# Stanley H61-A



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi all.

Our Men's Shed has a Stanley H61-A half blind dovetail jig that I found under the dust.

We are going to start some sessions on box making and I would like to make the jig workable.

Does any one have a manual or any information on this jig.

It appears that the gap between the fingers is 7/16" so a guide bush of that size and a 1/2" cutter may be required.

I have found the manual for the Central Machinery 12" Dovetail Joint Fixture model 34102 on the forum and this seems to use the same guide bush and 1/4" shank, 1/2" 14° dovetail bit.

Any help appreciated...


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## CGL (Jan 14, 2012)

Hi James, I e-mailed the folks at Stanley and they were very helpful on another tool I had. They didn't have any information that time but they tool the time and researched some information for me. On other tools they sent me information they had. You can reach them at http://www.stanleytools.com/ I hope they are able to help you out. Chris


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Thanks Chris...


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

11,000 Post!!!!! WHEN Do You get time to do any woodworking? Congrats, by the way


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*What else is there to do?*



dutchman 46 said:


> 11,000 Post!!!!! WHEN Do You get time to do any woodworking? Congrats, by the way


Thanks Howard. Retirement is wonderful

Just the type of person I am. I treat being a part of this form very seriously, must be part of the work ethic I have grown up with.....(some would say pedantic...)

After breakfast, I will spend 1 1/2 - 2 hours on the laptop. I read EVERY new post, I check the profile for every new member, comment where I feel appropriate and greet new members.

The posts just seem to add up.....LOL

Sometimes my Ozzie sense of humor gets lost in translation...

After that, I keep an eye on the weather and if fine start emptying out the shed so that I can get to my tools.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Stanley....customer service...*



CGL said:


> Hi James, I e-mailed the folks at Stanley and they were very helpful on another tool I had. They didn't have any information that time but they tool the time and researched some information for me. On other tools they sent me information they had. You can reach them at http://www.stanleytools.com/ I hope they are able to help you out. Chris



Hi Chris,

I sent an email to Stanley and had no response.

Luckily, another member posted a copy of the manual today.

http://www.routerforums.com/general-routing/14433-manual-stanley-82913-dovetail-jig.html

The jig must be very old, as his dad purchased the jig in 1965.........LOL.

I will post a copy in the reference library.


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## WoodHoff (Jan 24, 2014)

I went to that other post, and that's the manual I've been looking for for several years. I inherited the Stanley H-61-B from my father-in-law a few years ago and just got around to using it to make a box for some lathe scrapers. Thankfully he also gave me the 1018 bit which is 9/16 diameter. I found a page in an Aussie company catalog (Carbitool) which lists bits with the same bit numbers 1012 and 1018. It says the 1012 bit (which I don't have) is 9/32 diameter with a 5 degree bevel. I can't verify that but at least the 1018 is the same diameter as mine. 

I had tried a 1/2 diameter dovetail bit and it wouldn't line up. You need the 9/16 one. That catalog says it is 15 degree bevel. 

Happy routing,

Steve


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

I am glad that it works so well Steve! I have all of My Father's hand tools, planes, and Tons of drill bits that He acquired over the years! And so much more, that I'm not mentioning. There is something very Special about using a Father, or Father-in-laws equipment. So I am Happy for You!


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## WoodHoff (Jan 24, 2014)

Thanks Howard


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## Rickinnocal (Jul 24, 2011)

I know this thread's a bit old, but if anyone else happens to stumble across it googling this jig (Which is what I did), I'm using a 9/16" x 14' dovetail router bit and getting lovely snug dovetails. 

I'd note that depth of cut is *critical* to get a good joint with this jig. I started with a 1/2" depth (From the *underside* of the template), as per the manual, and got a joint I couldn't even hammer together. 

Going literally 1/32" deeper was all it took. Even 1/16 gave a sloppy joint that wouldn't stay together under it's own weight.

Richard


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

*Jigs and Fixtures > Stanley H61-A*

It takes a small correction to get the fit just right because the correction moves the measurement in the pin, and the tail! Sometimes when I look at the joint, it looks like a small correction could never do it! It is all the part of the learning curve. I have to learn every day, or I get lost!


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## rvthiessen (Oct 15, 2015)

hello, can you steer me to that manual? I found this same old dovetail jig and would like to make it work. thanks, Robert


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

http://www.portercable.com/jigs/dove...lJigManual.pdf


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