dovetail jig

[Sid_and_son]

Hi, I'm looking to buy a used dovetail jig. Am I right in saying that they do half or blind dovetails and that only some (with a double edged comb) do full or through dovetails?

The set up videos on you tube look confusing and ebay has even less information. if anyone is selling one that will do full or through as well as blind or stopped dovetails. Then please let me know
Thank you

 

[MikeJhn]

The "Leigh" dovetail jig will do all of that and more, it is the RR of dovetail jigs, don't bother with anything else.

 

[Sid_and_son]

Thank you Mike. The Leigh is champagne money and I have beer budget!. I'm looking at a standard Trend unit on ebay for £50, and buying the through comb via Trend - thoughts?

 

[cerro]

Hi, I'm looking to buy a used dovetail jig. Am I right in saying that they do half or blind dovetails and that only some (with a double edged comb) do full or through dovetails?

The set up videos on you tube look confusing and ebay has even less information. if anyone is selling one that will do full or through as well as blind or stopped dovetails. Then please let me know
Thank you

I have one for sale I will dig it out and get back to you

 

[cerro]

I have one for sale I will dig it out and get back to you

Its a silverline boxed only used once and like new going cheap £25

 

[Myfordman]

Beer money jigs can work quite well but have fixed spacing for the tails and pins and in fixed proportions which in turn mean that certain joint lengths cannot be achieved. Once you understand that fixed joint spacing will in some cases define parts of your project design then you are good to go with the basic jigs.

 

[recipio]

I used a Leigh jig for a while for half blind dovetails but found it incredibly fiddly to set up. The dovetails are of course rounded over on the inside to fit into the concave sockets on the pin piece. I bought a Woodrat and never looked back. One tip I would suggest is to find a jig that will cut nice through dovetails. If you need half blind dovetails then rip off a 5 mm face first on the display side , thickness it down to 4 mm and having made through dovetails simply glue the piece back on and you have instant half blind dovetails.
Typically on a drawer you only have to glue on the piece on the front and leave through dovetails at the back. I appreciate you need a good bandsaw and P/T to do this but it saves double setting the dovetail jig for through and half blind. Hope all that makes sense.

 

[MikeJhn]

Thank you Mike. The Leigh is champagne money and I have beer budget!. I'm looking at a standard Trend unit on ebay for £50, and buying the through comb via Trend - thoughts?

How much value to you put on your time, once set up the Leigh jig saves hour's and as above the width of the joints are infinitely variable making your project look more professional and you don't need a Bandsaw and P/T to make joints, more time saving, even if you don't buy the Leith jig get the Leigh Bush, its variable width to adjust the joint tightness another time saving on setting up.