[OP]
Member
I been looking at the Jessem dowel jig and the Joint-Genie from England.
To me it looks like the Joint-Genie is simpler to use.
What am I missing from this equation?
Thanks for any suggestions
Herb
Actually was looking at the Dowelmax and the ( Bridge City DJ-1 which seems to be a state of art drilling station and a useful tool or occasional doweling.)
From what I read the Jessem dowel jig has replaced the Dowel-Max in both technology and cost.
Member
I have never use the Joint-Genie or the Bridge City DJ-1, they both look like very fine tools and would do the job.
The Bridge City looks like it is very versatile and could be used in a lot of place other then just to do dowels but it looks like it would not be the best jig for just doing dowels.
The one thing I don't really like about the Joint-Genie is using screws. To me that is just one more thing you have to mess with. The design is really neat but I can see myself messing up by using the tabs for part of the job and then flipping them up for the next part and when I go back to the tabs getting the wrong ones down.
Both the DowelMax and the Jessem work in the same basic way, you use a reference face and a reference side. With using a reference like this you can do a lot of doweling in a very short time and the joint comes out perfect every time. With the Jessem there is no way to get the reference surface switched, it is always the on the same side. With the DowelMax you can switch the reference surface and this can cause a little problem at times.
I used the DowelMax for over 2 yours and it is a great tool, works great and is very fast and very accurate. I have now sold the DowelMax in favor of the Jessem that I have now bought.
Here is a good overview and write up I did on the DowelMax and the Jessem.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...t=Jessem+Dowel
If you do a lot of doweling I would look at the DowelMax or the Jessem. If you just need to do a dowel joint now and then the Bridge City would be nice with all of it's versatility. The Joint-Genie looks neat but for me I worry about all of those flip down things and I don't like using screws.
Note:
I went to Bridge City's site and could not find anything on the DJ-1, I have watched the You Tub videos on it but I do not find it for sale on the site.
Guest
Herbert, may I suggest you at least look at the Mortise Pal - http://www.mortisepal.com/
I have no connection to this company, but I bought one and it is very very good. It has allowed me to do so much work and very precisely. Consistent alignment is a snap and it can do floating tenons AND dowels, all using your router, which, I think, is a much more suitable tool for this type of work. Plus, I think it is less $ than what you are looking at.
I had the Mortise Pal and sold it to a fellow creeker. It was a very high quality tool that did absolutely what it said it would. It worked perfectly and was just as nicely finished as my Dowelmax. The only reason I sold it was because I simply didn't want to have to dig the router out and set it up each time I wanted to use it. A few times, I wanted to use a fixed tenon and the Mortise Pal allowed that too - all I did was rout the mortise, flip the jig reference face to the other side of the board and do it again which gave me a perfectly centered mortise.
Sometimes, I somewhat regret selling it, but for me personally, it is easier to chuck up a drill bit and have the same precise accuracy. Frankly, I love the Dowelmax, but if the Jessem had been out six mothes earlier, I'd probably have one of those instead. There is a big difference in cost and the reviews on the Jessum seem to be very good.
Member
Dan I have the Mortise Pal and it is a nice tool, does a good job of it. Yes it will do dowels but nothing like the DowelMax or Jessem will. I use it for just mortises and not dowels.Originally Posted by Dan Karachio
It is kind of like, you can cut the end of a board off with a router and a straight bit and that will work or you could use a table saw which is much faster and less set up.
[OP]
Member
I purchased one of the last Bridge City DJ-1 drilling stations from the first manufacturing run. I am expected the DJ-1 sometime next week. I will give a humble report on it. From talking to the president of Bridge City they are now making runs of tools, thus until they get a backlog of a certain number say 250 units they will be forever in a non available position. Of course after you buy a tool, you start to see its limitations and capabilities. As for drilling I am quite excited. ( having owned a number of industrial drills, one weigh 38,500 pounds. I am hoping that the DJ-1 has a lot of capabilities that a 20 inch drill lacks. BUT the DJ-1 looks like a very slow doweling jig. I live in rural America with lots of shop and storage space, however if I was in a small garage or an apartment the DJ-1 would be unmatched. ( These comments from a man who has not used it. Reports in future)
Back to doweling----I really want something like the Kreg ---Chuck a drill bit, position the jig and start drilling dowel holes. The placing of positional screws to hold the Genie seems a small thing compared to the number of holes one has available. The Genie even has the capability of drilling two or three rows of holes at one jig position giving you almost 10 holes before repositioning the jig. Of course you can stack the Genie to give you 20 or 30 holes if one was doing timber work.
There are a number of Youtube short movies on Joint-genie and two on the DJ-1.
Again, please keep it coming and thanks for the inputs.
Herb
[OP]
Member
I CHOOSE THE JOINT GENIE BECAUSE IT SEEMED SIMPLER AND FASTER, than the other systems.
I ordered the Craftsman system in 3/8 with an extra drill stop so I would have drills ready for face and end grain, without resetting the stop.
For those who have not seen joint genie in action there are lots of videos on YOUTUBE and on the JG web site.
www.joint-genie.com
Talking about the setting screws----I like that because it gives me confidence that the jig has not moved. See video about temporary jig setting screws.
I will make a report/review in the future.
Thanks again for all the help.
HERB
[OP]
Member
The Joint-Genie has landed. The jig came in an injected molded blue case and die cut foam to keep all the kit together for storage. The order was placed on 20 July 2010. Seven days from England, great service and Peter Quinn general manager of G-J was very responsive.
There are a number of YOU Tube videos on this doweling jig and also on the manufacturers web site.
One of the videos demonstrates a one minute connection. My first try took me less than 5 minutes from opening the box to dry completion.
The system is sweet. It is built for someone like me who is not the sharpest pencil in the pencil box.
This is how I did it without reading the directions.
Sequence of events are:
Part one
Open blue plastic box
Put on drill stop on 3/8 drill drill bit
Drill bit on battery operated screwdriver
Drill test hole, put in dowel.
CRAP, FORGOT TO ALLOW FOR JIG DEPTH.
Re-position stop.
Part two
Get two pieces of phenolic 3/4 plywood scrap
the jig comes with two sets of metal leaves (leaf)---similar to feeler gauges.
You use the feeler gauge leaves to center jig on surface.
very easy, very fast.
There is a heavy duty stop on the end.
Two screws #8 screw jig to piece of scrap wood.
(Note you could also use two small C-clamps in place of screws.)
Drill, shake out saw dust.
Flip jig and re-drill the second piece of wood.
Put in dowels, put piece together.
LESS THAN 5 MINUTES.
It could have gone faster if I had used a second screwdriver , instead of changing bits.
My estimate that I can get 6 or more dowel holes on each piece in around a minute to 90 seconds----So 2 pieces of wood----12 holes ---6 dowels---including applying the glue.
Very fast, very quick. The jig is heavy duty and made of steel.
Herb
PS---have pictures , now have to figure out how to down load them.
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