Thank you Kenny for this great video. It has helped me so much in using my Leigh D4 jig. I like how Kenny spoke slowly, clearly and did the presentation in a methodical fashion.
I'm glad to hear that you found the video to be helpful. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for taking the time to leave the kind words. It's appreciated.
Thank you for making an awesome video. It was very informative and to the point. I also like the way it flowed where you didn’t disrupt yourself with a lot of afterthoughts, and just added them in to the end of the video where you could present them all in retrospect. I really feel this helped to keep the flow of your demo going smoothly. Great job! I look forward to checking out more of your videos soon.
Thank you for the kind words on the show Samuel. I'm glad that you like my style of filming and editing. I have a couple of other shows on the channel for the Leigh jig. Half blind dovetails and IN-laid dovetails. Hopefully they will interest you. Thank you for tuning in and for taking the time to leave the kind comments. It is very much appreciated.
Very helpful video - much appreciated. I'm just beginning to get into woodworking and tonight will be my first crack at making dovetails with the Leigh D4. Your tutorial was easy to follow and highlighted some great notes that I either didn't see or didn't make note of in the jig user manual. Gonna be a fun experiment tonight!
Well just remember to take you time and do the proper set up. Double check everything before making a cut and you'll do just fine. Good luck and be sure to let me know how you make out with it. Thanks for tuning in.
Kenny you beat all the videos for this reason that i have watched. thanks for sparing time and putting efforts in. i am planning to get one of this, so needed a peek in to the process and the product. God bless your heart.
Glad to hear that you liked the show. Thanks so much for tuning in and taking the time to leave a comment. It is truly appreciated. Good luck with your new jig.
vern Wow, so well done. You saved me hours digging through book. I will read it anyway but thanks to you, I now have the basic understanding. As a 32 yr college teacher, whenever I run into one of you superb teachers, I have to applaud. Thanks so much!!
You are very welcome Vern. I'm glad that the show has helped you out. Good luck on your projects and thanks for tuning in and taking the time to leave me a comment. I truly appreciate it.
Well here I am again and today I bit the bullet as they say and ordered a Leigh jig. While I finally learned to use the Porter Cable jig I had I felt restricted in the patterns that I could set the size and variety of the pins and tails, not to mention box joints had little to no adjustability to control the tightness of the fit. I like to be a little creative with the thing I build. Thanks for you great demo.
I hope you like your Leigh jig Mikey. It is a bit of a process to learn the jig but the results are fantastic and the adjustability is limitless. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for taking the time to leave your comment.
OUTstanding DIY. I have seen MANY videos about this Jig. But I was always left a little confused. YOU took ALL of that away. And the timing of looking at the video could not have been better timed. For I received and put together my brand new "Leigh Jig" D4R-Pro and VRS last night. Bravo; and may Jesus continues to bless you with such a good way of teaching. It will help me always I am sure. Praise His Holy Name.
Thank you for your kind words. I truly appreciate it. I'm glad to hear that you found the show to be useful to you and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I will do my best to help you out if I can. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
It's not a jig that you use daily so when you do drag it out and dust it off, a refresher never hurts. Thanks for tuning in and for taking the time to leave your comment. It's appreciated.
Have just discovered your channel recently & am really enjoying it. I have a Porter cable jig and know yours is a much better as well as more versatile. That said I use what I have but after watching yours I did pick up some tips that will help me with mine , appreciate your expertise!
I’ve just discovered your channel, and I’m very happy about it. I’ll be searching for more of your content. You’re a very good educator, keep up the great work.
I'm glad that you like the show Greg. Thanks for the kind words. There are well over 600 episodes of the show on the channel. Some good, some....well, not so good but I am sure that there will be something that will interest you. Thanks for tuning in.
Great video. I'm just in the process of deciding whether or not to buy a jig and my ultimate aim is to have great dovetails. You've made my mind up for me.. it will be a Leigh jig.
You won't be disappointed with this jig. It is very well made and performs beautifully. I've been meaning to film and post a set up video of the jig but I haven't had the chance as of yet. Hopefully soon. Either way, take your time to set up the jig and you will have no problems.
Superb video, very useful set up detail which I will share with my students in my senior technology (wood bias) classes. Your point on using dust masks if not using the vacuum attachment is good learning for all.
Thanks for the kind words Lindsay. They are truly appreciated. Good luck to you and all the students in your class. I wish them all nothing but success.
Thank you for your time in making the video. You are a straight forward fella. I have my work cut out for me! My Honey wants a new kitchen, and I'm gonna give it to her. I have tried ( with miserable results) to do dovetails with a Craftsman jig. I am sure it was me, but I do believe that quality tooling will give more incentive to strive for better results. It has been a search for quality and flexibility of use. The Leigh looks like a good choice.Anyway, God bless you and your family. Take care of your health brother! Love the hair cut. Semper Fidelis Esse Quam Videri
+RockFlyDiablo Thank you for the kind words sir. Good luck with your new kitchen. If you are planning on making the drawers with dovetail construction, this might be the jig for you. Once you get the initial setup done and fine tuned, you can leave it as it and do all the drawers as the thickness of the material will not change from drawer to drawer. Good luck and don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have.
Good luck with the jig and thanks for the kind words on the show. I'm planning on doing a few more Leigh jig videos in the near future. I just need to come up with the projects for them. thanks for tuning in.
Hi, many thanks ... try a blanket box. We made one a few years back and it's full of everything except blankets! Take care. I also made a router stand based on yours for fun.
Thanks for the kind words Lou. I don't know about the "world" listening but as long as a few of you guys listen and enjoy the show, that's a good enough audience for me. If you are interested in Leigh jig videos, I posted a half blind dovetail tutorial a couple of weeks ago. Here's the link if you are interested. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ozDvKEwCGP8.html Thanks for tuning in and for taking the time to leave a comment.
The Leigh jig is an expensive one for sure, but it was worth every penny. I've never had an issue with it and have always gotten great results. I have another demonstration video showing how to do half blind dovetails if you are interested. Here's the link. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ozDvKEwCGP8.html I am hoping to have an inlaid dovetail demonstration coming soon on the show as well. Thank you for tuning in and for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. It's very much appreciated.
kenny, I have an older model, just a plain D4. I just bought it used yesterday. It came with just the F1 finger joint/box joint template, NOT the adjustable dovetail guidefingers template. I had used the Leigh Dovetail jig back in 1995. I don't remember using or having that eccentric bushing back then. We just used normal circular bushings. IIRC, the tail board was cut first. How tight or loose the pins fit in the tail board was adjusted by sliding the pin finger template in or out. It would seem to me that the eccentric bushing just adds another level of complexity and another setting to have to keep track of. Unless of course, the e-bushing fixes any concentricity issues, getting the bit centered in the bushing.
I've never really had any issues at all with the e-bushing. I've always had it set at zero and it has always done me well. If there is ever a need for me to adjust that setting to fine tune, I will be sure to come back to the video and post an update but for now, all's good. Congrats on the new (to you) D4 jig. Sounds great.
Hey Kenny. I was researching dovetail jigs, and lo and behold, my favorite RU-vidr had one on the Leigh D4R pro. Still in the decision making process at this point. I'm thinking that as a hobbyist, the D4R might be overkill. I was looking at the Leigh Super 12 instead. Not as beefy a unit, for sure. I can't think of a reason why I would ever need to make anything taller than a drawer with 12" sides, so I'd get the shorter one. Of course, I could really throw overkill to the side and buy a PantoRouter. That thing does dovetails and M & T's. Decisions, decisions... Thanks again for posting! Mark
I know that as a hobbyist, the D4R Pro is a little overkill and I have to say that it is overkill for me as well but I love the jig. Although I use it rarely in my shop, when I do use it, the results are flawless and gorgeous. From sliding dovetails to inlaid dovetails, this thing does it all and does a great job. I have other Leigh jig tutorials on my channel if you are interested. Thanks for tuning in Mark and good luck on your decision. There's a lot to choose from.
I love your box to set the router in! I have two routers (one for the straight bit, one for the dovetail bit) so I need to make two boxes (or one bigger one) but I don't like to lay them on the side so the box is a great idea. Cheers. PS The Leigh Jig is fantastic, I am so glad I have it. I had a few issues in the beginning but once you learn to use it (it took me a few days) you are laughing
It does have a bit of a learning curve Fabian but the rewards of learning the jig are well worth the effort. Good luck making your router stands. They really are handy. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Hi Kenny, thanks for the great demonstration of the jig, I had decided on the D4Pro before watching your video, but your video has reassured me this is the best jig out there, now to find it at a semi decent price, AU price is around $800 plus $300 for the VRS, BTW great video editing.
Nicely done, Kenny! I used the heck out of my Leigh jig, but that was a few years ago, so I am pretty much back at square one now. This video was very helpful! Thanks. :)
+Jerry Kaifetz Glad to hear that it was helpful. If you don't use the jig on a regular basis, you forget the setup. Good luck with the reintroduction to the jig and I'm glad that this video was helpful in that process. Thanks for tuning in.
I've also got a video on doing a half blind dovetail with this jig Dave. You might want to watch that one as well. I've been meaning to do an in-laid dovetail tutorial but just haven't gotten around to it. Thanks for tuning in sir and for leaving the kind words.
Fantastic video Kenny. I was watching it prior to putting my D4 on eBay. Now I feel like I should keep it and get out to the workshop and make something... Cheers Frank
+Franco DiRoma Yes, you should get out there and make something. Don't sell the D4. This is an awesome jig that takes some getting used to, but once you get the settings to your liking, the results are unbeatable. Definitely a great jig.
Dennis, I have had this jig for years and I have used about 3 different jigs for dovetails. None of them compare to the Leigh jig and although the price point is high and it has a bit of a learning curve, the results that this jig produce are miles above the rest in my opinion. Glad that the show was helpful to you. I appreciate you tuning in and taking the time to leave a comment. Thank you.
Glad that the video was able to help you out Steve. Sometimes we all just need a little refreshing on the jig. Especially when we don't use it every day. Thanks for tuning in and for taking the time to leave your comment.
You couldn't be more right on the need for flat and square wood with this jig. I had so much trouble with fit, only to find my wood was not flat enough. What do you use for jointing?
As with any dovetail jig Ray, the stock has to be flat and square. When doing hand cut dovetails, we compensate for wood that is untrue by changing the cuts but for a jig, it cuts only one way and that is square to the stock. Because of that, any irregularities in the wood will make the dovetail cuts out of square and therefore, the joint will be out of square and difficult to assemble. For face and edge jointing, I have a jointer planer that I use for that and then I bring the stock down to its final thickness with a thickness planer. I also make sure to cut off any snipe that the planer may have created as it can cause problems too. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to ask your question.
Thanks for the kind words on the show Ron. If you have any questions please feel free to ask and I will do my best to help you out. Don't forget to check out the rabbeted half blind dovetail video as well is you are interested in seeing a demonstration of this type of joinery with the Leigh jig. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ozDvKEwCGP8.html Thanks for tuning in.
I have had serious problems with tremors myself. I suggest asking your doctor about propranolol. It has done wonders for my hand tremors with no side affects.
Amerijam Acres Thanks for the kind words and the concerns. I have pretty much refused treatment at this point in time due to the fact that I am not a drug taker of any kind. I don't even take something when I have pain. I just keep doing what I do. I have good days and bad days, but none of my days have been bad enough thus far, to take a bunch of pills to combat the tremors. Although it does work for some, and I applaud that, it just isn't for me at this stage in my life. Thanks again for the kind comment.
I know how you feel. Mine just got so bad it was unbearable and the solution was a very low dose. I'm happy you are not at the point I was. I appreciate the video. I have this jig and am very happy with it.
+Amerijam Acres I have noticed that most Americans in woodworking videos have a slight tremor - I put it down to the strong coffee that they drink. If cutting caffeine out of your diet still leaves you with a constant tremor then you MIGHT have what is called Essential Tremor in which case propranolol or similar beta blockers are miracle drugs. They aren't addictive and they generally dont have any side effects except a slight feeling of tiredness which you soon get used to. I also swear by them as a much better treatment of anxiety disorders than any other drug because it is practically impossible to have an anxiety attack on 20mg @ 3 per day since they act like an "engine-rev limiter". I have the Akeda jig (Trend DC400) which I love but I"ve just bought a used Leigh D4 and I am going to play with it and see what advantages the extra flexibility offers over the rock solid ease of the Akeda which is almost foolproof
Thanks for the information on the tremors. As for the jig, just keep in mind, that there is initial set up and calibration with the Leigh jig that can be frustrating at times. However, with some careful measurement and adjustment, the results are flawless. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
your advice was helpful it ok but need little practice. the e7 guide need to be tighten all the times maybe with vibration become little loose but I will try to figure it out thank you for helping
Thanks for posting the video. I just picked up a used D4 today for $125. It's in great condition but going in blindly it's a bit overwhelming. One thing that has me confused is I keep hearing about 8mm bits but this one has the original bits and they're 1/4". The jig and bits could easily pass for brand new so I'm assuming it hasn't seen much use.
I've never used a 1/4" bit with the Leigh jig. I know that they are available though. Did the jig come with a manual? If it didn't, you can find the full user manual on Leigh's website. Here's a link. www.leightools.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/D4RPro-User-Guide-Complete-2021.pdf Maybe it will have more information about the 1/4" bit. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
@@acutabove_woodworkings Thanks for replying. It came with everything except the Robertson screw driver and the manual. The guide bushing is useless to me, looks like the adapter is for an older Craftsman style router or something and the bushing fits only the adapter. I have a 7/16 bushing but it's only 3/16 tall. The bits appear to be new. They are #80 and #140 with no "-8" at the end so I'm guessing it's from the original release. It was the father's of the lady I bought it from and she is in her 50's. Anyways, I think I'm going to give them a go in some 3/4 poplar plywood drawer boxes. When they wear out I'll make the switch to the 8mm ones. I know $125 is a good deal but when I start adding up the accessories I'll be just a little better off than had I bought a used one with all the accessories I want. Since I want a guide bushing ($24) I'll probably get the upgrade kit($49). It comes with the elliptical bushing, manual for the d4r pro, stop rod for half blinds, and a couple of other odds and ends. Not sure if I'll ever do half blinds so I may never drill the holes in the fingers. The elliptical bushing has me a little perplexed. I understand it's for making fine adjustments for box joints. I believe it must be mounted in a particular position and then the router would have to used without ever rotating it even slightly. Hopefully it comes with instructions.
@@kennethpullen6889 All of the information about the bushing etc is all in the manual at the link that I gave you. Check it out. It might answer a LOT of your questions.
You are very welcome. You are going to love this jig. There is some initial setup and I am hoping to produce a few more videos for the jig in the next few weeks. Hopefully, a setup video from the moment you remove it from the box to your first dovetail and I think I would also like to produce an inlaid dovetail tutorial as well. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Good Video. I have a couple questions and maybe someone has some insight. For one I'm using oak and it seems to not like to be routed. When using the dovetail (80) it makes a wonderful loud cut almost like it is struggling. I might not be using enough RPM's or Oak is just this way? Two I noticed you have a board on top to hold the fingers with the top of the board being cut. I saw you didn't use it as a backstop to prevent chip out. So I had some major chip out on the oak. I'm having to use a sacrificial backstop to prevent chip out. Is that a normal process with this jig? Thanks in advance.
There are several reasons your router could be "struggling". It may be underpowered for the process. Your bit could be dull or you may be trying to power through the stock at too high of a speed. I'm not sure if any of these are your issue but they are just some common reasons for why this could be happening. Routing a dovetail through stock (in this case oak) is a pretty tough routing and you want to take it slow and do light passes. Don't try and power through the routing but rather take little cuts at a time. This will also help with your tear out issue. Oak is a pretty coarse grained wood and has issues with tear out anyway but if a backer board is what you want to use, there is nothing wrong with that. It shouldn't be necessary but you can use it if it will help to get a cleaner routing. It's not the fault of the jig but rather the cutter and the stock. Ease up on your pressure as the bit breaks through the back side of the dovetail and then use the bit behind the stock to rout toward you to clean up the back edge. Oak is notorious for blowout when routing dovetails but it is still doable if you adjust your methods a little. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Glad that you liked it and I hope you found it useful. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to leave me a comment. It's very much appreciated.
You're very welcome. I actually produced a show on making a router rest. You can find it here if you are interested. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u7uc2hNXk9Q.html Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Silly question. When you marked the boards, did you mark the wrong side of the pin board? If you were to put it back together, the marking is on the inside not the outside…. Just confused! And you didn’t show putting together. Great video I appreciate, you should see how many test pieces I have done….
The way that I marked it is the way that it should be marked as far as I know. I haven't watched this video in a very long time but you are the first to ever ask about what side I marked on the board so I can only assume that I have marked it correctly. As for the assembly, it was never shown because it is normally pretty obvious the way it goes together. There is only one way that it will fit properly. There is a bit of a learning curve to using this jig and I would suggest using just two boards and testing getting your pins and your tail correct before moving on to a box. If your joints aren't good, cut them off at the table saw and start again. Make sure that your boards are cut perfectly square or you will never get the results that you want. I hope this helps a little. Thanks for tuning in.
Kenny, thanks for a great video. You did not show how to fine tune if the joint does not fit right. The Leigh video shows moving the pin board forward or back to improve the fit. This makes since for my old D4. But you have the D4 pro with the router collar that rotates. Which method is better?
The process of adjusting the fit is the same on the Pro unit as it is on the D4 unit Jack. I've never been a fan of the bushing adjustment and primarily use the pin board to adjust for fit. Although it's been a while since I posted this show, I honestly thought that I went through the procedure as to how to adjust fit if it is too tight or too loose. I will have to refresh my memory and watch the show again to see what was said. Thanks for tuning in sir. It's very much appreciated.
Just out of interest, I noticed that you didn’t bother with a backer board to support the tails/pins as you worked. I was surprised to see that you never suffered any tear out.
A backer board can change the geometry of these joints and it isn't necessary. The key to avoiding tear out is a sharp router bit and most importantly, making sure not to take the routing in an aggressive pass. Make multiple thin passes to get through the stock so that in the end, there is only a thin layer left to cut away in order to break through the stock. This will eliminate the majority of the tear out and make for a cleaner joint. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in Mark.
Glad to have you aboard as a viewer and subscriber Michael. Better to show up late to the party, then to never show up at all. There's plenty to offer here on the channel and I hope that you find plenty to interest you. Thanks for tuning in and taking the time to leave a comment. It's very much appreciated.
kennyearrings1 Thank you for replying! There is plenty on your channel to interest me. Thanks for all your hard work getting out the content. All the best, Michael.
As always , great content and video ! Thx. I have decided on a Leigh dovetail jig but Super or Pro? What was it that made you choose the Pro over the Super ?
Thanks for the kind words G B. Both the Super and the Pro are very capable jigs. I preferred the maximum capacity that I could get and the Pro offered material thicknesses of 1/8" to 1 1/4" whereas the Super allows materials from 1/8" to 13/16". I just like the larger capacity capabilities of the Pro version. I hope this helps you out. Good luck with your jig and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
You are a great teacher for sure ! Super detailed oriented! This is so helpful to me. Thank you for your hard effort making this video. Excellent video making skills as well. One Question: The E7 bushing is oval, I think?? What does changing the setting do? Is that for through dovetails or half blind? or fine adjusting the fit? Also, I like the clear router base plate, it helps you see what you are cutting I hope they make one for my Porta Cable router.
Thank you for the kind words on the show, it is truly appreciated. The E7 bushing is for fine adjustments and I have to say, that to this day, I have never had to change the adjustment on the bushing for the through dovetails or the half blind dovetails. I'm not sure if I have just been lucky of if the bushing and the router that I have are super compatible. As the for clear base plate, there is always the option to make your own out of 1/4" thick plexiglass. You can use your existing base plate as a template and cut and drill the plexiglass to form a new baseplate that is clear. Some wet sanding up to about 600 grit will clean up the edges of the base plate and give it that finished look that everyone likes. Now that I am talking about it, I think that I will have to film and produce a show about how to make your own in the fall when my show returns to youtube after the summer break. Thanks for tuning in and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks for your response! Just a follow up question. You mentioned something along the lines in your "tips" segment you need to have wood that is accurately cut and square for dovetail joints. Tool set up is Key. So true ! I am finding out. To make great dovetail joints even the slightest cutting error is unacceptable. You really can't hide errors That being said, what is the minimum precision cutting tools (other than the router) you would recommend for a small shop? I am thinking versatile tools that can serve multiple purposes. I like the Festool skill saw with slide tracks.... Your thoughts? Thanks
Festool is a very expensive venture indeed and while I cannot speak for them as to their accuracy, I will say they have a large following. They are a little too rich for my blood though. The important thing to remember here with making proper dovetail joinery with a jig is that the boards must be cut to the proper dimension and the ends of the boards must be square. This doesn't require fancy machinery and can, in fact, be done with a hand saw and a good quality mitre box. I do all of my cutting of the stock on a table saw with a good mitre fence. I have had great success with INCRA tools and their mitre fences and I find their accuracy to be matched by none. If a mitre fence is not in your future, I would suggest constructing yourself an accuracy crosscut sled for your table saw. If you do not have a table saw, you could always go the route of the skill saw and just check your guides for accuracy and to make sure that they are 90 degrees to the long edge of the boards. The other option would be a 90 degrees shooting board and a sharp hand plane. There are many ways to accomplish a square edge and I'm not so sure that you would need to spend the big bucks of a Festool to accomplish what you are after.
Lovely jig. Im looking at getting this as well as their mortise and tenon jig for my projects. Whats your thoughts on the set as an investment for a novice woodworker looking to save time on complex joinery
The Leigh jigs are high quality and have a high price tag to match. I do not have the mortise and tenon jig but the dovetail jig has served me well for many years and I have never regretted purchasing it. That being said, I'm not sure about saving time and money. It would all depend on the frequency that you plan on using the jig. For me, I use it once in a while and every time I use it, I have to refresh my memory on the set up and the procedure because it has been so long since I last used it. So you may lose some of your time savings through memory refreshment. As long as you can afford these jigs, you won't be disappointed in their function but do keep in mind that there is a learning curve to getting them to work right. I hope this helps a bit. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
@@acutabove_woodworkingsI'll be purchasing the dovetail and mortise and tenon jigs so I can learn the tools and have perfect joints each time instead of fussing around.
@@CyclingYYC You will definitely have quality joints once you learn to use the jigs. INCRA makes an incredible iBox jig that makes finger joints perfectly if you are interested in that sort of thing. I have a tutorial on my channel for that jig as well.
Ken your videos are so helpful and well done. I have thought about adding a dovetail jig at sometime to my shop. This one seems quite complicated, have you used the Porter-Cable ones? Sorry to hear about you having Parkinson's, sounds like you have a great attitude. That is half the battle, best to you and keep up the good work.
MIke Ribelin No worries about the Parkinson's Mike..........it's just nature's way of saying "you can make a mean martini............just hope they want it shaken, not stirred". As far as the complicated nature of the Leigh jig, it's not as bad as one might think. Once you do the test cutting and the set up, the results are very repeatable with little effort. I have not personally tried the Porter Cable jig, but I have used one that is similar and I have to say that I didn't like it. I found it to be very limiting as it only cut half blind dovetails. I can't speak for the Porter Cable jig but I found the one I had to be cumbersome and a real pain to set up with next to no repeatability in results unless you were using the exact same thickness of stock. With the Leigh jig, I have a ton of options like through dove tails, half blind, inlaid dove tails, sliding dove tails etc and the results are bang on once you get past the learning curve. The price is a little more than the Porter Cable unit, but I guess you really have to weigh out what you want from your jig. If I had just purchase the Leigh right from the start, I wouldn't have wasted my money on the other jig that I ended up hanging on the wall of my shop and currently use it to collect wayward airborne dust particles.
Between your video and one supplied by the Wood Whisperer, I think I may try to use my Leigh jig again. I bought my D4 in 1995 when it first came out. No videos at the time and the book just had me too confused. Never did get a good joint. I feel it is now time to try and put an expensive tool (that has just been collecting dust) to work!
Glad to hear it. I hope you get some good results this time. It really is a great dovetail jig and all it takes is a little patience and a little practice. Good luck.
Thanks Kenny, I got mine off the shelf and tried again. I think what I need to do is get some MDF and practice with that. I tried to cut TD on some clear fir (straight grain molding grade Doug Fir) but got a lot of tear out, even with a backer board. Now my Dewalt router feels like it is binding up even though the bearings were replaced. I do thing the Woodworking Gods just don't want me to use Dove tail joinery!!
royallhawaii Tearout, can be inevitable sometimes and using a wood like fir, that is prone to that kind of tearout isn't a fair test of the jig. As far as routers go, when I first got the jig, I was using my DeWalt router with it. It is a DW616. I love this little router and it is a powerhouse but the results I got with it were lousy. I found out, that the DeWalt router was no centrifugal. And it was that lack of being able to turn perfectly on its shaft, that gave me the poor fitting dove tails and lousy results. I don't think that it's any secret that I'm a fan of DeWalt tools and it killed me to have to stop using it for a jig because I really liked the feel of the router. It's very comfortable. I then picked up the Rigid 2HP router kit. Which came with the R2901 motor, the R2911 fixed base and the R29202 plunge base. I had every intention of returning it if it didn't cut right. Needless to say, I never had to return it, because it works like a charm. It's a little bigger than a router that I would like for a dovetail jig, but it works so well, that I can overcome the larger size of the router. I have nothing but good things to say about this router from Ridgid. www.homedepot.ca/product/ridgid-heavy-duty-2hp-router-combo-kit/913358
Thanks Ollie. Glad you liked the video. The Leigh jig truly is an awesome jig once you understand how it works and how to set it up. Reading the manual can be tiring and confusing at point so I'm glad that this video helps out some people. Thanks for tuning in.
Thank you very much you explanation plain english, better than the ones from Leigh's, this year God willing, I will buy plus two routers I haven't decide which brand I own PC, I like Milwaukee too. God bless thank you for your, I will keep an eye for more Leigh videos
You're very welcome Fernando. I'm glad to hear that you liked the video and I hope that you will get your routers soon. Good luck and if you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask. Thank you for tuning in to the show.
Greetings from Peterborough ON, from your licence plate I am guessing you are somewhere in ON too. Love your videos. Do you have any experience or thoughts on the various versions of the Leigh jigs? They even have a router table based one now. My bias is towards ease of set up and accuracy. These are sometimes divergent criteria, I realize. Be well, I love your attitude.
Thanks for the kind words Martin. You would be right in my location. Ontario is the place. I have to say that I have tried several jigs but only one of the Leigh line and I stopped at that and got rid of all my other jigs. For the most part, the set up on any dovetail jig is a bit of a pain until you get used to it and now that I am used to the Pro, the set up is a snap. I wouldn't trade this jig and one of the best parts about it is the versatility as well as the ease of set up (once you get the hang of it) I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.
Kenny, what a great video! Laura got one of these jigs for Xmas last year, it is still in the box as it looked so complicated to set up and use because I found the directions are not very clear. I have been avoiding dovetails on my stuff because of this. This step by step with your tips are SPOT ON! Well done. I noticed the Incra miter gauge on your saw, I think I am getting a 1000 HD this Xmas, or so the elf tells me, do you like it? Have you seen the Joinery System Incra has for dovetails? Jack
+Laura M Thanks for the kind words on the show. I'm not really familiar with the Joinery System that INCRA has for dovetails. I might have to look that up and see what it's all about. I really do love my Leigh jig and once you get the hang of it, the joint are flawless. As for the mitre fence, I have the INCRA 3000SE and I absolutely love it. If you take your time to calibrate it perfectly, the angles are bang on and it does a perfect job EVERY time. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Great purchase for sure. Thanks for tuning in to the show Jack. Glad to have you aboard.
Hey there nice video! I have been redoing my kitchen and wanted to replace the old boxes with some DT's. I had purchased my jig around 15 years ago for a custom kitchen I did back then and honestly it sat on the shelf for so long I forgot I had it. When I dug it out of course the manual was gone so this was a great refresher on use. I must ask how you keep your shop so clean?! Maybe I should spend more time sweeping lol
To be honest John, I never leave the shop without first cleaning up all the mess made from that day's work. I can't stand coming in to a messy shop and honestly, it's nothing more than a safety hazard. Slips, trips and falls are not good in the shop. As for your manual, I believe that Leigh has all their manuals for free download on their website. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Excellent video, Kenny. I damn near wet my pants laughing at the 18:50 mark. Same thing happens to me in my wood shop when I forget to use my face mask. :)
My favourite part about that is that is was completely unplanned and spontaneous. I don't script my show and sometimes, you just get a gem by flying by the seat of your pants. That sneeze which segued into a dust mask conversation was one of those moments. Pure gold. Thank you for tuning in to the show and for taking the time to comment and subscribe. I truly appreciate it Dale.
That sneeze made me LOL! Love it! Most people would've edited it out but I am glad you didn't! I like doing some work by hand and some work that needs to get done quick I will use a jig so I don't have to sacrifice quality and appearance. I was thinking of buying a Leigh jig! Expensive but appears to be the best quality build! Is it worth the extra money compared to others? How long have you had this jig?
+HazardSports I've had the jig for several years and it has served me well. I don't regret the purchase and it is definitely a fantastic jig. It is a little more pricey that some of the dovetail jigs out there, but I can tell you that you won't be disappointed with it's performance. I have another jig that I purchased many years ago and gave up using it because the set up was just too finicky and the quality of the jig and the joints that it produced were very sub standard. I am definitely happy with this jig. Once I finish with my ukulele build video series, I am planning on producing another series of videos pertaining to the Leigh dovetail jig, including how to do inlaid dovetails, half blind dovetails etc as well as a video on how to do the initial set up of the entire jig as if you had just purchased it new. Thanks for tuning in and if you decide to purchase this jig, feel free to ask any questions that you may have. I'd be more than happy to help you out if I can.
Thanks for the info and the quick reply! I always wanted a Leigh but never went for it! Looks like I need to find a way to put it the 2016 budget - LOL.
I have made dovetails out of plywood. The fit of the dovetails works just fine but depending on how sharp your bit is and the quality of your plywood, you might experience some tear-out on the back of the routings. As long as your bit is sharp and you are using quality plywood (construction grade really doesn't cut it for this) you should be fine. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
It looks interesting and this is the master setup except for the add ons but I decided to stay away from it for now at least because I am not needing dovetail joinery. I wondered how it works. Your workpiece looked too small for the machines capability.
The piece that was done here on the program was just for demonstration. That the versatility of the jig. You can dovetail whatever size piece you would like, even if you don't use the jigs full capacity. Kind of like cutting smaller pieces on a table saw. Thanks for tuning in to the show. If you ever do decide to get the Leigh jig, you wont be disappointed.
@@acutabove_woodworkings The base unit for this version of the jig D4R is $900 Canadian dollars and than another $270 for additional templates. The special decorative dovetail choices in the templates like the "clover and bear ears" or the "key and mirror" are really fascinating. It could be a lot of fun but each template is another $270.
In the time it took you to set up this complex machine I would have finished cutting and assembling a box using the Australian made Gifkins Dovetail Jig , which requires no measuring , moving , adjusting and re-fixing of parts or marking other than standard face side and edge , or a simple arrow to define the outside bottom edge , No little pictures required . Even a mug like me can produce a perfect dovetail joint .
I'm glad that you have a dovetail jig that works for you and that you enjoy. While the Leigh jig may not be for everyone, it is a quality jig that works extremely well with great results. Is it the only quality dovetail jig on the market? Of course not. Is it the only jig that will give you great results? Of course not. But for those who have it and understand how to use it, it's a great jig that produces flawless results. For those who have it and don't understand how to use it, there is always this video. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to chime in with your comment. It's a great reminder that when it comes to woodworking tools or accessories, we are not tied to one brand or one style. There are plenty of options out there.
Totally agree. I bought the Leigh. The videos look great, but then try to use it. Totally different ballgame. Compared to the Gifkins, it is bloody annoying. Way too over complicated. The so called e bush tore itself apart. I gave up on the whole thing. The Gifkins is brilliantly simple and just so easy to use. BTW, the router needs no modification. Give me the Gifkins any day.
Hey, OP, did you get your tremors checked out by a physician? If not, perhaps its worth looking into. Great instructional video, btw! Thanks for taking the time to put it together.
Tremors have been checked. Apparently, I'm in the beginning stage of Parkinson's disease. Who Knew? Thanks for the kind words on the show. Hopefully, I will be putting together a few more instructional videos involving the Leigh jig. Thanks for tuning in and for the concern. I appreciate it.
Not to worry. There are bigger things in life to be upset about other than a shaky hand. The symptoms have subsided for the time being so all is good but if Parkinson's is in the cards for me, then so be it. Treatments have come a long way and it has become very manageable.
I just found out I have the shaky hand ha ha. I like working in my shop but my wife stop me from going out I'll show you to her thanks for the help good luck. On with the show...
There are far worse things in life than a shaky hand and I have to be honest here and saw that the shaky hand has never stopped me from doing what I love to do. As of late, my tremors seem to have slowed down but I'm told that they can come back at any time. Safety is your first priority when in the shop and having tremors doesn't make you unsafe, it just means that you have to be a little more careful. Do what you love to do and if you wife is concerned, bring her to the shop and get her involved as well. Who knows, you might find something that you both love to do together. Life is too short to deny yourself the things that you enjoy. No one is promised tomorrow.........live for today my friend. All the best to you and yours.
Hey Ken Do you mind if I ask what scale truck body is on your work bench during the Leigh jig demo? Would you happen to have any vids on that? It looks great from I can see.
+Mike Swift I'm not exactly sure what the scale is but if I were to guess, I would say it's about a 1/10 scale. That's just guessing of course. As far as any video goes, I don't really do videos of my model builds as they would be even longer than one of my normal shows. Some of these models take hundreds of hours to complete and there is just no way that I could possibly duplicate that onto a show. I do have a Facebook page for the show where I put pictures of things that don't necessarily make the show. The current build that I am working on is posted on there. I could post some pictures of the build that is shown in this video if you like. You would just have to like the page in order to view them. The link to the page can be found in the banner of the home page of my channel. Or, you could just click here. facebook.com/kennyearrings1/
This would work on any material. The plywood would have to be of a better quality to assist with keeping the ply from separating when the bit exits the stock but other than that, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be used for this application. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
This jig is not designed to be used with a bearing guided bit and I would not recommend it. The bushing guide will prevent you from gouging your bit into the guide fingers. Bearing guides would not be a good idea with the Leigh dovetail jig.
kennyearrings1 Many thanks for your quick reply. I've already damaged a jig finger by using by using a bearing-guided cutter instead of a guide bush which was unavailable at the time. The jig has not been used since and can be binned, presumably. Regards from Scotland.
I wouldn't trash the jig just yet. If it is the Leigh dovetail jig, you can just remove the damaged fingers and not use those anymore. If the fingers are not removable, I simple stop block on both plains of the jig will allow your stock to offset the damaged fingers.
I have an Akeda dovetail jig that I find quite easy. Have you had any experience with the Akeda DC series in the past and if so, how did they compare to the Leigh?
To be completely honest Michael, I have never heard of an Akeda dovetail jig. I had to look them up but I honestly have zero experience with that manufacturer. I'm sorry that I couldn't provide you with more information. Thanks for tuning in to the show though. I appreciate it.
+Charles Morin Glad to hear that you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to drop me a comment and thanks a lot for tuning in to the show. I hope you will check out future episodes.
I am not exactly sure what you are asking here but I will do my best to answer. In order to read the scale, there is a cut line in the edge support brackets on either side of the jig that holds the finger assembly. There is a window on either side of the finger assembly that allows access to see the cut line in the support brackets underneath. The scale is printed on the finger assembly and by looking through the window at either end, you can align the cut line with the measurement on the scale that suits your needs. I hope this answers your question, but if not, please let me know and I will do my best to clarify the answer. Thanks for tuning in to the program.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed it and found it useful. I've been toying with the idea of filming and uploading some other Leigh Jig tutorials such as inlaid dovetails and the initial set up of the jig. This particular video has received some positive results so it looks like it may be time to film some more on the Leigh dovetail jig. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
I bought one 30 years ago and the instruction tell you to use the setting for the diameter of the bit then they don't tell you the diameter of their own bit. And no examples to follow.
I will be in the shop tomorrow, and I will be sure to check the exact model number and let you know. I don't know which one it is off hand. I think I have 7 or 8 routers and the model numbers are not that important to me. I mostly concentrate on how they perform. That being said, I love this Rigid router. It performs like a champ every time. I'll get you that number tomorrow. Honest.
Sam Sabastian Once the initial setup is done, the process is actually quite easy with repeatable results. I've never heard of the Gifkins jig Sam but I'm glad that it works for you. That's the great thing about woodworking........there are so many methods to get the same results and we get to choose which one works best for us. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Really good video! In this day and age of the Internet, RU-vid, etc, there's no reason for anyone to be ignorant about anything and it's great when someone is willing to share their knowledge and expertise. Here's my question. Looking at the reviews on Amazon for the D4R, most were very positive. The negative or one star reviews expressed frustration with the cast fingers. Some said they had a lot of difficulty squaring them up and that they should have been machined rather than cast. What's your take on that complaint? Thanks again for teaching us!
For starters, thanks for the kind words on the show. I truly appreciate it. The cast fingers can be a pain to adjust if they are not treated correctly. What I mean by that is the cast metal of the fingers can have some issues sliding along the rails and I have found that a good coating of paste wax or a treatment of metal polish or top cote spray goes a long way to allowing the fingers to slide effortlessly along the rails. When the fingers have no resistance sliding on the rails, they align themselves in perfect square and I have never had a problem with them. It is only when there is drag that they have issues with squaring to their mounting rails. Keep them in perfect sliding order and you won't have a problem. For the record, I have found that Topcote has been the best product to lubricate them with. thanks for tuning in to the show.
Believe me, I've had it checked out repeatedly. I am in the beginning stages of Parkinson's disease but I'm just taking it one day at a time. Thanks very much for the concern. It's pretty hard to conceal the tremors when I'm having a bad day but I do the best I can with what I have. Thanks for tuning in.
Good video, as for your tremors, see a Neurologist and the Dr. should prescribe Topiramate (in the USA), or in Canada they have a better medicine (I forgot the name but it’s banned in the USA). Also, I’m in the market for a router and I will have another look at the Rigid.
Thanks for the kind words on the show Kraig and the suggestion of the Neurologist etc. I've already been down that road and seen many physicians about the tremors and as of recently, they have subsided. The drug you may be referring to is dopamine which is what the seem to prescribe here in Canada for that sort of thing. Thanks for tuning in and for taking the time to leave me a comment.
You went through routing the pins too quickly and without video. I am about to jump into my jig but I believe cutting pins large lets you dial into the right fit, of course on a test piece. The deeper you set the template back the more narrow your pins will get. Good video though.
Thanks for the kind words on the show Jer. This was an early production on the jig and there are more videos coming. I will most certainly try and keep them as detailed as I can and include video for all processes. Thanks for the input on the show and for tuning in.
Thanks for your nice video. I purchased 12years ago. a smaller set ,, but I couldn't get it set it up right, now I have got how it is used. Their video sounded like robotic person and I couldn't relate to their demonstration.
You're very welcome. I'm glad that you found the video to be useful and I hope that you are able to get some use out of your jig now. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer them for you.
This video is not an all inclusive insertional on using the Leigh jig. It is a quick overview of how to cut through dovetails. If I were to include everything, the video would be hours long. Thanks for tuning in and for chiming in with your opinion.
