You are "kinda right"...most of us learn the hard way that when it comes to
the basic tools it is cheaper in the long-run to spend the extra $$$ and get
good ones (e.g. a PC router vs the Crapsman as you state...sure you'll agree
that there is much more going on there than the color g). After the
basics it comes down to how much you are going to use it, how much time it
takes to fiddle with it and what your tolerance is. Better tools will yield
better results most of the time but sometimes it simply doesn't matter. I
personally cannot get a "perfect anything" from my collection of mid-priced
Delta/PC/Dewalt tools but funny thing about wood is its modesty. When I am
done, I seem to be the only one that knows where the flaws are.


"Wyatt" wrote in message
om...
(Jay Chan) wrote in message news
I am looking for a dovetail jig that can do both half-blind-dovetails
or through-dovetails.
SNIP

buy once...cry once..."ain't no secrets"...."ain't no short
cuts"......Buy or team up with a buddy and buy a leigh....anything
less could be a waste of time and effort and will end up in
frustration

I know that the Leigh is expensive and is a hugh investment if you do
not cut lot of dovetails, but it is the most well around good jig.
Perhaps you could sell a couple of dovetailed blanket chest and help
pay for the jig. Good luck.....
Mike from American Sycamore
Good luck

So I am new here (been lurking for a while) been around woodworking my
whole life. As a young and aspiring woodworker I have found two things
true that don't get much attention.
1. Woodworking is really expensive. Sorry but anyone suggesting there
is no valid alternative to the leigh does not understand this, you
have to be planning a lot of dovetails to warrant that jig. Sometimes
I think for us younger folks we have to take the risk of not buying
the best tool on the market. It may not work quite as well. But in my
experience, with patience even mediocre tools can produce excellent
quality results.
I have the aluminum HF dovetail jig. It ain't great and doesn't do a
lot of fancy cuts. But when it is set up properly I can produce
drawers in about 5 mins for all 4 corners, tight and square. At this
point if I had bought a leigh and later found out how well the $25
dollar one worked I would have kicked myself. I just did not need $400
in dovetail jig. Now, at some point in my life I may want the features
of the leigh but for now I have served my purpose I made straight
beautiful drawers.
2. Used tools don't get brought up much here. This is a little more
difficult with DT jigs but with a lot of things a little patience and
garagesaling will find some great deals. For that matter you never
know, you might find a leigh someone bought thinking they needed but
never used.
My one disclaimer, all of this said. Nothing will make me go back to
my garage sale special craftsman router now that I have a PC895. When
I started the Craftsman worked, now I have upgraded. If I could find a
PC, Dewalt, bosch at a garage sale I would buy it in a second, just no
more craftsman.