Dovetail workstation

[gov.cheese]

I had wanted to make a small bench to put on top of my workbench primarily for the ability to see and get close to the work. In an issue from several years ago, FWW had a small maple bench with a bench vise I considered making but it seemed large and cumbersome. When I saw Pekovich's bench top it seemed like a good way to go...quick, easy and cheap. The comment about it being 'complicated' seems odd.

I agree with Derek's comment about the clamp imposing on the work space for half blind dovetails. I came up with this for a quick substitute clamp that removes the imposition until I can refine it a little better.

   

[Handplanesandmore]

The comment about it being 'complicated' seems odd.

Not odd at all if you had made a Barron's alignment jig. It's simple to make one of his compared to Mike's. In fact, one can make s Barron's jig by hand, close to being not possible with Mike's. Not to mention that Barron's jig used with a vise does not require any clamps to use. The opposite of simple is complicated. One could make a Barron's jig in well under an hour.....perhaps half an hour for an efficient woodworker.

But as I said, if the intention is to use Mike's not just as a dovetail jig, then the complication may make sense.

Simon

[gov.cheese]

Not odd at all if you had made a Barron's alignment jig. It's simple to make one of his compared to Mike's. In fact, one can make s Barron's jig by hand, close to being not possible with Mike's. Not to mention that Barron's jig used with a vise does not require any clamps to use. The opposite of simple is complicated. One could make a Barron's jig in well under an hour.....perhaps half an hour for an efficient woodworker.

But as I said, if the intention is to use Mike's not just as a dovetail jig, then the complication may make sense.

Simon

Who said anything about Barron's alignment jig and why are you comparing it to this? You still have to have a vise. They're two different things. ONE of the things this can do is register two boards as well as hold boards in place at an elevated level. Whether it can register two boards as well as Barron's, I don't know, but it isn't rocket science.

[Handplanesandmore]

Who said anything about Barron's alignment jig and why are you comparing it to this? You still have to have a vise. They're two different things. ONE of the things this can do is register two boards as well as hold boards in place at an elevated level. Whether it can register two boards as well as Barron's, I don't know, but it isn't rocket science.

Why couldn't I compare the two since they both have a function of dealing with marking dovetails?
 

I haven't suggested that they're the same thing. 

Simon

[bandit571]

K.I.S.S.

My dovetail/finger joint/tenon jig setup..
  

   
I just sit down and go to work....

[tablesawtom]

As far as Derek's comment about the clamp imposing on the work space for half blind dovetails, that could be worked around with a different style of clamp. To me it would put the work to high if clamped to the bench. And it looks like a fairly good size and would also need to be stored, taking up much valuable space in a small hobby shop. Unless one cuts a lot of dovetails is it really worth it. I saw Barron dovetail alignment fixture in use and it seems handy but also has to find a home and anymore I am having trouble remembering where that home is.

Since I don't have to make a living cutting dovetails I will just take a little extra time aligning .

My disclaimer is if the type of work I do demanded that I bild on I would. I just don't see the use for myself. Not that it or Barron dovetail alignment fixture aren't great ideas and if one found them useful then by all means build one.

Tom

[Arlin Eastman]

Bear with me please since I do not know what it is or how it works.

I can see how easy it is to use and clamp work to, but how do you make dovetails with this??

Last I am thinking out loud here that if it is enclosed and some holes drilled in certain places you can add a vacuum chamber from it and hold the wood without clamps.  Sounds good anyway.

[gov.cheese]

Bear with me please since I do not know what it is or how it works.

I can see how easy it is to use and clamp work to, but how do you make dovetails with this??

Last I am thinking out loud here that if it is enclosed and some holes drilled in certain places you can add a vacuum chamber from it and hold the wood without clamps.  Sounds good anyway.

Hi, Arlin. This is just a little jig to hold things while you saw, cut, chisel, etc. by hand.

[Bruce Haugen]

Bear with me please since I do not know what it is or how it works.

I can see how easy it is to use and clamp work to, but how do you make dovetails with this??

Last I am thinking out loud here that if it is enclosed and some holes drilled in certain places you can add a vacuum chamber from it and hold the wood without clamps.  Sounds good anyway.

Arlin, please excuse me, but I don’t remember if you work from a wheelchair.  If you do this jig won’t help you at all.

[Arlin Eastman]

Arlin, please excuse me, but I don’t remember if you work from a wheelchair.  If you do this jig won’t help you at all.

Been out of a chair now for almost 5 years now.  I still have to sit when standing to long.  Maybe it could be lapped over a corner of a bench somehow?