# Dovetail Jig - Dakota



## Ebony (Jun 30, 2010)

Hi, Bought a Dakota 1101 Precision dovetail jig recently. Realised it would only do fixed (1") spacing, but not that there was only one depth you can cut to for half blind joints and make the joints work. Did a bit of trigonometry after finding my first joints (router 15mm deep) were much too tight and worked out that 11.7mm was the only depth that would give a satisfactory joint (possibly +/- 0.5mm to adjust the fit). Manual implied you could make joint 8mm - 20mm.

Will I have the same problem with through dovetails? Haven't tried these yet due to the hassle of swapping guide bushes etc - need another router!

And are there other guide fences available for this jig? I cannot see any on Rutlands website.

The jig is otherwise very solid and easy to use, though a more positive way to ensure the work is parallel in the jig would help for narrow items.


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## Wini (May 14, 2010)

There are many dovetail jigs for the router. Check " http://www.rockler.com " for some good deals.
Bob


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

Hi John

The jig Rutlands brand as Dakota is a generic one that sells all over the world under various brand names. The one I got is sold by SIP and did come with 7/16, 1/2 and 9/16" combs, but I don't think they sell them seperately. I don't know anyone in the UK that sells the combs seperately, although several American suppliers do.

Actually, I've just had a look at Axminster for you and they seem to do them. I'm not impressed with their new website. The information provided on the replacement combs is lamentable; they don't say what the sizes are.They stock CMT ones, too, but the price of those is probably more than you paid for the jig originally.
Far and away your best bet are the US and Canadian suppliers, if you know anyone flying over who could hand carry them for you. The selection of sizes there is excellent and prices are much more sensible.

I've just had another idea. There is a Pakistani lad in Essex who sells DeWalt spares off eBay and I think the 12" DeWalt combs will fit or can be made to. Watch out, as DeWalt also do a 24" one, too. Try searching for DeWalt in eBay.

Oh, BTW, Bob Jurgens on here has a series of good photos on modifying the jig to make it more reliable. He will know the URL for them. One of them is sticking coarse sandpaper on the underside of the clamping bars to stop wood from moving, but he has others, as well.

Cheers

Peter


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