mftha

I recently started getting serious about dovetail joinery. I have a one year old Rockler dovetail jig with both half blind and through templates (I think they have replaced it with another model) and the new MLCS dovetail jig for 24 inch (61 cm) half blind joints. They both came with template guides for Porter-Cable style bases, not the Oak Park bases I use. I was greatly concerned that I would either have to figure out a way to use the Porter-Cable sized guides or purchase template guides from Lee Valley. Both the Rockler and MLCS were labeled as outside diameters that do match Oak-Park guides that I have, but the labeled inside diameters were larger. I also saw that Lee Valley has template guides with the Oak-Park 1 1/2 inch overall diameter and the same "official" outer and inner diameters as the Rockler and MLCS guides. I compared the Oak-Park guides with the Rockler and MLCS guides and found that the MLCS guide has an identical inner diameter to the Oak-Park guide but the Rockler innner diameter is slightly larger, as labeled. I then tested whether the dovetail bits with each jig would fit the Oak-Park guides, AND THEY DO WORK even though the Oak Park "official" inner diameters are too small. I may have misunderstood the Oak-Park diimensions, because upon further reading the "inner diameter" is actually the largest sized bit that can be used with the particular guide.

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Tom (NOT Template Tom; I'm nowhere near his league)
One does not know what they are doing until they can make a mistake and correct it.
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bobj3

HI mftha

" not the Oak Park bases I use"

I'm not to sure of what you are saying... ?

If you want to use the Rockler/MLCS jig(s) you will need to use the PC type guides.

Most routers can't take on the bigger guides...unless you make your own base plate...

But if you are saying you want to put in dovetails on the router table using the bigger guides it can be done....

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Bj

mftha

I was trying to say that I have Oak Park guides and base plates but the Rockler and MLCS dovetail jigs come with their own bits and template guides. These template guides fit the Porter-Cable sized base plates, not the Oak Par base plates. The included template guides are also labeled with inner diameters that do not match the Oak Park guides with the same outer diameter, and so I was concerned that I would not be able to use the template guides that I have that do fit my base plates. Does this explanation clear up your question and clarify my posting?

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Tom (NOT Template Tom; I'm nowhere near his league)
One does not know what they are doing until they can make a mistake and correct it.
DO Something, DO ANYTHING to Stop Global Warming

Hamlin

Hi mftha,

If you intend on using a Rockler or MLCS dt jig, make your own base plate that will take on the guides. Technically, you already have a template to do this. The orginal base plate from your router. You only need to modify the hole for the guide(s).

Mike, (a moderator), has posted a sticky just today about making a base plate. Also, there are many threads about the same topic. Bj, could probably find that info faster than I could.

Hope this helps.

__________________
Ken

"A VETERAN"
"Wether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life". That is HONOR, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it." -Author Unknown

mftha

I was trying to say that the templates guides I have from Oak-Park do work with both the Rockler and MLCS jigs, so I do not have to modify anything! I thought this information might be worth sharing.

__________________
Tom (NOT Template Tom; I'm nowhere near his league)
One does not know what they are doing until they can make a mistake and correct it.
DO Something, DO ANYTHING to Stop Global Warming

bobj3

HI mftha

Here's just one more small tip,, the templates fingers can be used on the router table with the fence in place ,, no need to use the Rockler/MLCS jigs..if you don't want to.

Then you can use the PC guides or the OP type guides..in the router table base place.


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Bj

bobj3

HI Guys

Here's two good ones..

http://www.routerforums.com/guide-bu...pc-guides.html
http://www.routerforums.com/guide-bu...html#post73038

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Bj

Mike

I had forgotten about Rusty's posting, I would of made it a sticky and not spent the time shooting Brian working... I could of been spending time on a project. Thanks for the reminder BJ!

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Mike

mftha

Thanks, BobJ. I had wondered if that were the case and if not why not, but I had never gotten around to testing it.

__________________
Tom (NOT Template Tom; I'm nowhere near his league)
One does not know what they are doing until they can make a mistake and correct it.
DO Something, DO ANYTHING to Stop Global Warming

Hamlin

Hi mftha,

My appologies, I misunderstood what you were trying to say. (Sometimes that round thing that sits on top of my shoulders is a little bit denser than the wood I shape).

__________________
Ken

"A VETERAN"
"Wether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life". That is HONOR, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it." -Author Unknown