Dega

Greetings all! I have a project I need to accomplish that involves about 20 boxes (16" x 12" x 6") and I wanted to use half blind dovetails in the construction. I went out this weekend and purchased a dovetail jig, see it here and a Chicago Electric router so I wouldn't have to keep taking my other router out of it's table. Sadly, I have discovered the router I got is not compatible with the jig (at least I can't seem to find a way to make it work) so I'm returning it and looking for another one. Anyone have any experience with this jig and have a recommendation for a router that will work well with it? I can make the dovetails by hand (barely) but I don't have the three years it would take so any help with this would be greatly appreciated. If I really screwed up with the jig purchase, I'd like to know that as well.

Thanks!
Dega

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paulcomi

Why is it that it won't work? Is the base flat on one side or too large? I have a rockler jig just like it and I use my first router as a dedicated router. The ryobi came with a flat sided base but I changed the base for a pc round 6" base and it works.

Ken Massingale

Dega,
As Paul said, we need more information. That jig is not the best, but does work well with some fiddling. Did you get guide bushings for the dovetail bit to go through? The guide bushing runs between the slots in the jig.
Regards,
Ken

__________________
There is no shame in saying 'I don't know'.

Dega

As Paul said, we need more information.

OK, here it is . . .

That jig is not the best, but does work well with some fiddling.

What kind of fiddling? - I'm more of a guitar player than a fiddler. *grin*

Did you get guide bushings for the dovetail bit to go through? The guide bushing runs between the slots in the jig.

Yes, and that is one of the two problems. The jig is designed for a 1/2" o.d. busing and the one that comes with the router is atleast a 1/16 or more bigger than that so it doesn't fit the template. I have been unable to find any other size for this particular router. The other problem is the depth or maybe stroke of the cut. The router base is 7 1/4' and i can't get it to go far enough back to make a full cut. with everything on the jig adjusted to it's max, I can route through the first piece and then about an 1/8" into the second piece.

__________________
Russ

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, totally worn out, shouting, " Holy crap - what a ride!"

Putzger

More than likely, it's not the HF jig, it's the HF instructions.

Go here: http://www.shopfox.biz/dovetail.cfm and notice that the Shop Fox jig is identical to the HF jig -- just a bit costlier. (Well, not really. The Instructions available there are a whole heck of a lot better -- so download them and give yourself a fighting chance.)

__________________
Steve
www.apachetrail.com/ww/
Mesa, AZ

sailer

Harbor Freight instructions do leave a lot to be desired. I bought their 14" bandsaw,and the diagram pictures in the instructions were printed backwards. This caused a lot of swearing and 1 day of torture before I got it right. The bandsaw is great and works perfect once I got it together.

Just my 2 cents.

Richard Wey

what router does the jig instructions say it is supposed to work with?
I would take the router back, and buy a porter cable 690, they have a deal where you can get 3 bases with the motor unit. Almost all of the dovetail jigs work with
PC guide bushes. I just gave away an old Stanley half blind jig that still worked
without problems. I have used PC 690, Makita3612 and they all work with all of the
dove tail jigs. I now have a LEIGH jig, and they work with that as well. The seven
inch base, and the lack of bushings for it are the most likely problem.