Synopsis: Router dovetail jigs promise to make flawless dovetails quickly and easily. We tested the jigs that can make both half-blind dovetails and through-dovetails, cutting test joints in 7/8-in.-thick stock and trying variable spacing and deeper tails when possible. Models tested include the Leigh D4R Pro, Leigh Super 18, Porter-Cable 4212, Fast -Joint Precision Joinery System, Leigh RTJ400, MLCS Master Joinery Set, and Rockler Complete.

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Everyone loves the look of hand-cut dovetails, but not everyone loves to cut them. That’s why many woodworkers turn to a router dovetail jig. These jigs promise to make flawless dovetails quickly and easily. To help you pick the best one, Fine Woodworking asked me to test the field. There’s a pile of dovetail jigs on the market, so we tested only the ones that can do both half-blinds and through-dovetails, as both are essential for furniture making.

Most of the jigs are used with a handheld router, but a couple are used with a router table. That means your table must have an insert plate that can accommodate a standard 1 3/8-in.-dia. bushing. By the way, for most of these jigs you’ll need a router with a 1/2-in. collet and a minimum of 1 1/2 hp. All of the jigs include the bushings and router bits you need for basic through- and half-blind dovetails, with some offering optional bits for different-size joints or thicknesses. All can rout both parts of a half-blind dovetail in a single pass (with even spacing), and some also can handle the workpieces separately to allow variable spacing and deeper tails, so I gave that a try, too. Whenever possible, I cut my test joints in 7/8-in.-thick stock to get an idea of the depth and spacing possible with each jig.

Leigh D4R Pro

The D4R Pro is Leigh’s flagship jig. Like the other Leigh jigs in this test, it represents a different world of quality, from its clear, comprehensive instructions to its ingenious engineering, impeccable manufacturing, and unmatched capabilities.

Because the sliding fingers are offset on each side of the template, you simply clamp the workpiece in place, align the sliding fingers by eye, and the pins and tails will mesh perfectly when you flip the template to machine the other half of the joint. Aligning the fingers lets you play with the array and settle on the best layout in minutes. Precise indicators ensure that you are aligning the template correctly in every position, with icons to remind you which way it flips for each task. One thing to note is that the bushing is eccentric, which lets you pivot it to adjust the joint fit 0.002 in. at a time. But you must keep the router in the same orientation to get perfect joints.

Cutting the two parts of a half-blind dovetail joint separately lets you vary the spacing and go up to 3/4 in. deep, much deeper than other manufacturers’ jigs. You need larger accessory bits for this—and for routing through-dovetails on the thickest stock—but the added capabilities are well worth the cost.

For both through-dovetails and half-blinds, the D4R produced better results and more consistent joints than any jig in the test other than the Leigh RTJ400 router-table jig, which has fixed template fingers.

Best Overall Dovetail Jig

Leigh D4R Pro

The D4R Pro is Leigh’s flagship jig. Like the other Leigh jigs in our test, it represents a different world of quality, from its clear, comprehensive instructions to its ingenious engineering, impeccable manufacturing, and unmatched capabilities.

Price: $769.00 at the time of writing

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Leigh Super 18 Jig

This jig is a value-oriented alternative to the Leigh D4R, but its template system is just as excellent. (I tested the 18-in. model, but there are 12- and 24-in. versions, too.) The template fingers don’t split in half for extrawide pins, but I can’t think of any situations where I would want those. Also, the jig’s reference surfaces are not milled but are covered with coarse sandpaper, which holds workpieces powerfully.

The Super Jig actually has a few advantages over the D4R Pro. Its template fingers are a little closer together (7/8 in. vs. 1 in.), meaning you can cluster pins and tails closer, such as at the center of a joint. And I found its guide lines easier to see and line up precisely. The only true drawback for me is the Super Jig’s more limited stock-thickness capacity (as with the other Leigh jigs, you need accessory bits to reach the full range of thicknesses and half-blind depth). Like the D4R, the bushing on the Super Jig is eccentric, so you must keep the router in the same orientation to get perfect joints.

Best Value Dovetail Jig

Leigh Super 18 Jig

This jig is a value-oriented alternative to the Leigh D4R, but its template system is just as excellent.

Price: $499.00 at the time of writing

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Porter-Cable 4212 Deluxe Dovetail Jig

If you are OK with fixed spacing and evenly sized pins and tails, plus a 3/4-in. ceiling for workpiece thickness on through-dovetails, this jig is an exceptional value. Everything you need for precise setup is built in, making the learning curve short and success almost guaranteed.

As is the case with all fixed-spacing jigs, if you want traditional half-pins at the ends of the joint, only certain board widths will work. In this case, the optimal widths start at 1-1/4 in. and go up in 1-in. steps from there, with an acceptable plus-or-minus range at each increment. Also, on the Porter-Cable half-blind dovetails go only halfway through a typical drawer front, but the dovetail angle is steep enough to ensure a strong joint.

The cam-action clamp bars adjust quickly and hold fast, and the router rides steadily atop the thick, broad aluminum templates. The smooth-cutting bits have 1/2-in.-dia. shanks for vibration-free routing. The 4216 version adds a template for narrower dovetails and box joints on even thinner stock.

Best Value Dovetail Jig

Porter-Cable 4212 Deluxe Dovetail Jig

Spacing: Fixed
Stock width (max.): 12 in.
Stock thickness: 1/4 in. to 3/4 in. for through-dovetails (tails board can be 1 in. thick); 1/2 in. to 1-1/8 in. for half-blinds
Half-blind depth: 3/8 in.

Price: $205.99 at the time of writing

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Leigh RTJ400 Router Table Jig

This is another Leigh jig of impeccable quality, with a CNC-cut template and machined reference surfaces for accuracy. It produced even more consistently accurate through-dovetails than the other Leigh jigs, especially on the first try, probably due to its fixed template fingers and the fact that it is used on the router table, where it rides steadier than a handheld router can. However, in price and capabilities it falls between the Porter-Cable and Leigh Super Jig, more expensive than the former and lacking the variable spacing of both.

The template is clever, from the pins and holes that locate it to the tension levers that hold it tightly to the workholder above. The workpiece clamps slide easily and hold strong, even pulling cupped boards flat, and large handles on the back of the jig make it easy to control. Like other Leigh models, the RTJ400 requires accessory bits to reach the maximum range of thicknesses and half-blind depth. Although this jig lacks variable spacing, it creates double-wide tails for a more handmade look than most fixed templates produce. If you don’t mind being limited in the range of possible board widths and thicknesses, the RTJ400 jig is a great option.

Leigh RTJ400 Router Table Jig

Spacing: Fixed
Stock width (max.): 16 in.
Stock thickness: 1/8 in. to 13/16 in. for through-dovetails (pins board can be 1-1/4 in.); 1/8 in. to 13/16 in. for half-blinds
Half-blind depth: 3/8 in. to 19/32 in.

Price: $439.00 at the time of writing

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Rockler Complete Dovetail Jig

With its standard setup, this jig competes with the Porter-Cable Deluxe on price and machines good joints. It’s also more versatile: For $40 each, you can add templates for a few non-uniform, nice-looking arrays of through-dovetails. But those templates are still fixed, with an even more limited range of acceptable board widths. And the additional template cost bumps the Rockler up to $275, pitting it against the 12-in. Leigh Super Jig, which offers infinitely adjustable spacing.

Where it loses to the Best Value Porter-Cable is in ease of use. Setting up for both half-blind and through-dovetails is a fussy process. There is an optional dust-collection attachment ($48) that does its main job well, but it has to be detached for every new setup.

Rockler Complete Dovetail Jig

Spacing: Fixed
Stock width (max.): 11 in.
Stock thickness: 1/2 in. to 3/4 in. for through-dovetails (pins board can be up to 1-1/8 in. thick); 1/2 in. to 3/4 in. for half-blinds
Half-blind depth: 5/16 in.

Price: $199.99 at the time of writing

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To check out more dovetail jigs we tested, download the PDF below:

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