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CONTENTS AND STANDARDS

ii

D4R Pro User Guide

Preface 

Standards, Accessories and More .............................................iii

Chapter 1 

Jig Assembly, Mounting, and Using The Clamps ......................1

Chapter 2 

Adjusting the Finger Assembly ..................................................7

Chapter 3 

The Leigh eBush and Optional Guidebushes ............................9

Chapter 4 

Basic Jig Functions and Scale Modes .......................................11

Chapter 5 

Using Your Jig Safely ................................................................13

Chapter 6 

Wood Preparation ....................................................................15

Chapter 7 

Router Preparation ...................................................................17

Chapter 8 

Through Dovetails ....................................................................19

Chapter 9 

Large and Small Through Dovetails ........................................29

Chapter 10 

Variably Spaced Half-Blind Dovetails ......................................31

Chapter 11 

Single Pass Half-Blind Dovetails ..............................................39

Chapter 12 

Rabbeted Half-Blind Dovetails ................................................45

Chapter 13 

End-on-End Dovetails ...............................................................47

Chapter 14 

Asymmetric Dovetails ..............................................................49

Chapter 15 

Box Joints ..................................................................................53

Chapter 16 

Sliding Dovetails .......................................................................59

Chapter 17 

Hints & Tips ...............................................................................65

Appendix I 

Attaching the Leigh eBush to the Router ................................69

Appendix II 

Bit Selection ..............................................................................71

Appendix III 

Jig Parts .....................................................................................79

Appendix IV  Customer Support ....................................................................83

T E C H N I C A L   B U L L E T I N S

Downloadable pdfs are available at leighjigs.com on the Support page for 
these How To’s and more for your Leigh D4R Pro jig:

 

• Angled Through Dovetails
• Jumbo Half-Blind Dovetails
• Inlaid Through and Half-Blind Dovetails
• Needle Pins
• Through Dovetail Pins At Less Than 1" Centers
• Shelf Holes and Notches
• Clamp Short Boards on your Leigh Dovetail Jig – Quick Method
• Clamp Short Boards on your Leigh Dovetail Jig – Adjustable Width

The online video will reduce your learning time 
dramatically! 

Stream to your smart phone or tablet to use in 

your shop as a visual reference. Find the video in the Instructional 

Videos section of the Support menu at 

leighjigs.com

.

Watch the Online Instructional Video

Summary of Contents for D4R Pro

Page 1: ...For the Leigh D4R Pro 24 Dovetail Jig Joining Tradition with Today Dedicated Customer Support 1 800 663 8932 ...

Page 2: ...16 Sliding Dovetails 59 Chapter 17 Hints Tips 65 Appendix I Attaching the Leigh eBush to the Router 69 Appendix II Bit Selection 71 Appendix III Jig Parts 79 Appendix IV Customer Support 83 T E C H N I C A L B U L L E T I N S Downloadable pdfs are available at leighjigs com on the Support page for these How To s and more for your Leigh D4R Pro jig Angled Through Dovetails Jumbo Half Blind Dovetail...

Page 3: ...nstructions most jig illustrations show a jig considerably shorter than the standard 24 610mm Where finger assembly scales overlay an illustration the inches scale will be at the top and millimeters scale at the bot tom Only the right hand active half of the scales are illustrated For clarity setting positions are indicated with a red line in the guide only On the jig the lines are black 1 2 We re...

Page 4: ...guidefinger assembly can be in any one of four joint modes depending on what type of joint and which part of the joint you are routing Each finger assembly scale has it s own mode icon identifying the joint part being routed You will also find the joint mode icon in the top left corner of most illustrations indicating which finger assembly mode to use Sometimesajointmodeiconwillbeusedtoidentifyabo...

Page 5: ...Caution use special care for this operation Numbered References in text This icon o indicates 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 f...

Page 6: ...iece Bit Set Item 5116 8 15 piece Bit Set Combine the VRS with a Bit Set for Exceptional Savings The D4R Pro Accessory Kit is the best deal going Enjoy great savings on the 12 piece Bit Set and even greater savings when you combine it with the VRSD24 Vacuum Router Support Item ACD24 Finally Dust Free Routing and Superb Router Support A must have The VRS Vacuum Router Support is the ultimate dust a...

Page 7: ... set your woodworking pieces apart from the rest Great savings when you buy all three templates Items I1A I1B I1C and I13 3 pack Classic Multiple Mortise Tenon Joints that Last The Leigh M2 Attachment is the only one of its kind The multiple mortise tenon joint is ideal for shelf to upright construction and produces extremely strong joints that stand the test of time Item M2 24 M2M 24 Need a Helpi...

Page 8: ...so be achieved 6 optional specialty guides make square ten ons louver doors Y axis 90º mortise Single double in line and side by side triple quadruple joints Recordable repeatable fit adjustment Angled and compound angled joints Works with virtually any plunge router Heavy gauge steel frame Super FMT CNC machined alumin frame FMT Pro Multi position clamping Clamp boards up to 3 x 5 1 2 76x140mm Ea...

Page 9: ...optional items you may have ordered with your new jig Check the packing slip for this infor mation The main carton contains 9 1 main jig body 1 Leigh jig user guide 1 warranty registration card The large inner box contains 10 1 finger assembly on 2 bars D4R Pro has 26 guide fingers 13 pairs 2 lengths bridge extrusion 1 sliding dovetail fence cross cut fence 1 nylon stop rod 2 clamp bars If any ite...

Page 10: ... recesses in each end housing Holes drilled 1 24mm from the front edge of the board go to the front of the jig Now you can clamp your D4R to any bench 1 1 3 With the jig right side up insert one square nut part 284 into each of the channels in the main extrusion These nuts are for possible future attachment of accessories See Chapter 9 1 4 Insert the four clamp T bolts into the T slots two at each...

Page 11: ...x line at 3 4 20mm on the HHB TAILS scale and tighten the thumbscrews Tighten the scale screws firmly with the hex key provided If the scales are removed from the finger bar for any reason follow this procedure to re attach them 1 2 1 10 Loosenthethumbscrewsandmakesurethefingerassembly slides on and off the support brackets smoothly in both the tail and pin modes Move the outermost guidefinger at ...

Page 12: ...out right 1 15 When engaged the front clamp levers should point down and the rear clamp levers should point away from the operator 1 16 If the lever is badly positioned at the correct clamping pressure 1 17 Release the clamp remove the board and turn the step washer a quarter turn the step height inside the step washer is one quarter of the thread pitch 1 18 Then adjust the clamp until the clamp l...

Page 13: ... will have some items left over 1 straight router bit Leigh No 140 8 1 dovetail router bit Leigh No 80 8 1 dovetail router bit Leigh No 120 8 1 collet reducer 1 Leigh wrench gauge gauge Ch 9 1 accessory attachment screw Ch 9 1 hex key allen wrench 1 Leigh e7 eBush elliptical guide bushing 1 pin wrench eBush adjustment wrench 1 Leigh guide finger adjustment screwdriver 2 spacers one for single pass...

Page 14: ...JIG ASSEMBLY MOUNTING AND USING THE CLAMPS 6 Chapter 1 D4R Pro User Guide ...

Page 15: ...moving positioning and re locking them Always press down lightly on the center of each guide finger when tightening the screws If after loosening a finger it sticks and doesn t slide see header note above 1 Adjusting the Finger Assembly D4R Pro CHAPTER 2 THE FINGER ASSEMBLY IS THE HEART OF THE LEIGH JIG Spend a few minutes now to familiarize yourself with these simple adjustments NOTE The first fe...

Page 16: ...ll give ample torque for easy lock up without strain 2 6 Always tighten unused guide fingers before routing as router vibration will cause loose screws and wedge nuts to fall out and be lost 2 7 You can adjust the guide fingers by eye or by measurement to suit a set of plans Note Always lower the finger assembly down onto the workpiece before routing ...

Page 17: ...uter base changes the active diameter by 020 5mm providing minute adjustment and recordable settings for perfectly fitting box joints 1 2 1 2 7 16 11 1mm 7 16 11 1mm less 020 5mm 3 4 Here s how it works In normal use on a dovetail jig the operator does not rotate the router more than a few degrees either way In fact because of potential bit to bush eccentricity prob lems it is advisable to minimiz...

Page 18: ...h to the router and align No 10 to the scratch mark This setting is used for all through and variably spaced half blind dovetails on the D4R Pro Settings for single pass half blinds box joints and sliding dovetails are described in applicable chapters Be sure to retighten the eBush nut after each adjustment is made with the included pin wrench 3 7 The bit goes through the e7 Bush and fits in the r...

Page 19: ...Dovetails GreenbackgroundforHalf Blind Dovetails Thespecificsettingsforeach scale are fully described in the appropriate chapters Each scale has its own mode icon a drawing of the joint part made in that mode This index line is used when setting the finger assembly scales The line is illustrated in red for clarity but is black on the jig Always read scales from directlyoverheadtoavoid parallax pro...

Page 20: ... in the correct position each time 4 2 The guidefinger assembly slides on to the support brackets above the workpiece The finger assembly is adjusted in or out using calibrated scales on each end to suit different thicknesses of vertical boards 4 3 The finger assembly is raised or lowered using the support brackets to suit different thicknesses of horizontal boards ...

Page 21: ...uter manufacturer s instructions completely Always operate variable speed routers at the fastest possible speed 5 2 Always wear approved safety glasses Always wear hearing protection Protect yourself from harmful dust with a face mask Forcompletedustandwastecollection addaLeighVRS Vacuum Router Support to your jig See page vi 5 3 13 Neverdrinkalcoholortakemedicationsthatmaycause drowsiness when yo...

Page 22: ...etely clear of the jig With the Leigh VRS fitted to your jig you can simply park your router to one side 5 7 Do not rout at face level 5 8 Never release the router plunge mechanism when using dovetail bits Check if your plunge router has 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 manufacturer s instructions for ...

Page 23: ...odes so you can see how the different modes work Remember though that two boards of different thicknesses can be joined just as easily 90 6 3 Dovetail joints are intended for joining end grain to end grain Attempting to cut dovetails in side grain does not work because A The wood will tear out badly when routing B Even if you could rout them the pins and tails would easily break off across the sho...

Page 24: ...WOOD PREPARATION 16 Chapter 6 D4R Pro User Guide ...

Page 25: ...the remaining travel between collet and guidebush will let the bit reach the required depth of cut 3 5 6 1 2 4 7 3 Tighten the collet securely and lower the collet to adjust the depth of cut but make sure the collet does not contact the guidebush Some smaller collets can go down into the inside of the guide bush Take advantage of this 5 6 2 7 4 Depth of Cut The depth of cut always refers to the ac...

Page 26: ...tricity problems can only arise if two routers are used for throughdovetails oneforpins onefortails Routerswithdifferentbit 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 si...

Page 27: ... 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 Illustrations in this user guide include the correct mode icon for the cur rent instruction The icons are also used in the instruction text Concept of Jig Operation THR...

Page 28: ...n The pins fit in the pin sockets Joints should almost always end each side with half pins 2 5 4 1 6 3 Pin Board Tail Board 8 2 Let s look at how to make a simple square box When you assemble the finished pieces with the faces properly oriented any one of the pin ends will fit any one of the tail ends In fact the box can be put together in six different ways each of the four corners will fit two w...

Page 29: ... be joined to each other as shown in this illustration Before attempt ing joints of asymmetrical layout please see chapter 14 8 11 Lock the left most half pin guidefinger about 1 8 3mm in from the left edge of the board Always apply light downward pressure to each guidefinger as the finger screws are tightened This will ensure the fingers are flat and level on the bar 8 10 Ignoring the extreme out...

Page 30: ...re on the guide fingers Take care not to rout unwanted sockets where there are gaps between the pairs of fingers Rout only between the rounded guidefinger tips See Hints and Tips 17 20 1 8 13 Space and lock the three remaining pairs as shown Again judge it by eye If it looks right on the jig the finished joint will look right Note Here we have shown pins of equal width but with tails of increasing...

Page 31: ...tail bits The increment lines in the scale window are referenced to the index lines on the support brackets when making fit adjustments Once the desired fit is achieved settings can be recorded for precise setup next time 1 5 4 2 3 8 22 Finished Joint Tightness The fit of the finished joint is determined in the dTD PINS mode Moving the finger assembly outward increases the width of the pins giving...

Page 32: ...in size between the two bits and between the two guidebushes The 5 8 diameter guidebush for 11 16 joints requires that the guide fingers be opened up by 3 16 This automatically makes the pins 3 16 wider but on the same scale setting 3 4 2 1 8 24 Do the guide fingers have to be opened up precisely 3 16 4 75mm for larger combinations No just so long as they are opened up by at least 3 16 4 75mm toal...

Page 33: ... 1 to 17 5 Hints and Tips on how to minimize tearout Use only light side pressure on the guide fingers 1 1 8 30 Remove the test pin board from the jig and test it for fit in one of the tail boards Make sure the outside faces oface outward on both pieces The joint will probably be too tight A firm push fit is perfect perhaps a tap with the heel of your hand But having to use a mallet means the join...

Page 34: ...ssary with different wood species or hardness 8 35 Rout all four ends of the pin boards keeping the outside face o outwards With luck you may not have used the fifth board 8 36 Assemble the box making sure the tail boards face the proper way i e tail boards inside face in i pin boards outside face out o Provided you haven t already routed out the drawer bottom grooves it doesn t matter which edge ...

Page 35: ...nly time a straight bit is used in dovetailing 8 42 Through dovetail tails are always routed with an 8 dovetail bit to match the 8 guide finger All through dovetail routing on the D4R Pro is done with the Leigh e7 Bush or any 7 16 11 1mm diameter bush min barrel length 1 4 6 35mm See page 70 for more on routers and guide bushings The 716C or a 5 8 15 9 O D guidebush is used for 1 2 shank TD bits S...

Page 36: ...THROUGH DOVETAILS 28 Chapter 8 D4R Pro User Guide S SAM SAM E AM PLE AM PLE PL PLE PL M P PL M AM AM AM SA SA AM E PL PL M PROJECT SETTINGS INCHES METRIC ...

Page 37: ...is procedure is an extra bonus the Leigh jig was not originally designed for it The dTD PINS scale does not go down far enough so you have to space the boards away from the jig face with a shop made block fitted with its own side stop see 9 4 Use the e7 or a 7 16 11 1mm O D guidebush for these small joints 2 1 9 3 Use the same block with side stop when cutting the tails to ensure correct alignment...

Page 38: ... beginwiththesettingshown here Cut test pins in scrap stock and test for fit Adjust as necessary 9 7 For boards up to 3 8 9 5mm thick use dovetail bit 60 8 and pin bit 140 8 with the e7 or a 7 16 11 1mm guidebush To cut pins matchingthesocketsmadewithbit60 8 beginwiththesettingshown here Cuttestpiecesinsomescrapstockandtestforfit thenadjustas necessary Record the actual settings for bits 50 8 and ...

Page 39: ... Surfaces IMPORTANT The most commonly misunderstood aspect of routing half blind dovetails is how the dovetail bit s depth of cut is used to adjust the joint fit and how the angle of the bit affects that depth of cut Review this chapter for a clear understanding of this concept Note The Leigh e7 Bush or any 7 16 11 1mm guidebush with a min barrel length of 1 4 6 35mm see page 70 and any one of the...

Page 40: ...ust be at the same Depth of Cut The e7 eBush should be set at 10 for ALL half blind dovetail rout ing All half blind dovetail bits work with the Leigh e7 Bush supplied with your Leigh jig or standard 7 16 11 1mm outside diameter guidebush 10 1 Half Blind Dovetail Terminology The pins fit in the pin sockets Joints should almost always end each side with half pins 2 1 3 PINBOARDTHICKNESS determines ...

Page 41: ...too tight a fit Increasing the bit depth i e lower the bit produces a tighter fit 10 6 Bit Angle and Depth of Cut Half blind pins and tails are routed with the same dovetail bit the same guidebush and the same depth of cut A different depth of cut requires a differ ent angled bit Leigh offers five different angled dovetail bits for a range of cut depths A lesser angle say 8 for a deeper cut a grea...

Page 42: ...ding dovetails see Chapter 16 10 11 Measure and mark a line on the inside face of the tail board to the working depth of the bit to be used as per 10 2 of this chapter 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 10 12 Unlock and raise the finger assembly support ...

Page 43: ...into place for a friction fit 1 2 10 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 10 17 Attach the e7 Bush securely to the router and mount the supplied No 120 8 bit to the rout...

Page 44: ...way from the jig body The pin board is now positioned with the edge to be routed flush with the jig s front face correctly registered for the scale readings For drawers with rabbeted fronts see Chapter 12 10 23 RotatethefingerassemblytothehHBPINSmode Set the HB PINS scale equal to tail board thickness i e same setting as tails this example 3 4 20mm HB pins and HB tail scales are always set to tail...

Page 45: ...easure the bit projec tion from the end of the guidebush or guidebush flange and record this for fast set ups in future 1 3 2 10 28 When you have the proper tightness of fit check the flushness The tails should be under flush to the pins by no more than 1 64 0 3mm to allow for cleanup exaggerated here The concentricity of the collet and guidebush on different routers will affect this tolerance 1 6...

Page 46: ...he drawer side Use bridge pieces where required 10 35 Half blind HB pins Drawer fronts pinboards are cut with the board clamped horizontally in the jig The inside face i of the drawer 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 10 28 to 10 30 10 36 On the Leigh D4R Pro all half bli...

Page 47: ...and sides together does go a little faster MODE ICONS Illustrations in this user guide include the correct mode icon for the cur rent instruction The icons are also used in the instruction text Only one mode is required Half Blind Dovetail Tails HB TAILS mode 1 Inches Millimeters 39 Active Guide Surfaces Spacer The online video will reduce your learning time dramatically Stream to your smart phone...

Page 48: ...board thickness Pin Board Thickness DEPTH OF CUT 27 64 10 7mm 80 8 8 DEPTH OF CUT Pin Board Thickness 1 8 3mm min 1 8 3mm min Symbol for approximately RECOMMENDED NOTE Bits 120 8 and 80 8 are included with the jig Depth of cut must be as specified for each of the five bits shown above Exception See fig 11 26 Note Leigh bits 101 8 112 8 and 128 8 are optional Raising the bit above its specified cut...

Page 49: ... than on regular variably spaced joints For this test start with the No 80 8 bit projecting 15 16 24mm from the router base 11 6 This is a typical fixed template comb type jig The comb depth is usually dimensioned to suit the most popular drawer side thickness of 1 2 12 7mm 1 11 7 Stop Rod and Dovetail Spacer Thestoprodisinserted in the fingers to convert them from deep tail sockets to a shallow f...

Page 50: ...first finger by half the difference and tighten 2 1 11 13 Set the dovetail spacer with numeral 2 facing right against the single left guide finger Move the next finger pair against the spacer and tighten There will be a gap between the pointed ends pin end of the fingers not the tail end Remove and locate the spacer to the right of thetightenedfingers Youshouldfeelfrictionwhenremovingthespacer Sli...

Page 51: ... If the joint is loose lower the bit to increase the depth of cut by the amount of the gap at the bottom of the pins If the joint is tight raise the bit slightly to decrease the depth of cut Test again If there is a gap at only one end of the joint the boards have been routed at different depths Check the finger assembly is flat on the pin board and the tail board touches the bottom of the fingers...

Page 52: ...ether e g pin board A can be up either way X A A X Y Y 11 25 Fortail drawerside boardsthickerthan9 16 14 29mm set the scale to 1 2 12 7mm andleavethestoprodinplace Do notsetthescaletotheactualtailboardthickness Withthickerboards more of the inside portion of the tail board will be routed away Slight scale adjustments may be required for a flush fit See figures 11 20 through 11 22 11 26 Hint Increa...

Page 53: ... dovetail bit will produce only one depth of cut Only 1 2 12 7mm cutting diameter bits can be used for half blind dovetails 12 1 Rabbeted Half blind Dovetail Terminology The pins fit in the pin sockets Joints should almost always end each side with half pins RABBET DEPTH determines the maxi mum depth of cut you can use Select a bit with a depth of cut that is at least 1 16 1 6mm less than the rabb...

Page 54: ...3 8 9 5mm it will not fit under the side stop Block the drawer side away from the front sidestopbyexactlyrabbetdepth see12 3 Makeupablock and stickittothejigface withdouble sidedtape Makesureittouches the side stop This will offset the drawer side from the side stop by the width of the rabbet and align the sockets with the pins 2 1 3 12 7 Iftherabbetwidth isgreaterthan3 8 9 5mm thedrawer side must...

Page 55: ...ied in Chapter 10 or Appendix II 13 2 The end on end dovetail is laid out in the H HB TAILS mode There is a special mark on the scale for end on end dovetails Align the support bracket line with the small arrow as shown Adjust the guidefingers as required 20 15 10 5 25 38 1 2 1 4 3 4 1 2 13 3 Rout the tails Clamp end on end dovetail boards in the jig for routing one end face side in and one end fa...

Page 56: ...sameedgeagainstthe sidestop for both ends Narrow pins are illustrated look like narrow tails but guidefingers can easily adjust for even sized tails and pins 25 38 15 10 5 20 1 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 13 6 Always assemble end on end joints keeping the edges of the boards that were against the side stop all in line Applications for End on End Dovetails As one example you can make a flat stable and attractive...

Page 57: ...ired for appearance not for joinery reasons 14 2 By asymmetrical we mean a deliberately uneven layout of pins and tails required by the project design For example asym metrical joints may be used for blanket chests or boxes One pin is made wider for a saw cut allowance 14 3 So the chest and lid half pins all look the same width after the lid portion is cut off 1 14 4 In the chest example you can s...

Page 58: ...se near mirror image joints Lay out the A and C corner joints in the usual way i e in the dTD PINS mode Rout the A and C corners tails and pins Leave the guidefingers set and in the dTD PINS mode A C B D 14 8 Simply flip a completed A or C pin board from one end of the jig like turning a page to the other end and center each pair of guidefingers over a pin 14 9 Now rout the B and D corners tails a...

Page 59: ...flush so it makes sense to use these edges against the side stops at each end of the jig 14 13 Mount the right end of the drawer front on the left end but do not rout this opening 1 14 14 Mount the left end of the drawer front on the right end using the mirror image layouts on both ends but do not rout this opening 2 14 15 Both ends of the jig are also used for the top corners of a slant front des...

Page 60: ...ht as for 14 8 to 14 11 and place the right end of the top tail board against the right side stop f Rout the tails 14 19 Place the right side of desk against the right side stop f Rout the pins 14 20 Note If in the slant front desk example the pins were in the desk top and the tails in the sides then all the parts would be routed in the opposite ends of the jig to those shown above ...

Page 61: ...ovetailing Adapting the assembly for box jointing was a serendipitous combination of luck existing guides approximately the correct dimension and clever design the e7 Bush and Spacer As a result the nominal 3 8 and 3 4 9 5 and 19mm box joint sizes are closer to 25 64 and 49 64 9 8 and 19 6mm respectively 53 The online video will reduce your learning time dramatically Stream to your smart phone or ...

Page 62: ... 21 3 1 16 4 5 8 6 5 32 7 23 32 9 1 4 10 13 16 12 11 32 13 29 32 15 7 16 2 9 32 3 27 32 5 3 8 6 15 16 8 17 32 10 1 32 11 9 16 13 1 8 14 11 16 16 7 32 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 39 59 78 98 117 137 157 176 196 216 235 255 275 294 314 334 353 373 393 412 78 117 157 196 235 275 314 353 393 59 98 137 176 216 255 294...

Page 63: ...d adjust the depth of cut to suit the thickness of the mating boards 1 15 4 Raise the finger assembly about 1 8 3mm to allow ease of guide finger adjustment Position the second guide finger 1 32 1 0mm in from the board edge and tighten the finger The first finger stays against the scale block as a router support Note Square ended boards are essential to achieve flush joint align ment 1 3 2 2 15 5 ...

Page 64: ... on both sides of each opening 1 2 15 10 Remove the board and fit the box joint Spacer against the front side stop with the number 3 showing Make sure it is fully home Clamp the second test board with its side edge against the Spacer and its top edge touching the guide fingers Rout this board Note Square ended boards are essential to achieve flush joint alignment 1 1 15 11 Testtheboardsforfitandfl...

Page 65: ...ways with the same side edge against the side stop or Spacer 15 15 Rout both ends of boards 1 and 3 with their edges against the side stop Be sure to keep the same edge to the stop 3 1 15 16 Rout both ends of boards 2 and 4 with their edges against the Spacer and the Spacer in the No 3 position Keep the same edges to the Spacer 4 2 1 15 17 Keeping the marked side stop edges of all boards toward th...

Page 66: ...the finger openings Hint Now steer the base 12 o clock mark between the pairs of finger points 2 2 2 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 4 2 15 22 Remove the board and fit the Spacer to the side stop with number3showing Nowroutbothendsofboards 2and4again with the common edge against the Spacer and again only rout between the finger sides not between the finger openings steering the router mark between the pairs of fing...

Page 67: ...ctions cover both those guidebushes The Leigh 7 16 e7 and 5 8 e10 guide bushes can be used to make fine fit adjustments for sliding dovetails With the Finger Assembly in HALF BLIND DOVETAIL TAILS HB TAILS mode install the sliding dovetail fence cross cut fence KEEP the finger assembly in the same mode Sliding Dovetail Slots are cut across the board face Inches Millimeters Active Guide Surface 1 2 ...

Page 68: ...se the No 120 8 1 2 x 14 bit for sliding dovetails This e7 Bush setting will allow for fine fit adjustment of the tail later A standard 7 16 11 1mm guidebush min depth 1 4 6 35mm see page 69 can be used but without the fine adjustment provided by the e7 Bush 5 16 5 Onafullwidthjoint theslotdepth of cutshouldbenomorethan 1 3 theboardthickness Ifthetailboardisaload bearinghorizontal member e g books...

Page 69: ...lose to both ends of a board you may need to rout slots from right to left See16 30 16 10 Mount a 3 4 20mm thick yes the 3 4 20mm thick ness is important square ended board vertically in the front clamp against the side stop with the top edge butting the underside of the test board 1 16 11 Position and clamp the test board so that one of the edge marks is in line with the outside edge of the verti...

Page 70: ...nger assembly in or out and retest on the other lines as necessary until the slot is centered Lock the finger assembly in this position and record the setting for future reference 16 16 Now rout sliding dovetail slots in the two main slot boards with the boards in the horizontal position in the rear clamp slot side that is inside face i up The guidefingers must be flush on the board 16 17 Replace ...

Page 71: ...er in side grain 16 21 Finish left to right with the guidebush touching the fence 16 22 Turn the test tail board around in the jig and rout the other side as above 16 23 Test the joint for fit The tail should be too big If it is too small adjust the finger assembly outward by at least half the difference and rout another test tail on the other end of this test board 16 24 If the tail is too big mo...

Page 72: ...ord sliding tail size settings 16 27 Stopped Sliding Dovetails If a stopped sliding dovetail is called for Measure from the outside tip of the dovetail bit to the edge of the router base 16 28 Measure the same distance from 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 ...

Page 73: ...t Make sure you control the router firmly when climb routing Climb routing produces a nice clean shoulder at Note For clarity the guidebush is not shown in this sequence 1 Rout through on the right side 17 3 Climb rout from left to right from the rear of the cut Take care to control router Rout back through towards you on the left side 17 4 17 2 The online video will reduce your learning time dram...

Page 74: ...l Tails Tearout With the dovetail bit most tearout occurs at the top left exit of the cut 17 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 17 9 This same scrap piece can remain in place for successive cuts 17 10 Always rout the right hand half pin socket starti...

Page 75: ...s whether using a straight bit or a dove tail bit climb routing or back routing will leave a clean edge but great caution must be exercised in controlling the router s movement from right to left as the bit rotation pulls the router in that direction anyway 17 14 General Hints Router Stand Make up a small router stand as illustrated to mount the router securely on the bench when not in use 90mm 40...

Page 76: ...wing 17 19 Use the asymmetrical mirror image aligning techniques 14 4 to 14 11 for perfectly aligned neighbour joints 17 20 Using The Router Mark the router base top edge at the 12 o clock position with a felt marker pen Without wood or bits try some dry runs in each jig mode This will soon get you used to positioning the guidebush against the correct guide surface without looking under the router...

Page 77: ...rect bush length and precise diameter for accurate results Leigh offers the adaptors below to fit guidebushes to over one hundred router models new and old including Porter Cable Black Decker and DeWalt Many other makes e g Bosch Fein Festool Milwaukee etc either offer or include base adaptors See list of routers in the Template Guide Bushing and Adaptor Selection chart on the next page 69 Leigh T...

Page 78: ...2300 FC RP2301 FC 3612C Europe Qk Fit Base 721 e7 or 711C 716C 3600 3606 3608 3612 3612B 3612BR 3612C N America 3620 3621 RP0900 RP900K 703 e7 or 711C 716C 3601B 321 493 1 e7 or 711C 716C RP0910 RP1110C 706R e7 or 711C 716C RF1100 RF1101 RD1100 RD1101 RP1101 Not Required e7 or 711C 716C MASTERCRAFT Please contact Leigh for assistance METABO OF1612 OFE1812 for all others please contact Leigh for as...

Page 79: ...ch between the pins routed at 8º Guidebush All8mmshankthroughdovetailbitslistedinthisappendix work with the e7 Bush 7 16 OD 11 1mm supplied with your Leigh jig or any 7 16 OD 11 1mm guidebush The optional Leigh 716C guidebush or standard 5 8 OD 15 9mm guidebush is used with 1 2 12 7mm shank bits No other guidebush sizes can be used for through dovetails See page 70 Shank Selection The Leigh D4R Pr...

Page 80: ... are about actual size C A G D E Note that some of the dovetail bits depths of cut overlap For example No 70 8 bit B 1 4 1 2 6 13mm No 75 8 bit B 3 8 5 8 9 5 16mm No 80 8 bit B 1 2 13 16 12 20mm This means all three bits are capable of routing boards1 2 12 7mm thick using one of the following combinations No 80 8 and 140 8 No 75 8 and 140 8 or No 70 8 and 140 8 The three bit combinations will prod...

Page 81: ... 2 3 8 60 0 8 e7 or 7 16 11 1 No 140 8 5 16 7 9 G 1 8 to 1 3 0 26 0 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 3 4 70 0 e7 or 7 16 11 1 A B G C D E F Guidebush BITS Overall Diameter Cutting Depth Range Shank Diameters Shank Length Overall Length Angle Diameter No 70 8 3 8 9 5 B 1 4 to 1 2 6 0 13 0 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 1 4 57 0 8 e7 or 7 16 11 1 No 140 8 5 16 7 9 G 1 8 to 1 3 0 26 0 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 3 4 70 ...

Page 82: ...ameter No 60 8 5 16 7 9 B 1 8 to 3 8 3 0 9 5 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 1 8 54 0 8 e7 or 7 16 11 1 No 140 8 5 16 7 9 G 1 8 to 1 3 0 26 0 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 3 4 70 0 e7 or 7 16 11 1 A B G C D E F Guidebush Bits Overall Diameter Cutting Depth Range Shank Diameters Shank Length Overall Length Angle Diameter No 50 8 1 4 6 35 B 1 8 to 1 4 3 0 6 35 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 45 0 2 50 0 8 e7 or 7 16 11 1 No 140...

Page 83: ...ut B from the fol lowing pages Can I use any dovetail bit No all half blind bits must be 1 2 12 7mm diameter As the angle changes so does the depth of cut Using bits that are a different angle and diam eter will result in joints that don t fit and could damage the jig Guidebush All 8mm shank half blind dovetail bits listed in this appendix work with the e7 Bush 7 16 OD 11 1mm supplied with your Le...

Page 84: ...RabbetDepth 9 16 14 5mm Numbers in brackets are millimeters Bits 80 8 120 8 and 140 8 come standard with the Leigh D4R Pro Bits A Overall Diameter B Working Depth C Shank Diameters D Shank Length E Overall Length F Angle Guidebush Diameter HB Variable HB Single Pass No 80 8 1 2 12 7 3 4 19 27 64 11 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 44 0 2 9 16 65 0 8 e7 or 7 16 11 1 Bits A Overall Diameter B Working Depth C Shank ...

Page 85: ... Working Depth C Shank Diameters D Shank Length E Overall Length F Angle Guidebush Diameter HB Variable HB Single Pass No 120 8 1 2 12 7 7 16 11 0 1 4 6 35 8mm or 1 4 1 3 4 44 0 2 1 4 57 0 14 e7 or 7 16 11 1 Bits A Overall Diameter B Working Depth C Shank Diameters D Shank Length E Overall Length F Angle Guidebush Diameter HB Variable HB Single Pass No 128 8 1 2 12 7 3 8 9 5 3 16 5 8mm or 1 4 1 3 ...

Page 86: ...BIT SELECTION 78 Appendix II D4R Pro User Guide ...

Page 87: ...list and drawing on the following pages Order parts directly from Leigh by calling toll free 800 663 8932 but first have your jig information ready Please quote the jig model serial number part number part description and quantity required 79 ...

Page 88: ...sembly Complete R H in H B Tail Mode 392 1 or R H Metric Scale Assembly Complete R H in H B Tail Mode 392M 1 L H Inch Scale Assembly Complete L H in H B Tail Mode 394 1 or L H Metric Scale Assembly Complete L H in H B Tail Mode 394M 1 Sliding Dovetail Fence Cross Cut Fence 432 1 Plastic Bridge Piece Extrusions 433 2 H B Pin Guide Rail 1 4 x 1 4 441B 1 Finger Guide Rail 1 4 x 3 4 451B 1 R H Fingers...

Page 89: ...560 540 6030 287 172 8 433 3156 e 7 730V 8624 550 432 802 801 332R 6060 6030 7025 260R 260R 242 392 392M 5260 232 7115 3110R 394 394M 5270 300 311 283 271 802 801 441B 451B 284 212 335 7215 7221 7210 7225R 475 465 7115 284 140 8 80 8 120 8 570 580 ...

Page 90: ...JIG PARTS 82 Appendix III D4R Pro User Guide ...

Page 91: ...are Centre PO Box 4059 Randburg 2125 SouthAfrica Tel 27 011 791 0844 46 Fax 27 011 791 0850 Email info hardwarecentre co za Web www hardwarecentre co za SWEDEN Toolbox SwedenAB Bruksgatan 3 S 597 30 Atvidaberg Sweden Tel 46 120 854 50 Fax 46 120 854 69 Email info toolbox se Web www toolbox se UNITED KINGDOM IRELAND AxminsterTools Machinery Headquarters Unit 10 WeycroftAvenue Axminster Devon EX13 5...

Page 92: ...PRINTED IN CANADA Joining Tradition with Today Printed in Canada ...

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