Recommendations for a DOVETAIL JIG

[Mark Muckelberg]

I've owned an inexpensive Sears model, a LEIGH D4 and a Porter Cable 4212. The Sears wasn't quality enough (it was 30 years old). The LEIGH was way too complicated and the Newly purchased PC 4212 had some serious design/quailty issues so it's on it's way back right now.
I'm looking for something that's intuitive and on the simplistic side. Something I can take out after months of non-use and not have to spend half a day re-training myself.
I'm leaning towards the Gifkin, the Akeda or the Keller. I like the fact that the Woodhaven model uses router bits with bearings instead of guide bushings. That jig wasn't reviewed well in Fine WW mag, but it has since been redesigned.
Woodcraft is having a close-out sale on the Akeda DC16 (if you read the Akeda website it's implying that Woodcraft was overcharging their customers for the Akeda and so they have dropped the line; similar to the Tormek issue in which they dropped that line and now sell only the Jet).
Any recommendations would be appreciated.

[Michael Gibbons]

Mark, I only have the Keller 15" journeyman model which is the phenolic model with both pin and tail slots on one peice. I haven't used it much but it is pretty simple. He sells a alternate set of bits for thinner stock. Drawbacks are the spacing of the tails are fixed so you sometimes have to design your project with that spacing in mind. There should be a good sized pin on both ends so the drawer or box sides need to be in multiples of (I think) 1 1/8 inches. Also it only does through dovetails. Keller does have 5 sized templates depending on the size of your projest and the thickness of the material your using. The bits utilize top bearings instead of router bushings.

[frank shic]

the omnijig has got to be one of the simplest, sturdiest and quickest designs i've seen for fixed width half blind dovetails.

[Mark Valsi]

the AKEDA has some great features. I love it !

[Jeff Farris]

I don't often comment on threads that don't involve Tormek, but I'm a woodworker, too, and something in this thread made me hit the reply button.

I own a wide variety of dovetail jigs and have used even more. One thing I can promise you is that there isn't one on the market, and likely never will be, that you won't spend some "head scratching" time with. Yes, some are more complicated than others, but all of them require thought, planning, careful set-up and attention to detail. If you're satisfied with evenly spaced half-blind dovetails, the comb template with guide bushing design is the way to go. It is the simplest to set up, yet depth of cut is critical and I never get one of these out without an ample supply of test stock milled precisely the same as my project stock. Close DOES NOT count. No matter how little you think your planer snipes, make sure that on both your test stock and your project stock that you are cutting off the snipe zone (equal to the distance between the feed rollers) completely.

If you want variable spacing and through joints, there are a wide variety of options, any of which will work, but all of which will require the above mentioned test stock, careful study of the spacing design, and some patience.