Dovetail Jig
A Brief Review
Is there any Dovetail Jig easy to set-up and use? Most woodworkers wonder which Dovetail
Device makes the most sense.
Let's have a brief jig review.
You should ask yourself these questions:
1. Is it easy to learn?
2. Are the instructions good and easy to use?
3. What is the quality of the finished dovetail?
4. What is the quality of the jig and how easy to use?
These jigs can be expensive, and they can be confusing to use. The setup should be simple and
effective. The instructions should be thorough and easy to following.
Some "experts" recommend making various templates to rout dovetails. I disagree! Why go to all
of the trouble and expense?
Most quality drawers use dovetail joints, because they are strong and resist the strains of a
drawer.
Look at this file drawer. There are many files, as you can see. Does it hold up? You bet it does!
After looking at several jigs, some costing over $300, and reading the instructions, I
found that you do NOT have to spend big bucks to make quality dovetail joints. You need ease
of setup and quality cuts.
This jig has a reasonable price and gives excellent results:
Porter Cable 4210 12-inch Dovetail Jig
- Handles stock 1/4" to 1 1/8" thick
- Patent pending alignment lines and router bit depth stop allow for quick, easy set-up
- Heavy-duty cam-type clamps with sandpaper-backed locking bars provide solid grip of
wood
- CNC machined aluminum templates provide superior accuracy
- Cuts half-blind dovetails, rabbeted half-blind dovetails, and dovetail dadoes
- Additional templates available to create through dovetails, box joints, and miniature
dovetails
- Standard Equipment: Dovetail jig, half-blind/dado combo template #4211, 1/2" shank
carbide-tipped dovetail bit #43776PC, template guide #42040, lock nut #42237 and operating manual
However, you may want to consider making sliding dovetails. They are just as strong and are easier to build. You do not need a jig for these.
Sliding Dovetail Joints excel in pull-apart strength. And you can make them with your router table. What could be easier?
You can view how easy it is at Sliding Dovetail Joint
See my Best Place to Buy Page for good pricing on these jigs.
