Leigh D4R Pro Dovetail Jig + D24 Vacuum & Router Support Accessory With Infinity Tools 8 Pc. Dovetail Router Bit Set
Our neighbors to the north produce a lot of high-quality woodworking tools. Leigh is no exception. The company is pretty much the undisputed champion when it comes to dovetail jigs. While there have been some contenders, they have mostly fallen by the wayside (good luck finding parts for an Omnijig). The D4R PRO is the heavyweight in Leigh's dovetail jig stable. Rare among tools, the D4R PRO excels at an array of different tasks. In other words, this is not a tool that does one job well but also adapts to other tasks; it is a tool that does lots of things well, period.
Although Leigh makes a number of accessories that expand the uses of the D4R Pro, this jig is extremely well-rounded without extras. The included basic jig parts allow you to make not only half-blind and through dovetails, but also single-pass half-blind dovetails (ideal for projects that involve repetitively making many drawers), variably spaced and sized through and half-blind dovetails, asymmetric dovetails, end-on-end dovetails, sliding dovetails, and two sizes of box joints. All of this without buying a single accessory!
The Leigh D24 Vacuum and Router Support is a simple but innovative accessory for the D4R PRO. The D24 keeps your router supported and level with the jig, while also providing an efficient dust collection port perfectly positioned to suck in chips and debris as they are ejected. The port hangs below the support structure and follows along with the router as you work across the jig. The attachment is so well integrated that one might not know it’s there, but it would certainly be missed if it weren’t.
D4R+D24 Master Pack With Essential Bit Set (100-028) - includes the Infinity Tools exclusive 8-Piece Essential Dovetail bit set tailored specifically to the D4R PRO (00-187.8)
Features:
- One Jig, Many Joints
- Out-of-the-box, the D4R PRO (without any additional accessories) will create all of the following joints:
- Single-pass half-blind dovetails
- Variably spaced and sized half-blind dovetails,
- Variably spaced and sized through dovetails
- Asymmetric dovetails
- End-on-end dovetails,
- Sliding dovetails
- Box joints (3/8" and 3/4" adjustable fit)
- Inlaid dovetails
- Needle pins (for a hand-cut look)
- Out-of-the-box, the D4R PRO (without any additional accessories) will create all of the following joints:
- Comprehensive User Manual With Tips and Hints - goes above and beyond in making sure you get the most of the D4R PRO
Set 00-187.8 Includes the following bits, plus two 1/2" to 8mm collet reducers and a wood box:
- 18-065.8 - 8mm Shank, 8° Dovetail Bit, 1/4" dia., 1/4" cutter height (Leigh Part 50-8)
- 18-081.8 - 8mm Shank, 8° Dovetail Bit, 5/16" dia., 3/8" cutter height (Leigh Part 60-8)
- 18-097.8 - 8mm Shank, 8° Dovetail Bit, 3/8" dia., 1/2" cutter height (Leigh Part 70-8)
- 18-129.8 - 8mm Shank, 8° Dovetail Bit, 1/2" dia., 3/16" cutter height (Leigh Part 80-8)
- 18-130.8 - 8mm Shank, 14° Dovetail Bit, 1/2" dia., 1/2" cutter height (Leigh Part 120-8)
- 18-135.8 - 8mm Shank, 12° Dovetail Bit, 1/2" dia., 1/2" cutter height (Leigh Part 112-8)
Whether used in contemporary, or classic furniture, dovetail joinery is a highlight of quality woodworking.
Infinity Tools offers a large selection of dovetail bits designed with negative shear angle to provide ultra smooth cuts, and they’re available in all sizes and for all needs. But one thing that doesn’t change … is the general shape of the bit. The weakest point of all dovetail router bits is their neck. To get the longest life possible from this type of bit, we recommend pre-plowing the groove before cutting the dovetail slot.
Pre-plowing is the concept of using a straight bit (sized smaller than the diameter of the neck) to first cut a clearance channel. Start by finding the diameter of the neck of the dovetail bit using a caliper.
Then you locate an appropriate straight bit slightly under the diameter of the neck of the dovetail bit. Use that straight bit to set up the plowing cut.
You make a first pass with the straight bit to remove much of the waste. Remember don’t run this straight bit too fast. Let the bit cut.
The dovetail bit is then used to follow through that channel, but the stress on the bit is greatly reduced, leading to better dovetail cuts … and a longer life for your dovetail bits!
Follow this simple tip and you'll get the best performance from your dovetail router bits.
