Leigh D4 dovetail jig question

Rennie Heuer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,607
Location
Constantine, MI
My Leigh jig has always given me pretty good results. But, pretty good is not perfect.

So, before I start on my stickley clock I thought that I would take all the settings back to zero and realign everything. Unfortunately. I purchased my jig used and it did not come with the official Leigh wrench.
uqugu4a3.jpg


If anyone has the Leigh D4 would you mind measuring the skinny end of the wrench and let me know what that dimension is? This is the end of the wrench used to set the side stops on the jig
y5e2esu3.jpg
 
Last edited:
I have the Leigh super 18 but should have the same driver, mine is .110". Hopefully that helps:)

oops sorry Rennie, I didn't see he illustration before replying, all my adjustments are with a square driver and has no wrench:eek:
 
Last edited:
Thanks Tom. I don't even know if the dimension is critical. The manual only says to use the wrench as a spacer when setting up the stops. Could be any dimension would work, but... :huh:
 
rennie i bet if you asked they would send you another spacer wrench, for free.. mention your occupation and the forum you belong to and a smart comany would next day air it to you..
 
Well Larry. That's a good idea and I might just take you up on that, but...
I was kind of hoping to get started on those dove tails pretty soon, like today maybe.
 
in ken cooks link the last comment is key rennie, make sure you go in and out the same way. the only way to eliminate that is to use a pat warner base that is dead centered for the bushing. you might have another source for a centered base but that is key for consistent fit on the jigs.
 
The D4 wrench is 1/8" thick. I think you are right Rennie. It could be any similar measurement, just make sure to use the same on both bumpers.
 
Thanks all. I think I have it!

Funny how one thing leads to another. In order to line up the jig you MUST have two PERFECTLY cut pieces of wood about 6" wide. Well, I ripped two pieces of flat true wood and then cross cut them on my miter saw. They were our of square when you stood them on end and back to back and then turned one piece around. Oh well, I'll go to the table saw and my tried and true Incra miter gauge. Still off! :eek: Just a little, but off.

SO.... You can't line up the miter gauge without first checking the blade to miter slot alignment. That's good, less than .0015" out. While I'm checking the slot I might as well check the fence, right? :rofl: The fence was a bit wonky so I pulled off the face and checked the actual steel tube. It has a bit of a bulge in the middle, about .006. So, I take a couple of very light passes trough the planer on the backside of the face (I'm using Corian) and put it back on using some painter's tape behind the low spots. Good! Down to about .002". By my reckoning, this is OK, but I will bough to the tool set up gurus in SoCal for a final ruling. :bow: (Although, really, anyone can chime in)

Back to cutting my alignment pieces. stack them in front of the miter gauge, press them firmly in place, and.... They feel as though they are different widths! There is a definite ledge between them. Set them on the saw table, and same width. :huh::huh: Must be the miter gauge! Sure enough, I plop a square on the TS and push it up against the miter gauge fence, and its leaning back!

I take the extruded fence off and check the angle bracket that secures it, perfect. I check the extrusion, perfect. :huh: I reattach it and I notice that as I snug the screws the extruded fence leans back. So....

I left it alone. Could not figure out how to shim it, so its still leaning!:rofl:
 
Thanks all. I think I have it!

Funny how one thing leads to another. In order to line up the jig you MUST have two PERFECTLY cut pieces of wood about 6" wide. Well, I ripped two pieces of flat true wood and then cross cut them on my miter saw. They were our of square when you stood them on end and back to back and then turned one piece around. Oh well, I'll go to the table saw and my tried and true Incra miter gauge. Still off! :eek: Just a little, but off.

SO.... You can't line up the miter gauge without first checking the blade to miter slot alignment. That's good, less than .0015" out. While I'm checking the slot I might as well check the fence, right? :rofl: The fence was a bit wonky so I pulled off the face and checked the actual steel tube. It has a bit of a bulge in the middle, about .006. So, I take a couple of very light passes trough the planer on the backside of the face (I'm using Corian) and put it back on using some painter's tape behind the low spots. Good! Down to about .002". By my reckoning, this is OK, but I will bough to the tool set up gurus in SoCal for a final ruling. :bow: (Although, really, anyone can chime in)

Back to cutting my alignment pieces. stack them in front of the miter gauge, press them firmly in place, and.... They feel as though they are different widths! There is a definite ledge between them. Set them on the saw table, and same width. :huh::huh: Must be the miter gauge! Sure enough, I plop a square on the TS and push it up against the miter gauge fence, and its leaning back!

I take the extruded fence off and check the angle bracket that secures it, perfect. I check the extrusion, perfect. :huh: I reattach it and I notice that as I snug the screws the extruded fence leans back. So....

I left it alone. Could not figure out how to shim it, so its still leaning!:rofl:


Ahhh, the time it takes to build a time piece :whistling::D....I feel for you, though not too deeply{:p} as that about sums up my everyday shop experiences :bang:
Here's to a better tomorrow :beer:
 
Oh boy can i relate to this thread. :) Yup its tough when a day goes like this. Hope u get it all sorted out. Dont loose the setup pieces after this and as the preacher from Az says make notes and mark the jig with a sharpie after all its your jig now. See Carol i was paying attention. :) yes Maam.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
 
Top