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dovetail jig

Started by jayzee, September 09, 2006, 11:19:06 AM

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jayzee

I am looking for a jig to use with a chainsaw for building 6x8 dovetail log cabins. I have found a couple on the internet but they are quite expensive for a fairly simple tool. Any ideas ? Are there plans available so that a guy can build his own ? Should I bite the bullet and shell out the dough for a new one ? Thanks, JayZee.

Don P

I was cruising the image gallery, saw this and remembered your post.


I think one of the forum members makes a dovetail jig, Sawdust?

jayzee

Thanks, that is the same jig that the builders used when they stacked my 10 " x 12"  squared logs for my house . However they are pretty expensive ( although maybe worth the price for the saved energy of scribing every corner )  and you are limited to size so if you want to build something smaller like an 8x8 you have to buy another jig. I was hoping someone else might offer a similar product.

Mr Mom

     How does the jig work?? Never see one.




     Thanks Alot Mr Mom

Raphael

IIRC it uses a chainsaw with glides on the bar.  The glides ride down the surfaces w/o paint until they hit the stops.
  If you don't mind drilling a couple holes in your bar to bolt on guide blocks, you could fabricate something similiar from plywood and lumber.
... he was middle aged,
and the truth hit him like a man with no parachute.
--Godley & Creme

Stihl 066, MS 362 C-M & 24+ feet of Logosol M7 mill

logwalker

I want to know what that black thing is with the wheel. Can you enlighten me?

LW
Let's all be careful out there tomorrow. Lt40hd, 22' Kenworth Flatbed rollback dump, MM45B Mitsubishi trackhoe, Clark5000lb Forklift, Kubota L2850 tractor

Jim_Rogers

We got one of them there things up here.
I went to move it the other day, and my helper says to me: "boss, boss!" "don't touch that thing, you know you don't know nothin about machinery............"
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Raphael

  I got a pair of them things sitting on my house lot.  Good things to keep water for bagged concrete in, we've been breeding polywogs in ours all summer.  The polywogs love to eat mosquito larvae.   ;D
... he was middle aged,
and the truth hit him like a man with no parachute.
--Godley & Creme

Stihl 066, MS 362 C-M & 24+ feet of Logosol M7 mill

Don P

I busted the handle on mine last weekend. Ever notice the handle never breaks when they're empty. Hoping my next handle never breaks  :D

landrand

Last year I was just playing around and built a jig for creating dovetails.  I created several plans on a computer using various angles to verify the correct measurements.  I then cut plywood into the correct shape and used some threaded rod to fasten the jig to the timber.  I attached some spacers to my  chainsaw bar in order to follow the outline of the jig.  It was a quick and crude device, but it worked well as  a prototype.  One thing I noticed is the round taper of a chainsaw blade does cause the cut to be uneven or shall I say "deeper" in the middle than on the ends.  I'm getting ready to build a more refined "jig" so I can start using it to cut dovetails for my house. 

Jayson

Ed Miller of Tennesee makes a very nice set of jigs and bar guides.He is the man to talk to.He has spent his life creating these things.All the talk of expense is relative,when you consider the fact that 1 man can turn out a small building in hours not days with minimal layout.

twobears


do you have any pic,s of ed,s jigs??and how does a guy get intouch with him??

 

LOGDOG

Bump ... I'm interested in a jig myself.

Thanks,

LOGDOG

sawdust


If this starts up I'm going to have to talk to Jeff about becoming a sponsor! I build jigs, I am building one foe Ledlie at the moment, stalled a few days my 94 yo grandfather took a fall and broke 5 ribs. If your not in a hurry I can get you Eds number try searching EDM Tracer that is or was his company. My webpage is way out of date. I will attempt to post a photo to the gallery. I can try answer any dovetail questions you have, here or pm. 

Ledlie i will weld yours up tomorrow.

sawdust.


comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.

logman

Ed XXX phone number is XXXXXX

Note from admin.  Forestry Forum rules do not allow posting of third party contact information
LT40HD, 12' ext, 5105 JD tractor, Genie GTH5519 telehandler
M&K Timber Works

LedlieLogs

Ledlie is getting a little excited. 8)
Wildlife Action, GA. A great place for kids. No lights, no phone, no motorcars, not a single luxury. Just the GREAT OUTDOORS and the reason I am learning to mill and build small log cabins.

Jayson

Quote from: landrand on September 27, 2006, 04:24:01 PM
One thing I noticed is the round taper of a chainsaw blade does cause the cut to be uneven or shall I say "deeper" in the middle than on the ends.  
Not such a bad idea if you are using green material. We often "scoop" the flats because of shrinkage. Also if you plan to kerf the joints for tight joints that "scooping" really makes life easier.
  Looking for a pic of the v-notch and dovetail jigs but for now here is a pic of a tenon jig.

Stumpkin









Here you are, Pictures of the Ed Miller jigs for V knotch log corners. Tom
"Do we know what we're doing and why?"
"No"
"Do we care?"
"We'll work it all out as we go along. Let our practice form our doctrine, thus assuring precise theoretical coherence."      Ed Abbey

LOGDOG

Excellent pictures Jayson. Thank you very much. If I may ask, what does ED get for a jig? Any pictures of how those logs laid up in the wall?

Thanks,

LOGDOG

Stumpkin

A picture of the finished V-Notch



And the Dovetail jig.



                                         
"Do we know what we're doing and why?"
"No"
"Do we care?"
"We'll work it all out as we go along. Let our practice form our doctrine, thus assuring precise theoretical coherence."      Ed Abbey

Jayson

GO Tom GO! Thanks for the always excellent pics. How about a picture of your simple jig Tom or is that top secret?
      I can't say for sure what Ed gets for his jigs. Like a well built car there are options to consider. I can say they will be of the highest quality and the service even better. He has been asking himself the questions we are pondering here for a long time. By dedicating most of his time to the cause he has answered many of them. So you'll have to put a price on your time to decide if it is the right way to go. Ok, gently stepping out of praise to Ed, he is a huge pleasure to deal with.  Jayson

sawdust


I have not spoken to Ed for years, real nice to visit with and I always thought his jigs were like works of art. No idea what he charges.

sawwdust
comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.

LOGDOG

Yep ...work of art seems like a good term. I noticed how he routed over the edges on all the panels of the jig with a quarter round bit. Nice touch. Is Ed a member here at the Forum? By the way Tom ... great pics. Really nice logwork!

LOGDOG

jpgreen

-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

firecord

It seams that these over priced jigs would be simple to fabricate.  Maybe $20 to $30 worht of metal.





Just make the correct measurements and transfer to metal.  Make a guide to attach to your bar and subtract the thickness of the guide from the actual figures.  Make sense?  I would be willing to draw up plans if someone would give me the measurements.  I don't know how to measure dovetails, myself.

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