Replies

1. 
   heartwould | Sep 17, 2008 05:22am | #1

   Plywood is very difficult to rout successfully in a dovetail jig. My Leigh is honest enough to say as much in their manual, but my first dovetail jig did not offer a warning, so I had to learn the hard way.

2. 
   roc | Sep 17, 2008 09:23am | #2

   Here is a good way to make box joints

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesPDF.aspx?id=2709

   I will probably be banished for this but if you can find a copy of Woodworker's Journal February 2002 there are plans for an awesome adjustable box joint jig ! I made it and really like it.

   It has a dialable pin stop and a replaceable backer strip just at the cut so you just feed it in to put fresh material behind your cut to prevent tearout.

   Then practice practice until you get consistently good cuts.

   Don't rush jig making. It is an art in its self and skills gained making great jigs will help you in your other work. I recommend against using particle board for jigs it bulges at the screws and throws the accuracy of the jig off.

   I always enjoy Lon Schleining's articals ! His reproduction of the Jefferson lap top desk was fascinating !

3. 
   BigK | Sep 17, 2008 09:39am | #3

   I use a PC 4216 jig to make dovetail drawers out of baltic birch ply all of the time. Use your router to score the veneer along your tail board before plunging into the jig cuts. And don't use the baltic ply from Home Depot (the Borg), it is not the same.