I have a similar Craftsman Dovetail Template jig that I use about once every two years - just enough time to completely forget how it's done. This video is tremendously instructive for setup and use of the template. Watching the video has saved me hours of frustration, and many discarded drawer sides. Thank you Colin!

This video, is without a doubt, the most comprehensive instructions I've ever heard on the use of Dovetail jigs. I would love to have had someone explain their use to me 40 years ago, the way you just explained to the world. Thank you.

Hi Colin. I know this video on the half-blind dovetail jig is ten years old already, but this might help someone with regards to the "S" on the template. It is the setup line for aligning your work pieces correctly. Cheers

Thanks for commenting Alejandro, Great to have you with us Colin

Hi Will, thanks for taking the time to comment, great to have you with us Colin

Thanks for the commenting, great to have you with us Colin

Glad you enjoyed, and thanks for commenting about it. Colin

I received one of these types of jigs from a purchase i made and the gentleman threw them in the deal last minute. I haven't had a manual or anything to figure them out. this is super helpful.

Thanks for commenting, great to have you with us Colin

... would love to see some pics of your jigs, they sound very interesting. Thanks for commenting Colin

Today, I watched the video then went to the workshop and unpacked my Harbor Freight dovetail machine for the first time. I found no manual, but I managed to complete my first dovetail joint. There is no way I could have done this without the video. Thank You.

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

Warren P Clark Thanks Warren, appreciate the feedback buddy, great to hear

Yes Dane, I am using CMT Dovetail jig, but I have used others in the past and have found them to be all very similar. Thanks for asking :) Colin

Thanks for the note MAC ... great to have you with us Colin

Hi David, glad to hear I am not alone it trying to decipher poor instructions. Thanks for commenting, great to have you with us Colin

Best tutorial I have seen on this, legend.

gracias por comentar, grandes tenerte con nosotros Colin

I just bought a craftsman dovetail jig reg 120 on the clearance rack 30 bucks! Now after watching your video I can't wait to get in the shed. Thank you so much, perfect video

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

30 bucks ... are you kidding me Jim?? that's the deal of year, well done. Let me know how you make out with it, maybe you will share some pics with us of your projects?

Mine came with no instructions at all, then I thought utube and hear you are , fantastic I’m now “clued up” good on you Collin ❤️

This video is just what I needed for using the Wood River jig. Thanks for all of you videos.

Thank you for taking the time to do this helpful videos Sr. As an old carpenter here, I appreciate a clear and simple class on dovetailing… I'm now going to try some Bubinga, (hard wood), Speaker Cabinets I have on my Do-List… Previous practicing with scraps af wood of course… thanks

Your videos are really great. Well thought through and very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

Very useful video, I couldn't find anyone else who gave thus much info. Thanks!

Thank you for your detailed explanation. I have been afraid to attempt dovetails. With your help I am ready to do it.

Thanks for taking the time to comment Zz

You did a great job of explaining how the jig works,even I could use it. Thanks Colin

THATS THE BEST VIDEO ON THIS TOPIC! THANK YOU...

Thank you very much for very detailed videos ! I got two of these type jigs as a gift, now I can use them !

Great tutorial, I like you, feel the instructions that come with them are some what to be desired..after many test pieces, finally have it set up to operate as it should....only to have it sitting on a shelf......I much rather the look of a through dove tail and the ability to cut different sizes, so I made two jigs, one for my table saw, and one for the band saw.....with perfect doves every time.....never the less i do enjoy your videos....take care, and keep up the good work....

I own a Trend (UK) router, table and dust collection unit so it made sense to purchase the dovetail jig as well. It looks identical to one you are using so might pay to check out the through dovetail jig to see if it will fit your unit. After watching your video a few times and making a couple of dummy runs with scraps I have just made my first project of a shelf unit (four sides) with inlay shelves. Pleased so far thanks to you and the clear instructions from the video (also the tips)......eye

Very very beautiful. The best video over CMT 300 I saw.

I am learning how to make a dove tail joint---- this vid was REALLY a lot of help... Thank You!!

Thanks for posting ... glad this was of some use to you Colin

Thank you for explaining all this. The instructions that came with the craftsman jig from the late 80's left me in the dark. This came in very handy. Now off to the shop to make some dovetails.

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

WoodenCreationz Most of these units have really poor instructions but they are all fairly easy to use once you can watch someone ... thanks for posting

Recently was given a Craftsman jig by a friend with no manual. Your video clarified a lot of things. Now if you could show how to make through dovetails useful for box joints that would be fantastic. Thanks and keep up the good work.

Thanks. Getting back to woodworking and was trying to remember about the commercial jig I purchased a long time ago. Also, liked your later video on box joints. First rate.

I know this is a really old video but it was very helpful. My grandfather had so many woodworking tools but we were never able to learn together. Included was an old sears craftsman version of this jig. Going to try this out soon!

Fine Video! I like it and will learn from You, Sir! Colin You are the best of instrks. and fine to learn from. You tell the good and not so good, that is so good!

Colin, I liked your style of video making. You try hard to make it very visible and accessible for anyone watching the video which I really appreciated. Thanks.

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to comment Tamur Colin

Hi James, I'm not sure that I would build a book case with this kind of a dovetail jig, but building book cases can be very simple or it can be complicated depending on the style you want. Best thing to do is find plans of a picture of what you like and start with that. Thanks for commenting :) Colin

Thank you very much Colin i have not stopped cutting half blind dove tail joint's after watching you video You are the man 5*****

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

lol ... good to hear, thanks for commenting. Maybe you can share some pics with us one day. We always love looking at other people's creations :) Colin

Very good video, can't find one as good as this with detail instruction verbally in video.

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

***** Thanks so much for your feedback, appreciate you making the effort Colin

I've had a rig for years and only used it a few times when i was a very new w/wrkr.made a mess and lost interest,now I just watched your lecture and know what to do,i will also buy a through d/tl.template,thanks for the vid it is most helpful,MAC.

Sure thing I already have a little project in mind. When I get done ill show you how I made out. Thanks!

Thanks so much for an easy to grasp video. I immediately went out & set up my jig perfectly.

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Well done ... thanks for commenting, glad to here it worked for you

Really helpful and clear demonstration. Thank you.

Thanks colin, another great video,you've taken a lot of the mystery out of that jig, finally going to have a go at the weekend. Richie.uk.

@knecht105

8 жыл бұрын

+Richie Thewles Glad this was helpful Richie .. thanks for commenting

Excellent presentation...a great help for new woodworking people like me...deeply appreciated. Thanks for sharing it. Regards from PR.

Very clear, concise, and informative. Thanks a lot for the information. I've had my jig just sitting around for while since I wasn't sure how to use it. Can't wait to get started.

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the note Mac ... maybe you will share some pics with us once you get it going :)

Hi Ricardo, not sure if you have one of these half blind dovetail jigs, but if you do, you will see that their design is such that they cut shorter. This is to hide the roundness of tails caused by the router bit, and to hide the round side of the pins inside that those tails, that is why they cut short. Its much easier to see when you have the jig in front of you, much harder to describe with limited text. Hope this helps. Colin

Hi! Thanks so much for the tutorial! I just bought a simple jig from Lee Valley but I can't figure out how to make through dovetails. Do you know anywhere I can find a similar video on that with a jig like this? Thanks again!!

Thanks very much. Extremely helpful.

Hi Ricardo, very good question. So the answer to your question, the pins are not 1/2 long, they are only 3/8" long, which means the template is 1/4" thick and that would account for the 1/2" length. So the template is designed to cut pins that are always a 1/4" shorter than the thickness of your wood, which is what makes them "blind", otherwise they would be through dovetails. Thanks again for the question. Colin

Unfortunately i bought a dovetail jig and did not know about half blind and thanks you sir i will set it up next week hope it works thank you you so much for that (best of irish luck to you)

Wow, we owe you a great deal of thanks. I bought one on e bay and it came with a one page instruction sheet that made little sense. Thanks to your efforts I will be able to get this monster to do its thing.

excelente clinica del tema...!

Nice Explanation and detail Video , Thanks

Hi Colin - thanks for a great video! Can you say any more about how such a jig can be used to cut through dovetails? Like you I bought my jig (an old ELU one that looks just like the one in the video) only to find it can't do through dovetails straight out the box.

Best explanation that I've seen on u tube

Hi Ricardo, great to hear you have a jig, and with 3 templates. I have not used that newer version so I'm not sure if they have made any changes to it. Depending on what template you are using, the set-up you describe might be the right one. I would say give it a try with some scrap pieces and see how it works. I wish I was there, I would love to see the jig a work, but will need you to tell me how you like it :)

Excellent! Thank you

Well done, learned a lot. I have a 16" craftsman jig with no instructions. Think i can figure it out from here... Thanks for posting the video.

Excellent instruction!!! this is a 10/10 Thank you

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to comment ... great to have you with us :)

wow, this was incredibly helpful. Thank you!

@knecht105

6 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

Thanks for the video's and information. Have had a dovetail jig for a few years now and its been collecting dust. Instructions are lousy for it as well. Heading down to shed now to play around with it.. Thanks again.

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

Don Wilson Hi Don, yeah instructions on all of them are poor at best, even mine is ... as you say, "lousy" ... I would be interested to hear how you make out after watching the vid ... Colin

Very informative video. I have just bought my first Jig from MLCS which came with both through and half blind dovetail templates. I will keep your video handy when trying !. Thanks for a great tutorial...

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

Sunil Dixit That's the first one I have heard of that came with both ... should be a good jig for you

Very well done and informative instructional video. Thank you Sir.

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your comments :)

great video! I've had a jig for two years and have not been able to get usable results until I watched this video. THANKS!!!!!

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

Andrew McIntire Thanks for commenting Andrew, appreciate your feedback buddy.

Thank you. This has been of more use than frustrating hours of mistakes following MLCS manual's instructions accompanied by poor photos of setup. Could I ask that you show your technique marking up the drawer pieces for routing (beehive box, in my case)? And loosening or tightening the dovetail joints... Thanks again

Great video explanation!

Wow 9 years ago. I got my dovetail jig last year and havent used it yet. You made it looks easy. I just want to ask if i can use any power capacity of plunge router for this jig.

Quite helpful, thanx. Picked up a craftsman jig at a yard sale yesterday, no manual.

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Ah ... another garage sale shopper like me :) I'll bet you can find a manual on-line somewhere, or at least one that is pretty similar.

Thank you for posting this. I'm about to buy a used one and it's great to see how to use it, you have given me confidence. I'd like to see the through dovetail template, and also how to make box comb joints.

@harishnair2826

6 жыл бұрын

For the through dovetail you need the T129 template and 918.129.11 dovetail bit form CMT.Check manual for US size.

@harishnair2826

6 жыл бұрын

You also need the 912.080.11 straight bit form CMT for the pins.Been using this jig for more than a year now.

Can you tell me the brand of the dovetail jig that you're using in the video?

Great video on the dovetail jig, just the other day I was looking for something on setting up one. (you have esp LOL)

Excellent explanation. Rb

Hi I watched this video and found it so interesting that I went and bought a second hand jig but the s mark is not on it could anybody please give me the distance from tip of the fingers to the s mark Please. Cheers Bill

Thanks Colin - greetings from Brazil very helpful

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome ... and greeting to you in Brazil, great to have you with us

Thank you, I needed this.

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Chris, thanks for commenting .. Colin

brilliant colin as always, just one small suggestion, if each outward face had a coloured referance (tape maybe) and each joint was colour referanced, I think the understanding of your video would be idiot proof, I should know, I'm that idiot lol, keep posting Colin and once again, a big thanks. from Garry from the UK

Nice😊 will you make a review of the 127 American tales for the cmt300?

Very helpfull vid thankyou ,Will

Thanks!

from where buy this cmt jig ?

Good job, Thanks for your clip

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Thank you Tao

HOW DO YOU BUILD A BOOKCASE WITH THE TOOLS

This jig are only for drawer or you can make boxes? For dovetail boxes need another template or you can't do boxes with this jig?

Well Colin considering the difficult subject of today’s video. I say you did well. Every video I have seen on ANY of these types of jigs have all been very confusing. Which makes me think that these jigs are a pain to use , or at the very least, difficult to get set up correctly. I have been thinking of purchasing one of these for every now and then projects. I’m wondering, in your opinion, is a guy better off either. Buying a higher end one that comes complete with everything you need and not have to go out and buy this attachment and that attachment for the cheaper version. ( which in the long run probably costs as much as a good PoterCable jig) OR just do it the old fashion way with a pull say and a hammer and chisel. OR use your router and make your own jig ( that only possible if you are a skilled wood worker)? So what advice would you give me as a newbie to wood working . Thanks for all your time and effort pounding out these great instructional videos.👍

Finally FINALLY KISS (Keep it simple stupid) finally somebody has explained dove tail jigs that didn't sound like "mumbo jumbo" THANKS

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

Charles Jackson Thanks for the feedback Charles, appreciate you taking the time

Спасибо за отличный видео урок!

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Спасибо, что нашли время, чтобы комментировать, здорово, что ты с нами

thanks for this vid!

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

Daniel Smith NP .. thanks for commenting Daniel

best explanation ever!

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

Victor L. Velazquez Hernandez Thank you Victor for the feedback Colin

Thank YOU!!!! (from Italy)

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for commenting ... from so far away :) Colin

NI idea de ingles pero la imagen es muy ilustrativa . Gracias

CMT 300 can make through dovetail joints with extra template. Can show us a video with T129 or T190 template?

Thanks Colin… just what I was looking for :-). Do they all use a collet bushing to do a dove tail ?Also which jig do you recommend for first timers? TY TU cheers Pete

@knecht105

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Peter, there is a bushing that mounts to the bottom of the router base that then uses the "U" shaped guides of the dovetail jig. To be honest, I have seen some pretty good jobs with even the inexpensive jigs.

@PeterAgostiniJdcap26

10 жыл бұрын

WoodWorkWeb Thank you Colin , really like the dovetail look ,just never had enough time to use them but going to!

Oh, maybe ... the one I used was many, many years ago, don't even know the number and it only came with one template the one for blind dovetails. Different templates will of course have different setups.

Thank you!

@knecht105

8 жыл бұрын

+navanarun Thanks for commenting

hey I am from SriLaka.Can any one direct me to a store to buy a dove tail jig.most Us supplires wont ship outside country

Hi Charlie, hope the video helps you ... and thanks for that bit of Irish luck, I can always use it :) Colin

Is it possible to use this jig as a finger/box joint jig ? Thanks for all your videos!

@knecht105

9 жыл бұрын

Kenneth Fjelde Yes it is, but you would need to purchase the metal template piece that the router rides on and I believe both are available for this mode.

@heridalen

9 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your answer.