Dovetail guide

[Gary H]

I'm planning on making my own dovetail jig using 9mm aluminium plate and making a system similar to the Trend DJ 300 unit.
Just wondering if anyone can give me some dimensions for the slots. ie width of slot, spacings between, depth of slot.

Maybe someone knows of a plan to build such a system...

Oh, and what difference does cutting the slots for the guidebush straight or angled make?

Hope someone can help

Gary

 

[martyn2]

hi gary i have a plan in one of my book for a dovetail jig it usees hardboard for the comb but i expece you could use plaxen board (as used by circuit boards ) if you pm me your address i will photo copy the pages and send them to you nealy 10 pages all togeter full of tips or the book name is Shop built jigs and fixtures by woodsmith ISBM 0-7835-5952-6

MARTYN

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi gary

I'm planning on making my own dovetail jig using 9mm aluminium plate and making a system similar to the Trend DJ 300 unit.
Just wondering if anyone can give me some dimensions for the slots.

Why not pay twenty pounds and buy the Stots guide which you will be able to use to produce your own template. It will give you exactly what you require.

Cheers
Neil

 

[SketchUp Guru]

If you're going to make your own jig including the comb, buy the router bit first and design the jig around the bit. Keep in mind that a comb type jig is limited to a specific bit. If you do a single row of parallel-sided fingers, the jig will only do half blind dovetails The tails are cut with a board clamped in vertically and the pins with the board clamped horizontally.

If you make a two sided comb with straight fingers on one side and angled ones on the other, you can do regular dovetails. The angles on the angled side must match the angle of the dovetail bit you are using. You would use a straight bit with the angled fingers and the board clamped vertically to cut the pins.

Neil has a good suggestion if you really wish to have this sort of jig. I find the fixed fingers somewhat limiting and I think the dovetails are kind of clunky looking. Sometimes though it doesn't matter and a jig like that can be a useful tool.

If you don't want to be limited in bit size, you might want to look at the adjustable jigs like the Leigh D4 which is still limited as far as dovetail angle is concerned. If you want a tool for making router cut dovetails without any limitations as far as bit size or angle is concerned, there's really only one option; WoodRat.