Best Dovetail Jigs for Flawless Joints

The outfit of this dovetail tool includes three aluminum templates for cutting joints straight out of the box. The template 4211 is designed for making half-blind, rabbeted half-blind and sliding dovetails. The 4213 template allows making box joints and through dovetails. Lastly, the 4215 template is designed for cutting the joints of the mentioned types but smaller in size. Having this arsenal of templates, you'll be able to make reliable joints for assembling drawers, window and door frames. The jig can be also used for joining parquetry and making furniture of a custom design. For example, with these templates, you can cut finger joints for chair legs to attach them to a seat.

Among the convenience features this dovetail jig has to offer, the simple and quick locking pieces were the most appealing. The point is that the jig is fitted with two locking bars with a lever on each. Thus, you can hold a workpiece with one hand and tighten a bar with another. It would seem there's nothing special about the design but in practice, it is incredibly convenient and greatly facilitates the tool use. Moreover, we used two height-adjustable locking bolts, which serve as templates for fast setting the cutting depth. For example, setting one of the bolts for cutting half-blind joints and the other for through joints, you can adjust the cutter overhang without using a ruler every time. The bars feature only two rubber pads hence the jig can hold only two workpieces at a time and we deem it a shortcoming.

Generally, this PORTER-CABLE jig is suitable for starters and skilled woodworkers who need a wide range of joints and appreciate a fast material processing and high capacity.

If you have a workroom, it's very advisable to keep it clean. This jig is equipped with a port to connect a vacuum cleaner for removing dust and chips from your workplace.

The availability of the template with adjustable one-piece fingers is the main benefit of using this dovetail tool. The whole point is that each finger can be easily set to any position across the template for cutting joints according to various patterns including many unique ones. Even more to that, with the jig, you are capable of moving the finger assembly back and forth along the scale on the left. Therefore, by moving the fingers you can change the shape of pins and tails cut, making the joints narrower or wider. To be more specific, here are some numbers. The through dovetails produced can have the 13/16" distance between them while half-blind joints can have 1" maximum spacing. As for the box joints, they can be positioned at 5/16" and 5/8" distances. In addition to the above-mentioned joints, the Leigh Super enables you to make sliding dovetails and half-blind dovetail joints. However, you need to keep in mind that the fingers adjustment may be pretty laborious as long workpieces require positioning of several fingers.

The very handy feature of the jig is its ability to process workpieces with up to 12" width. This means that in most cases you won't have to cut a workpiece to fit the tool but instead adjust the jig to the piece for an even joints distribution. The design of the Leight Super allows placing workpieces across the clamps, whether it's a single 12-inch wide piece or three 4-inch ones. To facilitate the tool operation more, it has a non-slip clamping surface for a secure workpiece grip. Another plus of the tool is that it makes cutting half-blind dovetails in a single pass. Such joints are the most widely used ones in making drawers, which are typical for dressers, for example, as they provide no visible connections on the front.

In our opinion, this Leigh dovetail jig is aimed more at experienced joiners that seek a high cutting accuracy and enhanced tool adjustability. Nevertheless, the detailed guide on the DVD included ensures an easy start even for beginning carpenters.

If you wish to avoid marring your work table, you can screw the jig to a board and fasten it to the table with a vise.

Considering the design of this dovetail tool, we were not surprised that it allows making only finger joints that are common for cabinets. The jig operation is quite easy, so using it is not a problem even for a beginner. Still, taking the initial measurements and setting the miter bar correctly is the most complex task when using the tool. The bar features two ledges that can be adjusted by moving closer or away from each other depending on the cut width. Say, if you need to cut a 1/8" recess, the distance between ledges needs to be exactly 1/8". With that, the distance from the closest ledge to the blade is to be the same. The ledges are adjusted with red and silver knobs located on the side of the jig base. The cutting depth is recommended to set within 7/8" to avoid the contact between the miter bar and cutter.

As for the usability of this dovetail jig, it is impossible not to note its quick and easy installation. To use the tool you won't have to drill holes in the table or pick a vise. It is enough to place the miter bar into the slot. The greatest thing about this jig is that it can be installed on a router table or a table saw. Thus, if you have the latter, you'll be able to cut workpieces and make joints right on the spot. Convenient, isn't it? The jig also features the sturdy acrylic deflector shield mounted on the front blade guard to keep your eyes safe from wood chips and particles. However, as any equipment, the jig has some downsides. In our opinion, the dovetailing is a bit uncomfortable as a workpiece requires loosening and securing again after each pass.

Nevertheless, this drawback is trivial considering that the INCRA model is designed for beginners and persons practicing an occasional cutting template use. Hence, this dovetail joint jig is a splendid choice for small workshops featuring router tables or table saws.

Picking this jig, you won't have troubles with installing it as the model is bidirectional and can be mounted on either left or right saws.

This dovetail router jig comes with 3 aluminum indexing keys to be installed into corresponding platform slots. The keys are 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" wide and are designed to cut pins and sockets. To get a symmetrical 1/4" dovetail joint, you need to set the indexing key and the bit of a corresponding diameter, in addition, you need to set the 1/4" distance between the key and the bit. After completing this procedure, you'll be capable of getting equally spaced pins and recesses. In a similar way, you can change the size of the joints cut by adjusting the distance between the bit and key or selecting a different bit. The minimum cuts are 1/4" in size, while the maximum is limited with the width of the bits opening. Please also notice that that the stock thickness needs to be within the 3/4" value with the length enough for a safe handling.

This model is one of the simplest to use box joint jigs. It can be installed on a router table within a minute and offers a super easy adjustment of the cutting depth. The tool dimensions are quite small, 10-3/4" x 12-3/8" x 1/2", and the weight is about 3,35 lbs. With such compact size, the model allows the use even with a small table and can be kept in a tool cabinet or under a table. The distinguishing feature of the Box Joint Jig design is two holes in the platform for attaching the device to a board. Before getting started with the cutting, you need to make a hole for the router bit and sled in the board. And that are all the preparations for making through and tight-fitting finger joints.

As you can see, using this dovetail tool is one of the easiest ways for cutting box joints with the jig fit for beginning carpenters and wood crafting amateurs.

Operating a router, you risk harming your ear due to a noisy workflow. Thus, don't forget to use personal protective equipment like hearing protectors.

After using the jig we discovered that its fingers are non-adjustable so the joint size is permanent. In contrast, the depth of cutting half-blind dovetail joints can be adjusted with the plate. This piece of equipment also enables you to make box joints and edge to edge joints. As for the dovetailing capacity, the jig can make pins with the length of up to 1/2" at the maximum inclination angle of 14°. The machinable piece thickness is capped at 1" while the length is not restricted. That's because you can shift the jig away from the cutter leaving the untreated area beyond the structure jig-piece. The procedures described refer to the use of a standalone router when the workpiece is secured on the countertop.

The bidirectional design of this model provides an advanced use depending on parameters of workpieces and a router table. It's a very handy feature that allows handling both small and bulky pieces. You can use the accessory template of the jig for cutting half-blind joints. Once you finished cutting pins in a workpiece, you can use the workpiece for shaping the tails on the other to make the joints that match perfectly. Another convenience feature this tool has to offer are the plastic caps on the clamps. They are provided to avoid damaging workpieces while clamping. During the use, we noticed that the jig comes with 4 clamps but features 6 holes. The extra holes allow you to arrange clamps closer to each other for securing smaller pieces.

So, this dovetail tool is a nice buying for those who often handles various stocks as well as for craftspeople that have no router tables and look for affordable jigs.

Dovetail jigs can be used not only for making joints but hinges as well. The hinges cut with the help of a jig make the solutions unique and tasteful.