Set Up and Use a Dovetail Jig

Dovetail jigs significantly shorten the learning curve for cutting great quality dovetails but, like any tool, a dovetail jig has to be set up and used correctly in order for you to get your best work out of it. This class provides you with everything you need to know to cut excellent through, half blind, and rabbeted dovetails on your jig.

We’ll take you through the material requirements, and then move on to tweaking your dovetail jig to make sure it’s performing optimally. We’ll also look at:

Router bits required for through and half blind dovetails
Using a guide bushing with the jig
Parts of a dovetail joint
Identifying a drawer front versus drawer side
Handling the router safely and accurately
Getting chip-free cuts
Half Blind, Through, and Rabbeted

Each type of dovetail requires a slightly different set up, but you’ll be able to apply much of what you learn to all three dovetail types. One of the trickiest aspects of using a dovetail jig is correctly setting the depth of the dovetail bit. You’ll leave this class with techniques for diagnosing router bit depth, and how to correct it if necessary, plus easy to use shortcuts for setting depth.

When dovetails go bad

Thanks to George’s many years of watching his students use dovetail jigs, he has seen almost every possible error that can be committed on a dovetail jig. This class takes you, in detail, through steps and procedures that will help prevent you from making those same mistakes, and help you get to great dovetails faster.

In addition to the detailed video help you’ll receive, this class provides you with a detailed Class Guide you can follow and use as a reminder for the key points of the class instruction.