Replies

1. 
   Napie | Sep 12, 2005 05:20pm | #1

   Keller, the only one to get.  Simple to set up and use, great fit, high quality.

2. 
   NickC | Sep 12, 2005 11:38pm | #2

   I have both. You can make beautiful joints with either. The Akeda is a little easier to use, because the the router base is supported in front and in back of the cut. Akeda has great dust collection. On the other hand, Akeda limits your spacing to multiple of 1/8-th inch, and is limited to 16 inch widths. Leigh gives you infinitiely variable spacing, and you can get a 24 inch model.

1. 
   WillGeorge | Sep 14, 2005 08:32pm | #3

   limits your spacing to multiple of 1/8-th inch, and is limited to 16 inch widths..When needed I use my Incra fence and whatever else I need..Cost is sort of expensive but about the cost of a good dovetail machine and I can do ALOT more with it!

1. 
   yieldmap | May 19, 2006 08:45pm | #4

   I thought I'd share my recent experience with my new Akeda jig, for those who are looking to buy one.

   Fifteen minutes out of the box, I had half of the manual read and the jig mounted to a backer board, ready to go.  After mounting the dust collection stuff and chucking a bit I was cutting dovetails.  Very easy to select pin locations that look great, clamp the boards, and cut the joints.  Within fifteen minutes more, I had my first drawer cut.  Perfect fit the first time!!!

   Extremely easy to set up and work with, highly recommended.

   Also, if you're looking into it, I bought it from shop.com with no sales tax.  I went into the Woodcraft store, and they knew less than I did about the jig, and all I did was read a couple reviews on the web, so I didn't feel too bad about mail order.

   yieldmap

2. 
   citrouille | May 20, 2006 12:53am | #5

   Because the Akeda jig is incremental, it eliminates the possibility to make mistakes.
   I was never in a situation where the placement of a dove tail was so critical to make the 1/8" increment a problem.That said, I still cut a lot of dove tails by hand.C.