# Leigh Super 18 Jig



## GaryK

I have the 24" version and I love it.


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## lclashley

I have the 18" also. It's a very well made piece of equipment.


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## teenagewoodworker

looks cool. right now I'm trying to decide whether to get the Porter Cable 12" model or put in the extra 60 bucks for the Leigh when i get a dovetail jig.


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## farmboy

I have the Leigh D4R 24" jig which is similar to the superjigs but can vary the pin width easier. The fingers are split. It takes a fair number of hours to read the manual, do test cuts, revise, recut,revise, recut. Eventually I got the directions down. I found I was tipping the router towards me altering the pin profiles. I now consciously hold the toop away from me. Also the vacuum atachment hold up the front end better and made improvements when I installed it. The depth adjustment for the half blind dovetails is critical. I have a whole box of miscut half blind dovetails pieces. But am finally get to get good ones. Full dovetails are the easiest particullary if you can spare two routers to avoid bit changes. I have a pair of PC- 690's which have more than enough power. All in all does good work with a steep learning curve.


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## sIKE

Thanks for the review, I have been wanting a Dovetail jig, but it is really hard to go out and buy one if you have never used one, nor know of anyone with one to help with the learning curve.


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## JWTIII

I just picked up the 18" Super Jig and like it very much. I am upgrading from a low end Craftman I have had since the mid 80's. Learning curve on this was not too bad since I already had some experience with dovetail jigs. I figured that if I could get decent enough dovetails out of the Craftstman (and I did) I could figure this one out ( and I did, at least for the half-blind rabbet). I had already learned that bit depth controls joint tightness.
Lessons learned include:
Make sure the front is well seated to the side
Make sure the side is also well seated to the side
Make sure the side is fully placed tight under the front…this one caused me some early issues but I figured it out soon enough.
I just completed the dovetails for 2 sets of 4 drawers for 2 Queen Anne lowboys I am making…one for my wife and one for my daughter.

John


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## misbeshavings

I grabbed a 12" SuperJig on Craigslist as a drawer maker. I have used a WoodRat in the past for dovetails, and haven't been all that impressed with the rat's ability to do "production work" although it does has it's own advantages for unique projects. The learning curve for the Leigh jigs is steep, but once you figure it out, it makes extremely accurate joints with very little effort, and can crank out a kitchen full in short order. Don't know if I could justify paying full retail for one, though.


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