Leigh D1600 User manual

Leigh Dovetail Jig
Joining Tradition with Today
USER GUIDE
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GLOSSARY OF SYMBOLS
ii
Your New Leigh Dovetail Jig
Congratulations! You now own a most useful and
versatile dovetailing tool. The Leigh D1600 Dovetail
Jig will help you cut an infinite variety of joints, and
all of its major functions are described in detail in
this manual. A very helpful DVD is also included,
but the manual is essential reading.
We recommend that you first assemble and mount
the jig, carefully following the instructions in the
first section of the manual. Then read the rest of the
manual, following along with the basic functions
and principles of operation, before you try to do
any actual joinery routing. By all means, cut a few
practice joints in scrap boards before you use the jig
to rout a precious hardwood work piece!
Important! Inches and Millimetres
Leigh makes the D1600 jig in two models; inch
and metric. The two models are identical except for
scales. Text and illustrations in this Leigh English-
language user guide indicate dimensions in both
inches and millimetres, with “inches” first, followed
by “millimetres” in square brackets.
Example:
3⁄4"x 51⁄2"x8" [20x140x200mm]
If you have any questions that are not
answered in the manual, please call the Leigh
customer support line*.
But remember: “If at first you don’t succeed,
read the instructions!”
*See Appendix IV – Customer Support
Where finger assembly scales overlay an illus-
tration, the “inches” scale ➀ will be at the top,
the “millimetres” scale ➁ will be at the bot-
tom. Only the front “active” half of the scales
are illustrated. For clarity, setting positions
are indicated with a red line in the manual
only. On the jig, the lines are black.
2
1
Do not be concerned if the inch/millimetre
equivalents are not exact. Just use the dimen-
sions which apply to your jig.
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iii
iii
CONTENTS
Glossary of Symbols ......................................................................iv
Chapter 1 – Jig Assembly, Mounting, and Using The Clamps ............ 1
Chapter 2 – Adjusting the Finger Assembly ................................... 11
Chapter 3 – How Routers with Guidebushes Work ........................ 15
Chapter 4 – Operation Concepts and Basic Jig Functions ................ 17
Chapter 5 – Using Your Jig Safely ................................................. 27
Chapter 6 – Wood Preparation .................................................... 31
Chapter 7 – Router Preparation .................................................... 33
Chapter 8 – Through Dovetail Procedures ..................................... 37
Chapter 9 – Half-Blind Dovetail Procedures .................................. 51
Chapter 10 – Rabbeted Half-Blind Dovetails ................................. 65
Chapter 11 – Asymmetric Dovetails .............................................. 69
Chapter 12 – Sliding Dovetail Procedures .................................... 75
Chapter 13 – Quick Reference – Through Dovetails ....................... 85
Chapter 14 – Quick Reference – Half-Blind Dovetails ..................... 89
Chapter 15 – Hints and Tips .......................................................... 93
Appendix I – Guidebush Selection .............................................. 101
Appendix II – Cutter Selection ..................................................... 105
Appendix III – Jig Parts List ......................................................... 113
Appendix IV – Customer Support ................................................ 117
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GLOSSARY OF SYMBOLS
iv
2
The Leigh jig’s guidefinger assembly can be
in any one of four joint modes, depending on
what type of joint and which part of the joint
you are cutting. Each finger assembly scale has
it’s own mode icon➀, identifying that joint
part. You will also find the joint mode icon in
the top left corner of most illustrations➁, indi-
cating which finger assembly mode to use.
Glossary of Symbols
To help you understand the instructions and
illustrations in this manual, we have used a
number of international symbols, plus a few
special ones of our own. They are all explained
below. You needn’t worry about memorizing
these symbols now, because they are repeated
quite frequently in the manual, and you will
soon get used to them.
1
3
Sometimes a joint mode icon will be used to identify a board➂.
These are the four joint mode icons:
TD Tails
(tails for through dovetail joints)
TD Pins
(pins for through dovetail joints)
HB Tails
(tails for half-blind dovetail joints)
HB Pins
(pins for half-blind dovetail joints)
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v
Which Way Round Should the Board Go?
As virtually all dovetail joinery is used to make
boxes, drawers and chests etc., we devised these
simple (and hopefully intuitive) icons to indi-
cate which side of a board faces inwards or
outwards on the finished “box”, and which side
of the board faces outward (toward you, the
operator), when it is clamped in the jig.
The following symbols indicate:
e This edge against sidestop
f This edge against sidestop
Sawcut allowance
 Caution: use special care for this operation
➀➁➂ Numbered References in text
This icon o indicates the "outside"
of a board. All through dovetail pin
boards are mounted in the jig with
this "outside" face away from the
jig (toward you, the operator).
This icon i indicates the "inside"
of a board. All half-blind pin and
half-blind tail boards, and through
dovetail tail boards, are mounted
in the jig with the "inside" face
away from the jig toward you,
the operator.
This icon j indicates boards that
are mounted both ways e.g. sliding
dovetails.
Dotted line icons indicate the
"other" side of the board in the
illustrations.
Centreline of board or layout
Equals
Does not equal
Approximately
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GLOSSARY OF SYMBOLS
vi
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Jig Assembly, Mounting
and Using The Clamps
CHAPTER 1
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JIG ASSEMBLY, MOUNTING & USING THE CLAMPS
User Guide
2
Chapter 1
Make Sure You Have All the Parts!
Before you start to assemble your Leigh D1600 jig, check to make sure
you have received all the required parts.
The small carton you removed from the end of the main carton contains:
1. 1 DVD instructional video (English only)
2. Cutters:
2 Dovetail, 1 straight, 1 Collet Reducer, 1 Guidebush
3. 2 scale thumbscrews and nylon washers
4. 2 support brackets
5. 2 knobs
2 nylon washers
6. 1 square-head guidefinger screwdriver
7. 4 clamp springs
4 clamp T-bolts
4 flat washers
4 T-bolt nuts
4 Jig Hold-down Nuts & Machine Screws 1⁄4"-20
8. 4 cam-action speed clamps
4 cam clamp pivot nuts
…and any other small optional items you may have ordered with
your new jig. Check the packing slip for this information.
The main carton contains:
9. 1 main jig body
1 Leigh jig user guide
The large inner box contains:
10. 1 finger assembly on a bar, complete with scales
(D1600 jig has 11 guidefingers)
2 lengths bridge material
1 cross cut fence (identical to bridge)
2 clamp bars c/w end plugs
If any of these items are missing from your jig, please notify your supplier
or Leigh Industries immediately.
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3
Important Note
Mount your jig securely and assemble it com-
pletely before you try to use it.
Make sure you have read and understood all
the material in the Safety section of this user
guide before using the jig.
Leigh Dovetail Jig
Leigh Dovetail Jig
10
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9
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JIG ASSEMBLY, MOUNTING & USING THE CLAMPS
User Guide
4
Chapter 1
1-1
Prepare a flat board at least 3⁄4"[20mm]
thick, a minimum of 30"x5"[760x125mm].
Drill four 9⁄32"[7mm] holes on 24"x
35⁄16"[610x84mm] centres, 1⁄2"[13mm] in
from the front edge of the board .
Countersink ➁ or counter-bore ➂ if the
board is thicker, the underside so that the four
1⁄4-20x1" long machine screws will project
above the top surface by 3⁄8"[9,5mm] ➃.
35/16"[84mm]
5"[125mm]+
24"[610mm]
30"[760mm]+
1/2"[13mm]
1
2
4
3
1-2
Turn the jig upside down on two blocks ➀ to
protect the side stops. Using the four nuts and
four countersunk machine screws, bolt the
base board to the jig using the two nut recess-
es in each end housing. The 1⁄2"[13mm] front
edge to the front of the jig (of course).
1
1-3
Insert the four clamp T-bolts into the key
hole openings (two at each end of the jig).
Position so that the T-bolts are at the inner
ends of the key holes. Tighten the four clamp
bolt nuts with the Leigh wrench.
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5
1-4
Place four springs ➀ and two clamp bars on
the T-bolts. Make sure the clamp bars move
freely on the T-bolts.
1
1-5
Screw a clamp lever assembly onto each T-
bolt.
1-6
Insert the right and left support brackets.
Attach the knobs and nylon washers, raise
them to full height and tighten the knobs.
Note: The set line on this support bracket
➀ is shown in red for clarity in this manual
only. The actual bracket lines are black.
1
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JIG ASSEMBLY, MOUNTING & USING THE CLAMPS
User Guide
6
Chapter 1
1-7
Make up a 3⁄4" x 6" x 15"[20x150x380mm]
finger support board as shown. This board
will be used to support the guidefinger
assembly in all front-clamping vertical
board modes.
1-8
Raise both end support brackets and tighten
the support bracket knobs.
1-9
Install the two thumbscrews a few turns into
the scales ➀. Loosen the scale lock screw ➁
at both ends (by one turn only).
2
1
1
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7
1-10
Slide the finger assembly onto the support
brackets, in the DTD Tails mode and set
on the ALL setting. Tighten both thumb-
screws ➀.
Do not lower the assembly onto the finger
support board.
1
1-11
Now tighten both scale lock screws ➀. Press
down on the bar as you do this to ensure
proper positioning of the bar in the block.
Now when the thumbscrews are loosened,
the finger assembly should easily slide on
and off the support brackets.
If they are sticky to move on the sup-
port brackets, apply a little candle wax or
TopCote® to the mating surfaces. To ensure
correct finger assembly alignment, follow
this same procedure whenever you remove
the scales from the finger assembly.
1
1-12
Rotate the finger assembly to the dTD Pins
mode ➀, and move the outer guidefingers
to touch the scale block and lock in posi-
tion ➁.
Note: the outer guidefingers are used for router
support only.
1
2
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JIG ASSEMBLY, MOUNTING & USING THE CLAMPS
User Guide
8
Chapter 1
1-13 The Jig Clamps
Use a piece of flat, even thickness wood
to familiarize yourself with the jig cam
clamps.
1-14
You will operate the cam-action speed clamps
every time you use the jig, so get used to
the feel of the clamps first. Do not force
the cam-action speed-clamp. It has great
leverage, and excessive force may damage
the workpiece or the jig.
Do not use the lever as a torque arm. Adjust
the clamp tension only with the clamp disen-
gaged.
1-15
A smooth, firm action is enough to engage
the clamp.
Rule of thumb: If you can't throw the lever
by pressing the end of it firmly with your
thumb, reduce the tension. Firm thumb
pressure is about right. A few minutes of
trial and error will help you feel the right
clamp tension.
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9
1-16
For all but the wider workpieces, you need
only operate the clamp on the workpiece end
of the jig to release the board ➀. For narrower
boards, the clamp at the free end ➁ should
be just tight enough to bow the clamp bar
about 1⁄16"[2mm] ➂.
1
2
3
1-17
When engaged, the front clamp levers should
normally point down and the rear levers
should point away from the operator ➀ or
up to 90˚ either side ➁ as required to obtain
the optimum clamping pressure.
90˚
90˚
1
1
2
2
1-18
After you mounted the jig and finger assem-
bly, you should have these items left over:
•1 DVD instructional video (English only)
•1 Guidebush and nut
•Cutters: 2 Dovetail, 1 straight
•1 Collet Reducer
•1 square-head guidefinger screwdriver
•1 Leigh jig user guide
•2 lengths bridge material
•1 cross cut fence (identical to bridge)
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JIG ASSEMBLY, MOUNTING & USING THE CLAMPS
User Guide
10
Chapter 1
1-19
To gain height for a more comfortable work-
ing position or for routing longer boards,
mount the jig to a box that can be bolted
securely to a bench.
See also 15-13 ■
1/2"[13mm]
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Adjusting the
Finger Assembly
CHAPTER 2
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ADJUSTING THE FINGER ASSEMBLY
User Guide
12
Chapter 2
2-1
Practice with the finger assembly height
adjustment. Loosen the support bracket
knobs and hold them firmly. Raise and lower
the assembly evenly, keeping it level ➀,
and tighten the knobs to lock it at various
heights.
Do not raise or lower one end of the finger
assembly at a time ➁.
1
2
1
2-2
To practice adjusting the guidefingers, put
a board in the front clamp. Always raise
the finger assembly slightly, approxi-
mately 1⁄16"[2mm] above the spacer board
and/or workpiece ➀. This is essential to
allow the guidefingers to move freely on the
guidefinger bar and ensures that the fingers
will be level and flush when locked up. Move
the guidefingers by pushing on the middle to
slide them along the guidefinger bar.
1
2-3
Loosen about half the guidefingers and prac-
tice unlocking, moving, positioning and re-
locking them. Always press on the centre of
the guidefinger when tightening the screws.
This ensures that the small pads ➀ on the
inside of the finger contact the face of the
finger bar ➁ and keeps all the fingers level.
2
1
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13
2-4
Do not over-tighten the guidefinger lock
screws. The Leigh screwdriver provided will
give ample torque for easy lock-up without
strain.
Hint: Finger-tip tighten a loose screw until
the slightest resistance is felt. Do not tighten
the screw more than half a turn (180˚) from
the first contact.
2-5
Always tighten unused guidefingers before
routing, as router vibration may cause loose
screws and finger lock parts to fall out and
be lost.
2-6
You can adjust the guidefingers by eye, or by
measurement to suit a set of plans.
■
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20"
3/4"thick
1 1/4" centres
3/4"thick
1/4"
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ADJUSTING THE FINGER ASSEMBLY
User Guide
14
Chapter 2
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