Installation and Setup

The AKEDA DC16 is the ideal dovetail jig for those who hate setups and tinkering....it takes more time to remove the AKEDA DC16 from its box and inventory its contents than it does to prepare it for use! All of the key components of the AKEDA, with the exception of the guide fingers, are built into the jig. For instance, the clamp bars, guide rails, and edge guides are part of the main unit and thus are not installed by the user. To prepare the AKEDA for use, perform the following steps:

1. Attach a plywood base to the AKEDA. Rip and crosscut a base to the following dimensions: 3/4" x 6" x 26". Drill four 5/16" holes in the base to match four corresponding threaded holes in the bottom of the AKEDA jig. Click here for a template. This base provides a simple way to clamp the unit to a workbench, and if you position it as indicated on the template, the vertically-clamped workpieces will clear your workbench.
   
   
2. Optionally, attach the dust (waste) collection attachment to the underside of the unit. This takes all of 5 seconds.
   
   

3. Cut and attach the plenum seal to the underside of the unit. Cut it to fill the gap left after you install the waste collection nozzle. I had some reservations about cutting the seal, since I figured the waste collection nozzle was meant to slide left and right along the plenum opening. Kevan Lear had the following to say regarding my aprehensions:

   The dust collector nozzle was meant to be installed in one position and left there, although you can still snap it out, slide the seal to the opposite end and re-install the nozzle at the opposite end. Further, if you cut the seal in two pieces, and you'd have a third option of relocating the nozzle in the center of the jig. Why would you want to do that? The orientation of the window depends on the work piece width, which end of the jig you're using, and the variety of wood you are machining.
   
   For woods that virtually machine to dust, orienting the window to form a long narrow slot works extremely well. But some woods machine to large chips that sometimes jam in the slot, so in those cases I reverse the window. But if you keep the window in the position it was shipped and install the nozzle at one end of the jig, it will not pick up as well at the opposite end.
   
   If you intend to leave the window in the position it was shipped, cut the seal in half and mount the nozzle in the center of the jig, bearing in mind the nozzle may sometimes get in the way of short vertical work pieces.

4. Optionally, attach the plexiglass shutter to the inside rear of the jig if you don't plan on using the horizontal clamp (used for half-blind dovetails and special operations). The shutter further encloses the unit for improved dust collection. Since I have been using the horizontal clamp and I did want to remove and reinstall the rear guide rail, I have not installed the shutter.
   
   
5. Remove the film protecting the inspection window and the nameplate. Reorient the inspection window depending on whether you're using a dust collector or not. I am using a dust collector, but I still preferred the original orientation of the window.
   
   
6. Install a few tail guides (from below) and clamp a test work piece up under the tail guides, using the front clamp bar and front rail. Clamp a dead flat test work piece under the horizontal clamp, butted up against the tail piece. The uppermost face of the pin piece should be flush with the uppermost edge of the tail piece. If the surfaces are not flush, check out the technical fine tuning bulletin at the AKEDA web site.

That's all there is to it! No adjustments, no muss, no fuss. Prepare some boards and you're ready to use the jig. Most dovetail jigs require some amount of assembly, adjustment, and calibration (edge guides, templates, etc.). The AKEDA simply does not require assembly or adjustments prior to use.

What I Like About the AKEDA Dovetail Jig

Fixed Edge Guides
The edge guides/stops are cast into the inner frame casting. There is nothing to adjust or test.

No "jig" Adjustments Required
I have used the AKEDA DC16 to produce through dovetails in close to a dozen boxes/drawers. As long as you use the Akeda cutters and a precision guide bushing (more on guide bushings later), your through dovetail joints should fit perfectly. My first half-blind dovetails were almost perfect, requiring only one simple adjustment: router bit depth.

When making drawers, I typically use half-blind dovetails to join the sides to the front and through dovetails to join the sides to the back. The beauty of the AKEDA is that you can use the same tail guide finger setup to rout the tail boards for both the through and half-blind dovetails. Also, if the back is the same thickness as the sides, I don't even have to change the depth of dovetail cutter. This is a real time saver.

Box joints are a piece of cake. Unlike the Leigh or the Keller, no offset needs to be setup by the user. It is a simple matter of cutting one set of fingers using the standard tail guides and cutting the mating fingers using the half-blind pin guides. I did run into a couple of key issues that I discuss on Page Two of this review.

Dust Collection
Due to the enclosed Design of the jig, and the waste collection accessory and plenum seal, the dust collection capability of the jig is outstanding. The Festool CT22E dust extractor pulls at least 90% to 95% of the chips and dust from the unit. Very little if any debris exits the jig. I used the jig for several hours straight while video taping, and not a single piece of debris found its way to my clothes. A few chips generally remain inside the jig and I found it necessary to vacuum them out so they would not interfere with clamping work pieces in the horizontal clamp (half-blind dovetail and housed joint operations). I certainly recommend the waste collection accessory.

One-Handed Clamp Bars
The two clamp bars are made of heavy gauge steel and are loosened and tightened using using one hand, leaving the other hand to place the work piece against the edge stop. Each clamp bar has two sockets (left and right) that accept the loose clamping knob. You can place the clamp knob in either of the two sockets depending on your preference. Although unseen, a toothed rubber belt transfers the turns of one socket to the lead screw of the other side. The clamp bars are surfaced with a non-slip material ensuring that the work piece does not slip. Finally, the edge guides and clamp bars allow for a workpiece as short as 3".

Guide Finger Layout
The snap-in, snap-out guide fingers are ingenious. I have always been impressed with the Leigh template and guide finger system. But AKEDA has gone one step further in adjustability and ease in dovetail layout. To adjust the Leigh guide fingers you loosen each finger using a square drive screw driver, slide the fingers along the template rail to the desired position, and tighten them. It's not a big deal, but a piece of dust or a slightly bent finger can be a real nuisance in getting the fingers to lie flat and rest exactly where you want them.

With the AKEDA, you simply snap the guide fingers into the rear guide rail where you want it. The guide rail is machined with notches, spaced exactly 1/8" apart. The guide fingers have two corresponding nubs that align with and fit into the guide rail notches. Furthermore, each guide finger is manufactured with grooves and tabs that work with the guide rail to hold the guide in place. A pencil ledge is provided along the rear guide rail that allows you to easily mark the position of the pin and corresponding tail guide fingers. Each finger is machined with a center mark to ensure that you can line up respective guide fingers with precision.

I find it easier to setup mirror image asymmetrical layouts with the AKEDA than the Leigh, since the tail/pin guides snap in at 1/8" increments. I don't have to measure, mark boards, or fuss around to setup the "mirror" image layout. And of course, you can match any past tail/pin guide layout perfectly in the future--something that is nearly impossible to do on jigs with "infinitely-adjustable" templates.

I have read reviews where AKEDA users have snapped (broken) the guide fingers trying to snap them in and out--I don't get it! It could not be easier, and I have large, insensitive hands! Just don't try to force them! If the guide finger does not readily snap in, chances are its rear notches have not indexed with the corresponding notches in the guide rail.

I asked Kevan Lear regarding the possible wear and tear on the guide fingers, this is his response:

Almost a year of engineering, prototype tooling, research, and experimentation went into the guide fingers! They are carbon fiber with a complex mix of resins. We did wear tests. Apart from the shaving down to size that takes place the first time they are installed, there is a "wear in" process that takes place during the first 200 insertions. After that, we tested to 1,000 insertions with no measurable deterioration. We are also making some invisible changes that will further extend guide finger life, and we are experimenting with different fibers and resins. Also, when the snaps actually flex, they never exceed the material's ability to return to its original shape.

The Guide Rails
The router rides on the extruded aluminum guide rails, not the guide fingers. The guide rails provide a very stable surface for the router base, in fact when finished with a cut, I slide the router to the opposite side of the jig and let it spin down unattended as I remove the work piece.

The Jig is Completely Enclosed
The work piece, cutters, clamp bars, and debris are enclosed in the jig. This is the first dovetail jig that I feel comfortable using while sitting down. With my series of back problems, this is a real boon. I can stand. I can sit. A side note: I purchased and have been using Pat Warner's clear subbases on my PC 690 and Bosch 1617 routers used with our dovetail jigs. The clear base provides a good view of the cutter and guide fingers. This is especially helpful in conjunction with the AKEDA and its enclosed design.

Overall Look and Feel
Not a key purchasing point but the jig does have a great look and feel to it. It is rock solid, built of quality castings and aluminum extrusions. Though priced perhaps for the home shop, I would guess this jig will survive just fine in a professional shop.

Easy to follow user's guide
The user's guide is laid out very well, though its format (size) is unstandard to say the least, it works well in the shop (though I made a photo copy for shop use). Do download and print the user manual supplements available from the AKEDA Jigs Web Site. They include usage instructions for the half-blind stops, housing joint template, etc.

Dovetail Geometry
I like the geometry / asethetics of the AKEDA produced dovetails.

The angles and widths are a little more attractive (to my eye) than the Keller and PC7116 dovetails. I also like the 1" (minimum) spacing. The Leigh can accommodate 1" spacing, but the Keller 1601 spacing is a little wider (1-1/8"). AKEDA provides more control over the dovetail geometry by providing a range of dovetail bits associated with wood thicknesses: 3/4" 7° bit is used for 3/4 material 5/8" 9° bit is used for 5/8" material 1/2" 11° bit is used for 1/2" material and so forth... TD Pics   HB Pics The Leigh, for instance, offers a range of dovetail cutters for through dovetails, but only one angle (8°).

Kevan Lear suggested I try a trick to produce pins that look even slimmer, more like handcrafted dovetails. To do so, layout and rout the pins. Move the pin guides over 1/8" (one increment on the guide rail) and rout them again. The tail guides won't work with the slimmer pins, so you must cut the tails by hand. Mark the tail boards using the pin boards as the template as you would for any hand cut dovetails. You can cut the tails using a bandsaw or handsaw. I made a simple 11° jig to cut the vertical lines for the tails on the bandsaw, and then chopped out the waste using a chisel. Click on the picture to the right to see another view of the same joint.

What I Don't Like About the AKEDA Dovetail Jig

I originally reported to Kevan Lear of AKEDA that I had not found a single serious fault in the jig. Sure, there is always something, but nothing of importance. So the following are mainly annoyances, rather than things I don't like. Perhaps they'll strike a chord with you, or you'll think I'm nuts--just trying to call'em as I see'em!

Tear-out
You really have to watch the exit cut on through dovetail tail pieces, since the tail pieces face away from the operator. To prevent tear-out:

• Orient the tail pieces in the jig so that the face is towards the operator. This contradicts the operating procedure described in the guide, but it works for me.
• Mount a pine backer board in the horizontal clamp, to back up cutting tails and through dovetail pins.
• Move the router slowly as you exit the back.
• Use sharp cutters.

The following is a suggestion from a woodworker regarding reducing tear out, sent to me through Kevan Lear of AKEDA...

Take two tail guides. Using a fine tooth hacksaw, very carefully cut the right leg off one tail guide and the left leg off the other, taking care to keep clear of the snaps that engage the guide rail. Install these modified tail guides at the extreme L.H. and R.H. ends of your guide finger layout when you're cutting tail pieces. The missing leg gives you more freedom to rout around the edges of the tail piece when you're cutting out the sockets for the half pins, and will result in less tear out. I've tried it myself and it works very well.

Tear-out is less of a problem, at least for the face, of through dovetail pin boards since they face towards the operator. Tear-out is non-existent in half-blind pin boards.

Holey Moley there are a lot of parts!
Okay, I'm grasping for negatives, but when I first inventoried the contents of the two AKEDA boxes I received from Woodcraft, I shook my head in disbelief--geez Louise there's a lot of parts.

Inherent to its innovative and versatile design, the AKEDA will force you to organize and keep track of several sets of tail and pin guide fingers, cutters, and so forth. I organized everything into a set of individual, clear Ziploc brand plastic boxes. It works for me. It may not work for a busy professional shop. I'm afraid that if you have multiple employees using the jig, before long guides and cutters will be missing, and not through theft, simply due to misplacing them.

Oh, and don't let the wife run the Festool or Fein vacuum anywhere near your AKEDA workbench.......Perhaps the first project an AKEDA owner should build is a little organizer.

Rout half-blind dovetails in two steps
Typical of combination dovetail jigs, you cut the tail and pin boards separately for both through and half-blind dovetails. It's not a big deal, but if you're looking for maximum production output, a dedicated half-blind dovetail jig like the PC 5116/7116 will produce drawers quicker than the AKEDA (or Leigh). Also, you tend to get less tear-out with a dedicated half-blind jig, since the front/back acts as a backer board to the side pieces (tails). With that said, unlike dedicated half-blind jigs, the AKEDA (and Leigh) allow you to adjust the dovetail layout to fit the drawer size, and not visa versa and offer variable-spaced, symmetrical, or asymmetrical layouts.

As I stated earlier, when making drawers, I typically use half-blind dovetails to join the sides to the front and through dovetails to join the sides to the back. The beauty of the AKEDA is that you can use the same tail guide finger setup to rout the tail boards for both the through and half-blind dovetails. Also, if the back is the same thickness as the sides, I don't even have to change the depth of dovetail cutter. This is a real time saver.

Kevan Lear's response....

You can in fact cut variable-spaced half-blind dovetails in a single pass, If the work piece width is less than half the width capacity of the jig. Simply make identical pin and tail layouts at opposite ends of the jig, clamp the pin piece at, say, the LH end of the jig and the tail piece at the RH end, then machine the pin piece, and continue on to machine the tail piece--without stopping. It's just as fast as a dedicated half blind template jig, and faster than the [place name here]!

Tail Guide Spacers
The other thing I don't like about cutting half-blind dovetails with the Leigh and AKEDA, is you need to come up with spacers to fill the no-cut space between the tail guide fingers. AKEDA provides an optional housed joint/sliding dovetail template, made of plastic, that you can cut into spacers, but if you're doing lots of different sized, variable-spaced dovetailed drawers, cutting the spacers is a bit of a drag. Kevan Lear suggests that you really do not need the spacers. Instead, when exiting the cut for a tail, run the router along the front guide rail, until you enter the next tail guide finger. This does work, as long as you know where the next finger guide is (which can be difficult depending on whether or not you can see through your router base, standing or sitting, and so forth). Kevan again suggests that you place a pencil mark for each tail guide on the front guide rail to faciliate finding the tail guides. I have tested this and it does work, but if you have lots of drawers to rout, probably your best bet is to bite the bullet and fill the space.

Kevan Lear's response....

I always use the front guide rail and dispense with the tail guide spacers, ....I have used the jig so much, I can do it by eye. ....someone else suggested making marks on the front of the jig, in line with the tail guides, where you can see them while you're routing. I've tried it and it works well.

I keep knocking the clamp knob off the unit!
Classified under the category of complaining about being hung with a new rope, I constantly knock the clamp bar knob off the unit. It rolls about 3 meters per/second. (Thanks to Festool, I'm now measuring things in meters.)

Picky Guide Bush Requirements
The guide bushings control the fit and quality of the joint. You must use the guide bushings packaged with the AKEDA jig. Do not substitute other bushings.

The Bottom Line

I first reported about this jig several years ago and said that if it could deliver on half of its promises, it would be a welcome addition to any shop. I'm not really keeping track, but I believe that Kevan Lear and company indeed met all of their lofty and seemingly outlandish promises (did you ridicule the artist's rendereing?). The jig produces through and half-blind dovetails without any adjustment whatsoever to the jig. Period, end of paragraph. The in-built dust collection works very well. I added the Leigh dust extraction attachment to one of our routers, and it works, but the AKEDA system works better and does not require an after-thought attachment. The jig flat out works as advertised. My first couple of through dovetail boxes came out perfectly. My first half-blind dovetail drawer was close to perfection, requiring only a slight adjustment of the router depth.

The bottom line is this. The AKEDA produces the same wide variety of dovetails as the Leigh and does so with less setup and hassle. By the way, don't think I am cutting down the Keller, PC Omnijig, and Leigh jigs. I use them, will continue to use them (well, probably continue to use them). They are all excellent jigs that have strong market share for a reason: they work.

However, the AKEDA seems to have taken the best that these jigs have to offer and added key additional features that woodworkers have requested for eons (i.e., built-in dust collection, ease in layout, perfect joints without test cuts, and so forth). If you get a chance to see the AKEDA in person I think you'll be equally amazed with the look, feel, and operation of the AKEDA. If you like, I would be happy to demo the unit, side-by-side with the Leigh, Keller, and PC 7116 Omnijig. Just drop me a line. We also plan to have some videos available very soon, demonstrating the AKEDA features

Rating:

out of 5!

Check Out Page Two!

The following AKEDA pages detail how to use the jig, tips, hints, and so forth, including a few videos that demonstrate the function of the AKEDA DC16!