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Leigh Dovetail Jig

Joining Tradition with Today

USER GUIDE

-D1600-Ch-Gloss.indd 1

4/4/05 12:00:28 PM

Summary of Contents for D1600

Page 1: ...Leigh Dovetail Jig Joining Tradition with Today USER GUIDE D1600 Ch Gloss indd 1 4 4 05 12 00 28 PM ...

Page 2: ... Leigh makes the D1600 jig in two models inch and metric The two models are identical except for scales Text and illustrations in this Leigh English language user guide indicate dimensions in both inches and millimetres with inches first followed by millimetres in square brackets Example 3 4 x 51 2 x8 20x140x200mm If you have any questions that are not answered in the manual please call the Leigh ...

Page 3: ...uter Preparation 33 Chapter 8 Through Dovetail Procedures 37 Chapter 9 Half Blind Dovetail Procedures 51 Chapter 10 Rabbeted Half Blind Dovetails 65 Chapter 11 Asymmetric Dovetails 69 Chapter 12 Sliding Dovetail Procedures 75 Chapter 13 Quick Reference Through Dovetails 85 Chapter 14 Quick Reference Half Blind Dovetails 89 Chapter 15 Hints and Tips 93 Appendix I Guidebush Selection 101 Appendix II...

Page 4: ...understand the instructions and illustrations in this manual we have used a number of international symbols plus a few special ones of our own They are all explained below You needn t worry about memorizing these symbols now because they are repeated quite frequently in the manual and you will soon get used to them 1 3 Sometimes a joint mode icon will be used to identify a board These are the four...

Page 5: ...e for this operation Numbered References in text This icon oindicates the outside of a board All through dovetail pin boards are mounted in the jig with this outside face away from the jig toward you the operator This icon i indicates the inside of a board All half blind pin and half blind tail boards and through dovetail tail boards are mounted in the jig with the inside face away from the jig to...

Page 6: ...G L O S S A R Y O F S Y M B O L S vi D1600 Ch Gloss indd 6 4 4 05 12 00 38 PM ...

Page 7: ...Jig Assembly Mounting and Using The Clamps CHAPTER 1 D1600 Ch01 indd 1 4 4 05 12 03 14 PM ...

Page 8: ...uidefinger screwdriver 7 4 clamp springs 4 clamp T bolts 4 flat washers 4 T bolt nuts 4 Jig Hold down Nuts Machine Screws 1 4 20 8 4 cam action speed clamps 4 cam clamp pivot nuts and any other small optional items you may have ordered with your new jig Check the packing slip for this information The main carton contains 9 1 main jig body 1 Leigh jig user guide The large inner box contains 10 1 fi...

Page 9: ... it com pletely before you try to use it Make sure you have read and understood all the material in the Safety section of this user guide before using the jig Leigh Dovetail Jig Leigh Dovetail Jig 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 D1600 Ch01 indd 3 4 4 05 12 03 15 PM ...

Page 10: ...roject above the top surface by 3 8 9 5mm 35 16 84mm 5 125mm 24 610mm 30 760mm 1 2 13mm 1 2 4 3 1 2 Turnthejigupsidedownontwoblocks to protectthesidestops Usingthefournutsand four countersunk machine screws bolt the base board to the jig using the two nut recess esineachendhousing The 1 2 13mm front edge to the front of the jig of course 1 1 3 Insert the four clamp T bolts into the key hole openin...

Page 11: ...mp lever assembly onto each T bolt 1 6 Insert the right and left support brackets Attach the knobs and nylon washers raise them to full height and tighten the knobs Note The set line on this support bracket is shown in red for clarity in this manual only The actual bracket lines are black 1 D1600 Ch01 indd 5 4 4 05 12 03 21 PM ...

Page 12: ...rd as shown This board will be used to support the guidefinger assembly in all front clamping vertical board modes 1 8 Raise both end support brackets and tighten the support bracket knobs 1 9 Install the two thumbscrews a few turns into the scales Loosen the scale lock screw at both ends by one turn only 2 1 1 D1600 Ch01 indd 6 4 4 05 12 03 24 PM ...

Page 13: ...oosened the finger assembly should easily slide on and off the support brackets If they are sticky to move on the sup port brackets apply a little candle wax or TopCote to the mating surfaces To ensure correct finger assembly alignment follow this same procedure whenever you remove the scales from the finger assembly 1 1 12 Rotate the finger assembly to the dTD Pins mode and move the outer guidefi...

Page 14: ... force the cam action speed clamp It has great leverage and excessive force may damage the workpiece or the jig Do not use the lever as a torque arm Adjust the clamp tension only with the clamp disen gaged 1 15 A smooth firm action is enough to engage the clamp Rule of thumb If you can t throw the lever by pressing the end of it firmly with your thumb reduce the tension Firm thumb pressure is abou...

Page 15: ...and the rear levers should point away from the operator or up to 90 either side as required to obtain the optimum clamping pressure 90 90 1 1 2 2 1 18 After you mounted the jig and finger assem bly you should have these items left over 1 DVD instructional video English only 1 Guidebush and nut Cutters 2 Dovetail 1 straight 1 Collet Reducer 1 square head guidefinger screwdriver 1 Leigh jig user gui...

Page 16: ...H E C L A M P S User Guide 10 Chapter 1 1 19 To gain height for a more comfortable work ing position or for routing longer boards mount the jig to a box that can be bolted securely to a bench See also15 13 1 2 13mm D1600 Ch01 indd 10 4 4 05 12 03 47 PM ...

Page 17: ...Adjusting the Finger Assembly CHAPTER 2 D1600 Ch02 indd 11 4 4 05 12 16 33 PM ...

Page 18: ...embly slightly approxi mately 1 16 2mm above the spacer board and or workpiece This is essential to allow the guidefingers to move freely on the guidefinger bar and ensures that the fingers will be level and flush when locked up Move the guidefingers by pushing on the middle to slide them along the guidefinger bar 1 2 3 Loosen about half the guidefingers and prac tice unlocking moving positioning ...

Page 19: ...turn 180 from the first contact 2 5 Always tighten unused guidefingers before routing as router vibration may cause loose screws and finger lock parts to fall out and be lost 2 6 You can adjust the guidefingers by eye or by measurement to suit a set of plans 1 1 2 3 4 6 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 2 23 24 25 26 27 28 31 33 34 32 31 30 29 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 20 3 4 thick 1 1...

Page 20: ...A D J U S T I N G T H E F I N G E R A S S E M B L Y User Guide 14 Chapter 2 D1600 Ch02 indd 14 4 4 05 12 16 46 PM ...

Page 21: ...How Routers with Guidebushes Work CHAPTER 3 The Guidebush is the vital link between router and jig Here s how it works D1600 Ch03 indd 15 4 4 05 12 18 15 PM ...

Page 22: ...one size of guidebush is used with the Leigh D1600 Jig 7 16 11 1mm OD outside diameter See page 102 Guidebush Selection 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 2 The cutter or bit goes through the guidebush and fits in the router collet or chuck 3 3 The projecting part of the guidebush runs along the side edge of a guide The rotating cuttercutsthewoodonly andtouchesneither the guidebush nor the guide surface D1600 Ch03 ind...

Page 23: ...Operation Concepts and Basic Jig Functions CHAPTER 4 D1600 Ch04 indd 17 4 4 05 12 20 10 PM ...

Page 24: ...the boards in the correct position each time 4 2 The guidefinger assembly slides in the sup portbracketsabovetheworkpiece Thefinger assemblyisadjustedinoroutusingcalibrated scalesoneachendtosuitdifferentthicknesses of vertical boards 4 3 Thefingerassemblyisraisedorloweredusing the support brackets to suit different thick nesses of horizontal boards D1600 Ch04 indd 18 4 4 05 12 20 13 PM ...

Page 25: ...n here Millimetre scales have similar layouts The inactive scale is always on the rear of each scale assembly and is upside down The active scale is always on the front of each scale assembly Scales are colour coded Green Half Blind Dovetails Silver Through Dovetails Each scale has it s own mode icon a drawing of the joint part made in that mode Reading scales from directly above helps sight the l...

Page 26: ...with the Finger Assembly in the DTD TAIL mode and follow these steps on your jig Grasping the simple basic concept of operation will now greatly assist you in understanding the instructions Note that the active guide surface against which the guidebush runs is indicated in red in these illustrations MODE ICONS Each illustration in this manual includes the correct mode icon for it s current instruc...

Page 27: ...21 ACTIVE GUIDE SURFACES ACTIVE GUIDE SURFACES TD PINS TD TAILS TD PINS HB PINS D1600 Ch04 indd 21 4 4 05 12 20 24 PM ...

Page 28: ... Assembly is in HALF BLIND DOVETAIL PINS HB PINS mode 5 Now the Finger Assembly is in HALF BLIND DOVETAIL TAILS HB TAILS mode 7 ROTATE the finger assembly toward you 180 6 CONCEPT OF JIG OPERATION HALF BLIND DOVETAILS INCHES MILLIMETRES 10 15 20 5 HB TAILS INCHES MILLIMETRES D1600 Ch04 indd 22 4 4 05 12 20 29 PM ...

Page 29: ...23 ACTIVE GUIDE SURFACES ACTIVE GUIDE SURFACES HB TAILS HB PINS D1600 Ch04 indd 23 4 4 05 12 20 31 PM ...

Page 30: ...nce 8 Sliding Dovetail tails are cut across the board end edge 10 KEEP the finger assembly in the same mode 9 CONCEPT OF JIG OPERATION SLIDING DOVETAIL JOINTS The HB TAILS mode is also used with the cross cut fence to cut sliding dovetail joints Sliding Dovetail slots are cut across the board face HB TAILS INCHES MILLIMETRES INCHES MILLIMETRES HB TAILS D1600 Ch04 indd 24 4 4 05 12 20 34 PM ...

Page 31: ...25 ACTIVE GUIDE SURFACE ACTIVE GUIDE SURFACE D1600 Ch04 indd 25 4 4 05 12 20 35 PM ...

Page 32: ...O P E R A T I O N C O N C E P T S A N D B A S I C J I G F U N C T I O N S User Guide 26 Chapter 4 D1600 Ch04 indd 26 4 4 05 12 20 36 PM ...

Page 33: ...Using Your Jig Safely CHAPTER 5 Safety is not optional Read and follow the recommendations in this chapter D1600 Ch05 indd 27 4 4 05 12 22 03 PM ...

Page 34: ...turer s instructions com pletely 5 2 Most importantly always wear approved safety glasses when using a router Always wear hearing protection when using a router Protect yourself from harmful dust by wear ing a face mask 5 3 Never drink alcohol or take medica tions that may cause drowsiness when you will be operating a router D1600 Ch05 indd 28 4 4 05 12 22 05 PM ...

Page 35: ...n all the areas you plan to rout and the cutter does not touch the guidebush or jig 5 5 Do not tilt the router on the jig Keep the router flat on the jig assembly 5 6 If you insist on removing the router from the jig while it is still revolving always pull it straight off the jig horizontally and do not raise or lower the router until it is com pletely clear of the jig D1600 Ch05 indd 29 4 4 05 12...

Page 36: ... a stop nut to prevent this from happening accidentally 5 9 If you have never used your router before be sure to follow the router manufactur er s instructions for its use Make plenty of simple open face practice cuts without a guidebush before you try to use the router on the Leigh jig You must of course always use a guidebush when routing on the Leigh Jig D1600 Ch05 indd 30 4 4 05 12 22 15 PM ...

Page 37: ...Wood Preparation CHAPTER 6 Garbage In Garbage Out This adage of the computer age stands equally true for dovetail jigs D1600 Ch06 indd 31 4 4 05 12 23 23 PM ...

Page 38: ...epare some 3 4 x 51 2 20x140mm boards Cut them to length as you need them for the jig tests you want to perform Use them for practice with the jig s various joint modes so you can see how the different modes work Remember though that boards of unequal thicknesses can be joined just as easily 6 3 Dovetail joints are intended for joining end grain to end grain Attempting to cut dovetails in side gra...

Page 39: ...Router Preparation CHAPTER 7 D1600 Ch07 indd 33 4 4 05 12 24 23 PM ...

Page 40: ...fit the cutter shank as deeply into the collet as possible Always rout with the collet as close to the guidebush as pos sible Usually you will not be able to get the collet wrench securely on the collet nut with the collet at its optimum low position so fit the cutter into the collet so that the remaining travel between the collet and the guidebush will let the cutter reach the required depth of c...

Page 41: ...tion see 9 7 Cutter projection is always 500 12 7mm more than depth of cut 2 7 6 Ideally the router collet and cutter should be concentric centred to the guidebush as in figure 7 5 Regrettably this is often not the case the cutter can be off centre eccentric to the guidebush The illustration shows the problem highly exaggerated The good news cutter to bush alignment doesn t affect joint fit or flu...

Page 42: ...terswithdifferentcutter to guidebush offsets misalignment shown highly exaggerated 2 2 7 8 will cause pin to tailboard misalignment again shown highly exaggerated Fortunately some newer routers have sub bases that can adjust for concentricity If you don t have this type it might pay to stick to a single router for through dovetails 3 3 D1600 Ch07 indd 36 4 4 05 12 24 26 PM ...

Page 43: ...utters and board sizes just because they are easy to work with When you have cut some practice joints and gained confidence in your ability to get the results you want feel free to use the cutter selection charts in Appendix II to plan whatever dovetail routing you need for your own projects D1600 Ch08 indd 37 4 4 05 12 26 05 PM ...

Page 44: ...he tail ends In fact the box can be put together in eight different ways each of the four corners will fit two ways 8 3 For this trial you will need five identical boards3 4 x5 1 2 20x140mm x8 200mm or so long Make sure that you mark the inside faces of the two tailboards and the outside faces of the three pinboards you may not need to use one of the pinboards Use a router with a 7 16 11 1mm O D g...

Page 45: ...rt board in the rear clamp 8 6 Place the finger assembly on the support brackets in the d TD PINS mode flat on the spacer board and with the scale set on the 1 2 12 7mm setting for now Don t worry about the scale s specific meaning now Each scale s use will be fully explained in the appropriate section D1600 Ch08 indd 39 4 4 05 12 26 11 PM ...

Page 46: ...he finished joint pattern 8 8 Loosen the support bracket knobs and raise the finger assembly about 1 16 2mm above the boards and re tighten the knobs This will allow easy and accurate guidefinger adjustment 1 8 9 This joint layout is only a suggestion for this trial It has a typical traditional symmetrical layout of pins with half pins at each edge The Leigh D1600 jig however allows for an infinit...

Page 47: ...nger with its cen treline about 1 8 3mm in from the left edge of the board to form a half pin 8 12 Leave three guidefingers over the board and lock the right most guidefinger with its centreline about 1 8 3mm in from the right edge of the board to form the other half pin Judge this distance by eye it need not be exact The sockets and pins will align automatically 2 D1600 Ch08 indd 41 4 4 05 12 26 ...

Page 48: ...e finished joint will look right 8 14 Tighten any other loose guidefingers 8 15 Rotate the finger assembly to the D TD TAILSmode andsetittothe ALL position on the scale Lower the finger assembly onto the spacer board All TD tails are routed at this ALL setting This setting allows the dovetail cutter to pass completely through all tail boards 10 5 D1600 Ch08 indd 42 4 4 05 12 26 41 PM ...

Page 49: ...n routing 8 18 Place the router on the finger assembly and adjust the router until the dovetail cutter tip is level with the centre of the pencil line Note This means the pin socket will be half a thin pencil line deeper than the thickness of the pin board leaving minimal clean up after assembly Check to make sure the cutter rotates freely D1600 Ch08 indd 43 4 4 05 12 26 49 PM ...

Page 50: ...ut only between the rounded guidefinger tips See Hints andTips Chapter 15 1 8 20 Before removing the routed board from the jig check by eye and touch to make sure no parts have been missed Release the clamp and reverse the tail board in the jig keep ing the same inside face i away from the jig body Rout the other end of this tail board and both ends of the second tail board in the same fashion 8 2...

Page 51: ...thepintoberouted This matches the size of dovetail cutter just used to rout the tails The increment lines onthescale havetwoimportantfunctions First the lines are spaced so that moving the fingerassemblybyoneincrementchangesthe jointglue linegapbyjust0 005 0 125mm Evenbetter aonequarterdivisionmovement changes the fit by 0 00125 0 03mm a tiny one and a quarter thousandth of an inch Second once you...

Page 52: ...ely 8 25 Unplug the router and remove the dovetail cutter Mount the No 140 8 or 140 straight cutter to the router included with the D1600 8 24 Clamp a test pin board against the left hand side stop outside face o away from the jig with the top end flush under the guides Placethesideedgeofoneofthefinishedtailboards horizontally flush under the guidefingers and mark a thin pencil line part way acros...

Page 53: ...t is perfect perhaps a tap with the heel of your hand Having to use a mallet means the joint is too tight to take glue 90o 8 29 If it is too tight move the finger assembly in away from you by one division on the scale If it is only a little tight adjust the scale by only half a division Replace the same pin board back in the jig carefully aligned against the same side stop Rout off the sides of th...

Page 54: ...r assembly out toward you Reset the finger assembly and test again on the other end of this fifth board 8 31 Once the correct fit is achieved mark the final d TD PINS scale setting on one of the scale prints at the end of this chapter for future reference Very slight variations to the scale setting may be necessary with different wood species or hardness 8 32 Rout all four ends of the pin boards k...

Page 55: ...up either way X A A X Y Y 1 8 34 The box should be square and in plane If it is not in plane i e the side edges of each board are not in line then either the ends of the boards are not square the board widths are not exactly equal or there is a concentricity problem see 7 6 to 7 7 8 35 To form angled dovetails refer to theTips Techniques bulletin How to Rout Angled Through Dovetails on your Leigh ...

Page 56: ...T H R O U G H D O V E T A I L P R O C E D U R E S User Guide 50 Chapter 8 Project Settings Inch Scales D1600 Ch08 indd 50 4 4 05 12 27 16 PM ...

Page 57: ...fit and how the angle of the cutter affects that depth of cut Reviewing the instructions and illustrations in this chapter will make this concept clear Note Only a 7 16 OD guidebush and the five cutters listed on the next page may be used for half blind dovetails See Half Blind Cutter Selection in Appendix II for a full description on how to select the appropriate cutter D1600 Ch09 indd 51 4 4 05 ...

Page 58: ...ach of the five cutters illustrated above Raising the cutter above its specified cutting depth will result in loose joints and may dam age the jig cutter and or guidebush A lower setting will result in tighter joints that may not fit together Small Depth of Cut adjustments will change joint fit tightness See 9 3 to 9 5 for why 9 2 Important Read This About Depth of Cut Half blind PINS and TAILS ar...

Page 59: ...9 4 Note that decreasing the cutter depth makes the pin narrower while the pin socket stays the same width producing a loose fit Decreasing the cutter depth i e raise the cutter into the router produces a looser fit 1 3 2 9 5 Increasing the cutter depth makes the pin larger while the pin socket stays the same width producing too tight a fit Increasing the cutter depth i e lower the cutter produces...

Page 60: ...tingiscommon to all dovetail jigs The good news we provide you withthestartingdepthforeachcutterandthe best fitdepth ismeasurableandrecordableforallfuture first time fits by measuring either the successful depth of cut or the cutter projection 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 0 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1 64 01 60 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ...

Page 61: ...s instance The HHBTAILS scale is always set at the tail board thickness 9 11 Measure and mark a line on the inside face of the tail board to the working depth of the cutter to be used as in 9 2 Clamp this test tail board in the left front clamp against the side stop with the top edge flush under the guidefingers and the inside face i of the drawer side away from the jig 1 D1600 Ch09 indd 55 4 4 05...

Page 62: ...ins with half pins at each edge The Leigh jig however allows for an infinite variety of joint designs and boards of different thicknesses can be joined to each other as shown in this illustration Before attempting joints of asymmetrical design please see chapter 14 9 14 Ignoring the extreme outer guidefinger next to the scale which just supports the router loosen enough of the adjacent guides to g...

Page 63: ...ompleting a project save the bridge pieces for future use 1 2 9 16 Remember to tighten any loose guidefingers Lower the finger assembly back onto the spacer board and workpiece It must touch the workpiece or the depth of cut will vary and the joint won t fit The scale should be set on the tailboard thickness in this case 3 4 20mm 9 17 Attachtheprovided7 16 11 1mm guidebush or equivalent to the rou...

Page 64: ...ove the router from right to left Make sure you control it firmly because it is driven in this direction by the cutter Only the tip of the cutter should be cutting on the first cut This back or climb routing leaves a very clean shoulder in side grain 2 1 9 20 Now rout in and out from left to right fol lowing the guides and bridge pieces to rout out the pin sockets leaving the tails See Hints and T...

Page 65: ... If you wish to rout a pin board less than the minimum thickness it will be necessary to pack the board up from the jig body We suggest using a piece of 1 4 to 3 8 6 to 9mm plywood for this purpose 2 1 9 23 Flush Drawers Place a test pin board in the left rear clamp against the side stop fitting its front end edge flush against the vertical scrap piece with the inside face i of the drawer front aw...

Page 66: ...idefingers must be touching the pin board or the depth of cut will vary and cause poor joint fit 9 25 If you have difficulty leveling the finger assembly on a narrow workpiece place a board the same thickness as the pin board under the other end of the finger assembly but not in the rear clamp 9 26 Rout out the waste between the pins Rout each space from left to right Do not back rout on end grain...

Page 67: ...quick set up next time clamp this tail board in the jig as a depth of cut gauge to show how far to lower the cutter Better yet measure the cutter projec tion from the end of the guidebush or guidebush flange and record this for fast set ups in future 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4 3 2 1 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 6 0 7 0 8 0 9 0 1 6 4 01 60 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 1 3 2 9 29 When you have t...

Page 68: ...he amount required 9 31 If the tails fit in too far past the pins ends set the hHB PINS scale toward the opera tor by the amount required These adjust ments for flushness are made only in the hHB PINS mode 1 64 0 3mm 9 32 To make a box rout all four ends of the tail boards keeping the inside face i of the tail boards away from the jig D1600 Ch09 indd 62 4 4 05 1 30 07 PM ...

Page 69: ...making drawers you may prefer to use through dovetails on the rear corners 9 34 Assemble the box As with through dovetails it doesn t matter which edge of any of the boards are at the top or bottom the box will still fit together e g pin board A can be up either way X A A X Y Y D1600 Ch09 indd 63 4 4 05 1 30 09 PM ...

Page 70: ...H A L F B L I N D D O V E T A I L P R O C E D U R E S User Guide 64 Chapter 9 D1600 Ch09 indd 64 4 4 05 1 30 10 PM ...

Page 71: ...beted Half Blind Dovetails CHAPTER 10 Before attempting rabbeted half blind dovetails first master the techniques of flush half blind dovetails in the previous chapter D1600 Ch10 indd 65 4 4 05 1 33 03 PM ...

Page 72: ...eted Pins You will need to block the scrap stop in the front of the jig out from the jig s front face by exactly the width of the rabbet An easy accurate way to do this is to rab bettheendofthescrappiece vertically over a dado blade or router cutter at the same time as you rabbet the drawer front horizontally 2 3 2 3 1 10 3 This brings the pin ends exactly in line with the front jig face ensuring ...

Page 73: ... 3 8 For example a 5 8 rabbet would require the tailboard to be offset by an additional 1 4 Make a spacer block of the required width and 3 1 2 10 5 Stick the block to the jig face with double sided tape making sure it touches the side stop 1 10 6 The drawer side will now be stepped in from the side stop by the width of the rabbet bringing the sockets in line with the pins D1600 Ch10 indd 67 4 4 0...

Page 74: ...r that has a working depth of cut less than the rabbet height Otherwise you will rout into the rabbet 10 8 It is difficult to clean up the drawer sides and front corner after assembling a rab beted drawer so make sure the fit is flush before you complete the drawers see 9 28 to 9 30 D1600 Ch10 indd 68 4 4 05 1 33 13 PM ...

Page 75: ...joint layouts are one example On the Leigh D1600 no joints will be truly symmetrical but they can look symmetrical Apparent symmetry is only required for aesthetic reasons and not for strength Be sure you have read and understood chapters 8 through 10 before attempting these procedures D1600 Ch11 indd 69 4 4 05 1 34 38 PM ...

Page 76: ...ing Remember symmetry is only required for appearance not for joinery reasons 11 2 An asymmetrical joint has a deliberately uneven layout of pins and tails desired for a project design for example this drop front drawer The half pin at the bottom of the drawer is much wider than the top half pin As the top edges of the front and sides are flush it makes sense to use these edges against the side st...

Page 77: ...f asymmetry is the top cornersofaslant frontdesk Thejointsthem selves may be symmetrical but they must be routed on opposite ends of the jig because the sloped front edges will not register accurately against the fixed vertical side stops 11 6 At the back of the desk both sides and top are flush so the rear edges are set against the side stops Place the left end of the top tail board against the l...

Page 78: ... side stop e Rout the pins 11 8 To lay out the joint at the right end of the jig turn the left hand tailboard like a book page against the right side stop Lay out the fingers over the pins you just cut 11 9 Place the right side of desk against the right side stop f Rout the pins D1600 Ch11 indd 72 4 4 05 1 34 46 PM ...

Page 79: ...tails Then rotate the board and clamp against the right side stop to rout the tails in the other end 11 11 Note If intheslant frontdeskexample thepins were in the desk top and the tails in the sides thenallthepartswouldberoutedintheopposite ends of the jig to those shown above D1600 Ch11 indd 73 4 4 05 1 34 52 PM ...

Page 80: ...A S Y M M E T R I C D O V E T A I L S User Guide 74 Chapter 11 D1600 Ch11 indd 74 4 4 05 1 34 57 PM ...

Page 81: ...ards is very tough on dovetail cutters Always use the largest shank size available to you We recommend using 8mm shanks with the 7 16 11 1mm guidebush on the D1600 If you have to use 1 4 shanks in hardwood first use a straight cutter to rough out the slot centre D1600 Ch12 indd 75 4 4 05 1 36 28 PM ...

Page 82: ...evenly across the jig and firmly seat the fence into end of each guidefinger to ensure a straight cut 12 2 Usingthecrosscutfenceasaguidesurfacefor the guidebush you can make lateral router cuts across the faces of horizontal boards dovetail slots and 12 3 Across the top ends of vertical boards to cut the tails First rout one side Then turn the board side over side to cut the other half of the tail...

Page 83: ... ness Ifthetailboardistobeaload bearing horizontal member e g bookshelf or step then make the tail fairly thick to ensure that the tail neck will be strong Shorter sliding dovetails with fewer structural demands on them may be slightly deeper with narrower profiles especially if appearance is impor tant e g where narrow rails join wider boards 3 2 2 3 1 3 1 12 6 Use3 4 x51 2 20x140mm softwoodtomak...

Page 84: ...how to rout close to both ends Mark the narrow test slot board in the same way at several closely spaced random spots This board is used only for setup 12 8 On the test slot board only square the marks across the face 12 9 Mount the test slot board in the rear clamp markings up Mount a 3 4 20mm thick square ended board vertically in the front clamp against the side stop with the top edge butting t...

Page 85: ...TAILS mode set the scale to 9 16 14mm The routed slot will be close to centred on the slot line Make sure the finger assembly is level and sitting flush on top of the board 1 1 12 12 Adjust the cutter so the cut depth is about 5 16 8mm Rout from left to right maintain ing light inward pressure of the guidebush on the fence Rout in only about 1 25mm and back out again Do not lift the router D1600 C...

Page 86: ...rd the setting for future reference 12 14 Now rout sliding dovetail slots in the two main slot boards with the boards in the hori zontal position in the rear clamp slot side that is inside face i up The guidefingers must be flush on the board 12 15 Replace the spacer board in the rear clamp and with the finger assembly on the spacer board mountatesttailboardverticallyinthe front clamp flush under ...

Page 87: ...Routonesideofthetesttailboard Make one light pass from right to left climb routing Make sure you control it firmly because it is driven in this direction by the cutter Only the tip of the cutter should be cutting on the first cut see inset This back or climb routing leaves a very clean shoulder in side grain 12 18 Finishlefttoright withtheguidebushtouch ing the fence Turn the test tail board aroun...

Page 88: ...f the amount the tail is too big Rout the same test board again and keep adjusting and testing until youhaveagoodfit Note Variationsinboard thickness guidebush diameter cutter depth angle diameter and concentricity make it impractical to record or chart scale settings for sliding tail size Use trial and error each time It doesn t take long and you get a good fit 2 1 12 21 When the fit is satisfact...

Page 89: ...om where you want the slot stopped to a position on the finger assembly Move a guidefinger to that point and mark the guidefinger with a felt pen as a visual router stop mark 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 12 24 Or lightly clamp with a soft jawed clamp a short board to the finger assembly to act as a router stop D1600 Ch12 indd 83 4 4 05 1 37 02 PM ...

Page 90: ...pullstheguidebushagainst the fence However as when routing close to both ends of a board it is sometimes neces sary to rout slots from right to left If so use a slower feed rate and maintain constant pres sure of the guidebush on the fence because now the cutter rotation will tend to pull the router away from the fence D1600 Ch12 indd 84 4 4 05 1 37 07 PM ...

Page 91: ...Quick Reference Through Dovetails CHAPTER 13 You haven t used the jig for a while and just need reminding of the basics Here they are for Through Dovetails D1600 Ch13 indd 85 4 4 05 1 38 50 PM ...

Page 92: ...nside face i of the TD tails is away from the jig body The finger assembly is in the D TD TAILS mode set on the ALL setting There is only one setting in this mode 5 13 3 The finger assembly is in the dTD PINS mode with the scale set to a recorded set ting see detailed instructions to fit on pages 45 48 TD pins are cut with a straight cut ter the only time a straight cutter is used in dovetailing T...

Page 93: ... Please study the cutter andguidebushselection appendices for a full explanation Thickness of Thickness of Dovetail Straight Guidebush Tail Board Pin Board Cutter Cutter Diameter up to 13 16 21 1 2 13 16 12 20 No 80 8 No 140 8 up to 13 16 21 3 8 5 8 10 16 No 75 8 No 140 8 up to 13 16 21 1 4 1 2 6 13 No 70 8 No 140 8 7 16 11 1 up to 13 16 21 up to 3 8 10 No 60 8 No 140 8 up to 13 16 21 up to 1 4 6 ...

Page 94: ...Q U I C K R E F E R E N C E T H R O U G H D O V E T A I L S User Guide 88 Chapter 13 D1600 Ch13 indd 88 4 4 05 1 38 56 PM ...

Page 95: ...there is only one perfect depth of cut for a given cutter that will produce perfectly mating Pins and Sockets This one depth is determined by the angle of the selected cutter Any other depth will produce a joint that is either looser or tighter than perfect fit This perfect depth of cut is discovered by raising or lowering the cutter during trial and error test cuts Please read the next page caref...

Page 96: ...oints and may dam age the jig cutter and or guidebush A lower setting will result in tighter joints that may not fit together Small Depth of Cut adjustments will change joint fit tightness See 9 3 to 9 6 for why Half blind PINS and TAILS are routed with the same dovetail cutter and must be at the same Depth of Cut Choose one of the five 1 2 12 7 mm diam eter dovetail cutters shown above and check ...

Page 97: ...r front faces away from the jig body The finger assembly is in the hHB PINS mode and again set on the thickness of the drawer side but adjusted for a flush fit see 9 29 to 9 31 14 4 On the Leigh D1600 Jig all half blind dovetails are routed using a 7 16 11 1mm O D guidebush Numbers in brackets are millimetres 7 16 11 1mm Thickness of Tail Board Thickness of Pin Board Dovetail Cutter Guidebush Diam...

Page 98: ...Q U I C K R E F E R E N C E H A L F B L I N D D O V E T A I L S User Guide 92 Chapter 14 D1600 Ch14 indd 92 4 4 05 1 40 11 PM ...

Page 99: ...Hints and Tips CHAPTER 15 Here are some special techniques and ideas to help you get the most out of your Leigh D1600 Jig D1600 Ch15 indd 93 4 4 05 1 41 05 PM ...

Page 100: ...limb routing Climb routing produces a nice clean shoul der at Note For clarity the guidebush is not shown in this sequence 1 15 2 Rout through on the right side until the cutter is clear of the workpiece Move the cutter to the left side and climb cut left to right 15 3 Climb rout from left to right from the rear of the cut Take care to control router D1600 Ch15 indd 94 4 4 05 1 41 07 PM ...

Page 101: ...s If you want to try them you should be aware that while the high speed steel bits take a better edge they are much less durable than the more costly solid carbide type 15 6 Preventing TD Pins Tearout To help prevent tearout at the back bottom part of a straight cut scribe a line with your marking gauge across the back of the pin board at exactly the depth of cut D1600 Ch15 indd 95 4 4 05 1 41 10 ...

Page 102: ...at the top left exit of the cut 15 8 To help prevent this back up the cut with the end grain of a horizontal board pushed against the back of the workpiece and held in the rear clamp This board replaces the spacer board 15 9 This same scrap piece can remain in place for successive cuts D1600 Ch15 indd 96 4 4 05 1 41 12 PM ...

Page 103: ...le scrap piece can be C clamped on the back of half blind tails but make sure you protect the workpiece from the clamp pads Note There is no 100 solution to tearout It s not the jig s fault just something that happens when machining sawing and even chiselingwood Importantpiecesfallofffrom where you least want them to 15 12 On face cuts whether using a straight cutter or a dovetail cutter climb rou...

Page 104: ... illustration Do not use a set of steps Steps are not stable enough 15 14 When placing long horizontal boards in the rear clamp make sure the rear end of the board is supported to prevent unnecessary racking of the jig 15 15 Using The Router Mark the router base top edge at the 12 o clock position with a felt marker pen Without wood or cutters try some dry runs in each jig mode This will soon get ...

Page 105: ... corners A slight chamfer oftheedgeswithafinefileorsandpaperblock will ease router movement on the jig An occasional light spray of TopCote or application of soft wax to the router base makes for smooth easy router movement on the jig D1600 Ch15 indd 99 4 4 05 1 41 19 PM ...

Page 106: ...H I N T S A N D T I P S User Guide 100 Chapter 15 D1600 Ch15 indd 100 4 4 05 1 41 19 PM ...

Page 107: ...idebush is the vital link between the router and your Leigh Jig It precisely steers the router Where possible always use the Leigh system to ensure correct bush length and precise diameter for accurate results D1600 ChA1 indd 101 4 4 05 1 46 20 PM ...

Page 108: ...cutter Nos 50 8 50 60 8 60 70 8 70 75 8 75 80 8 80 101 8 101 112 8 112 120 8 120 128 8 128 and straight cutter Nos 140 8 and 140 Here are two types of Leigh guidebush and five Leigh adapters Use the chart on page 104 to select the adaptor and or guidebush requiredforyourrouter The711TPcomes standard with your D1600 Except for sliding dovetails see page 113 Adapter No 704 Adapter No 703 706 CANADA ...

Page 109: ... routers The Leigh 711 guidebush fits directly to some routers using the screws that come with the router Leigh universal adapters fit to a wide range of plunge routers and generally accept the Leigh 711 bushes or 711TP bushes D1600 ChA1 indd 103 4 4 05 1 46 26 PM ...

Page 110: ...ptor required 711 Screws incl w router OF15 OF15E OF97 OF97E 706 711 u MOF68 MOF69 MOF96 MOF96E No adaptor required 711 Screws incl w router ELU MOF131 MOF177 Type 1 2 3 702 711 u MOF177 Type 4 MOF177EK 702R 711 u 2720 2721 3328 No adaptor required 711TP Threaded nut included 3303 3304 E09600 or 761 270 00 711TP Threaded nut included 3337 3338 3339 702 711 u FEIN RT1800 Adapter supplied w router 7...

Page 111: ...Cutter Selection APPENDIX II D1600 ChA2 indd 105 4 4 05 1 47 38 PM ...

Page 112: ... Pins The matching straight cutter is listed just below the dovetail cutters The 5 16 diameter No 140 8 8mm shank is the only straight cutter you need with the D1600 The 1 4 shank No 140 is also available Guidebush All through dovetails on the D1600 are routed with a 7 16 OD guidebush See page 102 Shank Selection Note Ifyourrouterhasan8mmorlargercollet wehighlyrecommendyouuseour8mmshank cutters in...

Page 113: ...ovetails at less than the minimum depth of cut specified 2 3 1 Leigh Through Dovetail Cutters Numbers in brackets are millimetres No 80 8 and No 140 8 cutters come standard with the Leigh D1600 Jig Note Cutter and joint drawings are about 75 actual size Joint from Bit No 80 F A B Cutter 140 8 C Cutter 80 bw dim C F A B D E A B C D E F Guidebush Cutters Overall Diameter Cutting Depth Range Shank Di...

Page 114: ...e Shank Diameters Shank Length Overall Length Angle Diameter No 70 8 3 8 9 5 1 4 to 1 2 6 0 13 0 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 1 4 57 0 8 7 16 11 1 No 140 8 5 16 7 9 up to 1 26 0 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 3 4 70 0 7 16 11 1 No 70 No 70 8 No 140 No 140 8 Numbers in brackets are millimetres No 80 8 and No 140 8 cutters come standard with the Leigh D1600 Jig Joint from Bit No 60 F A B Cutter 140 8 C Cutter 6...

Page 115: ...r Cutting Depth Range Shank Diameters Shank Length Overall Length Angle Diameter No 50 8 1 4 6 35 up to 1 4 6 35 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 50 0 8 7 16 11 1 No 140 8 5 16 7 9 up to 1 26 0 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 3 4 70 0 7 16 11 1 No 50 No 140 No 140 8 No 50 8 Note Cutter and joint drawings are about 75 actual size D1600 ChA2 indd 109 4 4 05 1 47 44 PM ...

Page 116: ... not be varied except for minor adjust ments for joint fit See page 53 Measure the drawer front thickness minimum 1 2 12mm or rabbet depth minimum 7 16 11 1mm and select the cutter with the appropriate depth of cut B from one of the five cutters on the following pages Guidebush All half blind dovetails on the D1600 are routed with a 7 16 OD guidebush See page 102 Shank Selection Note If your route...

Page 117: ... 7 16 11 1 A B C D E F Guidebush Cutters Overall Diameter Working Depth Shank Diameters Shank Length Overall Length Angle Diameter No 80 8 1 2 12 7 3 4 19 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 9 16 65 0 8 7 16 11 1 No 101 No 101 8 Joint from Bit No 112 112 8 F A B Cutter 112 8 bw dim F A B D E C Cutter 112 8 bw C No 112 No 112 8 Leigh Half Blind Dovetail Cutters Note Cutter and joint drawings are about 75 actua...

Page 118: ... 18 7 16 11 1 No 128 No 128 8 Joint from Bit No 120 120 8 F A B Cutter 120 8 bw dim C F A B D E Cutter 120 bw C No 120 No 120 8 A B C D E F Guidebush Cutters Overall Diameter Working Depth Shank Diameters Shank Length Overall Length Angle Diameter No 120 8 1 2 12 7 7 16 11 0 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 1 4 57 14 7 16 11 1 Note Cutter and joint drawings are about 75 actual size Numbers in brackets are ...

Page 119: ...Jig Parts List APPENDIX III D1600 ChA3 indd 113 4 15 05 2 52 10 PM ...

Page 120: ...ng 7010 1 L H End Housing 7015 1 R H Support Bracket 7020 1 L H Support Bracket 7025 2 Quadrant Knobs 7100 4 Clamp T Bolts 5 16 18 7105 1 Front Clamp Bar complete with End Plugs 7115 7110 1 Rear Clamp Bar complete with End Plugs 7115 7120 4 Clamp Pivot nuts 7125 4 Cam Clamps 7200 11 Finger 7210 13 Finger Nuts 7215 13 Finger Washer 7220 13 Finger Wedges 7225 13 Finger Lock Screws 8 32 7230 1 R H In...

Page 121: ...3 300 311 371 6145 7025 6030 7100 283 300 311 6060 7300 7305 80 8 80 172 8 550 120 8 120 140 8 140 Leigh Dovetail Jig Leigh Dovetail Jig NOTE When ordering parts please quote the jig model serial number part number part description and quantity required Pay particular attention to the scale measure ment inch or metric D1600 ChA3 indd 115 4 15 05 2 52 11 PM ...

Page 122: ...J I G P A R T S L I S T User Guide 116 Appendix III D1600 ChA3 indd 116 4 15 05 2 52 14 PM ...

Page 123: ...Customer Support Appendix IV D1600 ChA4 indd 117 4 4 05 1 50 05 PM ...

Page 124: ...ijdom C R Swart Drives Randburg Johannesburg Tel 011 791 0844 46 Fax 011 791 0850 Email info hardwarecentre co za Web www hardwarecentre co za Guide will provide you with the answers to any questions you may have If this is not the case please feel free to contact our technical support staff or our distributor in your country by any of the means listed below Leigh Industries Ltd EST 1981 P O Box 3...

Page 125: ...119 D1600 ChA4 indd 119 4 4 05 1 50 05 PM ...

Page 126: ...tlam BC Canada V3C 4K6 1995 Leigh Industries Ltd All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Leigh Industries Ltd 04 05 Joining Tradition with Today D1600 ChA4 indd 120 4 4 05 1 50 06 PM ...

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