So this is the 2nd time I've started this topic. Back in the early 90's I bought a Leigh Dovetail jig because I Norm using it and it looked like the be all, end all. It sat unused in my shed till this summer for a variety of reasons. I pulled it out, studied everything I could find and watched every video I could find. I struggled with this jig and found it will do everything Leigh says it will do. What no one tells you is that it is very unforgiving. There is absolutely and I mean absolutely no room for the slightest margin for error. I worked my way learning thru dovetails and half blind dovetails and struggled with half blind dovetails. I had a variety of issues and stumbling blocks. The vast majority I can honestly attribute to "Pilot Error", I bought extra router bits, new router base plate and a Leigh upgrade for my jig. This last week after many pits and falls I finally finished the half blind dovetail drawers on a garage project.
I was in the processed of finishing the last drawer front and was routing out the last slot/pin for the drawer front on one side of the drawer. As I started the cut I saw the drawer front pull to the right, totally screwing up the whole drawer front. That ended the day, as I was tempted almost to throw the board across the shop.
Later that night, around zero dark thirty in the am it came to me. PSA sandpaper. Sometime back I bought some 1000 grit psa wet/dry paper from Klingspor to sharpen chisels and plane irons. It didn't work for me very well. Apparently I bought wrong PSA. I have found lots of other uses for it and these are some of them. I applied numerous strips of this PSA on every surface that comes in contact with and holds a piece of wood in this jig.
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The last two photos of some other ideas I had for the PSA sand paper. It's a great addition for the miter gauge and not so great for the Chop Saw. I have to use a Wixey protractor to set the angles. I've found the PSA inhibits doing so easily. I'm thinking I'll peal it off and only use it for make 45 cuts for picture frames.
This whole PSA idea was just my simple way of solving my problem. It may not work for others. If it does help some folks Great. Just thought I'd pass on my Idea.
I was in the processed of finishing the last drawer front and was routing out the last slot/pin for the drawer front on one side of the drawer. As I started the cut I saw the drawer front pull to the right, totally screwing up the whole drawer front. That ended the day, as I was tempted almost to throw the board across the shop.
Later that night, around zero dark thirty in the am it came to me. PSA sandpaper. Sometime back I bought some 1000 grit psa wet/dry paper from Klingspor to sharpen chisels and plane irons. It didn't work for me very well. Apparently I bought wrong PSA. I have found lots of other uses for it and these are some of them. I applied numerous strips of this PSA on every surface that comes in contact with and holds a piece of wood in this jig.
The last two photos of some other ideas I had for the PSA sand paper. It's a great addition for the miter gauge and not so great for the Chop Saw. I have to use a Wixey protractor to set the angles. I've found the PSA inhibits doing so easily. I'm thinking I'll peal it off and only use it for make 45 cuts for picture frames.
This whole PSA idea was just my simple way of solving my problem. It may not work for others. If it does help some folks Great. Just thought I'd pass on my Idea.