Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Guide On How To Choose The Right Dovetail Jig To Buy

Buying a dovetail jig or any tool that requires precision is never easy. Many craftsmen are spending too many hours reading for reviews and yet still couldn't decide which dovetail jig is the best to buy. There are many things to consider in buying a dovetail jig and one must have the eye to see that. Reviews on dovetail jigs mean nothing as most review website for dovetail jigs are only hyping the product just to make a sale. This is bad news and you will definitely suffer from confusion of "too many" brand and series recommendations.

We will not do that. However, we will be giving you a guide on what a reliable dovetail should be and then you decide. There is no better way of giving you a better idea than laying all things for you to think, decide, and purchase right away. The following recommendations are based on the interview of the cabinet and furniture makers of three of the top furniture manufactures in our city and also to that of our woodworker friends in the woodworking forums that I have joined.

WHAT IS A DOVETAIL JIG

A dovetail jig is basically a guide or template assembly to let you cut dovetail joints faster, more accurate, and easily. Jigs are commonly used for production projects and are becoming popular for woodworking hobbyists and beginners a like. This is because routers are becoming useful in many situations and specially in dovetail joint making. Dovetail saws are becoming items of the past are more are delighted to use routers and jigs to create accurate, perfectly fitting dovetail joints with ease and incredibly fast.

So instead of using a steel rule, pencil, dovetail saw, and other tools in order to create a dovetail jig, all you need now is a dovetail jig and a router. Jigs and routers are a true woodworker's best friend.

DOES ONE REALLY NEED A JIG TO CREATE DOVETAIL JOINTS?

No and Yes. No it's not necessary to have a dovetail jig to create dovetail joints. These jigs are made to create dovetails faster and easier without compromising accuracy and perfect fitting. But long before, a task of creating a perfect dovetail joint without the help of any router and dovetail jig is a true test of being a renowned and seasoned woodworker.

Not so long ago furniture pieces with flawless dovetailing work are adored and highly valued, but today - anyone can create perfect dovetail joints with an aid of a dovetail jig. So for medium to large production project, having a dovetail jig is a must!

5 THINGS THAT MAKES A GOOD DOVETAIL JIG

Though there are many things to consider when buying or investing a good dovetail jig, we will be listing the top things which our expert woodworkers has greatly emphasized and considered. So don't just buy any dovetail jig for sale, so please read on.

  1. Accuracy
    Well, a clean cut and a good fit makes a perfect dovetail. If you're serious with creating dovetails, accuracy should be your priority.

  2. Ease of Use
    Though there are many dovetail jigs for sale that comes in many shapes and sizes, the ease of operation is one big thing to consider. An effective dovetail jig must be easy to use or operate specially if you're new to dovetailing.

  3. Portability
    Whether you are working with small or large pieces for dovetailing, your dovetail jig should be easy enough to carry or clamp to any board or work pieces. This is a huge advantage specially if you're on production.

  4. Durability
    Your dovetail jig of choice should be able to withstand the wear and tear your woodworking shop could bring. Durability is a factor to preserve your jig for top performances even in years of heavy use. That's why it is smart to invest in dovetail jigs or dovetailing machines that are of high quality.

  5. Affordability
    Although quality dovetail jigs cost more than regular dovetail jigs, the quality of the jig is really high. But it doesn't also mean that you got to buy those expensive dovetail jigs, you can buy dovetail jigs that are relatively cheap. There are pre-loved dovetail jigs that are sold by the owner who are upgrading their rig. Please note upon buying these second hand dovetail jigs, always remember to consider the number of years it has been used and its condition.


That's it! We hope that you have given you enough details to guide you to buy any dovetail jig for sale both online and offline. You can also see that we are recommending dovetail jigs from amazon and so you can check it directly to Amazon's dovetail jig section.

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