great masters couldn't cut tight dovetails either. Nobody criticizes them. So I decided if it was good enough for them it would be good enough for me.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Welcome to the community 4yanks...

you can take heart my friend... there are many in here who endeavor to make the perfect handcut dovetail


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## pal (Feb 13, 2008)

4yanks said:


> Bob J.
> 
> I knew that to make such a suggestion on a router forum would be controversial. I stopped using a dovetail jig, not when I acquired the skill to cut dovetails, but when I started looking at furniture in museums. It seemed to me that the great masters couldn't cut tight dovetails either. Nobody criticizes them. So I decided if it was good enough for them it would be good enough for me.



Hi 4yanks
I think you may be overlooking the fact that the furniture you have been looking at in museums are probably 200 + years old as timber dries out it shrinks so now when you look at the dovetail or finger joints they now look loose but are still holding the parts together. If they had started out loose they would now fall apart. Here in Australia the standard is 12% moisture in the timber when it is dried (kiln or air) and after a few years you can still see the joint is not as tight as when first made. 

Regards

Harold


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hello Ed, and welcome to the community.... as you can see, there is no "ONE" answer. the old adage of different strokes for different folks can certainly be applied to your question. Just to throw in my 2cents worth I"d had to say that it all depends *L*...on just what your looking to accomplish and if you have any long range expectations. For simple dovetails (single size, single bit, single jig) the market is currently full of options. SOme of the good, some not so good. In fact, Leigh Jig is introducing a simple jig that accomplishes this type of work. I can't speak first hand for these kind of jigs, but if you take the time to do a little search engine work in here, you'll find that many are quite satisfied with them. 

Next you might think of the platform jigs. ie the porter cable 4216. A single platform that supports multiple templates. This type of jig gives you a little more flexibility, a few more options in terms of size of dovetail/box joint and the size of stock you can use. I do have a 4216 and have to say it is one fantastic dovetail making piece of equipment. Rockler, Woodcraft and many others make similar types of jigs, retailing anywhere from 150 to 250 give or take a few bucks.. some have templates included, others the templates are optional/additional. Then you can get into the big boys, Both PC and Leigh have jigs that retail for well over 500 bucks and and considered the Rolls Royces of jigs. ...

If you're thinking in the long term, I might suggest you take the time to consider a quality router table and fence system. I have an Incra LS17 and it does a fantastic job. Both as a router fence and as a dovetail/box joint making system. Far more versatile than the previous jigs. I believe woodhaven still manufactures a similar system. You do pay a premium for these types of systems. 3-500 plus. I'd have to say the Incra has it over a the Porter Cable 4216 in terms of just how many different configurations it can perform, but the PC4216 has it over the Incra in terms of speed of use. the only down side for the Incra is that constant resetting of the fence to make your cutting passes. 

So as you can see, there are a ton of considerations to be made. I like to say, take your time, do your homework, shop around and once you've decided on a system, just enjoy!! 

come to think of it... if the craftsman of 200 yrs ago had these kinda jigs............:no::no::no::no::no::no: naaaaaaaa, there is just something about cutting them yourself 





EdWilliams said:


> I have always been interested in woodworking. I am interested in making small wood boxes from keepsake size through medium sized toyboxes. I still need to acquire a dovetail jig for making the joints. Looking for any recommendations and advice on making tight joints.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

That said ,I would love to look at normal dovetail router joint in 200+ years from now, I would say it will be in better shape than the hand cut ones of old..most are made to be DEAD on..and hold with or without glue. 

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pal said:


> Hi 4yanks
> I think you may be overlooking the fact that the furniture you have been looking at in museums are probably 200 + years old as timber dries out it shrinks so now when you look at the dovetail or finger joints they now look loose but are still holding the parts together. If they had started out loose they would now fall apart. Here in Australia the standard is 12% moisture in the timber when it is dried (kiln or air) and after a few years you can still see the joint is not as tight as when first made.
> 
> Regards
> ...


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## pal (Feb 13, 2008)

You are prob ally right Bob, I would also think that the moisture content in the timber used to day is a lot lower than the masters used. I have to say I admire anyone that takes the time to learn and acquire the skills to turn out any good hand made joint be it dovetail, finger or mortise and Tenon.

Regards

Harold


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