A clean, snug-fitting row of dovetails is a hallmark of fine craftsmanship. That’s one reason why there are so many different dovetail jigs on the market, each promising to help its buyer turn out rows of beautiful dovetails in record time. We reviewed 6 of the most popular dovetail jigs on the market and were very impressed with a number of them.
Every one of the dovetail jigs reviewed can produce a snug and accurate dovetail joint. The factors that separate them are the diversity of joints they can create, the width of workpieces they can handle, and the setup and adjustment time they require. The best jigs offer a good balance between versatility and learning curve regarding the complexity of their setup and adjustment.
We reviewed five bench-mounted dovetail jigs – the Leigh D4R, Porter-Cable 4212, Porter-Cable 4216, Porter-Cable 4210 and Porter-Cable Omnijig, the market-leading clamp-on jig, the Keller 135-1500 Journeyman, and the Leigh RTJ400 Router Table Joinery Jig which is a departure from the standard bench-mounted dovetail jigs and uses your router table to cut dovetails and box joints.
Very handy setup lines and instructions etched onto the templates
Includes built-in gauges for setting the router-bit height
Intuitive with easy switching between templates, joints, and different-size boards
Amazing value for money
What's Not?
Instruction manual could be better
Bottom LineThe Porter Cable 4212 Dovetail Jig is the middle of Porter-Cable’s 4200-series of jigs, and we think it’s the best of the range for most users. It gives you the ability to easily cut all the most common joints, including through dovetails, half-blind dovetails, sliding dovetails and box joints, and add to that an incredibly low price of $159.99, and you can see why it’s the bestselling dovetail jig on the market. It’s easy to set up, with very useful setup lines and instructions etched onto the templates, so you don’t have to keep referring back to the manual. In practice it’s very intuitive to use and switching between templates, joints, and different-size boards is quick and easy. The Porter cable 4212 is an amazing combination of price, options, and ease of use.
Sliding template fingers, which allow beautiful dovetail configurations to be arranged by eye
Single template that produces both through and half-blind dovetails with variable spacing, as well as sliding dovetails
Very well made precision tool - top quality materials and construction like all Leigh Industries' products
Fast and easy setup once mastered with diagrams on the jig itself which act as helpful reminders
What's Not?
Complexity of jig means the learning curve is steeper than with other jigs
Bottom LineThe Leigh D4R-PRO dovetail jig stands out from the competition when you’re searching for the best and easiest way to make perfect dovetails. The D4R Pro jig is without a doubt the most versatile joinery jig available. After 30 years of Innovation and Excellence, there is only one standard to measure all other jigs by. The Leigh D4R Dovetail Jig is the ultimate variable finger dovetail jig, made by the people who invented variable finger jigs. The infinitely adjustable fingers mean that you can let your creativity run free and design unique variably sized and spaced joints with 100% accuracy.
Bottom LineThe LEIGH RTJ400 Router Table Joinery Jig deserves serious consideration if you want an alternative to a traditional bench-mounted dovetail jig. It's easy to set up and makes precise, accurate joinery easy on your router table. It's extremely versatile and you can cut full & half pitch through dovetails, half-blind dovetails and box joints (finger joints) in a number of different sizes on boards up to 16" wide. Even though the jig can cut many different kinds of joinery, each setup is simple to achieve, and it’s straightforward to switch from one setup to another when needed. The LEIGH RTJ400 Router Table Joinery Jig has all the usual attention to detail and build quality that characterize all of Leigh's woodworking products.
Since there are no adjustments to make, the setup is quick and easy
Does not rely on the use of guide bushes. There's no offset to allow for because the ball-bearing guide on the straight bit is exactly the same diameter as the bit itself, so “What you see is what you get” when you cut the pins.
Unlike bench-mounted dovetail jigs, there is no limit to the size of stock that you can use
Quality Made in the USA for 35 Years
What's Not?
You can only cut through dovetails
Bottom LineThe Keller 135-1500 Journeyman Dovetail Jig is a simple and versatile 15-inch precision-milled clamp-on template dovetail system. Unlike bench mounted dovetail jigs, all Keller Dovetail System jigs are mounted on shopmade backer boards, which allows for an extremely versatile setup. All the jigs in the Keller Dovetail System are extremely easy to set up and use, and have the added advantage that there is no limit to the length or width of stock that you can use them with. For boards that are longer than the 15-inch template you simply slide the template along the workpiece. The Keller 135-1500 Journeyman Dovetail Jig retails for $159
Porter Cable’s patented adjustment lines and router bit depth gauge which allows you to set bit depths without measuring, making it quick and easy to use
Supplied with all the templates for cutting every type of dovetail - Half-Blind/Sliding Dovetail Template (Model 4211), Through Dovetail/Box Joint Template (Model 4213), Miniature Template (Model 4215)
Durable, single-piece steel base design requires no assembly and allows for clamping or bolting directly to the work bench
On-board instructions provide clear user guidance for the various applications
What's Not?
You can't cut variable-spaced joints
Bottom LineThe Porter-Cable 4216 Dovetail Jig is the top-of-the-range jig in Porter Cable’s excellent 4200 range of dovetail jigs and comes with all the finger templates for making all the joints. If you cut a lot of dovetails and you know that you will definitely want to cut the whole range of different dovetail joints, the Porter Cable 4216 is the most cost-effective way of buying the jig plus all the templates. The Porter Cable 4216 retails for $174.99
Porter Cable 77240 24-Inch Omnijig Joinery System Review
Accuracy9.4
Ease of Use8.7
Value For Money7.6
Features9.4
8.8 out of 10
What's Hot?
Adjustable, split finger design allows user to change both position and width of pins for chosen joint style
"Set & Forget" template positioning stops and router bit depth gauges minimize test cuts and provide repeatability across applications
Router bit depth gauges allow user to quickly and accurately set the depth without taking measurements
Stabilizer bar enhances router control while deflecting chips downward for a cleaner work environment
What's Not?
The price is almost $250 higher than the Leigh D4R which is a better jig all round
Bottom LineThe Porter Cable 77240 24-Inch Omnijig Joinery System is Porter Cable’s flagship variable guide finger dovetail jig. Like its main rival, the Leigh D4R, the Porter Cable Omnijig gives you maximum versaltility and the ability to cut all types of dovetail joints, and has a number of time-saving features unique to Porter Cable to make it earier than ever, such as their patented router bit depth gauge and template positioning stops. The main advantage of the Omnijig over the other jigs in the Porter Cable range is the variable guide fingers which let you customize your work and produce variably spaced joints, giving more of a hand-cut look. The Porter Cable 77240 24-Inch Omnijig Joinery System retails for around $950
Very handy setup lines and instructions etched onto the templates
Includes built-in gauges for setting the router-bit height
Durable, single-piece steel base design requires no assembly and allows for clamping or bolting directly to the work bench
What's Not?
You'll need to buy additional templates to cut anything other than half-blind or sliding dovetails
Bottom LineThe Porter Cable 4210 dovetail jig kit is the entry-level dovetail jig in Porter Cable’s excellent 4200 range. It shares the same base as the rest of the range and like all the jigs in the range it has Porter Cable’s patented alignment lines and router bit depth stop which make it incredibly easy to use.
The 4210 includes an ultra-durable CNC-machined aluminum template for creating half-blind, rabbeted half-blind, and sliding dovetails, and you can add additional templates for different joints later as and when you need them. With everything you need to get started the Porter Cable 4210 really is fantastic value at only $109.99 and is a great way to get into cutting dovetails.
