Confused and need help

[windknot]

OK, I have been going at this dovetail jig deal for about 3 weeks now and was just about to order the PC 4212 when a guy I know, who has been doing woodwork his whole life comments that mechanical jigs will not produce the quality dovetail I am looking for. I am going to be making some bible boxes for family members and was planning on using 2 different woods with through dt so that they were a focal point. Will some of you comment on this? Do I need to rethink my plan and use a locking miter joint cut with the router or can I get good results with a jig. I guess I could trial and error hand cut tails, but I need to make about 4 boxes and time is short.

 

[DaveO]

I have never had any problem with the quality of dovetail produced by my PC jig. It only produces 1/2 blind and that's my biggest problem with it. You can't make wildly space DTs with most jigs, although the Leigh jigs do give you great flexibilty on spacing but you are still limited to a minimum pin size. Unless you are experienced with hand cutting DTs then your best bet is a well made jig. I've heard very good things about the PC 4212, and if it will do all that you want, then I say that is the best way to go. My .02, Dave

 

[SteveColes]

I'll probably get blasted for this, but I think that person who said that probably has an "elitist" attitude:roll: to make a broadbrush comment like that. I know that with a good jig, good sharp bits and proper technique, you can get a "quality" joint. You may not be able to get the "look" of handmade dovetails, but the quality and fit and finish can be excellent.

Undertand that I'm a newbie and not very good:eusa_shhh , but with a bit of practice, I can make a good looking ,strong and stable joint.

 

[Phillip]

windknot, just my 2 cents, but i think anything would be preferable to a lock mitre. they are incredibly fussy to set up and you gain very little, if any, strength over a splined mitre and probably none over a biscuited mitre either. check out insomniac's gallery for evidence of quality machine cut dovetails, and check out david charlesworth's first book for a good tutorial on bandsaw cut dovetails.

phillip

 

[DaveO]

A well set-up jig and machine will alway produce better results than the human hand. To quote a band Blues Traveller " We can command the straightest of lines but can't control the pen". Yes, you may not get the warmth of imperfection that a good set of handcut DTs can produce but you will get perfect results. If DTs are the look you desire, and I agree they will look better with two contrasting wood than any other joint, and your time is limited then you can't go wrong with a good jig. Remember you are your worst critic, most people see DTs and think WOW, that is fine craftsmanship, no matter if they are handcut or not. I would go with the jig and agree with Steve, your friend thinks that he's special and wants to show you up. Dave

 

[Jonz]

I personally prefer the smaller pin look that can only be done by hand, but that is just a personal preference. Dovetail jigs do perfectly acceptable joints, one is no better than the other IMO if both are done correctly.

Making boxes I would make the pins/tails roughly the same as the thickness of the stock and be done with it.

 

[Monty]

Yep, what Steve said -- elitist. With a jig, you'll get perfectly sound and attractive dovetail joints. No question. With some jigs, though, it's hard to replicate the "hand-cut" look, if that's what you're interested in. If you can't vary the spacing, you get sort of a machined "corn on the cob" look, with perfectly even spacing all the way across. Kind of like this:

With the Leigh jigs, you can vary the SPACING between the pins (thus varying the width of the tails), and you can also vary the WIDTH of the pins -- but only to a point. The pins can't get any narrower than the width of your router bit & guide bushing will allow. So you'll never be able to get really narrow pins like in these hand-cut dovetails:

Of course, it all depends on your style, and what looks good to you. Most people don't have any idea about this sort of nuance, and will simply be impressed by the piece as a whole.

As a side note, I don't know how big these boxes will be, but if it's small, you may actually consider box joints...

 

[Joe Scharle]

What you're asking is why I'm trying to find more about the WoodRat. My eyes are at the point that I need all the help I can get. And I was never any good at hand cut DTs anyway.

Joe