Choosing a Dovetail Jig

A dovetail jig is a device that helps woodworkers make dovetail joints. It’s useful for making drawer fronts, door panels and picture frames.

The best dovetail jigs are simple to use and produce accurate joints. They also save time and energy.

The Stock Width

The stock width of a dovetail jig is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing this type of woodworking tool. You need to choose a jig that will work with the thickness of the wood that you will be using for your project.

Some dovetail jigs can only handle wood with a thickness of about 1/4 to 1 1/8 inches, while others are designed to use larger pieces of wood. It is also important to check whether or not the jig can cut through and half-blind dovetails on the stock that you will be using for your project.

If you will be working with a dovetail jig for a long time, it is essential that the jig is made from high quality material. It should have a sturdy base and large adjustment knobs that will help you to make accurate cuts in the wood.

The Clamping System

The clamping system of a dovetail jig is crucial to the accuracy of the joint. The device is designed to securely hold the stock while the router cuts the dovetail pins and tails.

Dovetails are a strong and attractive joint that can be used for a variety of wood projects. They are a great way to join the ends of a board to another without using any mechanical fasteners or glue.

A good quality dovetail jig is essential for any woodworker. It can help you turn out a row of dovetails in record time, which will make your project look professional and impressive.

The Keller 1500 Journeyman Dovetail Jig is a simple and versatile 15-inch precision-milled clamp-on template dovetail system that’s designed for beginner woodworkers but has enough features to appeal to experienced users as well. It includes a phenolic guide, standard dovetail bit, straight bit, ball-bearing template guides and illustrated instructions.

The Bumpers

The bumpers of a dovetail jig serve a dual purpose: They prevent the router from getting too close to the support brackets, and they act as a height block for the bit. This allows you to set the depth of your dovetail bit without using a scrap piece of wood.

One of the first generation jigs to use this concept was the Keller Jig – see the “First Generation Dovetail Jig” section of this page. That jig sported metal templates for the router to follow.

The FOURTH GENERATION Dovetail Jig takes that idea and builds everything into the jig itself – no bolt ons needed. That makes it more accurate, more durable, more flexable and MORE affordable.

The Height Block

A dovetail jig is a handy tool that can help you cut beautiful dovetail joints. These joints are a common way to connect two wooden pieces.

Typically, these jigs include a baseplate and a template that are mounted on the workpiece and used to guide a router bit. Some jigs are adjustable, allowing users to create different size dovetail joints.

The height block of a dovetail jig is an important component because it acts as a clamping surface for the workpiece and prevents tear-out on the back side of the stock when cutting the dovetail joints. It should be accurately machined to ensure it is 90 degrees to the dovetail jig.

It also needs to be positioned so that the tails and pins on both sides of the workpiece are equally spaced. To achieve this, mark the center of the workpiece and scribe a second line. Then, position the inside edge of one of the tail side openings exactly with the scribed line.