Woodworker's Journal 2001-25-1, страница 81

INCRA Ultra™ Jig Revisited

Leigh's D4 Dovetail Jig is the only

machine that can produce variably-spaced through dovetails with an infinite range of pin and tail settings.

done,1 was already well schooled in the vagaries of this versatile machine.

The Leigh D4, in a nutshell, is a comprehensive joinery system, offering through and half-blind dovetailing plus a host of other options. Available accessories allow the user lo mill (among other options) multiple mortise and tenons, box/finger joints, as well as Inlaid and angled dovetails. The company has even come up with a series of exotic round and curved templates that produce pins and tails in unique shapes, including the intriguing "bear's ears."

The key to success with the Leigh 1)4 is a reversible template that automatically lines up the pins and tails. A series of adjustable guide-fingers allows you to place these pins anywhere along the joint, so you don't have to build a uniform joint (although you can). On through dovetails you use the template to mill the pin sockets, then slide it out to rotate and reinstall it before milling the matching pins.

Work is held in the jig with cam-operated clamping bars that are quick to release and lock, so a part can be removed and replaced with minimum effort. A pair of adjustable alignment guides were part of the initial setup, so the workpiece can be replaced exactly where it was during the first cut with ease. This lets you test your joint. If it's too tight or too sloppy, the depth of cut can be adjusted by moving the template toward or away from the operator. This adjustment is controlled by a pair of integral and very accurate scales that are attached to each end of the template. Adjustment is by means

Woodworker's Journal February 2001 81

of a knurled brass knob.

Hie D4 unit I shop-tested arrived with a standard dovetailing template that handles both through and half-blind joints, a pair of bits and their accompanying bushings, an excellent instruction book and a 45-minute instructional video. A dizzying array of optional bits are available, as is a comprehensive assortment of bushings to match just about any router base, You can review these and a multitude of other accessories at the company's Web site, www.leighjigs.eom.

This is not an inexpensive system. 'Hie 1)4 package I tested sells in catalogs for around $329. while the optional finger and mortising templates fetch $259 and $189 respectively. But it is definitely worth the price, especially if your project list includes lols of drawers, boxes, casework and exposed joinery. The system has an inherent capacity to grow with your skill level, and my suspicion is that few of us will ever outpace it. While it was designed with every woodworker in mind, the Leigh jig is suitable for small production work as it accommodates work up lo 1" thick and 24" wide. The system comes with a limited five-vear warranty. You can reach Leigh at 800-663-8932 or visit them on the Web at www.leighjigs.com.

As I noted in my Tool Preview last year (June 1999: page 56), Taylor Design Group s INCRA Ultra™ is, at its heart, an elaborate fence system lor your router table, table saw or band saw. The thing that sets it aside from other fences is its precise micro-adjustability (to less than 1/1,000"). Couple that with a 40-page master reference guide and a complete set of templates lor a wide variety of joints, and you've got yourself a very nice dovetailing jig - lor not a whole lot more than you'd spend on a pure dovetailing jig. Prices range from about $160, to $325 tor their top of the line system. You can reach Taylor Design Group at 972-418-4811, or visit them on Ihe Web at www.incr3.com.

The INCRA Ultra fence system otters micro adjustability so precise that it's a great option for forming tight-fitting dovetails.