Thread: Leigh super 12 jig

okay thank you that must of just been the man at carbatec trying to make me buy a festool :P

i finally have it
started using it properly today i routed all the through dovetails for my
project.
but now i have to cut sliding dovetails and it is quite difficult i find
anyone who has knowledge of this type it would be great if you coiuld give me some tips.

sorry bout the poor quality of pictures.

I've never used it for sliding dovetails. After reading the instructions, I found it easier to use the router table.

Tex

sorry tex i dont get it how do you use it with a router table?

I'm sure that Tex B meant to say "use the router table instead of the jig, not with it."

Ray.

ohhh alright.

well i would be easier if i had a router tabble wouldnt it.
might make one

Jim

Where exactly are you going wrong with the sliding dovetails? Are you following the instructions exactly or perhaps taking a shortcut!

With any routing you should preferably take a number of shallow cuts rather than a deep cut in one run.

Sorry, Jim, didn't realise you didn't have a router table. And I was perhaps too succinct.

The groove is pretty straightforward, and not usually done on the jig depending on where it is located on the board. Measure the distance on your router between the center of the bit and the edge of the router base. Then clamp a straight edge guide on the workpiece that same distance from the center of your groove. Easier to start with a small striaght bit and take a couple of passes to get to the final depth, then switch to the dovetail bit for the last pass. This is what mat was referring to, as you can't take shallow cuts in the groove with the dovetail

Now you have your groove.

The tail is really trial and error. Using the black plastic thing that snaps onto the back of the jig doodads (you know what I'm talking about Jim) allows the router to run straight along the end edge of the board. Set the bit to the depth of the groove (following instructions in the book). Then a bit of trial and error on scrap pieces until you get the dovetail that slips beautifully into the groove. Then put your workpiece in, zip down one side, flip the piece, zip down the other, and presto.

Not too difficult, but make sure you have several scrap pieces the exact same thickness as your tail piece to get the settings right.

Hope that helps.

Tex

Hi Jim,
I am reading your thread because I have wanted a Leigh jig for years (since I was your age basically) and now our gracious PM K-Rudd is going to buy me one Glad to see you are having so much fun with it.

Alright Tex you sure know what your doing don't you.

what you told me helped me alot thankyou i went out to the shed today and cut the slot on my project and did trial and error on the well tails if thats what there still called on another piece of the same tassie oak. finally after several tries and much frustration i got them right and started cutting them out on my project wood thank you for all your help you sure did make my buying and using of the Leigh much easier i will post pictures of my (well i dont have a name for it lets just call it a storage unit) when it is all glued up and finished.

cheers. Toby.

Look forward to seeing the pics, Toby. Glad you had fun

Tex

hi jim, i have the leigh D4R and leigh FMT. i purchased them from carbatec in brisbane, november 2008.
i have made lots of boxes now with quality dovetail joints, it is a pleasure to use and very easy, just make sure you follow the manual, step by step.

i only made mistakes when i skipped a step in the manual, just take your time, and you will be making beautiful dovetails in no time.

the first boxes i made now hold the jigs, theres no point having a high quality precision dovetail jig and then leaving it in the cardboard box. i also found that these were a good way to get familiar with the jig.
the learning curve is pretty steep at the start, but the manuals are so good, you cant go wrong.

BTW, what router are you using, and what bits are using? did you buy the VRS? i would recommend getting the VRS, which then connects to a shop vac, it keeps all the dust down.

have fun, justin.

Hi Jimcelwaine,

I have owned a 24" imperial Leigh for many years. Its a simply brilliant device for cutting large numbers of almost infinitely variable dovetails in short order. The instruction manual is just absolutely top of the line as is the manual for the finger joints if you buy the appropriate FJ template.

The jig is not fiddly to set up if you follow the process to a logical conclusion. Once set up and working precisely you can save the settings which are specific to each bit diameter for subsequent re-setting.

A word of caution. The Leigh jig is not a silver bullet for making quality joints for the raw beginner. You need to have quite high order router skills as a pre- requisite because the system requires the making of deep cuts with smallish bits for some profiles. You can't do this in a large number of steps taking a little at a time as far as depth goes so you need to have what amounts to router paring skills where you take a little at a time off the waste in the horizontal direction. This requires a fair degree of skill to get the job done in short order without chip out of the visible edges but it's all quite dooable. The other thing is that you need to adopt an absolutely fastidious approach to the accuracy of placing the timber in the jig with approprtriate back up boards etc.

I'll give you a lesson happily before you buy if you live nearby. I did a demo for a Guild a couple of years ago and afterwards two individuals approached me for a lesson who said they had got leigh's still in the boxes but had been so intimidated by the technology and the ultra comprehensive manual that they hadn't put them to use. They both use them now. Go for it. old pete

Hi,

Was going to post a new thread but I've recently acquired a Superjig and need to know what adaptor to buy to fit to my Ryobi 1400 router - the one below (Model is the ERT241200). Anyone know which adaptor will fit it for the e-bush?
Specs

Key Features:

• On/off trigger lock off button for safety
• Spindle lock for easy one wrench cutter changes
• Straight side fence for perfect straight cutting
• 6.35 & 12.7mm collet capacity for a variety of different cutters
• Dust port can be connect to a dust extraction system
• Depth stop rod for setting the precise depth of cut
• Pre select speed via regulator dial for ultimate control