Dumb question re Dovetail jig error

[wing nut]

learn to do by hand, problem will go away.

[toolmiser]

I'm glad it's not just me that has to relearn every time I use the dovetail jig. Sorry it's been a while since I used mine and I forgot the errors and how to adjust them.

[Steve Soldo]

In response to the above:

Yes the drawer front and sides are the same size

If you rotate the drawer 180 degrees, the findings are the same. The kitty corners sides are too short or long.

On the Leigh jig you do NOT router the pins and tails (i.e.the sides and fronts) simultaneously. They are done separately. I just don’t understand why the shifting occurred that I identify in the picture.

I did send an email to Leigh technical support, and I will post their response.

[DaveR1]

It looks like the boards are flush at the near right corner. Is that correct? If it was an alignment issue and the boards were the same width, I would expect a similar but opposite discrepancy on that corner.

Which Leigh Jig are you using?

[Handplanesandmore]

The op's posted problem would be gone, but with hand cut dovetails, a new and different set of problems could happen. :-)

Simon

[Steve Soldo]

It looks like the boards are flush at the near right corner. Is that correct? If it was an alignment issue and the boards were the same width, I would expect a similar but opposite discrepancy on that corner.

Which Leigh Jig are you using?

The D4R Pro

[DaveR1]

Since I'm curious, I had a read through the user's manual and the only thing I see that might be an issue is the router bit not being dead center in the guide bushing or the guides not being setup perfectly for symmetrical cutting. Since you end up rotating the drawer front 180° to cut the opposite end, you are using opposite long sides as the reference against the stop and would double the error.

I haven't looked at the instructions for a very long time but the complexity of them reminds me of why I went a different, much more intuitive route for router-cut dovetails.

[fredhargis]

Since I'm curious, I had a read through the user's manual and the only thing I see that might be an issue is the router bit not being dead center in the guide bushing or the guides not being setup perfectly for symmetrical cutting.

Very good point, one I had forgotten.

[Willyou]

Using the Omnijig, I have modified the process that pretty much eliminates futzing with edge stops. I'm not familiar with the Leigh jig, but it would probably work the same in this instance. This doesn't help to analyze the OPs current issue, but might make things simpler and more precise for future cuts.

I start by cutting my fronts and sides with a little extra width, maybe by a pin or tail width. I then put these pieces into the jig centering them as closely as possible on the jig fingers. I usually do this by eye, but you can measure if you like. It is still necessary to get the depth of cut correct, but once the cuts are made, I remove the pieces, dry fit them, and mark them for final trim to width. I now have sides and front that match and are proper width. This compensates for any slight off-center of the pins and tails on one end of the front compared to the other. No futzing with edge stops.

Hope this helps.

[Steve Soldo]

Using the Omnijig, I have modified the process that pretty much eliminates futzing with edge stops. I'm not familiar with the Leigh jig, but it would probably work the same in this instance. This doesn't help to analyze the OPs current issue, but might make things simpler and more precise for future cuts.

I start by cutting my fronts and sides with a little extra width, maybe by a pin or tail width. I then put these pieces into the jig centering them as closely as possible on the jig fingers. I usually do this by eye, but you can measure if you like. It is still necessary to get the depth of cut correct, but once the cuts are made, I remove the pieces, dry fit them, and mark them for final trim to width. I now have sides and front that match and are proper width. This compensates for any slight off-center of the pins and tails on one end of the front compared to the other. No futzing with edge stops.

Hope this helps.

Yes, is a clever idea.