Tarkin
Established Member
Having compleated my mortice jig (see the projects thread), and sticking 2 fingers up at Trend (£170 my backside), I've been inspired to go further. I've always wanted a Leigh dovetail jig, the adjustability is a big plus (I currently have a cheapo SIP fixed one), and it would be nice to be able to do through dovetails withough risking using the saw (once ruined a whole lot of walnut with a dovetail saw... ).
Anyway, I've had a few ideas of just how you'd go about making a Leigh style jig. The actual base of the jig and the clamping mechanism is the easy bit (or at least it seems that way IMO). The difficult bit is how to fix the fingers. At the moment,, my idea to to make the leigh style fingers out of 1/4" acrylic, and double them up. By routing a grove in them, centered, this would give a hole through which to pass a bar (probably 1/4" or 3/8" aluminim with a slot in it). A machine screw could then fit through form the top and fix into a bolt fixed to the under piece (with epoxy or something). Here's a diagram....since my explanations are typically rubbish.
Thoughts and suggestions greatly appreciated.
Cheers, Ewan.
Anyway, I've had a few ideas of just how you'd go about making a Leigh style jig. The actual base of the jig and the clamping mechanism is the easy bit (or at least it seems that way IMO). The difficult bit is how to fix the fingers. At the moment,, my idea to to make the leigh style fingers out of 1/4" acrylic, and double them up. By routing a grove in them, centered, this would give a hole through which to pass a bar (probably 1/4" or 3/8" aluminim with a slot in it). A machine screw could then fit through form the top and fix into a bolt fixed to the under piece (with epoxy or something). Here's a diagram....since my explanations are typically rubbish.
Thoughts and suggestions greatly appreciated.
Cheers, Ewan.