Replies

1. 
   unTreatedwood | Feb 19, 2003 06:27pm | #1

   Holler,

   check out the review in the recent Fine Woodworking.  There is a new one on the market they review and like a lot.  I don't remember the exact name, so I won't mess it up.  but it gets a great review.

   big bob

1. 
   Ron | Feb 19, 2003 07:39pm | #2

   I have the Leigh jig, made in Canada, superior quality and versatilaty. I don't think you will find any thing better. The instructions and video are extremely well done. Ron

1. 
   unTreatedwood | Feb 19, 2003 11:40pm | #4

   Ron,

   Definitely the creme de la creme! system is quite expensive, however.  The other is a step down in price with good reviews.

   Big Bob

2. 
   efarmer4 | Feb 19, 2003 08:19pm | #3

   It is called AKEDA http://www.akedajigs.com/ and it is getting very good reviews, see http://thewoodshop.20m.com/akeda.htm for one. Or search this form for posts. The only really problem is in the US you have to buy from Woodcraft... http://www.woodcraft.com so the price is fixed.Edward

1. 
   unTreatedwood | Feb 19, 2003 11:47pm | #5

   EF,

   thanks for giving the details.  I'm at my office and unable to put my hands on the exact name, description, etc.  I didn't want to put out wrong info.

   Big Bob

2. 
   noone51 | Feb 20, 2003 04:21am | #6

   Leigh D4 - hands down it's the winner in my book.

3. 
   LarryPile | Feb 20, 2003 07:51am | #7

   I have the D-4.  Great jig, easy to use, does half blind and through dovetails..as well as sliding dovetails and all of the fancy double-double dovetails that no one seems to do......

   I've owned mine for two years and still am so happy I took the plunge and bought it!

   I've never regretted good money spent on good tools, but money spent on bad/cheap tools....

   lp

4. 
   dirtstirrer | Feb 20, 2003 06:12pm | #8

      Ditto with the Leigh D4 reccomendations.  Great jig.  It is knocked for being complicated by its competition, but once you use it, its simple.  Buy a good one.  I bought a Craftsman Industrial first.  Big mistake.  That thing was nearly impossible to set accuratly and totally imposible to repeat a cut in.  Probably cut more scrap then dovetails.  My wife got me the Leigh as a gift (damn she's cool) and there is no comparison.  The Leigh makes sliding dovetails a breeze too.  Curious about the mortice and tenon template for it.  Any of you tried that?

                 Steve

1. 
   waterhead | Feb 22, 2003 09:07pm | #18

   Re your question about the Leigh MMT template.

   I have one and can't use it. I get perfect dovetails with the regular template, no problem but I have not had a through M/T worth a damn from the Leigh. I am not sure exactly why. It certainly involves extra set-up and one extra template move to cut a joint, so any inaccuracy in the set-up is multiplied.

   I use through MMTs a lot but now cut the mortises with a simple MDF template and guide bushing in a hand held router and the tenons by hand. After lots of practice I am now very quick at this but it upsets me that I have never made the Leigh work.

   Chris

1. 
   dirtstirrer | Feb 23, 2003 01:35am | #19

   Chris,

        Thanks for the post.  I appreciate your advice.  I was seriously thinking of purchasing it to try it out, but perhaps I'll spend the money elsewere instead.  I've looked at their FMT machine, but the $700 price tag seems ridiculous to me.  Your template and router system sounds like the most practical approach.  Dosen't seem like it should be that complicated to build a reliable MT jig.  I wonder why the Leigh has difficulty?  Thanks again for the advice.  I don't cut through MTs very often, so I think I'll spend the money on lumber to practice cutting them by hand. 

                     Steve   

5. 
   alanplanesaw | Feb 21, 2003 05:44am | #9

   Holler,

   I have been told that the Akeda dovetail jig was designed by the same guy that did the Leigh.  The Leigh is an excellent jig, but the Akeda has been designed with some improvements to the Leigh.

   I can only imagine that there is probably a long (and legal) story as to why he could not (or didn't own the rights to the Leigh anymore?) simply redesign the Leigh.   But, maybe there is a simple and less complicated reason.

   Regardless, from the folks I have talked to who have used both, they really like the Akeda.  They seem to have said that the Leigh is great and the Akeda has some advantages over the Leigh.

   Price seems to be comparable.  Since I don't own either one, the Akeda is on my wish list.

   Alan

1. 
   JohnCabot | Feb 21, 2003 06:33am | #10

   I have had the Leigh D4 for several year and agree that  it is easy to use.....if you use it every day. In my situatione I use it sporadically and everytime I  need to review the instructions, the video, a few  tries  to get good results. I have been looking at the Akeda  jig for several months and I would like to buy it but not from Woodcrafts. Eeverything they sell is 10-15% more expensive tha the same item I can buy elsewhere, in addition they charge high shipping costs plus sales taxes ( 5% in my State). Maybe in a few years I can buy it from Amazon.

    John Cabot 

1. 
   patternmaker | Feb 21, 2003 07:12pm | #11

   John. I`m tempted to ask you to buy and reship to me.

   Sales tax in Tennessee is 8-3/4%

   ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬PAT¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

1. 
   SlyTheCat | Feb 21, 2003 08:43pm | #12

   At the WoodWorking show earlier this month (Ohio), Incra was demonstrating a fence system to cut through and half-blind dovetails, and it seemed to me to work pretty well.  I may be in the market to buy a jig at some point, so I'm paying attention to what's out there now.

   Anyone have any feedback on that Jig? 

2. 
   montanaholler | Feb 21, 2003 11:20pm | #14

   You should move to Montana. We don't have any sales tax here!

1. 
   patternmaker | Feb 21, 2003 11:49pm | #15

   Move over. You make it sound interesting.

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2. 
   LeeEschen | Feb 22, 2003 02:21am | #16

   If you go with the Leigh, get it from Lee Valley. Their price is the lowest I've seen anywhere, and not just on the Leigh jigs, but on most everything.

   --

   Lee in Cave Junction, Oregon

   Gateway to the Oregon Caves

6. 
   NickC | Feb 21, 2003 11:09pm | #13

   Depending on your budget, how many DT's you need to cut, and whether you have a router table, this idea might make sense for you: I use a router table to cut the tails. This is easy, and it goes really quick, since I can gang the tail boards. Then I use the tailboards as templates to mark out the pins, which I cut by hand. I find it easier to accurately saw pins than tails. I find this method to be about as quick as using a dedicated DT jig (I have an older 12-inch Leigh) if I'm making, say, seven drawers for a chest--especially if the drawers are not identical. Nick

7. 
   Lesterz | Feb 22, 2003 03:32am | #17

   I'm just a weekend hobbiest, and bought my Leigh D4 about two years ago. My first set of dovetails were perfect, as have every set since then.

   Don't know about the others, but you can't go wrong with D4!

   Les