Leigh’s R9 plus Joinery Jig is a dream to use, whether with a handheld router or on a table. It makes it easy to cut through-dovetails and box joints in material up to 13⁄16 in. thick, in any width. On top of that, it is significantly less expensive than past versions.

R9 Plus Joinery System from Leigh Industries

One reason the unit is so affordable, however, is that you’ll have to do some woodworking to get it up and running. Unlike other Leigh jigs, such as the D4R and Super Jigs, which come ready to go out of the box, you have to mount the included aluminum template to a shopmade wooden beam and backer board. Workpieces are clamped to the beam, and the replaceable backer helps eliminate tearout. The task is straightforward, thanks to detailed instructions, and all hardware is included. By making the beam extra long, you can cut dovetails in virtually any width of board, an advantage over other Leigh jigs that limit board width. This feature could come in handy on larger cases and chests.

Out of the box, the jig cuts 1⁄2-in.-wide dovetails. But you can purchase accessory bits to cut 3⁄8-in. and 7⁄16-in. dovetails.

It takes a couple of test setups to get the jig dialed in for perfect-fitting joints, but you only have to do this once, and once done, I was able to knock out a through-dovetailed drawer in less than 10 minutes. The R9 can also make box joints, but you’ll need to purchase the appropriately sized spiral bit (sold separately).

For more information about the jig, go to leighjigs.com.

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