Rockler Dovetail Jig

[Nick Coffelt]

Does anyone own or have used the rockler dovetail jig? I'm a lower intermediate woodworker and am looking to invest in a dovetail jig. I don't need to do anything fancy, but also don't want a piece of junk (I've heard about the Porter Cable jig). I've also read the Liegh jig is great but a little more than I want to initially invest.

So any comments or feedback?

[Hoang N Nguyen]

I don't currently have a dovetail jig myself and have been looking at both the brands you've mentioned. After much research, it seems the Liegh is the one of the 2 you want. I would save up and get the Liegh once funds permit.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Where do you live sir? If you are close, you can try my Keller jig (http://www.kellerdovetail.com/). I will admit that I have barely used it, I generally cut my dovetails by hand, but, I can say that after it is setup it is pretty easy to use, although I it is not much more than a fixed system.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ig-good-enough

Old posts:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...r-Dovetail-Jig

[Rick Potter]

If you live near me, you can try mine. If you like it, you can probably talk me out of it. My brother gave it to me, when someone left it in one of his rentals. I have never used it, never will, probably.

[Mike Henderson]

I would advise against purchasing a fixed space dovetail jig - they're just too limited. If you really want a jig, get one that has adjustable fingers, as the posters in post 2 and 3 suggest. If you don't do a lot of dovetails, maybe only one or two projects a year, I'd suggest learning how to cut them by hand. A good, adjustable dovetail jig is expensive.

Mike

[Nick Coffelt]

Well unfortunately I am not near either California or Ohio (closer), I am in Iowa. Really, I'd love to learn to cut dovetails myself and likely will do that later in life, for now, I just enjoy making furniture and would like to step up my game a little. I have some upcoming projects for our home that we are building and wanted to give them a stronger and more durable drawer. Thanks for the advice, I'll look a little harder at the Leigh jig.

[Lee Schierer]

I have an older version of the Rockler dovetail jig. It takes a bit of trial and error to get perfect fitting dovetails, but once you figure it out it make repeatable dovetails that make good strong drawers. It will only do half blind dovetails not through dovetails as the wood rests on the steel body so your bit can't cut all the way through. I found a digital height gauge very handy for adjusting my router bit to get to the sweet spot between joints that were too light or too loose. The router I use doesn't have a fine height adjustment so tweaking the fit with my router is more trouble than it would be with some other routers.

You have to make sure you get your drawer sides pulled tight to the side stops so your pieces will match up properly and adjusting the side stops requires disassembly of some of the jig.

[glenn bradley]

I also have the older version rockler jig. I used it once to make some test boxes, was not an pleased with the look of the so obviously jig-made fingers and have never used it since. Like many others if you were nearby you could have mine.

[Michelle Rich]

My pick of your 2 choices is leigh..look into what used to be called the Katie jig too..used on top of a router table..much easier to see and maneuver..will do thru doves & more

[Jim Dwight]

I use a very inexpensive jig and like it. I have a Harbor Freight jig with a Grizzly template guide. The HF template guide is cast aluminum and pretty rough. The Grizzly is aluminum and machined. The HF is 1/2 spacing (for drawers with even inch heights) and the Grizzly is 7/16 for drawers at multiples of 7/8 inch. Anyway, for basic half blind dovetails, the HF works well. You'll need better instructions (or better yet an experienced user to help) but it will make nice drawers.

[Bruce Wrenn]

The PC 4210 and 4212 are same basic jig. The 4212 can do more things. I own two of the 4212's. Bought the second one just to get set of Whiteside bits that came with it. If you go online, you can download the extended manual for free. Does a lot more than just half blind dovetails.

[scott vroom]

I've got the PC 4212 and would not buy it again. The offset guide on the left side is not accurate. Either it was a factory QA escape or the mfg tolerances are too loose. The offset guide on the right side is more accurate. I called PC tech support a few years ago and they denied any knowledge of anyone else ever complaining about this issue to which I just chuckled and hung up.

Whatever cheap jig you buy, the first thing you should check is the offset guide.

[John Lankers]

I don't build to many projects using dovetails unfortunately, what I use is the Incra LS Positioner which works for me.
If I was in the market though, I would seriously look at the Leigh RTJ 400. A pleasant experience setting up any jig for the 1st. time would be important for me and I have read (not my personal experience) that the Leigh jig fits this category.
Yes, it costs more but I have bought twice to many times and now I rather wait a little longer or close my eyes and dive right in.

[Stanley Powers]

Spend your time and money learning to do dovetails by hand. It isn't that difficult and you will have the look of "handmade dovetails"!

[Mike Henderson]

Spend your time and money learning to do dovetails by hand. It isn't that difficult and you will have the look of "handmade dovetails"!

+1 They're not that hard to do by hand. Jigs are great if you're going to do a bunch of drawers, all the same size, such as drawers in kitchen cabinets. But if you're building furniture, hand cut dovetails are much nicer.

Mike