good dovetail jig?

I'm going through the same tradeoff analysis. My favortie dovetail jig
so far is the Akeda jig which is temporarily out of production due to
a fire. Production is expected to resume soon, in a month or so. It is
my favorite because of the dust collection. You can also find a
comparison chart on the Akeda web page. It's reasonably fair....
www.akedajigs.com
http://benchmark.20m.com/articles/LeighVersusAkeda/LeighVersusAkeda.html

Leigh jigs are considered the top end. However, unless you make
dovetails daily, it's too complicated (for me, at least).
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/leigh.htm

A comparison between Leigh and Akeda is here:
http://benchmark.20m.com/articles/LeighVersusAkeda/LeighVersusAkeda.html

The Incra precision fennces anf the similar ones from JoinTech are als
capable of doing dovetails. The nice thing about this approcah si that
there's lot's of other "stuff" the machine can do.
Incra -- http://www.woodpeck.com/lshome.html
JoinTech -- http://www.jointech.com/

Ditto for the Woodrat and Little Rat: http://www.woodrat.com/


If you like the Keller jig, then the Woodhaven jig may also be of
interest - it uses Keller templates.
http://www.woodhaven.com/shopping/Main/Router+Jigs/Woodhaven+Dovetail+Jig///

I also like the katie Jig: http://katiejig.com/


There's a good Dovetail jig article in Fine Woodworking:
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00055.asp

You can also do dovetails with a bandsaw and chisel or just a chisel.


"John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Does anyone have the Jet 709060 12" Dovetail Jig? I'm looking at buying a
> jig and getting into dovetails. I read some reviews on it and most everyone
> said the instructions are lacking, but once you have the bit depth right, it
> is a great tool for the price. Please let me know your experiences with
> this jig or any others that are comparable in features.
>
> Thanks

Rockler also has an "cost effective" dovetail jig....

http://www.rockler.com/index.cfm?&DID=6


"John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Does anyone have the Jet 709060 12" Dovetail Jig? I'm looking at buying a
> jig and getting into dovetails. I read some reviews on it and most everyone
> said the instructions are lacking, but once you have the bit depth right, it
> is a great tool for the price. Please let me know your experiences with
> this jig or any others that are comparable in features.
>
> Thanks

If you want a fool-proof jig that is fast and unlimited get the Keller
Jig. It cuts through dovetails. Once you set the jig onto its backing
block - a one time assembly - you will be cutting dovetails in less
than a minute. All you do is clamp the board in a vise or workmate,
set the jig and backing block on top of the board, position it where
you want it, clamp it to the board and start your router. I have been
looking at jigs for two years and when I saw this demoed there was no
reason to wait any longer. I can do things that other jigs cannot do
- it can dovetail any width board. Keller has a website - check it
out!

R

On Thu, 04 Mar 2004 03:54:17 GMT, "John Smith" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Does anyone have the Jet 709060 12" Dovetail Jig? I'm looking at buying a
>jig and getting into dovetails. I read some reviews on it and most everyone
>said the instructions are lacking, but once you have the bit depth right, it
>is a great tool for the price. Please let me know your experiences with
>this jig or any others that are comparable in features.
>
>Thanks
>

The Jet is a great jig. Beware of some of the cheaper look alikes. Some of
them have plastic templates while the Jet and others have aluminum. Some of
the cheaper jigs do look alot like the Jet but if you ever compare them up
close there are some differences. Mainly knobs and clamping mechanisms.

Jim


"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I just screwed it to a board, and then clamp the board to the table.
The
> board stays on the jig.
> The Jet is identical the Harbor Freight jigs. I wasn't too impressed
> with it's setup.
>
> You can get the same jig as the PC from Hartville tool. They also sell
> templates for box joints that will fit the PC (or theirs, same difference)
> http://www.hartvilletool.com/product.php?search_id=12378 .
>
>
> "John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I was all set to the the smaller PC one, but then I saw the Jet. Does
the
> > PC jig clamp fairly well? Based on the picture of it, it looks as
though
> > you screw the clamps down. Does it get tight enough to hold the stock?
> > Thanks for replying Bill.
> >
> >
> > "Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > I tried a few different ones and went with the Porter Cable. Not the
> > OmniJig
> > >
> > >
> > > "John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > Does anyone have the Jet 709060 12" Dovetail Jig? I'm looking at
> buying
> > a
> > > > jig and getting into dovetails. I read some reviews on it and most
> > > everyone
> > > > said the instructions are lacking, but once you have the bit depth
> > right,
> > > it
> > > > is a great tool for the price. Please let me know your experiences
> with
> > > > this jig or any others that are comparable in features.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

I tried a few different ones and went with the Porter Cable. Not the OmniJig


"John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Does anyone have the Jet 709060 12" Dovetail Jig? I'm looking at buying a
> jig and getting into dovetails. I read some reviews on it and most
everyone
> said the instructions are lacking, but once you have the bit depth right,
it
> is a great tool for the price. Please let me know your experiences with
> this jig or any others that are comparable in features.
>
> Thanks
>
>

I was all set to the the smaller PC one, but then I saw the Jet. Does the
PC jig clamp fairly well? Based on the picture of it, it looks as though
you screw the clamps down. Does it get tight enough to hold the stock?
Thanks for replying Bill.


"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I tried a few different ones and went with the Porter Cable. Not the
OmniJig
>
>
> "John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Does anyone have the Jet 709060 12" Dovetail Jig? I'm looking at buying
a
> > jig and getting into dovetails. I read some reviews on it and most
> everyone
> > said the instructions are lacking, but once you have the bit depth
right,
> it
> > is a great tool for the price. Please let me know your experiences with
> > this jig or any others that are comparable in features.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
>
>

I just screwed it to a board, and then clamp the board to the table. The
board stays on the jig.
The Jet is identical the Harbor Freight jigs. I wasn't too impressed
with it's setup.

You can get the same jig as the PC from Hartville tool. They also sell
templates for box joints that will fit the PC (or theirs, same difference)
http://www.hartvilletool.com/product.php?search_id=12378 .


"John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I was all set to the the smaller PC one, but then I saw the Jet. Does the
> PC jig clamp fairly well? Based on the picture of it, it looks as though
> you screw the clamps down. Does it get tight enough to hold the stock?
> Thanks for replying Bill.
>
>
> "Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I tried a few different ones and went with the Porter Cable. Not the
> OmniJig
> >
> >
> > "John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Does anyone have the Jet 709060 12" Dovetail Jig? I'm looking at
buying
> a
> > > jig and getting into dovetails. I read some reviews on it and most
> > everyone
> > > said the instructions are lacking, but once you have the bit depth
> right,
> > it
> > > is a great tool for the price. Please let me know your experiences
with
> > > this jig or any others that are comparable in features.
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>