Through Dovetail Bit Selection
The Leigh RTJ400 dovetail jig use’s 8° dovetail bits for through dovetail tails and one of two sizes of straight bits for pins. See cutting depth chart below. The dovetail bit’s working depth must be equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the pin board or drawer front. Always choose the smallest dovetail bit relative to the pin board thickness, along with the matching straight bit, for that hand-cut look. Choose your bit(s) in the Bit Selection chart below.
Full Pitch and Half Pitch Through Dovetails
Pitch” is the distance between the center of one pin to the center of the next pin. Full pitch through dovetails on the RTJ400 have pin centers at 1-1/2”. Closer pin centers, or Half pitch dovetails can be routed by using the e7 eBush along with the four smaller Dovetail bits. Pin centers for half pitch through dovetails are 3/4”. Choose your bit(s) in the Bit Selection chart below.
The dovetail bit's working depth (column B in the chart below) must be equal to or greater than the thickness of the pin board. To achieve the classic hand-cut look (smallest pin), choose the smallest dovetail bit (column A) relative to the pin board thickness. Use the matching straight bit and template guide bushing indicated in the chart.
| Full Pitch Through Dovetail Bit Selection | |||||||||
|
DOVETAIL BITS
ROUT THE TAILS  |
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| Leigh Bits for Through Dovetails |
A Overall Diameter |
B Max Cutting Depth |
C Shank Diameter |
D Shank Length |
E Overall Length |
F Angle |
Use with Straight Bit No. |
Use with eBush or Guide Bush(GB) |
Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
50-8 Carbide Tipped
|
1/4" | Up to 1/4" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2" | 8° |
160 or 180**/180C** |
e10* |
$31.00 |
60-8 Carbide Tipped
|
5/16" | Up to 3/8" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2 1/8" | 8° |
160 or 180**/180C** |
e10* |
$31.00 |
70-8 Carbide Tipped
|
3/8" | 1/4" to 1/2" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2 1/4" | 8° |
160 or 180**/180C** |
e10* |
$31.00 |
75-8 Carbide Tipped
|
7/16" | 3/8" to 5/8" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2 3/8" | 8° |
160 or 180**/180C** |
e10* |
$31.00 |
80-500* Carbide Tipped
|
1/2" | 13/16" | 1/2" | 1 3/4" | 2 3/4" | 8° |
160 or 180**/180C** |
e10* |
$35.00 |
160* Carbide Tipped
|
1/2" | 1 1/4" | 1/2" | 1 3/4" | 3" | Straight | - | e10* |
$31.00 |
180** High Speed Steel
|
1/2" | 1 1/4" | 1/2" | 1 3/4" | 3 1/2" | Straight | - | e10* |
$62.00 |
180C** Solid Carbide
|
1/2" | 1 1/4" | 1/2" | 1 3/4" | 3 1/2" | Straight | - | e10* |
$99.00 |
* The e10 eBush and Bits 80-500, 160, 120-500 & 143-500 come included with the RTJ400.
** Spiral upcut bits rout cleaner & faster, leaving a smoother finish. Bit 180 or 180C are alternatives to the 160.
Note: All Leigh jigs require a router fitted with a guidebush. Click here for Guidebush Selection.
Half Pitch Through Dovetail Bit Selection
The dovetail bit's working depth (column B in the chart below) must be equal to or greater than the thickness of the pin board. To achieve the classic hand-cut look (smallest pin), choose the smallest dovetail bit (column A) relative to the pin board thickness. Use the matching straight bit and template guide bushing indicated in the chart.
| Half Pitch Through Dovetail Bit Selection | |||||||||
|
DOVETAIL BITS
ROUT THE TAILS |
|||||||||
| Leigh Bits for Through Dovetails |
A Overall Diameter |
B Max Cutting Depth |
C Shank Diameter |
D Shank Length |
E Overall Length |
F Angle |
Use with Straight Bit No. |
Use with eBush or Guide Bush(GB) |
Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
50-8 Carbide Tipped
|
1/4" | Up to 1/4" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2" | 8° | 140-8 or 170C** | e7 |
$31.00 |
|
60-8 Carbide Tipped
|
5/16" | Up to 3/8" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2 1/8" | 8° | 140-8 or 170C** | e7 |
$31.00 |
|
70-8 Carbide Tipped
|
3/8" | 1/4" to 1/2" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2 1/4" | 8° | 140-8 or 170C** | e7 |
$31.00 |
|
75-8 Carbide Tipped
|
7/16" | 3/8" to 5/8" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2 3/8" | 8° | 140-8 or 170C** | e7 |
$31.00 |
140-8 Carbide Tipped
|
5/16" | 1 " | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2 3/4" | Straight | - | e7 |
$31.00 |
170** High Speed Steel
|
5/16" | 1" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 3" | Straight | - | e7 |
$29.00 |
170C** Solid Carbide
|
5/16" | 1 1/4" | 8mm | 1 3/4" | 2 3/4" | Straight | - | e7 |
$62.00 |
* The e10 eBush and Bits 80-500, 160, 120-500 & 143-500 come included with the RTJ400.
** Spiral upcut bits rout cleaner & faster, leaving a smoother finish. Bit 170 or 170C are alternatives to the 140-8.
Note: All Leigh jigs require a router fitted with a guidebush. Click here for Guidebush Selection.
Half-Blind Dovetail Bit Selection
In half-blind joints, pins and tails are routed with the same dovetail bit at the same depth of cut. The bit angle determines the nominal depth of cut, therefore, a bit of a given angle must cut at or very near a specific depth in order to make pins and tails fit together properly. Choose a half-blind bit with a cutting depth at least 1/8” less than the pin board thickness. Leigh offers three half-blind bits to suit board thicknesses from 1/2” to 7/8” or greater. For rabbeted or lipped drawers, choose a bit with a cutting depth slightly less than the rabbet’s shoulder depth.
The dovetail bit's working depth (see column B in the chart below) must be at least 1/8” less than the thickness of the pin board (drawer front). Tail board (drawer side) has no affect on this.
| Half-Blind Dovetail Bit Selection | |||||||||
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DOVETAIL BITS ROUT
THE TAILS AND PINS  |
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| Leigh Bits for Half-Blind Dovetails |
A Overall Diameter |
B Max Cutting Depth |
C Shank Diameter |
D Shank Length |
E Overall Length |
F Angle |
Use with eBush or Guide Bush(GB) |
Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
112-500 Carbide Tipped
|
1/2" | 19/32" | 1/2" | 1- 3/4" | 2-9/16" | 12 | e10* |
$35.00 |
|
120-500* Carbide Tipped
|
1/2" | 1/2" | 1/2" | 1 3/4" | 2-1/2" | 14 | e10* |
$35.00 |
|
128-500 Carbide Tipped
|
1/2" | 3/8" | 1/2" | 1-3/4" | 2-3/8" | 18 | e10* |
$35.00 |
|
* The e10 eBush and Bits 80-500, 160, 120-500 & 143-500 come included with the RTJ400.
Note: All Leigh jigs require a router fitted with a guidebush. Click here for Guidebush Selection.
Box Joint Bit Selection
| BOX JOINT BIT SELECTION | |||||||||
 |
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| Leigh Bits | A Bit Diameter |
B Max. Cutting Depth |
C Shank Diameter |
D Shank Length |
E Overall Length |
F Use with Collet/Collet reducer |
G Use with eBush or Guide Bush(GB) |
Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
163 High Speed Steel
|
3/32" | 3/8" | 1/4" | 2-1/8" | 2-1/2" | 1/4" | e10* |
$28.00 |
|
166** High Speed Steel
|
3/16" | 5/8" | 1/4" | 2-3/8" | 3" | 1/4" | e10* |
$28.00 |
|
166C** Solid Carbide
|
3/16" | 5/8" | 1/4" | 2-1/4" | 3" | 1/4" | e10* |
$55.00 |
|
143-500* Carbide Tipped
|
3/8" | 1-1/4" | 1/2" | 1-3/4" | 3-3/4" | 1/2" | e10* |
$31.00 |
|
173-500C** Solid Carbide
|
3/8" | 1-1/4" | 1/2" | 2-1/4" | 3-1/2" | 1/2" | e10* |
$99.00 |
|
* The e10 eBush and Bits 80-500, 160, 120-500 & 143-500 come included with the RTJ400.
** Spiral upcut bits rout cleaner & faster, leaving a smoother finish. Bit 173-500C is an alternative to 143-500.
Note: All Leigh jigs require a router fitted with a guidebush. Click here for Guidebush Selection.
Item no. 172-8
$16.00
Includes 8° through dovetail bits 50-8(1/4"), 60-8(5/16"), 70-8(3/8") and 75-8(7/16"), straight bit 140-8, half-blind bits 112-500(12º) and 128-500(18º), box joint bits 163(3/32") and 166(3/16"), one e-Bush (e7) and one collet reducer 172-8 (1/2" to 8mm).
For use with the RTJ400
Item no. ACRTJ
$279.00