Glenmore

Well everyone after what about 6 months of it setting on a shelf I finally tried my hand and router on the dove tail jig. I found it very easy to set up and I was just practicing with some scrap pieces of pine just to see if I could do it. It did help a lot that I down loaded from another site to see how to align the boards and make the cuts. I know one thing I'm going to invest in a good set of dovetail bits. I have one from a cheap set that I started out with and it burnt the wood pretty good so it of to Grizzly for a goood set. I'm very happy with the jig I got it on sale last year for under 30.00 and I'm very saticfied with it. Thank you for everyones help with deciding to purchase it.

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Glenmore

Days without wood working are days not worth getting up for.

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Dr.Zook

Glenmore, Woodcraft has a 1/2" D x 14* dovetail bit, 1/2" shank on sale for $5.00 US. As a matter of fact, they have 9 other bits on sale, same price. (While supplies last).

Dave
the "Doctor"

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Dave
the "Doctor"

In woodworking there is no scrap, only firewood.

Glenmore

Thanks Dave I'm going to check that out.

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Glenmore

Days without wood working are days not worth getting up for.

challagan

Wow, that is pretty cheap but for once in a while dove tails it might be worth it. Hard to believe the price on this. Where do they cheap out on this jig, they have to somewhere I would expect.

corey

mpphoto

Amazing. I just saw this jig a few days ago in Harbor Freight. It's listed at $59 but on the website it's $29 and the stores will honor the web price.
weblink

I picked it up. I wanted desperately to like it. I touched it, sniffed it, tapped it... then put it down. I assumed since it was so cheap it would cause me nothing but aggravation. Now I read this... hmmmm.

I only have need to do occassional dovetails so I never wanted to spend a lot for a jig. I guess I'll have to reconsider this one...

So it really works???


Michael

challagan

Your putting yourself thru the same thing I am Michael! Inquiring minds want to know


corey

bobj3

Yep It works but you need to tweak it just a bit

http://www.routerforums.com/general-...html#post26336
http://www.routerforums.com/general-...Tweak+DoveTail

Bj

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PodCast videos
RWS on YouTube

http://www.routerforums.com/86898-post1.html
Besure and click on the Up Arrow key ▲ on the Youtube video, you can select other youtube videos on router tables
http://www.woodworkingonline.com/?s=dovetail
Machine Cut ▼
http://www.woodworkingonline.com/200...cut-dovetails/

http://www.woodworkingonline.com/woo...podcast-store/

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/menu2.htm

Bob J.

mpphoto

Well Corey...
$29 is less than an average bar tab

Here is my concern.
You buy the jig. You buy the dovetail bits. You use up lots of scrap to try and get it right. Maybe you do, maybe you don't. If you don't (due to inaccuracies in the jig) then you're out half the money that you could have spent on a Porter Cable jig and your average bar tab goes up considerably.

Decisions, decisions...

Michael

edited to add: thanks Bj!
(when does he sleep )

RustyW

[quote=mpphoto]
$29 is less than an average bar tab

$29 is also less than the cost of a good dovetail bit and template guide which are included with the PC jig.

I also was tempted by the low cost HF jig. But found the manual(downloadable on their website)to be very confusing. Then I discovered my local Lowes stocks the PC so I picked one up. It is very easy to use with lots of user friendly features to aid with stock allignment and cutting depth. Now that I have it, I could probably use the HF with no problems. But if the HF were my first, I probably would have got frusterated and never used it.

Rusty

mpphoto

I'm with you Rusty and this is the logic that has always caused me hesitation.
The Harbor Freight jig is $30 and you still need to buy a bit.
The Rockler jig is currently on sale for $60 and comes with a bit.
The MLCS jig is $60 and comes with a bit and a metal template guide (the others mentioned are plastic).
The Porter Cable 4212 can be had for $119 with current amazon specials (10% off and $25 off and free shipping). It comes with bits and templates to do both half-blind and through dovetails. The other jigs only do half-blinds out of the box.

It all gets a little overwhelming at times.

Michael