Replies

1. 
   dougmeyer | Jan 25, 2007 12:08am | #1

   Ok let me say that I have looked at the options a year ago and I went with the leigh jig. It appears nice. That being said I have JUST pulled it out of the box. This is due to the fact that I spent the last year building the house and have just go to the point that I need to do dovetails (not much us in rough framing)

   One thing you can look into is that my local WoodCraft just had a how to make dovetails using a jig, class and the thing that caught my eye was that they were using a Leigh Jig and a PC Jig and they said you could test drive them. I wish they had had this class when I was shopping for a Jig (or that I knew of the class)  So if you have a Woodcraft near you, you may want to see if they are doing anything like this.

   Now that being said how much to we want to bet that we get almost as many post about doing dovetails by hand as we do posts about dovetail Jigs? :)

   Doug Meyer

2. 
   terrylee86 | Jan 25, 2007 02:00am | #2

   I think they just redesigned the Omnijig and it has gotten good reviews.  I have only seen one in a magazine, but I have the old style and it is a beast.

3. 
   colebearanimals | Jan 25, 2007 04:05am | #3

   Hi Repairman,

   I have had a Liegh24 for about 12 years. It does an excellent job cutting dovetails. I have never used an Omni Jig. I like the fact that the pins and tails are adjustable so you can change your layout to fit a board width or for cosmetic reasons. The new Omni Jig has this feature also, I believe. With the leigh, using certain layouts, you have to insert small filler pieces to keep your router from going where it's not supposed to. This is kind of a hassle but once done doesn't have to be changed untill you switch layouts. I don't know how the Omni Jig works in this repsect. Might be worth checking on.  The liegh24, however, is a very accurate and sturdy jig. Mine , for the past 12 years, has lived in a busy custom cabinet shop with use between 2 and 3 times a week.  Hope this helps

                 Paul

4. 
   bones | Jan 25, 2007 04:53am | #4

   I bought the Leigh D4R back in the fall to do a cedar chest for my niece. Prior to that I had not done any through dovetails.  I looked at the omnijig as well as the d4. I wanted that variability. As to beefiness, the Leigh D4 is plenty beefy. The body of the chest was 12" by 15/16 and I mounted the D4 to a wood frame as reccomended.  I clamped the fram to my workbench and went to town.  The manual is fantastic and the dvd is great. I made a one test set which was the wood box that I mounted the d4 to, and started making dovetails. Perfect first time out.  It is machined aluminum, but its not that lite. I do like that I can lift it onto a shelf out of the way.  The omni jig weighed a ton.  I think both woud do a good job but I can only speak to the d4 the one I got.  If you do decide to get the d4, go to woodcraft and register for a 10% discount for your birthday. It saved me a chunk on the d4. I had used mine for the year so I registerd the wife and used her cupon.  Take care.

    

   Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:
   If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
   And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
   

   
5. 
   nikkiwood | Jan 25, 2007 09:06am | #5

   Here is a review of the Leigh jig you might find helpful:

   http://benchmark.20m.com/reviews/LeighJig/leighjigreview.html

   And here, the same reviewer compares the Leigh to the Akeda, which is another jig you may want to consider if are interested in adjustability:

   http://benchmark.20m.com/articles/LeighVersusAkeda/LeighVersusAkeda.html

   ********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-