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How to Select The Right Bits for Through and Half-Blind Dovetails for All Super Jigs High Quality Leigh Brand Router Bits Leigh carbide tipped router bits are among the best you can buy. Our carbide comes from Sandvik of Sweden, the world’s leading carbide manufacturer. Each bit is honed with 600 grit diamond wheels for superbly smooth, efficient cutting. Bit shanks are 1-3/4" long to extend through the thickness of the guide fingers. All Leigh bits are manufactured to ISO 9002 standards. 8mm Bit Shanks Leigh highly recommends the use of bits with 8mm shanks rather than ordinary 1/4" shanks. With 58% more mass in the shank, they are considerably stronger and stiffer than 1/4" shanks, allowing smoother cuts and faster feed rates with a better margin of safety. The 8mm shanks, which have become the norm outside North America, fit easily within the inside diameter of the Leigh e-Bush or 7/16" O.D. template guidebushes. Some router manufacturers offer inexpensive 8mm collets to fit their routers. Other routers with 1/2" collets, will accept the included Leigh No.172-8, 1/2" to 8mm collet reducer. Your Super Jig was shipped to you with 8mm shank bits. Through Dovetail Bit Selection
The pin end of each guide finger is cast at 8° therefore all through dovetail bits must have an 8° angle to match. All through dovetails routed on Super Jigs use an 8° dovetail bit for tails and one straight bit for pins. The dovetail bit's working depth (carbide height) must be at least equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the pin board (column B in the chart below). Choose the smallest dovetail bit you can (column A) to rout sockets for pins as narrow as possible for a look of hand-cut elegance. Always use the supplied e-Bush template guidebush set at the #10 position or a 7/16" OD template guidebush. The supplied 1/2", 8° dovetail bit (No.80-8) and 5/16" straight bit (No.140-8) are the workhorses used for work up to 13/16" thick.
*Please note that dimension B is not the cutting depth of the carbide. All Leigh bits have slightly more carbide cutting
depth than is required.
**Cutters No. 80-8, 120-8 and 140-8 are standard equipment with all Super Jigs. Half-Blind Dovetail Bit Selection
In half-blind joints, both pins and tails are routed with the same dovetail bit. The bit angle determines the depth of cut, therefore, a bit of a given angle must cut at or very near a specific depth in order to achieve a perfect fit. For example, the 1/2" 8° dovetail bit that comes with all Super Jigs must cut to a depth of 3/4". You cannot use this bit to rout half-blind dovetails in pin board (drawer front) stock less than 7/8" thick. To work with 3/4" or thinner drawer fronts, choose a bit with a cutting depth at least 1/8" less than the thickness of the drawer front. The included 120-8 14° bit will allow you to work with boards less than 3/4 of an inch. For Rabbeted or lipped drawers, choose a bit with a cutting depth slightly less than the rabbet's shoulder depth.
Boxed Leigh Bit Sets for Super Jigs ![]() Complete sets in 8mm shank bits
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