How to Use a Dovetail Jig and Make Half Blind Dovetails Drawers

I spent a little time working with the rockler dovetail router jig. After getting familiar with the jig and dialing in the height of the router bit I was able to make pretty nice half blind dovetails consistently.
It definitely did take some time making all the final adjustments so I hope this video helps.
Rockler Complete Dovetail Jig: amzn.to/2De7xGo
Instagram: / jonpeters_
Facebook: / 312021729836
Website: jonpeters.com/
"Make It In Vermont" Merchandise: teespring.com/...
Subscribe to my other KZbin Channels:
Jon Peters Shop Talk: / jonpetersartchannel
Make It In Vermont: / @makeitinvermont6627
Two River TV: / @tworivertv3566
Support This Channel On PATREON: / jonpeters
Apparel Sponosor: Mountain Khakis
www.mountainkha...
Rugged. Authentic. Reliable. Timeless.
#DIY, #woodworking,#homeimprovement

[@mottishimoni3268]

The best (by far) of all the Rockler dovetails jig tutorials

[@JonPetersArtHome]

HI Guys, I spent a little time working with the Rockler dovetail router jig. After getting familiar with the jig and dialing in the height of the router bit I was able to make pretty nice half blind dovetails consistently. It definitely did take some time making all the final adjustments so I hope this video helps, If it did... Please hit the like button! Thanks, Jon

[@JonLarzon]

Jon, thanks for all your videos and congrats on 400k subs! Your videos have helped me build up the courage to construct my own table for my apartment. It's always a pleasure see new uploads from your channel and I appreciate that you keep true to yourself! Have a great new year!

[@multidinero]

I have to say that your video is the best explanation of how this whole jig works that I’ve seen. Great job.

[@substandardabuse6028]

No nonsense, straight to the point with very clear and detailed explanation of what you are doing makes your videos a pleasure to watch.

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Rob

[@dcganske]

Hello Jon. I watch a lot of your videos and it really helps me with my projects I’m building. I’m making that behind the sofa table you have planes for, but it will be longer and will be made out of walnut and hickory and have 3 draws instead of 2. Your ideas and plans have helped me so much with my build. THANK YOU!

[@leavingcommunitstny3478]

Bought one of these over 20 years ago.... Never took it out of the box. Seemed too confusing to use. After 20 years I dug it out from under the bench and opened the box (time capsule). Thanks for the easy to understand video.. I got it up and working!

[@mattedwards4533]

I am a little late watching your video but I must say you touched all the bases and were most easy to understand. You did a excellent job of showing how to make a blind dovetail on a jig.

[@johnfisher4910]

Thanks so much, Jon. I have the same jig, circa 2002. It's been sitting in my shop since I bought it and I finally broke it out to make some drawers. Your video was very helpful. Great production, thanks!

[@fixitwithzim]

I’ve had the same Rockler jig sitting in the box inside my shop for at least 5 years unopened. This might be the motivation I needed to try it out finally. Nice video!

[@ShaukatHakim]

You are great Jon Peters by mentioning your mistake, a lot of respect to you!

[@steenfraosterbro3268]

Hi Jon. Since it is a new year and all, I feel it is time for the "what are those green felt pads on your nail gun" question. Haven't seen that question in a while, and I know you love it ☺️

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Ha :)

[@abad_gtr1123]

excellent video Jon! i've watched a bunch of these videos but most use pencil for the marks so by the time they stick them in the jig i've done already forgot which side went where...so HUGE thank you for using the black sharpie! i'm just getting into woodworking and looking to make a small shop cart with a few drawers for a drill press...so this definitely helped as i'll be trying the half blind dovetails for the joinery.

[@mikethompson6713]

Much thanks. I’ve had my jig for 2 years and have used it zero times. I blew the dust off and cleared a space on my bench.

[@robertpotter9506]

Jon thank you for a very good video on the Rockler dovetail jig. This made using and understanding how to use it much clearer. Thanks keep up the good work, Bob

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Bob

[@Todd22560]

Hi Jon. You've just renewed my interest in using my old dove tail jig. Thanks. Todd

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Todd

[@petermjonas]

I really appreciated your detail and clarity.

[@stevedawson3863]

My jig is still in the box .after watching your video I am going to give it a try. Thanks

[@chriscook6148]

Great video. Answered the questions and trouble I was having with mine.

[@bigvegass]

Unloosen. 😁. That jig looks fairly handy once dialed in and practiced.

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Lol. Making is the easy part.... talking not so much :)

[@hythewoodworkdesigns]

Hi Jon. Happy New Year to you. As well as arrows & numbering, I would always add F, B, L & R, coz I'm old & forget things too easliy

[@ecaff9515]

Excellent video and process on dovetail jig operation and set up. Thank you for sharing.

[@danyodice1048]

Great video Jon...🤘🤘🤘

[@sapelesteve]

Great instructional video Jon! I have a similar jig & now I know why I could never cut half blind Dovetails with it. So, thanks for posting this & don't fret, we all make those mistakes............ :)

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Steve!

[@dyoooooooooon]

Jon, thanks for the video. Always a great project, and I learned a ton.

[@rico1319]

I always enjoy your videos! Thank you again! 👍👍👍😎🇨🇱

[@juanpabloromerovazquez6038]

Excelente, está bien Explicado, muchas gracias por tu aporte. Saludos desde Veracruz México.

[@tubalcain1]

Very nice work however no detailed explanation regarding the exact position of the vertical piece under the jig template fingers. How do you determine the exact position (left and right) of the vertical peice under the jig's fingers??

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Well there’s really no substitute for taking it out of the box and playing around with it but hopefully this video will help most people get the hang of it.

[@bg73]

I was thinking the same... it looks like maybe it doesn't matter where it's positioned, as long as both pieces are lined up together?

[@cmosley1]

@@bg73 I believe that is correct, because you're cutting mates...

[@acmaurer50]

You adjust it as to how you want the pins and tails to show up on the final piece--and that will depend on how wide the stock is--how deep the drawer is.

[@dvdgnzlz25]

Center the horizontal piece in relation to the template, then offset the vertical piece 1/2” toward the center of the jig (based on a 1/2” dovetail bit). That’s how I set the position of the stops. Hope that helps.

[@teddougherty6963]

Man that looks great and didn’t take you long at all! Happy New Year to you and yours Jon

[@neuhaus59]

Nice video again Jon, I've had one of these jigs sitting in my shop for two years and had no idea how to even start with it. Next week, I'm gonna give it a shot, thanks and Happy New Year to you and yours.

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Mike! And Happy New Year

[@FredMcIntyre]

Nice work Jon, looks like an awesome jig! 👍🏻👊🏻

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Fred!

[@seanhenry744]

Nicely explained! When will the desk video be available? Very interested to see how you finished/trimmed the plywood. Thanks, Jon.

[@timhalcomb4041]

Appreciate you taking the time to share have a blessed day

[@felixfromnebraska8648]

Thanks for sharing and teaching Jon!

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Felix

[@wonyoon1931]

Dear Jon, thank you so much for your video on how to make drawers. Other KZbin videos only show how to use the dovetail jig. But without a step by step instruction like yours, I would be confused which side of the drawer I would cut. Dovetailing has been my final frontier for my woodworking. Now I feel confident enough to try. I have only one question on the height of the router bit. You set it 9/16 of an inch for 3/4 lumber. What is the height for 1/2 thick lumber? How is the height of the router bit figured out?

[@Greghc48]

Well done. Very helpful video.. thx for posting.

[@andrewtyre509]

Cool video. I've always wondered how these jigs work

[@therep49er]

Great video sir! I am starting out "hobby woodworking". Planning on building a chess board for a buddy and I want a drawer under it for the pieces. I have never used a dovetail jig, so this video gave me a pretty good understanding of "how to". Thank you!

[@tossedsaladandscrambledegg8576]

Thanks for posting. You always have great content. Maybe put down some painters tape and mark on it.

[@junebickerstaff]

Great video as usual, made me jump at 8.18 i said oh no what has he done, but was all good

[@JonPetersArtHome]

👍😄

[@the-handy-fixer]

Great video and awesome jig for the shop!

[@marclissoway2638]

I enjoyed this vedio , I purchased a similar jig and can’t seem to get it to work for me, I’ve spent at least 3 hours and cannot get the it to work like you just did. Very frustrating, After watching your Video I’ll have to take another shot at it😬. Mine is a Craftex. CT052N, looks very similar to what you were using. I realized my base plate didn’t have the right hole to be able to use a collar, I made one, perhaps that is part of my problem. 😩

[@samueloyarzo4702]

Impresionante la herramienta para realizar uniones en madera, buen video. Saludos desde Osorno-Chile.

[@MartinMosman]

Very cool. I haven’t seen dovetails used like that. Seems like a pretty solid way to build a drawer and hide those joints. I always figured the dovetails were meant to be seen. Nice job as usual!

[@japgmxmx]

vaya, que práctica herramienta, gracias por mostrarla y explicarnos su uso, que tenga Usted un gran año 2019, un abrazo.

[@IEnjoyCreatingVideos]

Good video Jon! Thank you for sharing it with us.👍😎JP

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks JP! happy New Year

[@IEnjoyCreatingVideos]

Your very welcome Jon! Thank you! Happy New Year to you too!😎

[@charlestellis7021]

Wow, always did this with a chisel, how times have changed.

[@CosiMonger]

new at using this dovetail jig, can you tell me how you decided to place the wood relative to the tempale?

[@acmaurer50]

Just a design question: why would you use half blind dovetails on the back of the drawer and not full dovetails? Or was it just for the video demo?

[@357lockdown]

Awesome job Jon....thank you. Is that jig expensive? It looks like something Rockler would want my first born for.

[@stevecollins9450]

Excellent explanation on the dovetail jig, Jon.

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Steve!

[@ShaukatHakim]

You are one of my favourite craftsman.

[@SgtBooker44]

Jon, Happy New Year. Thanks for taking the mystery out of this jig. Even with the instructions I was kinda scratching my head. Off to make some shop boxes and then some drawers. 🇺🇸👍

[@jasonc2376]

Will this replace hand cutting dovetails for you?

[@MississippiHappy]

Hey Jon, thanks for all your videos . . . but a question please: In your example, the length of the drawer sides would be the desired size plus 1 1/8"? . . .

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Jeff.... I’m not really sure of the question

[@MississippiHappy]

Sorry for the confusion Jon . . . attempting to be succinct , I didn't ask clearly . . . so here I go again. It is easy enough to know the width of the drawer front and back; however, caculating the length of the sides is another matter. The dimension of that wood requires the desired length of the drawer, minus the thickness of the front and the back and then adding back the length of the pins. In your example, would that mean the side pieces would be an additional 1 1/18" longer because of the 9/16" pin on each end, which is the length you set your router bit? Hopefully, I've haven't created additional confusion. Basically, I was wondering how you calculated the length of the sides, relative to the drawer finished size, accounting for the pin length.

[@Aprendiz-de-Marceneiro]

Excelente!

[@RSLWoodworking]

Jon great video. Question. How did you determine the spacing of the side pieces in the jig. The sides are offset when in the jig.

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Bob... kind of hard to explain... think I’m going to a short Q&A video for this one

[@RSLWoodworking]

Jon Peters that would be great. Thx

[@shahidmahmood6205]

hi jon ser great video im like yor working

[@bklynwam]

Great video. Would you recommend making dovetail joint on 1/2”or 3/4” plywood?

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks.. well you might get some tear out

[@bklynwam]

Jon Peters thanks.

[@CM-mu5jk]

I misplaced my guide bushing Does anybody know what the diameter of the guide bushing is?

[@artystycznebudownictwo1229]

Dobra robota ! Like

[@GmoBuelna]

Great work, thanks for share After your video, I was looking for this jig in México, it’s not for sale here, I found only Porter Cable, looks identical, is this brand similar to Rockler? Can I trust? Thanks Best regards from Tijuana, Mx

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thank you, yes I used the Porter Cable years ago and works pretty much the same

[@GmoBuelna]

Jon Peters thanks a lot...

[@MJ-nb1qn]

I have an old Porter Cable DT jig that was my Dads. Other than the hold downs it looks the same. You have to play with it to dial it in, but once done it works well. Smart move to dedicate the router to the jig. Half blinds are quicker and easier than through. First time viewer, 55 year woodworker. “I’ll be back”. Thanks

[@GmoBuelna]

Mark McCoy thanks a lot

[@hans1163]

👍

[@giovannipetitti1588]

👍👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💓

[@danielmiller2977]

You have s great channel, but you missed the mark. Your viewers really need to know what hsppens when you raise or lower the bit to achieve a tight fit. This is what the're after.

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Like I said, you really need to take it out of the box and work with it ... build a few shop drawers and make some test pieces first. But I do think this video will help

[@mynonameyt]

All I see is that stupid paint sprayer mask on. Do you go outside on a sunny day with an umbrella?