Leigh Dovetail Jig--Best Router?

[Frankie Hunt]

The 100 is just the right size and I think DeWalt also makes a version of the 100. This thing has a yellow metal top and fixed base and has been around for years. Cutest little thing I have seen in a while. Does anyone know the model number of this little thing?

Dewalt called it a DW610, before that Elu called it something, and before that Black and Decker called it a 2720 or 2710 depending upon wether it had a 1/2" or 1/4" bit capacity. Its a real old design, but a real nice one at that. My oldest base is pushing 30 years old, the motor is long ago gone, having been rebuilt a couple of times. Did you know that when Porter Cable came out with the 690 plunge base they designed it to work with the Black and Decker router? The current Dewalt DW618 is the replacement model. Frankie

[Travis Porter]

I have the Leigh and have been using it for some 10 years. I was using a 690 but recently started using a 3HP Dewalt 625. I upgraded mine to have the cam action clamps and that helped speed things up, but I occassionally have the issues you are talking about. Make sure your scrap boards for butting up are always tight and locked. The stops are not that good to me. I even bought the new ones and they are not much of an upgrade. Normally, I match the board I am cutting up to the one I have in place for a stop to keep my dovetails even. The fingers not being level is a common problem and if you have the 24" job (I do) you have to have a space on both sides to ensure the fingers remain level. Good quality bits is a must, but it appears you have them. Chatter or the router jumping around is a constant fuss for me. Making sure you take it slow and aren't too aggressive with the router helps in keeping the wood from shifting. For half-blind, make sure you use the exact same router, guide bushings and bits throughout. Even the same bit from the same manufacturer will not match at times as I have had this happen. I had two Freud bits I bought at the same time, broke one, put the other in and set the height to match down to 1/64 inch and they still didn't fit right.

I have become disenchanted with the jig over the years. Having to cut pins and tails separately doubles the time and getting the jig set up and tested takes me an hour on average before I begin cutting my first joints. It is a very nice machine, very flexible, but it is time consuming. For the moment, it is all I have and anytime I make drawers I consider doing it another way just to keep from going through the time to set it up. I have been considering getting a simpler jig for just doing drawers maybe the Keller or Omnijig, but haven't broke down to it yet.