Leigh RTJ400 router table jig - first try

[Jebediah Eckert]

After PMing a few people on here who had the jig I decided to get one when I had a 10% off at Woodcraft. I have never owned, or used, any type of purchased jig before.

The jig took about 10 minutes to put together and appears to be well made. The directions are quality but made me nervous reading them, it just seemed too complicated. I re read them getting ready to give it a try and they made more sense as I did the steps. I guess it was just me the first time around because they made perfect sense as I went.

The jig will do through dovetails, half blind, rabbet dovetails, and finger joints. I decided to try the half blind because that joint is cut all at once and the others here are two set ups to do. Plus I have never done half blinds before and I plan to use that the most. I can cut through dovetails by hand, decent anyways, but slow. The few projects I want to do will benefit being able to do them faster, and are more functional projects so I don't mind not doing them by hand. I did like the idea of using this jig on the router table. For me it seems to be easier to control, although I never tried the other way.

This is is the first attempt right out of the box with the suggested fittings. I do have a good router table and lift (craigslist find) so I'm sure that helps. As others have mentioned a mirror would help otherwise you have to lean over and look over the front so you can see what your doing. Dust collection was reasonable when using the fence to collect the dust.

image.jpg

image.jpg

Here is the second and
Third try after a few adjustments.

image.jpg

image.jpg

Im happy with that for sure. $300 is a lot of money but at least it works.

I guess I will give through dovetails a whirl next. I Have some shop drawers I need to make.

[Jebediah Eckert]

None have been clued or trimmed.

[Julie Moriarty]

I have the Leigh D4. I've had it for at least 10 years. The time it takes to set it up is more than the time it took to cut the dovetails by hand. Every once in a while I take it out to give it another shot but each time I have to open the book and read the instructions again because I forgot. I look at the money I spent on it as a lesson in "easy, simple" tools that says, "If it looks really easy in the demonstrations, it's probably because the person doing it has countless hours spent mastering the tool."

Your results look pretty good. If it's as easy as you say, their D4 line might end up in a museum.

[Jebediah Eckert]

I remember from past threads the D4 maybe more versatile? Also I think some people preferred the dust collection and don't want to use it with a router table.

Zero complaints so far. If it was troublesome I would have got frustrated in 5 minutes and put it away. I used it yesterday and made a few totes. Went together great with same results as I posted. Again, that's just the half blind dovetails, that is all I tried. I will probably use those the most anyhow.

It comes with quick reference strips that are on the jig. I'm pretty sure I won't need the book anymore. They even have a spot to mark what settings on the collet worked to save time.

[Julie Moriarty]

The D4 allows you to set the location of the pins and tails. It's pretty versatile in that respect but it cannot duplicate the narrow pins that seem to be so highly prized, which is what I was hoping to get.

It's not that the D4 is overly complicated, it's that my needs weren't sufficient enough to overcome my impatience. When I bought it, I thought it would be as simple as the video. The first setup I did required a lot of trial and error to get it perfect. After that, I reasoned the jig was really best for production work, where those narrow pins weren't important to the aesthetics of the work. In that, the D4 lost it's magic and I put it on a shelf, to be played with on a rainy day.

[Jebediah Eckert]

Here is a brush tote for horses that I started today. I setup the jig with the settings I marked down and used before. With good results. I did not need to read the book, just referenced the quick guides attached to the jig. Nailed it first try. All four corner dry fit together fine. The four corners are all square and routed clean. The wood I used is walnut and sapwood cherry. I plan to glue it up tomorrow and we will see how that goes.

image.jpg

This is the dust not collected on the table after doing all four corners.

image.jpg

Again, I do have a pretty nice router table and lift so I'm sure that helps some.

Maybe I will try through dovetails soon.

I am very happy for sure, but in no way do they look ANYTHING but machine cut.

[Kent Adams]

Very nice. I've been eyeing that jig for awhile. I really like that router table, awesome find off CL.

[Paul McGaha]

I'm not surprised to hear the jig is working well. Leigh makes nice tools. I have a D4.

PHM

[Jebediah Eckert]

Thanks. I posted it glued up on another thread but here is the final product.

image.jpg

[ken masoumi]

Jeb, what makes this jig easier to use ? is it the quicker setup time?, or the fact that it is handheld? it sounds like it takes much less setup time than the D4 .

[Jebediah Eckert]

Jeb, what makes this jig easier to use ? is it the quicker setup time?, or the fact that it is handheld? it sounds like it takes much less setup time than the D4 .

I couldn't tell if it is easier, or what makes it easier. This is the only dovetail jig I have ever owned, or even tried. Just from reading I think this jig is more limited then the other Leigh jigs. For one you can't adjust pin spacing on this one, maybe that helps? I don't remember the other limitations. On the router table you only really adjust bit height. I have a good lift that makes fine adjustments easy, I'm sure that helps.

I went with this setup because I only really have one "good" router and didn't like the idea of taking it out of the table setup. IMO I have better luck controlling a router cut in a table then with the router in hand.

Hope that answers it.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Thanks. I posted it glued up on another thread but here is the final product.

Very nice all around!

[ken masoumi]

. On the router table you only really adjust bit height.

.

It sounds like you picked the simplest DT jig Leigh has ever produced, just the kind of dovetail jig I'm looking for,any more complicated setup and it'll end up on a shelf.
Thank you for your quick reply.