Super New Dovetail Jigs

Leigh Industries has a well-deserved reputation for making top-of-the-line dovetail jigs. They've just introduced three new ones: the Super Jigs. They're available in 12, 18 and 24-in. models and are priced  at $199, $259, and $329 respectively. Super Jigs provide the same top-notch accuracy as other Leigh jigs. Super Jigs have two qualities that I really like. You can cut both boards of a half-blind dovetail at the same time. And you can cut dovetails on lipped drawer fronts. Super Jigs also have quick-action cam clamps, which make tightening and releasing your workpiece a snap. But the most intriguing aspect of these jigs is a new type of guide bushing: the Elliptical Guide. A simple twist of this guide enables you to make the joint tighter or looser. As the name implies, the Elliptical Guide is oval-shaped. You turn it with a spanner wrench (provided) to give it a wider or narrower profile, and this affects how it fits between the jig's fingers. There's a catch, though. You have to hold your router in the same position for every cut. I thought this would be difficult, but when I realized that I usually orient my router the same way when dovetailing, I didn't find this restriction to be a big deal. Leigh has also introduced a nice accessory for supporting your router and collecting dust. The VRS (Vacuum Router Support) helps you to make consistently tight joints by reducing the risk that you'll tip your router.

Source:
Leigh Industries Ltd, (800) 663-8932, www.leighjigs.com Leigh Super 12, $199. Leigh Super 18, $259. Leigh Super 24, $329. Leigh VRS (vacuum router support), $65-$76 depending on size.