Router Forums

Register Now!

It appears that you aren't a registered member, click below to instantly register and become a member of the RouterForums.com Community!

Register Now!

** Registration removes majority of the website advertisements **


Go Back   Router Forums > General Woodworking > Starting Off

Rate This Thread - Dovetail Jig.

New Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-08-2006, 11:48 AM   #1
ARTEDNA
On Vacation
New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NEBRASKA
Posts: 3
ARTEDNA is on a distinguished road

Default Dovetail Jig

I am making kitchen cabinets for the LOML and forgot that I will have to make drawers-do not have a dovetail jig!-now that I have opened my big mouth and told the LOML -I CAN DO THAT- I need some help-Leigh-Porter cable-or one of someones copy-or is there another way that does not involve piles of money?
ARTEDNA is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Alt Sponsor Post
Advertising


Alt Sponsored Links



__________________
This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on Router Forums
   
Old 09-08-2006, 12:39 PM   #2
Glenmore
Forum Moderator
Supreme Forum King
 
Glenmore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Mountain Top Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,448
Glenmore will become famous soon enough

Send a message via Skype™ to Glenmore
Default

Welcome to the forum Artedna. I bought my dove tail jig from Habor Freight the same one that you can buy from grizzly. It works well and paid 30.00 plus the shipping that was on sale. It normally sells for about 40. Just one thing though mine didn't come with directions so you'll have to do some research on setting it up.
__________________
Glenmore

Days without wood working are days not worth getting up for.
Glenmore is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 09-08-2006, 02:04 PM   #3
Bob
Forum Moderator
Supreme Forum King
 
Bob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Metro Atlanta, GA
Posts: 2,248
Bob has a spectacular aura aboutBob has a spectacular aura about

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ARTEDNA
I am making kitchen cabinets for the LOML and forgot that I will have to make drawers-do not have a dovetail jig!-now that I have opened my big mouth and told the LOML -I CAN DO THAT- I need some help-Leigh-Porter cable-or one of someones copy-or is there another way that does not involve piles of money?
Hi Artedna and welcome to Router Forums.

If you decide on a PC4212 which is a great jig, send me a private message. I have one that I may be willing to sell at a good deal.
__________________
Cheers,
Bob


Pictures from the shop

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m292/bnoles616/
Bob is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 09-08-2006, 02:13 PM   #4
bobj3
Forum Contributer
Supreme Forum King
 
bobj3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Littleton,Colorado U.S.A.
Posts: 7,140
bobj3 is a jewel in the roughbobj3 is a jewel in the roughbobj3 is a jewel in the rough

Default

Hi Artedna

You don't need a dovetail jig, see the URL's below
But If Bob has one for sale it maybe the right time to get one
When the door opens you need to check it out.

http://www.routerworkshop.com/drlockjt.html

http://www.routerworkshop.com/boxjoints.html

http://www.routerworkshop.com/gluejoint.html

Just a note***the last URL it's a real hard one to setup on the router table you can make a lot of firewood b/4 you get it right.

Also take a look at a router bit box you have,(the one they came in ) you can use the same joint for a drawer and it's easy one to setup on the router table.

Bj

Last edited by bobj3; 09-08-2006 at 02:42 PM.
bobj3 is online now   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 09-09-2006, 05:07 AM   #5
RustyW
Registered User
Forum Geek
 
RustyW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Oroville CA, USA
Posts: 295
RustyW is on a distinguished road

Default

ARTEDNA, I also was recently in the market for a dovetail jig. I had been searching all the online retailers when I realized my local Lowes stocked the PC 4210. Since I was carrying a left over birthday gift card that would cover about half the cost,I grabbed one. And I'm sure glad I did.

The instructions for the PC are kind of redundant but read them and then start making dovetails. You will find it allmost idiot proof. There is a depth gauge on the end for setting up the bit,a groove on top for lining up the template,and a guide on the side for matching up the 2 pieces of wood.

Before I found this I was about to buy the $30 harbor frieght jig (also have a local HF store). But the instructions both in the box and online were very unclear. I probably would have got frustrated and never used it. Also the PC comes with the neccessary bit and template guide, the HF does not.

The PC 4210 comes with only 1 template for making half-blind dovetails. The 4212 that BOBN is offering comes with 2 more, 1 for thru dovetails, and 1 for box joints. Hope this helps.

Rusty
RustyW is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 09-09-2006, 06:30 AM   #6
Mike
Senior Moderator
Supreme Forum King
 
Mike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Detroit, Michigan USA
Posts: 3,090
Mike has disabled reputation

Send a message via AIM to Mike Send a message via Yahoo to Mike Send a message via Skype™ to Mike
Default

Good advice from everyone about the various dovetail jigs. Here is my take on your situation: You are building kitchen cabinets, not furniture. You can save a lot of time and money by simply buying a drawer lock router bit. In a matter of minutes you will be turning our strong joints, much easier to learn than the quirks of any dovetail jig. This creates a strong joint and with todays glues it should last for many years. These bits are available from many sources such as MLCS, Rockler, or Woodcraft. Another option is to go with a box joint jig. The Router Workshop jig produces perfect joints on your first try. It has the added advantage of being used to make boxes, even wooden hinges and dovetails in 3/8" material.(This is not recommended for kitchen drawers)
__________________
Mike

Last edited by Mike; 09-09-2006 at 06:39 AM.
Mike is online now   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 09-09-2006, 02:06 PM   #7
kp91
Marine Engineer
Forum King
 
kp91's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
Posts: 873
kp91 is on a distinguished road

Default

Theres another option, there are a lot of companies that will MAKE custom drawer boxes for you, you just add the front. It sounds like a lot of bucks, but if you think about it, you aren't buying the wood, the jig, or screwing up a couple of drawers on your first try, so the cost per drawer is reasonable.

I've used dovetails, box joints, pocket holes, and knock down hardware on drawers, and had good results with all. sometime simpler is better, a locking rabbet joint, sliding dovetail, can give you great results as well.
__________________
Doug
1 John 1:9
kp91 is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
New Reply

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Keller Dovetail Jig bits-Where/How do I replace them? With what? nicksorenson Router Bits - Types and Usage 7 06-08-2008 01:01 AM
Dovetail Depth of Cut Sherwood Portable Routing 5 09-15-2007 10:28 AM
New Lower Priced Leigh Dovetail Jig scrollwolf Jigs and Fixtures 1 07-08-2007 05:10 PM
Loose Join Using Dovetail Jig Zuki General Routing 7 10-04-2005 10:30 AM
dovetail spline joints reible Jigs and Fixtures 7 10-02-2004 01:50 PM


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0
Copyright 2007 RouterForums.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107