I have seen a lot of videos, binge watching, on this particular product and this is the best one. Great explanation. I wanted to show my daughter how to do dovetails with a router and this jig seemed to be the best for what I want to show her. Thanks and have a great Christmas.
Thanks for the video, I have been using this jig for over five years, simple and cheap. I have made dozens of drawers and boxes and have never had an issue...
Awesome video, better than the pixelated 11 year old video from the manufacturer! I found this jig on Amazon and was wondering how well it worked, it seems to work great! I got the same Makita palm router, too. I'm pretty excited now to pick this up and make sexy dovetail joints!
A word of caution: Use a brass guide bushing (13/32" ) instead of the bearing on the dovetail bit provided. I found the bearings fall apart after a few uses. I've replaced the bearing (not the bit) several times and finally I took it off and used the same bit with the guide bushing. Works much better now.
I have this jig (bought it as Ace Hardware and paid about $45.00 or so) and have found it to be dead on (no 16th of an inch variance). I also have the Incra system which once you master the procedure, is about as accurate and easy as it gets to cut dovetails, box joints, etc.. With that being said, I still like to use the General jig because it is so easy to use. I have mine permanently set at 3/4" as well, so for quick small boxes or even drawers. I am a DIY'er. My late father was a Master Cabinet builder so other than cutting the dovetails by hand, I think he would approve of the jig, LOL...
@Bud Woodman Thanks for sharing your experience with this jig! It sounds like you use yours exactly how I use mine - almost always for 3/4" stock. I hugely respect folks who cut dovetails by hand but for myself, I need to be more efficient with my time these days. Cheers 🙂🍺
Glad i saw this vid. Was putting off doing Dovetails till i had enough $$ to buy the Porter Cable version at $180 US. I watched many videos on the Porter-Cable and the adjustment process was much more difficult than with this one.
Great video. As I live in "Rip You Off Britain" the cheapest one you have is $116. After saying that the quality and ease of set up is a price worth paying. Time is money blah blah. Thank you once again.
Thanks @Simon Measday! Yes, it seems the mark-up on tools is exorbitant in the UK. I'm not sure why... I would think the market is large enough to keep at least some of the prices down. At any rate, cheers! 🙂
@@EricSorensenCanada some stuff is ok but Dewalt and Ryobi are expensive. You would think with " our special relationship " as the politicians say, prices would be similar lol. Anyway it looks quality made so you get what you pay for. Keep up the good work and thanks for replying.
@Tony Cordell I mostly do half-blind because I primarily use it to build drawer boxes. The show-side is visible and the blind side is covered by the drawer front anyway. I will demo it next time I do through-Dts. You should be able to cut your tails the same way then try setting the depth plate for your pins at 1 inch, then reduce if necessary - always run test cuts on scrap first. If your material is less than 1 inch thick, you should be able to get decent through pins. Keep in mind, your max thickness for this jig is 1 inch - so it works best for 1/2" - 3/4" material.
Thanks for the video! Just got my jig a few weeks ago... I haven’t had any luck with full through dovetails on 1/2” thick pine boards. The pins seem to be to thick to fit into pins, and if I hammer them in then there a small gap showing since tails are rounded on one side. Have you had any luck with full through? Appreciate your easy directions compared to the jigs directions!
The jig does not do through DTs very well. You really have to test cut and adjust. I never got it quite right myself. Now I only ever use this jig on half blind DTs. To be honest, I hardly ever use it now because I prefer my bandsaw dovetail jig instead: ua-cam.com/video/iQsTflH2Ygo/v-deo.html
Hi. Great video. I want to make a box that’s about 8” deep. Is there a limitation on this jig that you know of? I see the drawers you made are smaller, just wondering if I have the option to go bigger. Thank you.
Thanks! There isn't really a limit when it comes to the width of your boards. You just advance your board through the jig once you've cut your initial set of tails / pins.
Help, Your newest subscriber and newbie wood worker. I ordered the jig. You said you would get a better bit for the jig. I have a new Freud 1/2" (Dia.) Dovetail Bit with 1/4" Shank (22-104) no bearing. Can I put bearings on it ? If so where do I get them with the set screw collar? I have googled this and can't get an answer. If you know tell me where and waht to buy please. I really appreciate your no nonsense instructions on how to do things in a simple efficient understandable economical way.
My advice: use your dovetail bit with a 13/32" guide bushing instead of bearings. The bearings blow-out on this jig due to wear and heat. You can buy the set of Shop Fox Guide bushings on Amazon: amzn.to/3fB53mP
This jig is meant for box joinery on material that is 3/4" or less in thickness. If your table design is essentially a box turned upside down, then - sort of... You would need to attach the legs to the box another way, maybe from the inside of the box using dowels or screws. The jig is primarily designed for boxes, cabinets and drawer boxes.
Hey maybe I confused myself but with the stops on each side are you limited to only dovetailing boards of a certain width or can you dovetail boards of any width? Say for very tall boxes as an example
No, those are only guide flanges, they do not limit you to the width of the board. You simply cut your tails and slide the board down and cut the next set. Same with the pins, you could go on and on. You could make dovetails for a blanket chest if you wanted to.
That's not exactly accurate. The bearings on the bit will fall apart and I have replaced mine three times. The bit itself is actually a good quality carbide dovetail bit. What I do now is I use a 13/32 inch guide bushing with the dovetail bit (no bearings). It works great with the jig and the guide bushing won't fall apart.
The General Tools 861 (on Amazon) specifies 12 inch, but it looks like only a 6" stock can be used. Is this true? Is there a way to cut wider boards with this jig?
@B Cain Do you mean 1/2 inch stock? You can cut half blind Dovetails - up to about 1 inch thick stock. Through Dovetails, on 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch. I typically use 3/4 inch stock on this jig, cutting half-blind dovetails. Board width is irrelevant because you can move the board down the jig and keep cutting more dovetails as needed.
@@EricSorensenCanada I finally got to try my new General dove tailer jig, and I have to say that it did not work well for me.First, the router upper bearing on the bit broke. Second, it burned the wood. Any suggestions?
@@DJ-zj4fb If the bearing broke, it's because you either lifted the router mid-cut or the bearing wasn't riding properly on the jig. If the wood burned, you were probably taking too big a bite at once. Make multiple passes and take your time. As a side note, i had to replace the bearing on my bit a couple of times since I've had it. You can usually order replacement bearings online or just reach out to General tools and they might send you a new bit for free (since you just bought it).
You explained it better than the pros from the company explained it thank you very much
Just placed an order for this jig, thanks Eric, great video...and no inane background music which was a relief.
I have seen a lot of videos, binge watching, on this particular product and this is the best one. Great explanation. I wanted to show my daughter how to do dovetails with a router and this jig seemed to be the best for what I want to show her. Thanks and have a great Christmas.
Thanks for the video, I have been using this jig for over five years, simple and cheap. I have made dozens of drawers and boxes and have never had an issue...
@Tony Cordell Good to hear! it's pretty good once you get the hang of it and it will last a long time if you take care of it.
General should pay to buy your videos. Your videos are much better!!!!! Well done!
Thanks Bob! Yes, except I wonder if they're going to make these jigs much longer. I guess we'll see.
Because of this video I bought this jig, super easy to use and good results. Amazon has it for $36 right now (Oct. 11, 2019)
Awesome video, better than the pixelated 11 year old video from the manufacturer! I found this jig on Amazon and was wondering how well it worked, it seems to work great! I got the same Makita palm router, too. I'm pretty excited now to pick this up and make sexy dovetail joints!
A word of caution: Use a brass guide bushing (13/32" ) instead of the bearing on the dovetail bit provided.
I found the bearings fall apart after a few uses. I've replaced the bearing (not the bit) several times and finally I took it off and used the same bit with the guide bushing. Works much better now.
Hello again Eric, John Gray here. Many thanks for your quick reply.
It's greatly appreciated. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
No worries!
Cheers! Have been looking for a cheaper but decent quality jig for a while.. Have just purchased this one.. Great tutorial!
You have all the same tools I do and that is incredibly helpful
Thanks Eric...good video.
Thank you for a great video and explaining how to use the jig. 10 thumbs up
I have this jig (bought it as Ace Hardware and paid about $45.00 or so) and have found it to be dead on (no 16th of an inch variance). I also have the Incra system which once you master the procedure, is about as accurate and easy as it gets to cut dovetails, box joints, etc.. With that being said, I still like to use the General jig because it is so easy to use. I have mine permanently set at 3/4" as well, so for quick small boxes or even drawers. I am a DIY'er. My late father was a Master Cabinet builder so other than cutting the dovetails by hand, I think he would approve of the jig, LOL...
@Bud Woodman Thanks for sharing your experience with this jig! It sounds like you use yours exactly how I use mine - almost always for 3/4" stock. I hugely respect folks who cut dovetails by hand but for myself, I need to be more efficient with my time these days. Cheers 🙂🍺
Nicely done Eric! I think that we all love "cheap & effective"............... :)
Thanks Steve! You seldom get both but in this case, the results are pretty good 🙂
Glad i saw this vid. Was putting off doing Dovetails till i had enough $$ to buy the Porter Cable version at $180 US. I watched many videos on the Porter-Cable and the adjustment process was much more difficult than with this one.
You sold me on the idea I just bought one.. Thanks great video..
Thanks @Richard Garrow! I hope it works out well for you. Cheers 🙂
Great presentation! You took a lot of mystery out of using this tool.
Thanks @Jb B! I thought it would be worth sharing. The instructions that come with the jig only covers a few basics. Cheers 🙂
Great video. As I live in "Rip You Off Britain" the cheapest one you have is $116. After saying that the quality and ease of set up is a price worth paying. Time is money blah blah. Thank you once again.
Thanks @Simon Measday! Yes, it seems the mark-up on tools is exorbitant in the UK. I'm not sure why... I would think the market is large enough to keep at least some of the prices down. At any rate, cheers! 🙂
@@EricSorensenCanada some stuff is ok but Dewalt and Ryobi are expensive. You would think with " our special relationship " as the politicians say, prices would be similar lol. Anyway it looks quality made so you get what you pay for. Keep up the good work and thanks for replying.
Nice
Good stuff Eric! Keep it up.
@StuffUCanMake Thanks and Cheers 🙂
Great video, very informative. Thanks!
Thanks Paul! Cheers 🙂
Could you do a brief video on how to use this jig to cut through dovetails....
@Tony Cordell I mostly do half-blind because I primarily use it to build drawer boxes. The show-side is visible and the blind side is covered by the drawer front anyway. I will demo it next time I do through-Dts. You should be able to cut your tails the same way then try setting the depth plate for your pins at 1 inch, then reduce if necessary - always run test cuts on scrap first. If your material is less than 1 inch thick, you should be able to get decent through pins. Keep in mind, your max thickness for this jig is 1 inch - so it works best for 1/2" - 3/4" material.
Great video!!
Thanks @Sarah Listi ! Cheers 🙂
Can you do a video on how to do full dove tails with this jig
Perfect video!! Just bought this and videos help a ton for me to learn!!
@Twisted Twine Woodworking Enjoy! Cheers🙂
Eric , youv'e done a very explanitary video, well done. Could you tell me the brand? It looks very uncomplicated to use.
General Tools: www.generaltools.com/e-z-pro-dovetailer-ii-dovetail-jig
eric this was really a great video,,,i remember you said you got the dovetail bit from amazon,,any certain degree,,and what size is the straight bit
Thanks Jeff! The dovetail bit came with the jig from general tools: amzn.to/3k13bpI
Thanks for the video! Just got my jig a few weeks ago... I haven’t had any luck with full through dovetails on 1/2” thick pine boards. The pins seem to be to thick to fit into pins, and if I hammer them in then there a small gap showing since tails are rounded on one side. Have you had any luck with full through? Appreciate your easy directions compared to the jigs directions!
The jig does not do through DTs very well. You really have to test cut and adjust. I never got it quite right myself. Now I only ever use this jig on half blind DTs. To be honest, I hardly ever use it now because I prefer my bandsaw dovetail jig instead: ua-cam.com/video/iQsTflH2Ygo/v-deo.html
try shimming the project piece to put it behind the rounded parts of the jig.
Hi. Great video. I want to make a box that’s about 8” deep. Is there a limitation on this jig that you know of? I see the drawers you made are smaller, just wondering if I have the option to go bigger. Thank you.
Thanks! There isn't really a limit when it comes to the width of your boards. You just advance your board through the jig once you've cut your initial set of tails / pins.
Help, Your newest subscriber and newbie wood worker. I ordered the jig. You said you would get a better bit for the jig. I have a new Freud 1/2" (Dia.) Dovetail Bit with 1/4" Shank (22-104) no bearing. Can I put bearings on it ? If so where do I get them with the set screw collar? I have googled this and can't get an answer. If you know tell me where and waht to buy please. I really appreciate your no nonsense instructions on how to do things in a simple efficient understandable economical way.
My advice: use your dovetail bit with a 13/32" guide bushing instead of bearings. The bearings blow-out on this jig due to wear and heat. You can buy the set of Shop Fox Guide bushings on Amazon: amzn.to/3fB53mP
@@EricSorensenCanada You are the best!!!!! Thanks I have the template set. I will use it that way.
Hi , my question is : Can i use this jig to make joints legs for my small coffee table ? Thanks alot
This jig is meant for box joinery on material that is 3/4" or less in thickness. If your table design is essentially a box turned upside down, then - sort of... You would need to attach the legs to the box another way, maybe from the inside of the box using dowels or screws. The jig is primarily designed for boxes, cabinets and drawer boxes.
Hey maybe I confused myself but with the stops on each side are you limited to only dovetailing boards of a certain width or can you dovetail boards of any width? Say for very tall boxes as an example
No, those are only guide flanges, they do not limit you to the width of the board. You simply cut your tails and slide the board down and cut the next set. Same with the pins, you could go on and on. You could make dovetails for a blanket chest if you wanted to.
I have read on Amazon reviews that the bit doesn't last. If I need to buy a new one, which one should I buy? Thanks.
That's not exactly accurate. The bearings on the bit will fall apart and I have replaced mine three times. The bit itself is actually a good quality carbide dovetail bit. What I do now is I use a 13/32 inch guide bushing with the dovetail bit (no bearings). It works great with the jig and the guide bushing won't fall apart.
The General Tools 861 (on Amazon) specifies 12 inch, but it looks like only a 6" stock can be used. Is this true? Is there a way to cut wider boards with this jig?
@B Cain Do you mean 1/2 inch stock? You can cut half blind Dovetails - up to about 1 inch thick stock. Through Dovetails, on 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch. I typically use 3/4 inch stock on this jig, cutting half-blind dovetails. Board width is irrelevant because you can move the board down the jig and keep cutting more dovetails as needed.
In the vid at 2:28 he gives a breif description of the spacer key that you can use to make longer pieces.
Is that pine wood?
Yes, it's pine. Not my favorite for dovetails, which is why it was a good challenge for this jig.
eric have you ever used plywood ,,,,it seems like you might have alot of blowout
Plywood does blowout on this dovetail jig. I don't recommend it.
I found it at the amazon for #36.00
@D. JOY $36 is a very good price for this jig. It's almost double the price on Amazon Canada.
@@EricSorensenCanada I finally got to try my new General dove tailer jig, and I have to say that it did not work well for me.First, the router upper bearing on the bit broke. Second, it burned the wood. Any suggestions?
@@DJ-zj4fb If the bearing broke, it's because you either lifted the router mid-cut or the bearing wasn't riding properly on the jig. If the wood burned, you were probably taking too big a bite at once. Make multiple passes and take your time. As a side note, i had to replace the bearing on my bit a couple of times since I've had it. You can usually order replacement bearings online or just reach out to General tools and they might send you a new bit for free (since you just bought it).
Is this narrated by John Malkovich??