Stanley Arcoy Dovetailer Jig - Help or Info

[Burnsy]

Not having the money for an incra or leigh jig I grabbed this when I saw it. It is very similar in its basic idea although it comes with only the one comb and is suppose to use a drill for cutting. It is well made and I think with some modification should be able to be used to cut finger and dovetail joints using a router. Has anyone been down this path that can post some pics or give some tips to stop me reinventing the wheel?

My thoughts are that for a start I will need to rotate the jig 90 degrees so the comb sits on the horizontal and have a spacer machined up to sit in the bottom of my router to allow clearence around the comb. I have some heavy plastic board that I plan to make some more different size combs with in the future.

Also, can you buy router bits that have a shoulder above the blade so the bit can run around a comb without the cutting edge contacting the comb?

Hopefully it was not a waste of money:rolleyes:

[derekcohen]

Burnsy

You are in luck! I have the original review - dated 1959!!


http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=4647

Link to review:

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=12675

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Burnsy]

Thanks Derek, I will have a read. The one I picked up is complete, with about six bits and all except one still have the wax protective coating on them. There is also the complete set of instructions, a wall chart and an article by Roger Neal from Do It yourself, January 1974.

I am not convinced it will be any good for cutting hardwoods with the low speed of a drill. I really wanted it for the bench setup as I believe it can be converted into a jig I can use a router with for dovetail and finger joints. Then again I may be dillusional.

Cheers,
mike

[scooter]

Also, can you buy router bits that have a shoulder above the blade so the bit can run around a comb without the cutting edge contacting the comb?



Burnsy, most router dovetailing jigs need such an arrangment, either by a bearing on the router bit shaft or a template follower in the router base.

Either is quite workable.


Cheers.................Sean

[Burnsy]

Thanks Scooter. I had a look what is on offer at Timbecon and see there is few options. I tried out the jig today using the original bits and drill as per the instructions. Knocked out a rough box with blind dovetails for the school hand planes to be stored in pretty quickly. It was as I had believed and the speed of a drill is not really adequate for cutting clean lines, tends to rip edges and smash it's way through.

After I had finished the box I had a play with the router and a flat cutting bit to see how it would go for finger joints. Basically if I make up some combs with spacings to suit the bits the jig will easily accomodate finger joints. I plan on making up a template follower to suit the router base and the combs out of either alloy or the plastic/nylon sheet I have.

I all I am pretty impressed with the design of the base assembly and would recommend that anyone who sees one at a garage sale pick it up if you don't already have a jig. It has plenty of adjustments and is well made. It may take a while but I will post pictures of modifications as I make them.

[Alchemisto]

Hi Burnsey, I believe this web site may have some info of interest.
www.jluby.f2s.com (http://www.jluby.f2s.com)
Look under hints and tips to see router adaption. How are getting on with the jig . I notice you have multi pitch and sliding dovetail attachments does your complete set of instructions cover the use?
Regards,
Roy.:)

[Burnsy]

Thanks for the info Alchemisto, I had found that site previously and did not really like the router adaption as I like my router to be firmly grasped with two hands. I have not really done much with the jig other than make some rough box shelves for the shed using the drill. I was thinking that someone would probably appreciate all the bits, manual and complete original set more than I and that I should sell it on as I have not got time at the moment to adapt it and it would be a shame to cut up such a complete unit. Then again it may just keep sitting in the shed for a rainy day.

[Elven]

Thanks for the info Alchemisto, I had found that site previously and did not really like the router adaption as I like my router to be firmly grasped with two hands. I have not really done much with the jig other than make some rough box shelves for the shed using the drill. I was thinking that someone would probably appreciate all the bits, manual and complete original set more than I and that I should sell it on as I have not got time at the moment to adapt it and it would be a shame to cut up such a complete unit. Then again it may just keep sitting in the shed for a rainy day.
Hello Burnsy,
I'm a completely new member of this forum (Like about twenty minutes ago) or any other forum for that matter. I found you by browsing for "Arcoy Dovetail Bits. I bought an Arcoy Dovetail Cutter in England about 1958 or 59. It was not a Stanley so I presume that Stanley must have "bought-out" Arcoy As they did a lot of tooling companies. During my emigration to the "Lucky Country" in '83 all the cutters were lost, and perhaps some other bits as I thought I had a complete machine, (complete with Arcoy power-drill-3000 RPM) but your pictures appear to show some parts I don't now have. I do have a shelving attachment which does a reasonable job of a long slot type shelf housing. I also had a Arcoy pedestal stand for the power drill and a hollow chizel mortising attachment, all of the substancial manufacture that you describe but I donated these to my par-in-law. I'm hoping that the Dovetailler is still lying around your workshop unloved. Or better still, you have modified it to fit your router and no longer need the cutters. Mine were special as they had a screw shank to fit the bearing block which follows the comb. If your reading this I've passed the first hurdle and look forward to hear from you.......................Best...Elven

[Loobs]

My website offering instructions for the Arcoy Dovetailer (a poor thing but mine own) are now to be found at: Arcoy Dovetailer Instructions. (http://www.jluby.org.uk/arcoy)