If you’re looking for an affordable dovetail jig with excellent build quality, you should definitely check out the Porter Cable dovetail jig. This tool offers great value and performance while being very easy to use.
The jig features cam-lock clamps that provide solid traction on every piece of wood you use it on. It’s also backed by a 3 year warranty.
Precision
A good dovetail jig is an invaluable woodworking tool that helps you make accurate, precision cuts and achieve predictable results for your projects. A jig should be versatile enough to accommodate different types of joinery and offer a variety of features to help you create the best possible joints.
Dovetail jigs also need to be strong and reliable, so they should be made from high-quality materials like aluminum and steel. This will help them last longer and ensure you get the most use out of them.
Moreover, a well-made dovetail jig should include a clamp to hold the workpiece in place. Cam-type clamps are by far the best option as they keep the workpiece securely in place while preventing it from shifting.
These jigs are also typically designed to support the router so that you can cut dovetails and other types of joinery with ease. They should also feature router bit depth gauges so that you can adjust the depth of the bit before making your first cut.
Accuracy
Dovetail joints are the strongest woodworking joints, and it is important to have a jig that can cut them accurately. The porter cable dovetail jig has excellent accuracy, and is perfect for creating dovetail pins and tails with ease.
The jig is also versatile, and can create dovetails, half-blind dovetails, rabbeted half-blind dovetails, through dovetails, and box joints. It has a CNC-machined aluminum template for all of these joints, and the alignment lines are easy to set up.
It also comes with router bit depth gauges, which ensure that your joint is cut perfectly every time. You can find this jig at Amazon, Acme Tools, Menards, or MSC Industrial.
Dovetail jigs can be quite expensive, but they can be worth the investment when they cut accurate joints each and every time. They can also save you time and money by reducing the amount of physical labor you have to put into your projects.
Value
The porter cable dovetail jig is an impressive piece of kit that can cut a variety of different joints. It has heavy-duty cam-type clamps that secure workpieces securely, and machined aluminum templates provide superior cutting accuracy and long-term durability.
Depending on the jig, you might be able to use different templates for each type of joint you want to make. This enables you to create a wide range of dovetails without having to purchase multiple tools.
Variable-spacing jigs are the best option for woodworkers who want to do a lot of customization in their joinery. These jigs mount to your bench, but they feature separate clamps that hold your workpiece steady while you move the guide fingers along to create custom spacing.
A variable-spacing jig is more expensive than a fixed model, but it offers the best versatility when it comes to dovetails. These jigs usually come with a large number of guide fingers that can be adjusted to create fully customized dovetails.
Overall
Dovetails are a staple of woodworking, and many craftsmen utilize them in their work. However, cutting perfectly interlocking pins and tails can be a challenging task, which is why many crafters turn to a specially designed dovetail jig for completing the job.
Dovetail jigs feature a template that has a teeth-like edge to guide the cutting of dovetails. They also have adjustment knobs that enable users to tighten their wooden pieces horizontally or vertically, thereby increasing the accuracy of the cut.
Some dovetail jigs may come with several templates for different types of joints. These include half-blind, rabbeted half-blind, through, and sliding dovetails.
The porter cable dovetail jig, for example, comes with a one-piece steel base and fixed aluminum templates for half-blind, rabbeted, and through dovetails as well as box joints and miniature dovetails. It has a 12-inch capacity and sandpaper-backed cam-type clamps that quickly secure boards in place.
