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How to setup a Harbor Freight Dovetail Jig
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มิ.ย. 2016
- Addendum to this video • Addendum to - How to s...
See the Addendum to this video which contains an updated manual with the correct info for the Harbor Freight dovetail jig and the Woodstock D2796 dovetail jig.
drive.google.com/file/d/0B7nD...
This video will show you how to setup a Harbor Freight Dovetail jig and router quickly to make perfect dovetails each time.
I have had this jig for 7 years and didn't use it for all the issues. Found this video and now the dovetails are amazing. Works great on pine instead of me handcutting and busting them out
picked one of these up today. I bought Harbor Freight because I am low on funds and trying to get better at woodworking. I want to build some keep sake boxes for Christmas. Thanks for the instructions.
Spacial perspective and patience my friend. Thanks for sharing. You are the guy that will sit at your jointer with a dial indicator making adjustments until every blade and table are within .001 tolerances.
Thank You! I purchased one of these jigs about eight years ago. I followed the Harbor Freight instructions but the results were not good at all. I worked with it at least six hours and gave up. I stumbled on your video and after reading the Woodstock manual, I realized what you found that the Harbor Freight instructions are simply wrong. I tried the Woodstock instructions and the very first try was a complete success. Thanks to you I now have a tool that is no longer gathering saw dust in the corner of my shop. Perhaps I should send you a list of the other gadgets I bought that have never lived up to their marketing.
I don't have a HB dovetail jig, but I did pick up a very similar one from the HFH Restore a while back. You answered pretty much every question I could think of about how to set it up and use it. Really appreciate your taking the time to make this video. Thanks.
Unbelievably complex and finicky setup. I'm sure to have three failures for every successful joint I make. For my occasional use I think I'll stick to table saw dovetail jigs and chisels. Thanks for taking the time to show this.
Set the jig up once for 3/4" stock and never need to set it up again unless you cut other size stock.
You must have the patience of a saint. I would have taken a sledgehammer to it put the pieces back in the box and given it back to Harbor Freight and suggested they re-think this thing.
Oh trust me...I've done that with a few tools in my time.
It isn't their design. It is a knock off of a much older jig. It is a rite of passage of the machine tool woodworker to master this contraption. It is final boss level material.
Thanks for the video. I bought my dovetail jig about 10 years ago and used it to make drawer boxes for some kitchen cabinets. It worked very well for that. I didn't touch it again until this week and I found that I had forgotten everything I knew about it. :) Your video was very helpful and probably saved me at least an hour or two. By the way, I got very good results again with the jig. It is not fair to compare it with a high dollar jig, but for occasional use, it does the trick.
Thanks again. Lowe's does carry the longer bit. I picked one up for about $19.00. It was a 14 degree that manual says to use. Also, your tip for the 19/32" bit depth, instead of 9 /16", was very helpful for getting the tighter fit. And thanks a million for the link to the Woodstock manual. It's a much better manual than the one that comes with the Harbor Freight jig.
Ive had one of these for over a year. I didnt know how to use it. Now I think I can do it. Thanks for the video.
By far one of the better videos showing how to set up the guide. Ultimately as you say, practice pieces to establish the setup is essential. I've some silicone grease also. Nice tip.
Thanks for the video. I've been looking at the dovetail jigs but have never used one. I like to educate myself a little before making purchases so I have a better idea of the capabilities, plus, and minuses of equipment. Regardless of the negatives for set up it does look like a jig I may get. Thanks again for the demo.
Many thanks for this video. I have the Lumberjack tools version which I had the same issues setting up. After watching your video, I found that I don't have the problems anymore. 👍
Wow you the man
7/16 and longer than 1.15 inches
Truly appreciate your time and support
Thank you for a most thorough explanation. Someday I will have to give my dovetail jig over here another try. I've gotten it to work only after fooling around with it way too long.
Thanks for your video. I have bought a similar jig here in the U.K. To help with my dovetails as I'm not good at freehanding them. Your video helped me to decide to purchase this jig knowing I would be able set it up correctly. Cheers phil
thank you I watched your video over and over... becuase I myself when through so much pain.. and your guidance has been a lighthouse in peach dark whaling ocean....!!! once again... thank you for your video and pdf.. you are very helpful.. hope that you post more guidance in wood machineries....
Thank you for the video! I will definitely pass on this jig and spend the extra money on the Porter Cable jig! More money, but less headache. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks for the video. I just bought one and you saved me tons of time. After setup like you did mine works fine and I saved a fortune on this seldom used piece of tooling. I'll buy beer with the money I saved, lots of it. I also bought their pocket hole jig with a coupon for about the same price as the Kreg plastic one and I can find no fault with it, works perfect. I wrote Porter-Cable on it so shop visitors would think I'm a really classy woodworker ! LOL
Thank you very much. My wife picked that exact jig for me this past week. I was going to use to make a new kitchen silverware drawer. Without your video, I would have been lost, and I'm a technician that is very good with my hands.
Watch the addendum to this video with the updated settings
Thanks for the detailed video as any thoughts of buying a Harbor Freight dovetail jig and a two month effort to make a drawer had me go ahead and buy a Porter Cable.
Your reveiw is amazing . I don't think i c9uld have figured this out if not for your skills think you so so much!!
Thank you for sharing; I've had one for some time but never got around to using it. Recently I'm building some drawers. Great tutorial. Nice watch btw!
You are awesome! Much appreciated!! Loved the addendum with the PDF! I subbed in hopes you put out more harbor freight review/usage videos! They should sponsor your youtube channel in my strong opinion!
i learned a lot and your tutorial is short and to the point, thank you
Saved my life! Thank you very much, it was hard to find a video explaining the fence adjustment.
As I understand it fence adjustment depends on the base of the router you're using. Different routers have different diameter bases so that puts the bit from the edge of the base at different dimensions. Being as not all radii are equal. Which is why the fence is adjustable in the first place.
After struggling for a week with this stubborn jig I discovered this video. A+! Thank you, MrDabrudda, for identifying and correcting the mistakes in the manual and providing more accurate measurements and methods. Your detailed instructions explained how to overcome many of the inherent flaws in the jig and enabled me to cut my first dovetail. Unfortunately, the bed of my jig had a bow to it instead of being flat and true, and the resulting joint was out-of-square. I also discovered the four phillips screws that attach the comb were not tight which added to the problem. No wonder I had such a hard time! I took my jig back to Harbor Freight and exchanged it for a new one, making certain the new jig was straight and true. This made a world of difference, creating a good square joint.
As a beginner to making dovetail joints, I thought it would be wise to learn on an inexpensive model that matched my skill level. It turned out to be a major pain in the neck. Yes, HF jigs are cheap, but they are very unforgiving to novices and fight you every step of the way. I learned the hard way they can be poorly made, and that I also needed template guides (not included) to operate the jig. It took me a lot of time, effort, research and patience to get one to work, including downloading the Woodstock D2796 operating manual (essential!) and modifying its design. IMHO, you'd be much better off in the long run buying a used Porter Cable kit that includes bits, template guides and an assortment of other combs. I found one on Craig's List for fifty bucks. It is much easier to use, far more accurate and user-friendly, and has the flexibility to make many other types of joints as well.
UPDATE:
If the HF jig is right for you, I do believe with careful attention and patience you can coax good joints out of it. The key is having a good knowledge and understanding of the process. I highly recommend you download the ((Porter Cable 12" Dovetail Jig Instruction Manual 4210/4212/4216)) and the ((Porter Cable Supplemantary Instruction Manual Dovetail Jig Models 4210 & 4212)), both available for free at www.portercable.com. Together they will clearly provide almost everything you need to know and will be a valuable reference guide for your library. Good luck and lots of success!!
Thanks
One would really WANT to have dovetail joints... Good video none-the-less!
Thanks for posting this video. It was confusing while watching but when I actually started to set up and referred back to the video it started to make sense. Also the Woodstock manual was a great help.
I’ve never tried a dove tail before, then I watched your video. Since I had never trie dove tailing I decided to go with the Harbor Freight Jig. Referred back to your video and, Bam!! Cut my first dove tail! People who throw off on Harbor Freight tools are the same people who never put effort into anything, they buy cheap tools expecting perfect outcomes without any effort, then bash them when they can’t get them to work correctly. You have an excellent video and easy to follow. Great job and thank you!
man! you get what you pay for, I salute your effort. I would have thrown it in the dumpster before I spent that much time on it.
It took so long to set up the jig because the HF instructions are messed up. After I found the D2796 jig which is a clone of this jig it took me only a few minutes to setup and get a successful test cut.
Thank you for this video. You saved me a lot of time and trouble. Your adjustments are spot on and after a few trial and error attempts I was able to create a dovetail box that I was pleased with. Anyone who follows your instructions carefully should be able to have thew same results.
For those who would post who would harshly criticize this video, if you think you can do better go for it, or just shut up.
Thank you. If they can't take the time to get a jig setup...and not just HF jig...any jig, then wood working is not for them.
I just bought a used Eagle Tool Co. Jig at the Restore, it is virtually the same machine. I've been hoping to find some set-up info on it. I'm glad I clicked on your video, Thanks!!
Watch the Adendum video.
@@MrDabrudda yes, I watched that also. I downloaded the WOODSTOCK manual. Thanks
THis was really helpful! I am getting ready to buy this jig and you just saved me hours. Thanks!!!
Nice! Great lots of info! I have a similar jig not Harbor Freight ...but this video helped me a bunch
Wow, thank you so much. My Father bought one years ago and could never figure it out. I received it after his passing and was ready to throw it out. I saw your video and now and it works great. You should be teaching at a trade school.
I got mine to work once. Every other time I tried to use it I never managed to figure it out. I'm about to give it another go though. After lunch I'm picking up a piece of wood just to practice on. A long piece of wood.
Very good video, i am a beginner woodworker, this jig will be too much for me to deal with, i will keep on looking for a easier one to learn from
This is an excellent tutorial. explaining so well how to set up the dovetailer.,if only the USA could use metrics I would be ecstatic
Good video and explanation. I gave up on these machines and cut dovetails by hand now. It is enjoyable and an easy process if you keep things oriented right.
I had the same guide problem, I went to Sears, they had a kit which provides about five end plates which attached to the bottom of my router. The kit was reasonably priced. When I opened my Harbor Freight Jig, I saw that it had broken knobs on it that were broken while shipping. By the time I opened the jig for use, the warranty had expired. I rigged up an unbreakable repair and the jig has worked fine.
Wow that is a lot of setting up. It takes a really technical and experience to get this thing working right. Takes patience 👍
That is the nature of these jigs. Once you have it setup it is dead easy to make loads of joints though.
I bought one of these yesterday and tried it out. One thing I noticed is that when I clamp down the horizontal board, the aluminum comb raises up about 1/16" above the board, not laying on top of the board like you would want. I think the base may be flexing a bit, causing the comb to raise up. I'll look into what's causing it when I get more time. I bought the brass pilot set at HF too. The 7/16" pilot was longer than the thickness of the comb, causing it to protrude below the comb. I removed about 1/16" off the length of the brass pilot. All in all, not a bad deal if you can work with its imperfections.
Both of your videos are very informative and I personally found them to be very useful; keep on keepin on!
MrDabrudda, you are a competent individual sir.
Great tutorial. Made setup quick. Thanks.
I've got one and once you get used to it you can get really good dovetails. When I have a lot of drawers to make, I dovetail four pieces of 1x12 lumber, fit it up, then slice it into layers. You can get 4 drawers a little under 3" deep, 3 at about 4" and two at 6". Saves a lot of time. If you watch the sales at HF you can get them for $70 or so. I got mine even cheaper because they had a bunch that came in without the board clamp levers. I used some 3/8 all thread and a couple of knobs I had laying around. Got the jig for $50. For that price I can put up with a lot of hassle. After a year or so I replaced the eccentric cams on the board clamps. Took a piece of 1 1/4 bar stock, drilled a hole offset from center through about 4" of it and sliced off pieces wide enough to make new cams.
Thanks for taking the time to put this together
Got mine for Christmas two years ago and have never used it. Took it out of storage today and watched 3 setup videos. It's going back into storage. Hours of setup time, manual with incorrect instructions, for half-blind dovetails. No thanks. Thank you, however, for taking the time to put this video together. You did a good job.
You will get the same setup results with a Porter jig too. It take several trial cuts to get any jig dialed in.
Welcome to dovetailing. Setup always takes about 20x the amount of time as the actual work.
Yep, and people think they are going to get results without tuning the jig.
Thank You!! I just got one of these, and the instructions made little sense- You made it much more clear, Wow, a life saver! Thank you very much. (I'll probably need to rerun this a few times to get those measurements, but I feel much more confident.
I bought one of these jigs a few years back and found it very awkward and confusing, so I carried on cutting dovetails by hand..
Now I've watched this, it reminded me of how awkward and confusing it was...
I shall carry on cutting them by hand..
(Not knocking the video though - very clear and great detail - it's just way too much effort for me)..
👍👍 Awesome instruction video. Great job!
Good guide, appreciate you taking the time to pass on your experiences
Thank you for your very detailed and easy to understand video much appreciated many thanks
This video was great. Thank you.
Great video, thanks. I was having trouble with mine
Caught this on the Harbor Freight web site, and tracked down your channel. Well done, excellent example of how to make their stuff actually work.
Thing about "Hazard Fraught" - the stuff usually works (although not to the level & durability you might want in an industrial environment) and is fairly inexpensive. But there can be a fair amount of figuring out and even re-engineering involved, as you have shown here. It comes with the territory. Personally, coming from a mechanical engineering (marine engineer, actually) background I kind of enjoy it, so I buy their stuff.
If you don't want the aggravation or don't have the time, that is perfectly understandable: there may be a Festool dealer near you.
Points to Harbor Freight for throwing this up on their website. You hold their feet to the fire from time to time in this video.
Points to you for turning off the sound for the part where you are running the router. Surprising how many folks don't realize we don't need to listen to a machine cutting wood.
harbor freight doesnt include directions.ithink i willspend the money andgeta good one
The best explanation of any I’ve seen. Thanks for posting
Good information you're sharing here, but this is why I am glad I went with the Original Incra Jig for making joints over other dovetail or box joint jigs. Setup is simple and repeatability is simple, and it doesn't require any of the inserts. Looks like you got your setup working good for you.
Bloody brilliant video well explained and some great tips and advice. It shouldn't be that hard to be honest I do wonder how you know where to set your stops for different sized boards may be slightly thinner or thicker without going to all the trouble of having to run tests. Thanks again.
Nice bro- Just picked one up you saved me a lot of time
See the Addendum to this video with updated instructions and a user manual that accurate. Link to the user manual is in the description of the video.
Thaks for the video, helps me a lot, however, the male part of the dovetail is too big, I noticed that my bit doesn't reach the edge of the comb making it bigger, I am going to get a new bit with a 14° angle as you mention in your video.
Nice, thanks for the video!
Excellent video brudda
Great video, thanks!
Thank you for this video. I just got this jig and this is extremely helpful.
Tedious and tricky to set up, but once you get it right it does a fine job. I got mine half price because it was missing one bolt. I have buckets of bolts and don't use a dovetailer that much so I have never been sorry I bought it.
WEll i just bought mine and i'm messing with it. My 1\2 collar DOES fit between the combs, but it doesn't matter. it's making my tails too wide. I switched to the 7\16 collar. 18/32 (9/16) depth from base. Fence 1 1\16'' to back of combs for my .75'' boards. Cuts well..fits nice. Took forever to understand how to use this..even with this video. be patient..it does work.
God damn I could have chiseled out the dovetails by now.
Lol but doing 30 drawers he will catch up and pass you
Well….. he IS explaining this in detail as he is setting it up
Not sure why anyone would struggle with this.. it’s so easy..
Yep, they just need to RTFM
Hey, thanks for the video. A few points helped me figure out my problems.
Looks similar to my Jet 12" master dovetail jig. I am working through the adjustments to make it work. I appreciate your video
Yep, looks exactly like the HF dovetail jig, Woodstock D2796 jig, Busy Bee Craftex CT052N jig. I'm sure there are many other jigs that are off shoots of this jig.
The instructions are not that great. first set-up with the bit at 7/8" produced a non working joint. should have been obvious to me before I finished but i wanted to try it per the manual first. I may look at the Porter cable 12" dovetail jig if I can't get this one to work
Updated manual with the correct info for the Harbor Freight dovetail jig and the Woodstock D2796 dovetail jig.
drive.google.com/file/d/0B7nDu4dJR2PnY2Fmc3lkTnRnTE0/view?usp=sharing
Thank you so much!!!! great help!!!
My HF jig does a good job, but you need three hands to set it up. And plan on having a lot of scraps on hand to cut up getting it just right. And, you don't have to take the cam locks out and turn them around. Just unscrew the handles, rotate the cams 180 degrees and screw the handles back in.
If the clamp handle seem to be oriented backwards, it not necessary to reverse it. Simply unscrew the handle and put it into the other side of the shaft.
I picked up this jig the other day.. on sale plus 20% off .... Total was 32 bucks. I'm not even going to bother bringing it back. I'll unload on some Einstein.
Very good info.
Great video. I'm using 1 inch thick material. The chart only goes up to 7/8 thick material. Would I just add an 1/8 of an inch? Or is there a formula to set the fence depth?
Great video!
Tool Porn.
Thanks for taking the trouble to produce this video; very helpful. I found a bit that is 5/32 longer than the HF one and it was only $7 and appears high quality: Tideway #LC03030804 and the size is 1/4" x 1/2" x 14 Degrees and 1-61/64 long overall. From Red's on ebay.
Looking at the space in front between the edge of the finger and the wood appears to be more that 5/32. Is this on purpose?
nicely done. thanks for taking the time.
so I went out and purchased this after using the 20% off coupon it came to $30.45 just to give it a try to see if I even like making dovetails using a jig before I go out and spend a bunch of money on a different brand one I never had any luck with Harbor Freight Tools even their clamps break on me LOL and I forgot to get the bearing guide even after watching your video..HAHA! I'm a dummy lol! oh well ill have to go back there in the morning just want to let you know that I got this and I'm giving it a shot because I watched your video and got inspired. hopefully it works out setting it up was a breeze pretty cut and dry.
***** no it did not I kept it for 2 days the knobs were so close to each other that I could not turn them and the amount of time it took to set the thing up was Unreal the instruction manual was not good at all and everything was a blurry black and white image very poorly made I could have lived with the set-up time I get that it takes time to set these things up but the knobs I could not turn to tighten or loosen anything down they were too close to each other so I bought another one same problem so I just returned it and ordered the Porter-Cable 4212 I'll do a review and test on that once I get it
Great job thanks!
U saved me sir. Thanx!
I purchased one the other day. I did buy the template guides/bushings from Lowes for about 23 bucks and they fit my DeWalt router like a glove. They are made from steel. Also bought a piece of pine to practice with before I use the oak boards. Your instructions are really good, although I do recommend attaching the jig to some 2x6s with a enough overhang to the sides to clamp it down to a work table. Thanks and don't let the man get you down.
I admire your determination.
So I have a question say the drawer opening is 28 1/2” wide but with drawer slides it takes away 1” so it ends up being 27 1/2” what would the measurements be of the front piece (keep in mind I want the dove tails showing on the sides) THANKS!
Good video. How did you sand the bushing? I bought the template guides from HF and found out what you did. They were just a little bit too big. I have a Skil router RT1622. I contacted Skil and waiting for a reply in regards to the correct bushing. Again thx for all your efforts. I subscribed and gave you thumbs up.
"You think they'd sell parts that are completely compatible....."
Haha! I Love this joke! Welcome to Harbor Freight...... Btw, thank you for this video, seriously, thank you for taking the time to show us how to setup this junk. Haven't even opened the box yet but yes, I'm returning it. Isn't worth the trouble.
He got too "You think they'd sell parts that are completely..." before I glanced down at the comment section to see the first comment...
First and foremost, thanks for a well done video. This is definitely a must-watch if you buy a HB jig, That said...
I think what your video did for me was to convince me that my screwed & glued joints are just fine, Joints that I made 20 year ago are doing well. My work isn't heirloom quality and I don't expect it to be cherished 100 years from now. I'd like to be able to do dovetails, but this just seems like more trouble than it's worth.
Set it up once of 3/4" stock and that is all you have need to do.
I find that not all 3/4 stock is created equally. Pure wood like pine or oak boards are one thickness, oak/birch/maple plywood can all be different. This doesn't mean that I'll never try this. For only $35, it'd be an interesting experiment. Also, if I could dovetail joints, I might consider 1/2" stock. Lighter drawers with larger interiors.
It's like anything else. Some guys change their own oil, others don't. If you have mechanical inclinations, it becomes second nature. Also, a love of woodworking helps.I ruined several pieces of cheap wood before obtaining a good fit. Once you get it right, it's very cool.
Thanks for the video. Helps a lot!
Thanks for the help!
What size of bushing do I need?
A thank you for the video. It was very informative and gave me a heads up on what I needed to do before I unpacked mine. I download the alternative manual you suggested, naught the bit with a longer shank at Home Depot. I have not been able to find the router insert on the HBO website that you show and wanted to know if you can post a link. I have 12 drawers to do so I'm trying to set everything up as perfectly as I can on my test cuts before I start.
9 Piece Router Template Guides
www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-router-template-guide-set-98361.html
That was a quarter of a inch from being rocket science..
Great video. Thank you for the time you took making it. Do you think there's a mini dovetail template that could be used with this? I was looking at the Porter Cable template.
You can buy different templates for these jigs. Check Woodstock and BusyBee website. I've purchased a 1/2" box and 3/4" box template for this jig.
The reason people have a hard time is because this is more than likely their first dovetail jig, and without having the frame of reference of how a high quality one functions, it can be a bit difficult. I managed to get mine working but not without some cursing.
Cool idea bud.
This was super helpful thank you, would of spent age figuring it out, lol. I'm in the UK and got a version idential to this but ovbiously not from harbour freight. on the manual and box is says it can do box joints - do you know how to do this? Thanks again!
Searching on the interweb for several hours I found box joint templates which fit the HF Dovetail Jig.
I've bought 1/4" box joint template (CT052B14) from Busy Bee Tools (Based in Canada and shipping was outrageous) and a 1/2" box joint template (D3157) from Woodstock International Inc.
I plan to do another video detailing the box joints in the future. Both templates fit the Harbor Freight Dovetail Jig perfectly.
Thanks a lot for replying - sounds great, i look forward to the vid when it comes out!
So I have the same jig different bran however my tails are oversized for my pins any idea what I am doing wrong?
Move the bit up (less deep) to loosen the fit. Lower the bit to tighten the fit.
Almost 400,000 people have watch this video that’s insane!
Not many how to videos on this jig...and the HF manual sucks.
I’ve been using this jig to make speaker cabinets for a couple years now. I think it’s more than worth the money, and the setup is not that bad at all. This video’s recommendation of setting your bit depth to 19/32” instead of the manual’s 23/32” is right on. I had to do quite a bit of work with a file at 23/32 because the joints were way too tight. Great recommendation!
The depth of cut can also adjust the tightness of the joints.