- Overview
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Our best and most versatile dovetail jig
ever!
Cutting
beautiful through and half-blind dovetails is fast and easy with our new
and improved dovetail jig! Rockler exclusive one-piece stop
gives you the perfect offset every time for dead-on dovetailing accuracy. And our new
preset template guide allows for quick initial setup for 1/2" to 3/4" thick
stock. Jig will cut half-blind dovetailed joints from 1/2" to 1-1/8" thick and full
through dovetails from 3/8" to 3/4" thick. Accommodates stock up to 11"
wide. Patent pending.
Click "More Info" for more Rockler-exclusive accessories.
Complete Dovetail Jig comes with:
- Two durable phenolic templates
- Three 8mm shank carbide-tipped router bits (1/2" x 14° dovetail,
1/2" x 8° dovetail, 5/16" straight)
- 1/2" to 8mm collet adapter
- 7/16" guide bushing fits most routers
- Detailed eight-page instruction booklet
- Quick reference guide for standard joints
Features:
- 8mm diameter bits are 25% larger than typical 1/4" bits, reduce
chatter and fit all existing Rockler dovetail jigs.
- Preset template and fence locations clearly marked for standard
thickness stock.
- Clamping bars include abrasive surface to grip stock and prevent
slipping.
- Depth gauge on template for setting dovetail bit height for half-blind joints.
- Requires router with 1/2" collet.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES :
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37185 - Dovetail Jig Stand
This handy stand raises your dovetail jig to a more comfortable height, providing greater visibility, superior ergonomics and less fatigue. |
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Distinctive Series Router Bits
For the entire range from delicate jewelry boxes to sturdy drawers, all three work perfectly with the 5/16" straight bit included with Jig 22818. |
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20618 - Miniature Dovetail Template & Bit Kit
Finally, dovetails are an option for small-box projects as well! The set includes a template, two miniature router bits, a reducer to adapt your router, and a template guide. Attaches quickly and easily to the Rockler Dovetail Jig. |
REPLACEMENT PIECES :
- 4-pc. 8mm router bit replacement kit (sold separately) includes the three bits and collet adapter listed above. With 1/2" x 14° and 8° dovetail bits, 5/16" straight bit, and 1/2" to 8mm collet adapter.
- Individual router bits and collet adapter also sold separately.
- Replacement pin and tail templates sold separately.
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Customer Reviews and Photos for:
Rockler's Complete Dovetail Jig
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Average Rating:
4.0
(126 customer reviews)
$164.99
Add your review...
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1) Submitted by
Jim Brown, from Colorado Springs, CO
on 2/25/2013
Customer Rating: 
Takes a little work but it really shows up well.
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2) Submitted by
D Wilt, from Etiwanda, CA
on 1/29/2013
Customer Rating:
I've used three DT jigs - the old blue Rockler, a Porter Cable and this. By far this is the best I have used. The old blue Rockler jig was at best fiddely. Some of the adjustment were almost impossible to make without taking the jig apart. With the Porter Cable it is very difficult to make drawer sides out of baltic birch. There is a ton of tearout and you can't use material less than 1/2". The new Rockler jig is easy to set up and use. I really like the way you can back rout a scoring line before you plunge in. The helps tame tearout. I would highly recommend this jig.
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3) Submitted by
David Barrett, from Columbiana, OH
on 1/27/2013
Customer Rating:
You would be hard pressed to find a better jig for the money. If you cut dovetails for a living it might not be as robust as others I've used, but it's very well built for what it is. Set-up was fantastic.
I was also very impressed with the dust collector. I surprisingly get almost no dust when everything is properly in place.
I have used $500 jigs that work no better than this.
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4) Submitted by
Frank Kuykendall, from Yukon, OK
on 5/19/2012
Customer Rating:
I am inexperienced using dovetail jigs. This combo kit works great. I have done both half blind and thru dovetails with Rockler's dovetail combo kit. The dust collection system works well. The jig performs well. Glad I was able to get it.
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5) Submitted by
Dave, from Puyallup, WA
on 5/2/2012
Customer Rating:
Good product. Just started off using this and found it to be a nice tool to have. I had to read the directions a few times to get it set up. Had perfect half blind on 2nd attempt. However I had a hard time getting the router bit into my collet with their 8mm to 1/2 inch coller adapter. My collet is deep and each time I went to tighten it the adapter would slip down inside the collet. I am using a plunge route so maybe next time I set up I'll use a fixed base. All in all, it works well.
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6) Submitted by
Michael Schillizzi, from Lake Hopatcong, NJ
on 2/19/2012
Customer Rating:
I had an old dovetail from a discount store, tried it and it worked ok, but was not reliable. I needed to make eleven drawers for a project I was making. I wanted them to look nice. I looked around for easily set-up jugs that could give me contimued repeatibility. I found it in this jig from Rockler. I had looked at the big jigs from Porter Cable and Leigh and realized for 99 percent of items dovetailed, there is not much that is over 20 inches that I am going to do. I have never made a drawer over 12 inches deep. I realized, this was the one jig for me. I also ordered it with the dust collector and the stand. Set up is rather easy without problems. The only drawback that I have found, is, With the dust collector attached, adjustments for the off-set guide stops can not be adjusted. You have to take off the complete front hold down to access the screws. This can be changed to put wing nuts on the rear of the screws if you can get the heads of the bolts not to spin. Once you get them set, you don't have to adjust them anymore for that size stock, but it does take an extra step. But all in all, I have found the jig exactly to do what I ask of it and it is very steady and does not wobble. Thank you Rockler, also for not getting dust and wood chips stuck in my flannel shirts. The dust collection works like a dream.
Test set-up after minor adjustments.
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7) Submitted by
Eric, from Green Bay, WI
on 12/10/2011
Customer Rating:
This is my first dovetail jig and I must say I'm impressed. The instructions are very well-written and easy to follow. Setup was quick and easy. I was able to cut perfect fitting dovetails on my first piece of scrap. I have used the jig for both half-blind and through dovetails with excellent results. The dust collector is also very effective.
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8) Submitted by
Andy H, from Eureka, MO
on 10/8/2011
Customer Rating:
Wow!! That is all I can say about this jig. I did a significant amount of research on dovetail jigs and finally decided on this one. You will not be disapointed in this product! The instructions were very helpful and the troubleshooting guide is spot on. I made perfect dovetails afer only using a few scrap pieces. Nice work Rockler!
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9) Submitted by
Dave Parrish, from Nixa, MO
on 1/6/2013
Customer Rating:
I purchased the jig to strictly make half blind dovetails for drawers. I also own a Incra 32" LS positioner with all the bells and whistles, plus a Katie Jig system. The initial setup took me longer then I thought it would. But once I had it setup and ran a couple of pieces through, the next time will be a breeze. I would recommend two things. Buy a standard Porter Cable 690 router to use with this system only. It's designed for Porter Cable router use. Once the bit is setup leave it alone. Also trash the reducer collet. It will slide down into your 1/2" collet and give you nightmares. Go buy Whiteside's 3/8's collet reducer for $10. It's has a lip around the top that will prevent the reducer from falling into your 1/2" collet. I make all my drawers out of 1/2 inch stock and I like the dovetail look. It also sells the product. People look at drawers. It is one thing they relate to as quality craftsmanship, is dovetail drawers. By the way it is quicker to set up for half blind dovetails then my Incra system and my Katie Jig only does through dovetails. At a $140 on sale this is a no brainer. I would recommend this product.
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10) Submitted by
Chambersburg, PA
on 8/3/2011
Customer Rating:
I used the Rockler Dovetail Jig to make drawers for the dressed I was makiing. It took me just a few minutes to get it set up correctly. The drawers turned out very well. Great Dovetial Jig.
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11) Submitted by
Richard, from Martinsburg, WV
on 10/24/2012
Customer Rating:
This is my first dovetail jig! I purchased this several months ago, opened the box and looked at the items, looked at the directions and looked at my equipment, shoved it all back into the box and on the shelf it sat until a couple of weeks or so ago when I decided to give it another go. I built dovetail jig workcenter but it was actually scaled for the Porter-Cable dovetail jig setup and I didn't feel like scaling it up, down and around for the Rockler jig so I ditched it and purchased the Rockler Dovetail Stand and mounted the Rockler jig on it. Now, we know the Rockler jig is heavily biased towards Porter-Cable routers and it just so happens I have a Bosch 1618EVSPK mounted in a router table I built and I also have a Bosch Colt palm router. Well, I didn't relish taking the router to and fro from the router table so I was looking for an inexpensive router to use with the jig. Unfortunately, I went out of my mind to purchase a Ryobi RK163 from a local big box store. I opened it up and stared at it for a few minutes trying to figure out where I was going to find a router template guide to fit the, it seems, 3"+ hole. After a few minutes searching, I took it back to said box store and wrote it down as lesson learned. I then took another look at the Colt. I had a couple of 1/4" dovetail bits that fit fine in my Colt and I had purchased a Rockler baseplate for it earlier, now all I had to do was get a threaded template guide to fit the baseplate so off to Amazon I went and picked up the 7 piece template set. Long story short, after I got everything together and using Rockler's formula for using a non-PC router and baseplate (the Colt was 5 1/4" instead of 5 3/4"). Anyhow, got everything together like I said and cut my first set of halfblind dovetails, was a bit short so adjusted it a tad and cut another and voila', perfect fit. Now, I'll go and invest in a worthy set of 1/4" shaft dovetail bits and have at it. Oh, the wood I was using was 3/4" pine and the Colt ran through it with no bogging. I was only running about half speed or just less, ran just fine.
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12) Submitted by
William Diggs, from Pinson, TN
on 6/13/2011
Customer Rating:
Don't even bother looking for a better dovetailing jig near this price. It works better than it should for the money. I got it in the mail, ran to the shop and read the instructions as I cut a through dovetail and then a half blind. Minor adjustments and I was pleasantly surprised. This jig is no toy. It works.
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13) Submitted by
Doug, from Canon City, CO
on 4/24/2011
Customer Rating:
I guess I would consider myself a woodworker with moderate skills and not that much experience. I bought the jig and hoped it wouldn't be too hard to get the joints right. It turned out to be very easy. I had to make 2 minor adjustments, then banged out the blind dovetail joints for some drawers and they came out perfect. It is a lot easier than I thought and would recommend the jig.
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14) Submitted by
Chip Hill, from Mill Valley, CA
on 8/19/2012
Customer Rating:
I purchased the Rockler Complete Dovetail Jig packaged with the Dust Collector a couple months ago and have used it a couple times now. The listed settings are specific for a Porter-Cable router with a 5 ¾ sub base guide bushing plate. I have a BOSCH 1617EVS router and did not have a guide bushing plate, which was solved with the purchase of the Rockler Guide Bushing Router Plate. This plate has a 6 ½“ diameter, so the settings chart for the stop bar are wrong for my set-up. For the HALF BLIND dovetails, it turned out I didn’t need to set the stop bar for ¾ “ materials, and setting the stop bar at D worked as a close starting point for ½ “ thick stock. In adjusting my set-up for both thicknesses, I ended up having to set the depth of cut of the 14 degree bit at about 7/16” instead of the recommended 9/16”. Lowering it this far however slightly gouged the inside of the bushing, and probably didn’t do the bit much good either. I wasn’t sure I could make dovetails in the stock plywood drawer sides, but it worked as long as I didn’t mind a little tear-out on the inside of the drawer. To prevent tear-out of the edge banding on the top of the drawer side, I scored the edge band beforehand with an Exacto knife at the depth of the pins. I think this would probably work on the inside of the drawer as well. As a relative novice at woodworking, it took a while to get set up, but the actual cutting went pretty fast. Next time set up should be faster. I still haven’t tried the full dovetail set-up yet. Main takeaway: do the practice cuts on scrap first! All in all, for the price this jig is workable for my needs, engineering and instructions could be improved..
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15) Submitted by
Richard Evans, from North Canton, OH
on 3/3/2011
Customer Rating:
Nice quality, strongly constructed product. Online video is very helpful in setup. The supplied bushing however wouldn't fit my Bosch router without the purchase of an extra template.
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16) Submitted by
Darren, from Goreville, IL
on 2/1/2011
Customer Rating:
My 1st time dovetailing and it was pretty simple. Would recommend to any begginers and I dont see why any vets would have a problem with it.
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17) Submitted by
Tom Johnson, from Austin, TX
on 9/6/2012
Customer Rating: 
This is the first dovetail jig I have used, so I read the instructions over and over carefully and tested my settings several times to get a perfect fit. I then used the jig on a 4 inch high drawer with perfect results. At that point I was quite happy and would have given this jig four stars. My second project was a dresser with three different size drawers and that’s where I discovered a huge design flaw in this jig. The most important adjustments for making perfect joints are the depth of your dovetail bit and the position of the stop bar. When you finally get both perfectly set, you don’t want to change them because even a tiny change means you have to re-test the entire setup. But that’s exactly what you must do when you change the height of the drawers you are making. The only way to adjust the “Stops” for the new board width is to move the stop bar out of the way that you have quite painstakingly adjusted to perfection. As you know, moving the stop bar even 1/64 inch will make or break your joint accuracy. So every time you change the size of the drawer, you have to start all over with the stop bar adjustments which includes making several test cuts. This is a HUGE design flaw. You should be able to adjust the “stops” without removing the stop bar. Another design flaw is the tiny little “Stops” that keep the boards aligned. They are very small and plastic and should be much longer and stronger. Another is the misaligned base supports which require that you add a half inch spacer to level the jig.
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18) Submitted by
Mark Horton, from Hereford , AZ
on 1/29/2011
Customer Rating:
Quick, Easy, and makes great dovetails. I was able to make a almost perfect joint my first try. A few minor adjustments and Boom right on the money. The only con I found is that with the dust collector attachement its a pain to set the stops up. I have 2 INCRA jigs and this is way faster and easier to set up for standard dovetail joints.
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19) Submitted by
Ron Stevens, from Las Vegas, NV
on 1/18/2011
Customer Rating:
With a little practice on some scrap pieces of wood, I was able to make eight drawers with perfect dovetail joints on the drawer fronts. I had cut all the dovetails by hand for the drawer backs, but knew there was a better way. This tool with the dust collector attached made the job easy and quick. Outstanding product.
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20) Submitted by
Moe Richard, from SFSD, SD
on 8/4/2011
Customer Rating:
Used some scrap to set up and made great joints. Follw the instructions and shut off the router before picking it up!!! I didn't and damaged the template, ordered a new one and next day it was here. I would recommend this dovetail jig.
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21) Submitted by
Skip Rash, from Kendallville, IN
on 1/3/2012
Customer Rating:
I have been cutting dovetails for many years with a Craftsman Pro Jig and was never really satisfied with the results. For a year or so I have been reading the reviews on the Rockler Jig and was intreged with the dust collection attachment. I finally took the plunge and bought the jig with the dust collector andalso the stand. Right out of the box the first half blind cuts were perfect! The instructions were clear and easy to setup. I would tell anyone - It is a great product!
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22) Submitted by
Ryan Franklin, from Montrose, PA
on 7/25/2011
Customer Rating:
I am only 17 years old and I got it right on the 1st time. I love this jig for all the dovetail joints. The only problem I got is keeping the bit in the same spot without moving while routing. But I learned. I got a g bit 1/2 7 degree 1/4 inch shank and that problem was solved, instead of the 8mm bit sliding up and down while routing making an uneven cut. But other than the bits moving I will recommend for everyone to use this product. Like I said I'm only 17 and it is that easy.
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23) Submitted by
Larry Stanfield, from Discovery Bay, CA
on 12/21/2010
Customer Rating:
My first attempt at dovetails and after a little practice on some scrap, I completed a three drawer project at work. The old drawers had been heavily damaged, but the cabinet faceframes were still in good condition. I used pine for the box and finished the drawers with a false Oak front. After staining, they all matched the existing faceframes, and I have received numerous accolades for a job well done. Great Jig that I would highly recommend to anyone wanting a dovetail they would be proud of.
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24) Submitted by
Mike Larson, from Brooklyn Center, MN
on 12/11/2010
Customer Rating:
Worked nicely for a first timer at Dovetailing. With a little practice with some scaps I got my Dovetails nice and tight.
Would recommend to anyone thinking of trying Dovetailing.
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25) Submitted by
Dan, from Georgetown, TEXAS
on 12/6/2010
Customer Rating:
I have to admit, I was a bit confused with the instructions that came with the dovetail jig mainly because I'm a novice at dovetails, but once I found the YouTube video, it all made sense. I immediately went out and started experimenting and on my first try, I succeeded in making an extremely tight joint. I am making six of the same pie boxes and last night I cut every one of the tails and the pins without having to adjust a thing. They all turned out tight and perfect. I was about to send the jig back until I found your video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMX2lpLVLqM That saved me and I really am impressed with this jig.
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26) Submitted by
James Wilhelm, from Halifax, PA
on 3/2/2012
Customer Rating:
I read a lot of reviews before I bought my 23777 dove tail jig w/ dust collector! The directions were very good and it was easy to set up. I started with the half blind and made six drawers the first night with no problems ! The dust collector can be a pain , but works great. Fix for this is to use an offset screw driver to adjust . The handle on right side works great if you screw it in from the back side of the jig! As far as the sleeve for the 8 mm bits getting stuck in the collet or router, I did find one for my porter cable 690 router that has a lip on the end so it will not get stuck white side. I also have an older blue dovetail jig by rockler , this one is much easier to set up and a lot faster!! I have been doing wood working for the past 20 years and this was a good addition to my shop.My only gripe is that I should have waited for a while , as it went on sale for $10.00 less today .I do own a lot of Rockler tools and they do work good and there shipping is fast. I do recommend this jig.
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27) Submitted by
Gerry Comley , from Farmersville , OH
on 12/6/2010
Customer Rating:
Easy setup with dust collector clean up was easy, the only thing that would make it better is to have someone else do it for you.
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28) Submitted by
Jeff T, from West Bend, WI
on 11/15/2010
Customer Rating:
Honestly, very east to set up and use. I have an old Leigh D3, that, while very nice was a pain to set up. This just does the job for quick set up and production.
No 5 stars because:
It does tend to be Porter Cable specific. I had to use the 3hp PC I use on the router table because the my Bosch spacers and templates were iffy on both of my Bosch routers.
Also the bit broke about half way through making 4 half blind drawers. I was definitely not going to fast. Lucky for me I had a similar CMT bit and was able to use and jump right back in with very minimal adjustments to the jig. The ultimate testament to the ease of use on this jig.
Get it, you won't be disappointed.
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29) Submitted by
Perry Mattingly, from Seffner, FL
on 8/6/2010
Customer Rating:
I owned a cheap half blind jig, but needed through tails for the cabinet project I was building. It was well packaged, nice jig, came with dust collector, and three router bits, and a special collet for 8 mm conversion from 1/2".
1. Directions: Excellent, I think my wife could do it and she doesn't know a router from a table saw.
2. Price: Where in the world are you going to find a jig this nice for this price?
3. Quality: Heavy unit, well made, not sure on plastic template. I'm sure aluminum would raise the price, so the plastic works. Now a complete idiot might let the bit hit the template if he didn't read directions about small shim under top piece of work, but by the way, I am an idiot.
4. Bits: those are nice bits. I don't like 8mm, or the collet though. I ruined the bit after the first drawer, it was stuck and just would not come out. I tried everything, finally just grabbed it with vise grip and twisted it out. Oh by the way I am an idiot. I am sure it was me not the collet but I tried again on the straight bit, same problem. So I just use my other dovetail bits now. The collet was locked in the tight and the bit just wouldn't budge.
Read the directions and you will love the jig.
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30) Submitted by
Frank Kuykendall, from Yukon, OK
on 7/11/2010
Customer Rating:
The set up was well explained. I took a little time to read how to set it up. During the practices, made some minor adjustments to the set up and I had a good half blind dovetail. The dust port works excellent. Since it becomes the clamp, I wish it were a little stiffer(like the clamp bar). I fully expect the thru dovetail to be as easy to set up and adjust.
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31) Submitted by
Lee A. Cook, from Everett, PA
on 7/11/2010
Customer Rating:
I am surely not an expert woodworker but I wanted to try dovetails w/o spending a lot. This jig fills the bill. It was easy to set up, easy to operate. I was making tight joints the first day. It seems to be a good machine.
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32) Submitted by
Jeffery Bigbey, from Kamiah, ID
on 3/9/2010
Customer Rating:
I just received my dovetail jig and have already cut my first set of through dovetails. They are very clean and impressive. Rockler should be proud of this product. It's well constructed, simple and if I can use it anyone can. I've just started to get back into woodworking again and look forward to doing business with you guys. I'm so very pleased.
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33) Submitted by
Mick, from Dracut, MA
on 3/8/2010
Customer Rating:
I was looking for a dovetail jig but didn't want to spend a fortune. This was a good sale price. Good directions led to a perfect set of through dovetails on the first try. Haven't tried the half blind yet.
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34) Submitted by
Jim Winn, from Bainbridge, NY
on 3/3/2010
Customer Rating:
I found the Rockler Dovetail Jig to be quite simple to use. I didn't bother reading how to do the half blind joints, I went right to the through dove tails. I made 3 drawers made with 13/16" thick and 3 1/2" thick drawers in one afternoon. While not being as versatile as the Leigh jig, it is a lot cheaper and the results are just the same.
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35) Submitted by
Steve, from La Grange, IL
on 1/14/2011
Customer Rating:
Great dovetail joints at a really good price! That is, once you get the hang of it. My father and I were able to put together a dozen drawers of varying widths, in an afternoon. However, it took us the entire morning to figure this jig out.
We abandoned the instruction manual after finding the link to YouTube.com that others posted here.
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36) Submitted by
Jo Jesty, from Mt Sinai, NY
on 3/2/2012
Customer Rating:
I've had mine for quite a while now. I was seriously disappointed at first. And the registration front-to-back is certainly not the best.
The 14-deg half-blinds on 1-inch spacing which is the template spacing, and fixed according to the instructions look pretty ratty. They don't go nearly far enough into the front piece-usually the drawer front-which is usually 3/4 inch. And the 14-deg angle is ugly.
The dust collector as many reviewers have noted hides some essential adjustment screws. It's laying on top of shelf somewhere: I don't use it. But I suppose if you do the same setup every time it would be OK.
The repeat on the jig is exactly 1 inch, so always fix your drawer heights or equivalent at a multiple of 1 inch. Then you won't have to adjust those finicky little bars any more. I only use the left bar: forget that going from left to right-just set the left bar for a symmetrical overlay at both ends.
Talking about those finicky little bars...it's essential that you check that they are DEAD square to the front of the jig whenever you move them. Otherwise...well, let's not go there...
And that front-to-back registration... The back stop bar is poorly mounted on the frame, so that the bar can easily move more than 1/32 back or forth as you tighten the top clamp. Poor design. Just make sure to pull that top bar towards you gently every time you tighten the top clamp.
Getting back to the ratty-looking 14-deg half-blind joints... You can get much better-looking ones by going to a smaller-angle bit and increasing the bit depth. I have used a 10-deg bit on several pieces now: i drawers 1/2 in sides and 3/4 in fronts and ii a cabinet 3/4 x 3/4. The joints are MUCH more attractive, going considerably deeper into the front piece, and the angle is more attractive too. I am sure that they would go even deeper into the front piece with an 8-deg bit, and look even better, but I haven't tried that yet. FYI, the setup for the 10-deg bit needs a bunch of test cuts, fiddling with the bit height and the rear stop bar. But once you've fiddled, just record the settings for the nest time. I'll give you one major magic number: the bit height with a 10-deg bit is 0.68 inch +/- 0.01. All these bits are of course 1/2 inch diameter.
For heights, I recently bought an i-Gaging height gauge which I see Rockler sells, though I didn't buy it from them. Oh my goodness, if you want to do accurate woodworking, buy one...setting bit heights for dovetails, blade and dado heights on the table saw, horizontal distance of blade from fence, etc, etc. It has cut my test cuts by about 90%.
So now the jig is doing what I originally hoped it would, with some little help except for the dust hood. I have had to buy one new template. I'm not sure aluminum would be much better, tell the truth: a carbide router bit will go through aluminum quite easily too.
Hope this might be useful to buyers.
JJ
PS One reason I don't use the dust hood is that I fortunately have a small Festool router, with pretty good dust collection and excellent bit-height adjustment.
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37) Submitted by
Ray , from Philadelphia, PA
on 2/13/2010
Customer Rating:
This was the first time I ever used a dovetail jig, and on the second try I made a perfect half blind dovetail, the instructions were great. This jig has a very easy learning curve.
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38) Submitted by
Jim Hood, from Blue Ridge, GA
on 1/28/2010
Customer Rating:
This jig performed well out of the box. On my first try at dovetails I was able to produce a very tight joint the very first try.
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39) Submitted by
Kevin Smith, from Fredericktown, MO
on 1/20/2010
Customer Rating:
I really enjoy this dovetail jig, and with some practice I hope to one day soon make some fine furniture. Thank you Rockler.
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40) Submitted by
Ray Labulis, from Poughkeepsie, NY
on 1/4/2010
Customer Rating:
This was my first experience making dovetails and the Rockler Jig did a great job! At first, the tool appeared daunting, but I followed the instructions carefully and produced an excellent set of half-blind dovetails on some MDF practice boards. Practicing was an important part of understanding how the jig works. I am thankful I added the dust collector attachment. This really helped keeping my workplace clean and provided an unobstructed view of the joint I was creating. I am pleased with this investment and recommend this jig to any woodworker.
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41) Submitted by
Mark Reddaway, from Murfreesboro, TN
on 12/20/2009
Customer Rating:
I'm with the majority on this one. Easy to set up and use. Instruction manual a little vague but if you do EXACTLY what it says and don't worry about the why, it cuts great dovetails. I learn something about this little jig each time I use it and, as they say, practice makes perfect. I mounted it as recommended on a piece of 3/4" ply with a T so it mounts in my bench vise.
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42) Submitted by
Michael Wascom, from Decatur, AL
on 2/21/2010
Customer Rating:
It is an excellent product, but I must be the only one that couldn't make a dovetail right out of the box. LOL !
After re-reading the instructions 15 more times I realized I was using the wrong bit and set up! HELLO !
Two more scrap pieces and I had a nice tight dovetail.
I slipped with the router and will have to order a new jig; but that is okay; it's called learning.
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43) Submitted by
Tom Koch, from Leoma, TN
on 12/16/2009
Customer Rating:
Working with an older Craftman jig that worked fairly well but had limitations for deeper drawers. In researching a new dovetail jigs I came close to purchasing the PC 4212 but decided on the Rockler due to price and favorable reviews. Upon reciept of the Rockler jig, I was very impressed with the heavy steel construction of the unit. Instruction manual is pretty straight forward and after a few sample cuts this unit was cutting very nice tight dovetails. The dust collector work very good, no more chips and sawdust up the shirt sleeve. If you're considering a new dovetail jig, I think you'll be happy with this one.
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44) Submitted by
Tommy Helms, from Charlotte, NC
on 10/10/2009
Customer Rating:
I had and old jig that I never could get to work right. Bought this one and within a few minutes I was making dovetails. I own a construction company and cabinet shop and I'm always building custom cabinets and accessories. I was building some cabients at the time that I ordered the jig and I really wanted to impress this customer with dovetail drawers. This jig worked great and I would recommend it to anyone.
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45) Submitted by
Tom, from Canaan, NY
on 2/18/2011
Customer Rating:
I had no experience using a dovetail jig until I purchased this one. With that in mind, I cannot in any way compare this product to any others. However, despite having no experience, I was able to construct 3 cabinet drawers in an afternoon, and they came out perfectly. From that perspective I was tempted to give this product an Excellent rating. There is however one aspect of the jig that could be improved. Although it is necessary to reset the left and right stops for different board widths, once set for a specific router the router stop rail should not have to be changed ever again. That is, unless you decide to use another kind of router. The problem is that one of the screws holding the left and right stops cannot be loosened unless you loosen and move the router stop rail. So if you're going from say a 5" to a 7" deep drawer it's necessary to move the router stop rail, then adjust the left and right stops, and then reset the router stop rail. This can take several attempts to get precisely back into position. It seems to me that the screws holding the left and right stops could be moved so that the router stop rail need not be touched.
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46) Submitted by
Dan Wolff, from howell, MI
on 9/13/2009
Customer Rating:
Thank you. I was on a tight schedule for my grand daugthers dressers and was in a panick for a good, quick dovetailing jig. I have had an AKEDA jig for about 3 yrs. and have always had to fidget with it. I recieved and e-mail offer on your jig and went to the store the next day and picked one up. Following the great instructions, I had a good fitting half-blind dovetail on the first try!! Thanks again. I will be buying all the templates you offer for this jig and I will be selling my Akeda. Sincerely thankful, Dan Wolff
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47) Submitted by
David Lee, from East Palatka, FL
on 1/14/2010
Customer Rating:
I am building kitchen cabinets for my son and decided to do dovetail drawers. This was my first experience at that. The jig was relatively easy to set up and use and produced perfect dovetails with a few minor adjustments. You do have to be extremely careful with the router bit and not allow it to rise up off the guide as it will eat up the template. If you do mess up like I did I found that JB weld works great for repairing the damage.
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48) Submitted by
Bernie Huyck, from Pickford, MI
on 6/21/2009
Customer Rating:
I have been using this dovetail jig for about 6 months now and find it is easy to set up and use. I have used the Kreg jig and I wanted to try dovetail as I am building my son a tool box out of maple and dark walnut and I thought it would be great to use the dovetail jig and it worked great. I would recomended it to any small shop owner
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49) Submitted by
T J Holtgrieve, from Egg Harbor, WI
on 5/14/2009
Customer Rating:
I have researched dovetail jigs for nearly one year and finally purchased the Rockler design. I have always wanted to make dove tail joints but never quite got to doing it. Well, that's all behind me! In one afternoon I opened the box, set up the jig and made nice fitting dovetails. I never made a dovetail joint before! I cannot wait to make a music box with with nicely fitting dovetails. I am very pleased with the results I get from a jig priced so reasonable.
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50) Submitted by
Mike Everhart, from Peculiar, MO
on 2/19/2009
Customer Rating:
I had the Leigh d-4, worked great but took too much time to set up, every time I wanted to route some dovetails, had to spend 4 hours re-reading the book, got this jig to simplify my life, glad I did! Don't waste your money on overpriced jigs unless you have been on the space shuttle and have the degree to prove it. Most of us will make two kinds of dovetails, through and half blind. Rockler jig is just right, you can grab it and start routing to make some perfect drawers in a matter of minutes. Hope this review clears things up for newcomers to woodworking!
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51) Submitted by
Daniel, from Norman, OK
on 12/22/2009
Customer Rating:
The Jig itself works great and I would rate it "Excellent". However, the bit set that came with it didn't last through my first day of learning how to use my new Rockler Jig and make dovetails. All bits that came with the kit, broke before I could get three drawers finished.
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52) Submitted by
Robert Dickson, from Leitchfield, KY
on 8/15/2009
Customer Rating:
The jig is great but the added dust collector, when installed, hides a screw that will need to be adjusted when setting up and has to be removed every time.
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53) Submitted by
Rex Millspaugh, from Granville, TN
on 2/14/2009
Customer Rating:
I really like that this outfit is set up and ready to go. I'd recommend it to anyone.
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54) Submitted by
Rudy Muller, from Cary, ILLINOIS
on 1/31/2009
Customer Rating:
This lets me make drawers and boxes a few levels above my skill. Love this thing.
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55) Submitted by
Mike Crawford, from Washington, NC
on 1/12/2011
Customer Rating:
This is the first dove tail jig I have owned. Although set up takes a little time, I had my drawers made fairly quickly. I only have 2 complaints. One is that the end stops do flex somewhat and would be better out of a harder plastic. Also to cut the right sides of a drawer, the upper cam lever gets in the way of the router base and has to be removed first. These are minor things and overall I am happy and would buy it again.
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56) Submitted by
Al Vega, from San Antonio, TX
on 3/14/2010
Customer Rating: 
I was able to route through dovetails on my first attempt without much dificulty. I have never used any other dovetail jigs so I can't compare to other products. I found the jig to be easy to use with provided instructions. I am satisfied with the purchase of this jig which enabled me to complete a cabinet for my daughters TV. This product will enable me to dovetail many more projects which I ordinarily would not have dovetailed.
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57) Submitted by
Dean Snell, from Okanogan, WASHINGTON
on 1/24/2009
Customer Rating:
Easy to set up. Made excellent joints with little practice. Will be getting accessories to work with thinner stock. You won't lose with this product.
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58) Submitted by
Steven, from Narberth, PA
on 3/20/2011
Customer Rating:
Well it works and with the dust collector it keeps the shop clean. But you have to install the dust collector on the jig. If someone would tell me where the springs go I would appreciate it. I installed them behind the plastic dust collect and they do not compress so that can't be right. The third screw you have to adjust is behind the dust collector so according to instructions you would have to determine if your wood piece is centered, if it is off center you have to disassemble everything and then reassemble. They ask you to make sure the guide is vertical to the jig by using a small square. The only way to do this now is by using an offset screw driver not disassembling and checking square from the under side of the jig, not the top. They should supply the off set screw driver. The template could use some support in the front instead of just in the rear. If you push up strongly when you install the piece of wood you will deflect the template. The dust cover bends when you try to clamp the vertical piece of wood especially if you are only dealing with 5" of wood. I would also like it someone could explain to me why we need to use a 1/4 shim when cutting through dovetails. Like I said it does work and I am sure half blind dovetails are easier but I have not tried them. I have been a couple of days just working on the through dovetails.
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59) Submitted by
Warren , from Huntsville, AL
on 1/23/2009
Customer Rating:
I'm like Ed. I've put off making dovetails for years and finally bought the jig. It is very easy to use, and I am now enjoying nice tight, good looking joints.
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60) Submitted by
Cliff, from Hannibal, MO
on 1/17/2009
Customer Rating:
Lot more bang for your buck, easy simple to use, all accesories, bits, bushings, beat everyone elses price.
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61) Submitted by
Ed Waldapfel, from Twin Falls, IDAHO
on 1/16/2009
Customer Rating:
Have put off learning how to make dovetail joints for years. Am amazed at how easy it is to make these joints using the Rockler Dovetail Jig. I ordered this product on line and downloaded the instructions at the time of order. Had a few days to review the instructions before the tool arrived. Felt that helped a lot. I certainly agree with other reviewers that an on-line video would be extremely helpful - especially for a person who has never done dovetail joints. Great product - was able to make nice, tight joints after just a few tries.
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62) Submitted by
Joe Bailey, from Leavenworth, KS
on 1/25/2009
Customer Rating:
A poor workman blames his tools. So, I won't blame the dovetail jig, but will accept the blame myself. First thing I did after reading the instructions, and setting the jig up was to route the end off of a template finger. The router slipped, what can I say. I was trying to make through dovetails in dry red cedar. Apparently dry red cedar splinters easily. Anyone need toothpicks? I don't give up easily. Anyone need a lot of toothpicks? Well, I'll switch wood and try that. Oh, you can buy a replacement template from Rockler. Everything else about the jig is wonderful. Oh, I do wish they had put in some more instructions on how to use it to make box joints. Oh well. If anyone has any suggestions...
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63) Submitted by
Dale Thompson, from Johnstown, PA.
on 1/15/2009
Customer Rating:
I agree entirly with the previous post by Don, word for word. Bought the jig with a Christmas gift certificate. Always wanted to try a dovetail joint, so when I got the $100 certificate and the jig was on sale for $100 I couldn't resist. An excellant product and the directions are clear and precise. I've never been disappointed with a Rockler purchase.
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64) Submitted by
Don Harris, from Sandusky, OHIO
on 12/29/2008
Customer Rating:
I had never used a dovetail jig before, and when I saw the reviews and the mention of the poor directions I was worried. But I downloaded a copy of the instructions, and boy was I surprised. This had to be one of those tools that you wonder how you got along without it. It is wonderfful and makes perfect dovetails everytime. The directions are great too.
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65) Submitted by
Thomas, from Houston, TX
on 7/6/2010
Customer Rating:
More-or-Less made for Porter-Cable routers. Can't comment on it for use...since I have to buy parts and use a different setup for my Bosch. Instructions a bit vague and it is unclear bits are intended for the half-blind dovetails. No doubt a great price though!
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66) Submitted by
David Haas, from Grove, OK
on 11/19/2008
Customer Rating:
Due to never using a dovetail jig before I was a little slow on figuring it out to where I had a perfect joint. Now that I know what I am doing it is easy to use and fast. I highly recommend this product.
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67) Submitted by
Mike Bauer, from Winter Haven, FL
on 1/6/2009
Customer Rating:
I am just starting to get my feet wet in wood working, and picked this up during the holidays on sale so I could finish a custom closet system I have been building.
First, lets get to the bad stuff. I hate the clamps. Hate might be a strong word, but I think its a valid one here. They protrude right where the router needs to move to cut. Not only do they completely cover the right side of the template, even doing 4 1/2" stock on the left side required me to remove both handles. It seems they could have come up with a better placement, or some way to be able to move the handles (like on a swivel perhaps?). The left and right stops seem to be plastic instead of metal, which I guess was done in case the bit nicked the stops, but it also means they are not truly straight as I would like. I find that 9 times out of 10 I had to get a square on them and straighten them up. The templates are also a little sticky. Its almost impossible to "slide" them back and forth, and instead I have come to the conclusion that I have to completely loosen it, pick it up and drop it where I need it. The cheat-sheet measurements are also bunk. Plan to spend a decent amount of time with scraps getting all the fences/templates/stops lined up properly.
On top of these problems I have yet to get a single dovetail that I like out of this. The steps to do through dovetails seems to require a masters degree. The half-blinds seem easier, but I ran into problems with my stock (multilayered birch plywood) exploding into fragments and ruining the finished look. I plan to try again today with some solid poplar and oak 1/2" x 6" and hope its more a problem with the wood and not the bits. Also, the brass guide bushing came loose after about the 10th try and promptly committed suicide on the bit, which was spinning at roughly 24,000 rpms. Thank god I have spare guides that came with the router. Oh, and I wish I didn't have to be a circus contortionist to get the bit on my router with the guide bushing on, but I don't fault the jig for this one.
Ok, so the good. The main body of the jig seems to be well made. I put my square on it and found it to be dead-on accurate. The clamps, despite what I feel is a faulty handle, holds tight to the wood and does not let it slip at all. The bits and spare pieces all came in nice little holders, which I appreciate. And I will say the bits at least seem to be of good quality. I was worried about the bits seeings good replacements would cost me almost as much as the complete jig kit would.
All in all I am satisfied with the purchase, and would recommend it to anyone that has at least moderate skills at wood working and can figure things out on their own. I would not recommend this for someone that is more of a novice, as there is quite a bit of reading between the lines in my opinion.
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68) Submitted by
Thomas, from Irmo, SC
on 7/27/2008
Customer Rating:
Wanted to start using dovetail joinery. Easy to set up. A few trial and error to fine tune router depth and starting location of dovetail and the rest was very easy.
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69) Submitted by
Tom Thetford, from Paducah, KY
on 5/26/2008
Customer Rating:
After educating myself for about 30 minutes and making several trial cuts, I found this jig to be an excellant addition to my shop. Following the the initial setup I was able to make 8 drawers without a glich.
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70) Submitted by
Gary Betz, from Rocklin, CA
on 9/28/2008
Customer Rating:
I just purchased this dovetailing jig. The first thing I did was to take the instructions out and read them. I believe this is a good thing to do given that using this jig does require following the procedure to the T.
One thing I realized while reading the instructions is that it's really important to be sure you have a router base that accepts the 1-3/16" bushing for the template guide. After realizing that my router base was not able to accept the bushing and calling around to see if anybody sold the appropriate base without any luck, I spent a couple of hours making one out of 1/4" masonite. I then made a base for the dovetail jig per the instruction's recommendation. The only disappointment I had there is that there were only two holes to mount the jig at the back and when the jig was tightened down to the MDF base I made, the front edge of the jig popped up about a 1/4" from the surface of the MDF base. So I ended up having to drill two holes in the two small feet towards the from of the jig. Once the base was finished and setup to attached to my t-track on my bench, I focused on getting the jig tuned up for use. I found a couple of things a little disappointing. First, the guides mounted at the left and right sides of the jig that are used to align the pieces are made of a soft plastic which deflect when screwed down. I would think these would be better made out of a hard plastic. At some stage. I probably will make something a little beefier out of wood or acrylic. Another thing that I found is the bar that the router is to run against was simply some angle iron that whn I put my straight edge against, wasn't too straight. Again, I might change that out. Other than that, the instructions were pretty ample but as others have said, an instructional DVD would be peachy. My first dovetail was not that pretty, but the instructions gave me enough info to make the necessary adjustments so my second attempt was nearly perfect.
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71) Submitted by
Laurel Sharmer, from Potsdam, NY
on 9/9/2008
Customer Rating:
The jig is clearly not for professionals who might find the plastic fingers problematic, but it is a great dovetail jig for a hobbyist. The directions are clear and easy to understand. I made a perfect set of dovetails on my very first practice try, and my first set of dovetail drawers came out super.
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72) Submitted by
Kyle, from Cincinnati, OH
on 8/24/2008
Customer Rating:
This being my first jig I can't compare it to other but I can say that as a first it is not only easy to use and set up but really fun and a great way to learn. I got this as a package with the dust collector and alignment gauge which was a lifesaver I also got the stand for it as well which is a great add-on otherwise you're looking at some serious back issues at the end of a day of drawer making. Otherwise this is a great product within an hour of setup and only one operator error mis-cut I was making perfect half blind dovetails which, up until then, I only admired and never thought I could do it. Thanks Rockler great learning tool and an even better addition to my shop.
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73) Submitted by
Squigly, from Oconomowoc, WI
on 5/22/2008
Customer Rating:
I rated this complete dovetail jig fair because of the fact it stated it would be good for production runs. For the home hobbyist its would work beautiful but not for production. It needs to have a less cumberson style of clamping and alining the side(vertical) flush to the front/backs (horizontal). There seems to be to much guesswork invoved that really slows down the process.Dovetails sell drawers but production is money!
And quality is #1 in any shop.
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74) Submitted by
Aaron, from Walker, IA
on 5/6/2008
Customer Rating:
I've been wanting to attempt dovetail joints for awhile, but was afraid to buy an expensive jig only to discover I wasn't skilled enough to use it. I finally bit the bullet and bought this one from Rockler. It was awesome. Setup was very easy and once you have it fine-tuned, it works like a dream. I'm self-taught and still managed to turn out some very nice 3/4" through dovetails for the drawers on my custom bar in no time at all. You've done it again Rockler.
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75) Submitted by
Patricia Davis, from Auburn, WA
on 2/5/2008
Customer Rating:
This jig does the job and I am now replacing all the 30 year old drawers in my house with curly maple dovetailed drawer boxes (front and back) with Accuride Eclipse undermount drawer slides.
I purchased a Leigh jig years ago for my husband and neither one of us could figure out how to use it. The Rockler jig is fast and simple and holds its setting from one cut to another (a very important feature).
After I centered the dovetails. I keep the drawer box heights at even 1" increments and then I never have to readjust those black slides. It takes a little practice to set it up but once you get perfect cuts on your test pieces, the settings do not change.
In fact, I bought a second one and just have one set up for 5/8" drawer slides, and another for 1/2" drawer slides. This way I don't have to change anything except the height of the router bit, and the little plastic template jig that Rockler has helps with this.
One thing I learned. Do one adjustment at a time (such as height of router bit, distance of fence, etc.) and get it perfect, then leave it alone! Go on to the next thing that needs adjustment and get that perfect. Never try to adjust two things at the same time or you will go nuts. Once you almost have it, use little pieces of paper or tablet cardboard to make micro adjustments to the fence. Don't try to use a measure. Learn which way to turn the dial on your router to make the bit go in or out, and then use the tiny tick marks on your router's dial to make the bit height adjustment.
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76) Submitted by
Ralph Livingston, from Gainesville, FL
on 8/12/2009
Customer Rating:
I purchased this dovetail jig for my "Workshop in the Woods" in Michigan's U.P. I'm now finishing up ten dovetailed drawers. This is a great accessory, but the instructions are less than wonderful []
All this being said, I'm pleased with the results, and didn't waste too much stock. I have ordered a second Rockler Dovetail Jig for my Winter use in Gainesville.
My final comment to those who are contemplating purchase - be sure to order the dust collector attachment. It works very well and captures over 90% of the dust, which would otherwise overwhelm your whole shop.
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77) Submitted by
Joel, from Liberal, KS
on 3/23/2008
Customer Rating:
Rockler Rocks!! I just purchased the jig, Read the instructions thoroughly (being 46 I now think that is important). After a couple of minor adjustments just like the instructions said I cut my first ever dovetail joints.(I sat down in my chair holding my test pieces put together just staring at them). It really was easy. I was somewhat skeptical after reading some of the other reviews but I had no big issues at all. The one thing that would be nice would be to include a 1/2" & 3/4" thick clamp piece for support when you are only routing say 4" wide pieces. It is hard to hold the support piece and try to make sure the stock stays against the stop and then clamp it. If the support pieces attached to the jig that would free up one hand. I am going to make something for my jig.I made a base attaching it to my Rockler T-Track on my workbench. It is easy to move it around and it comes off the workbench in a snap. I also am making a storage box to slide in and out of the Rockler dovetail jig base. I like the Jig!!!
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78) Submitted by
Jorge Gomez, from Okemos, MI
on 5/17/2008
Customer Rating: 
Thanks for asking. As you know, I recently purchased a Dovetail Jig through/half Blind Tail Template Order No. 7382686, This jig is totally useless for several reasons:
1) The 7/16 guide bushing "provided on your original half blind dovetail jig", was not find anywhere in the package. nor it was when I purchased the 12" Dovetail Jig, part number 311373 which is not longer listed in your catalogs.
20 My router is a Bosch 1617EVS and I purchased an adaptor and a set of bushings, but the first time I attempt to use it with the Blue 12" Jig, the template was damaged. I ordered a replacement for the 1/2" phenolic template but the sides of the drwers come very loose in spite of following the instructions as you describe.
I am very dissapointed with this Jig, I understand it is not longer soldSicerely,
Jorge .
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79) Submitted by
Joel, from Liberal, KS
on 3/24/2008
Customer Rating:
I wrote the previous review. Yes I did read the dovetail instructions despite what all of you are thinking at this point. I left work today just to go to the house and look at my new dovetail joints I cut. My wife just thought I spent alot of time in my woodworking shop. I guess I will really be in the dog house now.
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80) Submitted by
Marc Gilbertson, from Bartlesville, OK
on 2/25/2008
Customer Rating:
Wow, that's about all I can say! I've never cut a dovetail before but have read many articles about the process and was fairly apprehensive about it. I bought the Rockler jig because of the favorable reviews and I was not disappointed. After an hour of set-up, one minor mistake and two small adjustments, I had created a near perfect test joint. I quickly finished a whole drawer of perfect dovetails. Now I'm looking for more projects to use it on.
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81) Submitted by
Steve Woletz, from Rogersville, AL
on 3/12/2009
Customer Rating:
It was actually easier than I thought to set up the jig. It works great once all the knobs are turned just right. My only complaint is the 14 degree dovetail bit. I had to order the 8mm adapter and 8mm bit for a 1/2" router. The bit twisted in half for no reason. I imagine fracture due to a inherent material crack.
Editor's note: Our customer service at 800-279-4441 can arrange for replacement of any defective bits.
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82) Submitted by
Connie Slagle, from Liberty Center, OH
on 1/13/2008
Customer Rating:
I am so excited! Thank you Rockler! I have purchased many dovetail jigs over the years and wanted to learn this technique so badly and always failed. I decided to give this jig a shot.
What a perfect tool. The directions are easily understood. The jig is easy to use with all your measurements right there beside you. I simply can't say enough great things about this. I am so happy to offer my customers dovetail drawers.
This is a "must buy jig." You have made me one happy girl!
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83) Submitted by
Jim Rimmer, from Seabrook, TX
on 4/17/2009
Customer Rating:
I was able to make dovetails very quickly. I'm a little disappointed that it has Rockler proprietary bits but the good news is the local Rockler store refunded by money on a set of dovetail bits I had purchsed from them even though I bought the jig on line.
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84) Submitted by
Eric, from Michigantown, IN
on 3/17/2008
Customer Rating:
I got this jig for my father for Christmas. We have been so busy lately we've just now only got the chance to mess with it. For a beginner like him and myself, a little better explanation, better pictures or even a DVD showing step by step on how to use the jig and set it up. I think I have the idea now that I've seen a few videos on You Tube but would love to see it in action at Rockler on how to do it. My father and my self are more watch/do and learn, we don't catch on by reading really quick. Other than this little set back, everything seams to be built very sturdy. Only design flaw we've ran into is to do the box joint it requires the 1/2in collar and it fits into the jigs, but very tight. We have the Rockler collet set so either the set or the jigs we're made just a weeee off. I haven't miked them yet but I'll have to say it's the jig. Over all I like the set, well worth the money for smaller projects and I'd recommend if you are a beginner that you find someone to help you with this to understand it or if you're advanced, get it. Very well marked and easy to use once you grasp the concept.
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85) Submitted by
Ed Creamer, from Titusville, FL
on 1/31/2008
Customer Rating:
I have never done dovetails before so I thought I could buy the Craftsman jig and it would do the job. First you can't find the bits it calls for. Second it's a piece of junk. Took it back the next day. So I ordered the Rockler. It took me about an hour to set it up. After a couple of test cuts on scrap boards I was able to make perfect dovetails on three drawers. And I do mean perfect. Now I'm looking for more projects just so I can make some more drawers.
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86) Submitted by
Robert A. Kuecker, from Crestivew, FL
on 3/19/2009
Customer Rating:
I'm building drawers for a vanity and enjoy using the jig, the initial set up took longer than I expected. I made a attachment jig like stated in the instructions, but I needed to beef it up guit a bit, due to the weight of the jig. The instructions are really vague, they don't lead an apprentice through a simple cut. I do like the jig, and with time I will master the jig.
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87) Submitted by
Larry Benjamin, from Tobyhanna, PA
on 12/2/2007
Customer Rating:
Excellent Product that works as Promised.. Delivery et al was likewise as promised.
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88) Submitted by
Eric, from Michigantown, IN
on 11/30/2007
Customer Rating:
I recieved the set the other day, I got it for my dad and I for Christmas, I've only had it out to look at and put back up. We've only usally got the cheaper router bits and these felt sharp! And good built, may be worth the extra money to buy them. The Jig it's self felt sturdy and the cast iron main frame isnt going anywhere, it's heavy! I love the idea of the preset marks for each type of dovetail you want to do. Very good for a beginners stand point, although I would like to find another dovetail template for this that you could adjust your own and make you own patterns. I can't wait to start making dovetails soon. Like always Rocklers is a blast to deal with, may cost a lil more, but their worth every penny!
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89) Submitted by
Garrett from EAST COAST
on 9/21/2007
Customer Rating:
[] Bits and guide worked out of the box. Never used a router before. Within 3 test pieces and an hour of setup I was making near perfect dovetails.
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90) Submitted by
Darrel Freund, from Perry , FL
on 12/26/2008
Customer Rating:
This jig is so bad! I have spent the last 6 months trying to figure it out to no avail. Finally, I threw it as far away from my workshop as possible. I will be sure to run it over with the tractor several times before I take it to the dump. The 8 degree dovetail bit will not fit into the 7/16 inch bushing deep enough to make the required cuts on 1/2 inch stock.
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91) Submitted by
Thomas Price, from Olney, MD
on 4/6/2008
Customer Rating:
The product is very good although you don't tell the buyer that the setup scale for the stop bar is biased to Porter Cable. And whoever wrote the instructions deserves an F-. For example there is no mention as to when to use the front left versus the front right of the jig. I would also suggest that there be some minimal defintion/illustration of a "pin" and "tail." Instructions vary from too much detail to nothing at all. Other than that the product is great; technical writing not!
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92) Submitted by
Ed, from Kimberling City, MO
on 11/24/2008
Customer Rating:
This is my first use of a dovetail jig. I started by reading the instructions and found that the instructions were adequate. Before making my first dovetail project I had to do a lot of test dovetail's first. After I the testing was complete I was able to make 16 boxes for a project that I was doing.
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93) Submitted by
Glen, from Pierre, SD
on 3/25/2008
Customer Rating:
The jig works great. After a little reading, was able to quickly turn out thru and half blind joints quite easily. My only problem was with my router. The base of my router did not work with the collet and had to buy a new one. The jig is well worth the money.
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94) Submitted by
James Rial, from Erie, PA
on 6/15/2007
Customer Rating:
I absolutely love this jig. I had 2 sides and 1 top for a radio cabinet finished in less than 45 minutes. I was a little stumped on the thru dovetail set-up, but after reading it several times I finally figured it out.The only two complaints I would have would be to explain the thru dovetail set-up a little better, and maybe figure out a way to put a fine adjustment on the no. 11 solid stop. This was the most time consuming. Over all, a very excellent tool.
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95) Submitted by
Paul, from Halifax, VA
on 8/25/2008
Customer Rating:
I bought this to make some drawers for a pantry, my first try at dovetailing. The instructions weren't as clear as I would like, but an hour of fiddling did produce an excellant sample. Now I feel confident to tackle the real work.
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96) Submitted by
Stephan Speer, from Decatur, IL
on 2/6/2008
Customer Rating:
I just recently purchased the complete Dovetail Jig and found that the guide did not smoothly line up nor were the directions "user friendly." I'm working my way through these issues and feel with with time will master the operational challenges. To add insult to injury, no sooner did I order the jig than a sale went on that included the dust collector at the same cost. Since my order was so close to the sale date (within days) I certainly would have appreciated an offer to include this item.
Editor's note: Our customer support can be contacted at 800-279-4441 for credit adjustment due to sale pricing of items after a recent purchase at regular price.
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97) Submitted by
Joe Strunk, from El Dorado Hills, CA
on 12/2/2007
Customer Rating:
The jig works well and it was easy to set up, However, the marking on the guide do not match the position of the router. I have a Porter Cable router 5-3/4" base and at the indicated marks for the template (i.e.B) and the stop bar (i.e. D) the router dosen't reach the stop bar before it bottoms out on the template. So do your own testing don't rely on the letters for accuracy.
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98) Submitted by
Bruce Bousfield, from Reno, NV
on 2/24/2012
Customer Rating:
For the most part this is a solid jig that can produce nice tight dovetails. However it is let down by a few cheap components and a finicky setup. The worst parts are the plastic right and left guides which are made from a fairly soft plastic that distorts as you tighten the securing screws. This means that the vertical work piece can not be squared up accurately. Fortunately you can square the work piece against the template. But it also means that the 1/2" offset required for half blind dovetails is not always precise. The template is mounted to the horizontal work piece clamping bar, this does make it easy to load and unload the horizontal work piece, but it also means that the template is moved each time, this can lead to lack of repeatability from piece to piece. The templates and template arms are made of a hard plastic, this seems to work OK, and the templates seem quite accurate. The rear stop bar which must be positioned accurately for half blind dovetails can be rather finicky to adjust accurately. In fact, to make accurate joints it is essential to use a caliper gauge. The template guide ruler is woefully imprecise. One last point, the 8mm collet adapter is a very bad design, at least for use in the Bosch 1617 router. The adapter has no collar, so it can slide way down into the 1/2" collet chuck which means it doesn’t hold the bit properly, and then jams the collet chuck. I had a terrible time getting the bit and the adapter out the first time I used it and ended up damaging the bit and the template guide. Rockler did replace the parts free of charge which was very nice of them, but I have since bought a Bosch 8mm collet chuck which works much better. Leigh also makes an adapter with a collar. For the cost $129 this is a reasonably priced jig that can be used to make nice joints, but expect to spend quite a bit of set up time to make really nice joints. I haven't used to dust collector, it interferes with the guide screws, and seems a bit flimsy to act as the vertical piece clamp. This is my first dovetail jig, and I now understand why quality jigs cost so much! If you intend to make many joints of varying designs, I would recommend a higher quality jig.
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99) Submitted by
Marc Paulson, from Brooklyn Center, MN
on 10/30/2007
Customer Rating:
I am new to the Dovetail part of woodworking & to Rockler and not a huge router user. As I took my new Jig out of the box it appeared to be used one of my plates was chipped & scratched. I don't have the time to run back and forth to the store so I am going to just settle for what I got. It seems to not affect the usability of the jig.
I am sure as the chip gets worse from wear I probably will regret not exchanging it. I agree with the need for better instructions as stated in the previous reviews. I have found this fixture to work well, with enough time I'm sure I'll get better & be making the thru dovetails too.
Editor's note: Marc, we can certainly replace any parts it needed if you wish to bring along next time you visit us or contact our customer support with your order info. As you're new to dovetailing the video in this offer may be helpful to you also.
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100) Submitted by
Robert, from Madison, WI
on 10/2/2007
Customer Rating:
To preface, if I could give this 4.75 stars, I would. The quarter star ding is for fairly poor documentation of a fairly complicated router accessory. Either beef up the paper documentation (in color please) or include a CD with demonstrations and walk-throughs for both half-blind and through dovetails. That's not to say it's terribe. But, I'm fairly experienced with the router and joinery but I can definitely see newer people really scratching their heads to get the jig adjusted properly the first few times. The review of this jig on newwoodworker.com helped me to visual the use and process before I got started.
Now, on to the good and great! FYI, I am including my *overall* experience with this jig and with several of its accessories, which I would also highly recommend as they just increase the pleasure and capabilities of using this jig. Separate reviews accompany those accessories as well.
The fit and finish of the jig is excellent. The aluminum body and cam mechanism are sturdy and will, I expect, hold up to years of use. The phenolic guides are substanitial and thick. I wound up upgrading to the aluminum half-blind guide and it is of excellent manufacture. I also got the distinctive series "A", which, again, is of excellent quality.
The cam locking mechanism works very well and thus far I haven't had any workpiece slippage. It makes it easy and fast to place, adjust and lock in your workpieces. I have the add-on vacuum attachment, which I would *highly* recommend. This makes it slightly more tricky to get the workpiece inserted and adjusted upward, especially when using some backer board, but this inconvenience is far offset by the decrease in mess and dust in the air (Save your lungs, buy the vacuum accessory!) I would estimate 80-90% of the chips and dust is collected. Instead of a huge spread of chips and dust across my shop, I have a very small pile right at my feet.
I originally used this jig just mounted on a 3/4" piece of plywood, clamped to my workbench. This was satisfactory and worked fine. But I'm 6'1" and hunching over sort of stunk after a half dozen boards. I was immensely pleased to see the recently released dovetail jig stand. This raises the jig to a height such that I only have to tilt my head to have a good view of the bit's progress and the router base.
Once you understand the procedures for adjusting the jig half-blind dovetails are just ridiculously easy. If you tend to use the same materials regularly for such projects you can just leave the jig "dialed-in" for that setting and material thickness and it's ready to go off your shelf. Through dovetails take a bit more time and work to get properly adjusted and just right, but once set you can just crank out the dovetailed boards. Just the other day I did 4 drawers (32 dovetails total) in 1/2" plywood. It took about 90 minutes from start to finish. 30 minutes to get setup and properly adjusted and an hour or so for the actual routing.
Because of the adjustability of the clamping mechanism you can easily accomodate backing material. This makes it possible to make through dovetails in plywood without blow-out.
Given that this jig includes not only the base/body, templates for through and half-blind, AND the bits, it is an excellent *value*. I would certainly buy this again if ever needed, and recommend it highly. The additional accessories which improve its functionality and ease of use are excellent and I hope Rockler keeps 'em coming! The distinctive series really puts a "craftsman" touch on machine joinery.
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101) Submitted by
Trent Schloss, from Neenah, WI
on 2/7/2008
Customer Rating:
OK product. It works well. I thought the templates would be aluminum but they weren't. Not bad for the price but I would have gone with the Porter Cable instead. Some of the adjustments require a screw driver and have no ablity to fine tune, good for a casual hobbiest but not a solid tool.
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102) Submitted by
Rick Gauthier, from Bedford, TX
on 9/29/2007
Customer Rating:
Dovetail jig is excellent. The instructions with it are poor. I have not cut dovetails in 35 years and never used a router to cut them. An online instruction video would be helpful. If it were not for the helpful Rockler employees at the local retail outlet I would still be stumbling.
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103) Submitted by
Dale, from Union City, PA
on 6/6/2010
Customer Rating:
I never used one before instructions could be better. I am happy with my first try after i found out how to use.
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104) Submitted by
James A. Grace, from Ft. Myers, FL
on 9/12/2007
Customer Rating:
I agree with other reviews about the through dovetail set-up. I wish that you would offer a CD-rom or another type of more in depth directions for getting started. I have just recently started getting into woodworking and I have no one with experience to help me out a little bit. Hopefully I'll get it with more tinkering. But, I returned a Sears Craftman jig in order to get this one and it is already 100 percent better.
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105) Submitted by
Jared W, from Delta, UT
on 4/6/2008
Customer Rating:
I bought the jig knowing that with my experience in woodworking that I would be able to figure it out even though I had read some not so positive reviews about it. I read the instructions carefully and set it up as shown. I really think that anyone could use this jig. Experienced or not!! It worked quite well and I made my first dovetail joint since high school 16 years later. I build kitchens in my spare time and plan on using this jig to quality of my kitchens. The only problem that I had was my own fault. I raised the router up before it was completely out of the template and wiped out part of the template, (Be Careful of that), therefore I will need to be contacting Rockler for a new template. All around a great jig.
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106) Submitted by
Robert Braunstein, from New Kensington, PA
on 12/6/2008
Customer Rating:
I have never made a dovetail before and was excited when the box arrived. I found the instructions hard to follow, as I didn't know the difference between a pin & a tail (remember I have never made a dovetail before). The video for this product shows a man routing a dovetail and in the next picture shows a through dovetail being put together. This as we know is not the case. The extra template that is needed for through dovetails was not explained well and after a few tries I decided the blind dovetail would do for me until I got the hang of the thing. After working on blind dovetails all day I find that all the joints fit nicely. However, every joint I make when fitted together I find the the sides of the drawers to be 1/16" lower than the front and back. So much for easy and can't miss perfect joints.
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107) Submitted by
Jed R, from Richmond, VT
on 8/19/2008
Customer Rating:
As others have said, once you learn to use it, you can make really pretty dovetails..... but I'd have a pile of stock sitting around to practice on.
My chief complaint is with the documentation. Aside from being too brief, Many more pictures are needed, especially for creating the other types of joints. Lastly, the instructions could be packaged on something more substantial than a single 8.5"x11" piece of paper. I'm certain I'll loose it.. hopefully I'll have mastered dovetails first!
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108) Submitted by
L R Johnson, from Erie, PA
on 1/25/2010
Customer Rating:
I have just completed the support for this jig and found that the front face is not at 90 degrees with the horizotal face. Luckily I had saved a support plan from one of my woodworking magazines which included outrigger supports beyond both faces. However when I made a small box which does not reach these outriggers I will have to remember to shim one face to avoid corners which are not square to each other.
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109) Submitted by
Jon Wolfe, from Portland, OR
on 10/23/2008
Customer Rating:
I thought the instructions for this item were horrible. The pictures did no justice. If you've never had a shop class or routered anything before...good luck. Besides the instructions, the jig itself seemed to work ok except it tilted back off the template and took a chunk out of my template. I was able to make a nice dovetail on the 2nd try with a lot of extra labor on my behalf. Ok product.
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110) Submitted by
Greg Bozarth, from Pleasant Prairie, WI
on 8/21/2008
Customer Rating:
I bought this jig for some simple box joinery, very disappointed with the instructions, the most frustrating was the Pin & Tail templates not properly aligned and not able to smoothly slide in and out for minor adjustments. The adjustable alignment bar for centering the wood on the pins/tail templates, sliding on both horizontal and vertical surfaces, was a joke, made of plastic and not able to lay square unless forced into alignment. That part should have been made of metal. What a waste of $200. I was told years ago, and did not listen, buy the best you can afford because you will only cry once.
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111) Submitted by
Steve Hesby, from Mukilteo, WA
on 10/14/2008
Customer Rating:
I wish I had never bought it. I've used it a number of times and the setup time is ridiculous. The plastic guides had to be forced into alignment. The instructions were disjointed and hard to follow. I finally got so digusted, I destroyed it. "Buy the best you can afford" is the motto here. I should have read the magazine reviews earlier!
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112) Submitted by
M R Hart
on 11/30/2009
Customer Rating:
I was skeptical but bought it anyway. Yes, you will be making tight joints within minutes. Well written instructions that make perfect sense. I waisted my money on another low price jig and never got a good joint.
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113) Submitted by
Dave Dybas, from Clintondale, NY
on 2/14/2010
Customer Rating:
As others have mentioned, not suitable for production work as you need to spend a great deal of time setting it up. The template is not well located by the clamping screws(i.e. too much slop). Locating pins and guide bushings would help. The gauges and fence locating labels only get you in the ballpark and at least in my jig, don't match side-to-side. Once you learn how to compensate for the slop and do your fine tuning with a dial caliper it will produce tight and repetitive dovetails.
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114) Submitted by
Charles Lamb, from Grand Prairie, TX
on 6/12/2010
Customer Rating:
I purchased this product specifically to create blind dovetail joints. After following the directions carefully, and practicing on about 10 joints, I was still unable to get a set of joints that would fit together. The pins were always too wide for the sockets. I adjusted up and down to the maximum allowed by the bushing and the depth of the stock and the results were alwayst the same. I went back to the local store with a sample and was told that it was my dept adjustment, and they sold a setup guage specifically for this jig. It looks impressive, but after using it and getting the same results, I am less than impressed. The jig does create good through joints but blind dovetails are not working for me. I even lowered the bit into the router enough that it ate into the brass guide bushing, which then unscrewed itself since the locking threads are in the incorrect direction, clockwise, instead of counter clockwise, and it force the bit from the chuck and got into the lower frame. I switched to a Trident guide bushing which I checked with a micrometer to make sure it was the same outer diameter and I have had no more problems with the bushing. I am using 1/2" solid core hardwood plywood and my results regardless of adjustments are alway identical with the pins being too wide.
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115) Submitted by
Fred Noll, from Lewes, DE
on 1/20/2011
Customer Rating:
After trying to use a cheaper dovetail jig I went to Rockler. After concentrating on the instuctions, I was able to make really good dovetail joints. The only modification I have to make to the jig was to use a replacement square headed maching screw on the front face of the left edge stop. The dust collector does not allow you to get to the supplied machince screw. With my change I use a small wrench to make adjustments on this front facing screw, I use a screw driver for the top two machine screws. Happy with the jig overall.
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116) Submitted by
Clyde, from Foley, AL
on 5/10/2011
Customer Rating:
Great product, but I would make a change to make it easier to use. The handles on both the clamps get in the way when using the right side of the jig with some routers and when using larger 1x8 peices and must be unscrewed, removed after installing your material and before cutting. I would recommend using tapered pins instesd of the screws in the handles.
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117) Submitted by
Dale, from Sisters, OR
on 1/19/2011
Customer Rating:
Been working for years, my first dovetail jig. Instructions were not clear, poor illustrations quality of photos and lacking information. Fooled around with all day and still was not happy with the dovetails, forever adjusting, and tweaking over and over. Through dovetail instructions bad. A video would be good. The dust collector works good except in the way of setting things up. Had to take it off to do set up and adjusting. I am afraid to use good wood after a pile of scrap wood trying to dial it in. Did not see a great advantage with this over some other methods. I will return it.
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118) Submitted by
Gregory Baklund, from Atwater, MN
on 6/1/2011
Customer Rating:
The adaptor for the bits that came with the set made it almost imposible to remove the router bits. I wrecked the 2 dovetail bits and the bushing trying to remove the bits,
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119) Submitted by
David Wohl, from Naples, FL
on 6/30/2011
Customer Rating:
I must admit that I was initially intimidated by this jig and the written instructions. I hesitated to try it out for months. However, along came a project that called for drawers with "professional looking" dovetail joints and I HAD TO TRY IT OUT! After reading the instructions again, I set up the jig and tried some samples. One problem I had was the base plate I purchased from Rockler did not fit my router. I had to make my own countersink holes to make it fit. Also, the included brass bushing loosened from the vibration and got chewed-up by the router bit. After purchasing a replacement bushing, I added one SMALL drop of Loctite #242 BLUE, REMOVABLE THREADLOCKER to the bushing thread which kept it tight while I successfully routed panels for half a dozen drawers. With two Robogrip wrenches, I used gentle tension on the bushing to loosen it and unscrewed it from the base plate without any damage whatsoever. The results were so excellent, that I have been given more projects to do that require DOVETAIL drawers. Now that I am a drawer "PRO", I will be depending more and more on the Rockler Dovetail jig.
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120) Submitted by
Mike Woolbert, from West Columbia, TX
on 7/22/2011
Customer Rating:
I have owned a smaller half blind dovetail jig for a long time. It is hard to adjust and a little flimsy. The Rockler jig is definitely a big step up. I am thrilled with the new jig. As a note to the Bosch router people, Bosch router are odd ducks. Porter Cable created the standard for router bushings years ago. Bosch's German roots caused it to be produced with a European style bushing. When the dual base router kits came out a bunch of years ago, Bosch and Makita were highly rated. I think Bosch edged Makita out as first pick. Every review I read warned potential Bosch buyers that the standard PC bushing did not work in the Bosch. Using the Bosch router in many jigs would require the buyer purchase a relatively pricey Bosch only router bushing set. I think the dovetail jig loses about a half star to grumpy Bosch users. Perhaps, Rockler should warn purchasers of the incompatibility with Bosch routers. Perhaps Bosch owner should know their tools well enough to anticipate the added cost. Bosch is a great manufacturer, the added cost is just the cost of own a router you love.
Editor's note: The Bosch 1617 router can easily be used with this jig by removing the sub base from the router base and replacing with the following: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=25412
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121) Submitted by
Phillip, from Slidell, LA
on 1/5/2012
Customer Rating:
I have to admit I struggled with set up and was on the verge of boxing this jig up and returning it. All mistakes on my part. Using test pieces that were not square to the stop mostly.And using undersized plywood. I will say I am convinced there is wrong information in the manual. When cutting half blind dovetails and the tails are proud of the joint or "sticking out" You need to either move the backstop or template further away from you. The sockets are not deep enough for the tails to move in flush. I believe this to be a problem for 6 inch base routers and requires adjustment. My biggest negative is that I am not impressed with the construction of the slide arms for adjustment on the backstops and template. They are not square to one another and have a lot of play in them being they basically plastic. The mounting holes are in a bad place being that the clamp adjustments are right in the way of using a drill. Hope you have a long screwdriver. The dust collection works great catching about 2/3 of the shavings,but oddly enough it is right in the way of the stock stop screw! Finally the jig is made for 5 and 3/4 router bases. So if you have a 6 inch router base be ready to make adjustments and possibly forget using the back stop bar. Overall produces nice joints and I am happy with it. I'm no beginner but if you have undersized stock like everything is now today. Have plenty of scrap to play around with. Beef up the quality a little bit and I will give 5 Stars for $300.
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122) Submitted by
Edward Maslowski, from Seven Hills, OH
on 2/27/2012
Customer Rating:
Submitted on 1/17/2012
I have tried for a couple of hours to align this unit without success. If the template adjustment bars are made parallel as they need to be to allow the template to slide and allow the dovetails to be made square the template will not fit. The sloppy positioning of the fasteners holding the template bars will not allow it. I am not sure I can use this unit. I have been pleased with previously purchased Rockler products but I am sorry I bought this one. I am not sure I can use it.
Submitted on 2/27/2012
In a previous review I rated the jig as poor because it was not possible to align the template properly. I had assumed this was due to manufacturing tolerances. After I disassembled it and inspected it I found that on the contrary it was very accurately made. The problem was that the template adjustment bars were both badly bent probably dropped after assembly. I contacted Rockler and had a replacement within 2 days. The agent I spoke to was very courteous and helpful. The replacement was good-to-go right out of the box. The only problem I had was that the collet on the router I used contacted the bushing after I adjusted the depth. Fortunately I caught this before doing serious damage. The solution was to mount the bit about a little off the bottom of the collet. A little more than I would have liked. If the router bit shaft were just 1/8 to 1/4 inch longer this would not have been a problem. It also would have been nice to advise the user to check this clearance in the instructions.I would like to have withdrawn my previous comment or edit it but I could find no way to do this.
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123) Submitted by
Vernon Sandusky, from Vacaville, CA
on 10/18/2012
Customer Rating:
The printed instructions are very poor, very confusing and poorly printed. Contrary to others, I say this jig is not easy to use and I would not buy it again. why on earth they don't come up with better instructions for this product is beyond me.
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124) Submitted by
Sean from KY
on 11/4/2012
Customer Rating:
The letter strip on the right arm is 1/8 higher than the left arm, the templates get jammed when putting them on, requiring a hammer to tap them in to place, several times. The sides of my pieces never line up when I put the two together. They are off about a 1/16th on top and bottom. The bit provided tears the wood out like crazy, even though I have the backer board in place that the instructions request. Speaking of instructions, they are terrible. The paperwork they give you look like a low resolution print out that they ran 1000 times in a copier. Please remember, you get what you pay for... If it were less than 90 days, I would send this back.
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125) Submitted by
Warren Bender, from Sayville, NY
on 4/28/2013
Customer Rating:
I found the Rockler Dovetail Jig to be a very nicely made item, but some of its engineering quirks have kept me from wanting use it in my shop. First of all, I found the set up to be very finicky. One important set up point, the gauge for setting the depth of the router bit, is inexplicably placed where it cannot be used without first removing the template it is printed on and thereby negating all your other careful set up work. The second, and far worse problem, is the use of odd sized shanks on the supplied dovetail bits that require use of an additional collar (also supplied) so that they will fit a 1/2" router bit collet. I am a very experienced woodworker and had problems with the bit spinning inside this collet on both my Porter Cable and Milwaukee routers. In one instance, the bit became loose enough to drop down and not only spoil the piece I was working on, but actually cut into the mild steel of the jig base in the process. I have never had this sort of problem in over forty years of using a router. At this point, the jig is gathering sawdust beneath my work bench until I get a 1/4" shank replacement for the supplied dovetail bit that I can trust to be held securely in the router collet.
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126) Submitted by
Bill, from Ithaca, NY
on 4/1/2008
Customer Rating:
This jig does the job in the end, but it can be a real pain to set up. Screws to adjust several parts are directly under other parts, so you have to practically dissemble the thing to set up for a new board thickness of width. Not what you would call ergonomic. On the other hand, it is one of the cheapest jigs on the market - presumably you get what you pay for.
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