Dovetail jigs make accurate dovetail joints. You can purchase dovetail jigs inexpensively, or if you want, you can make your own. Find templates on the internet or in a woodworking supply store. These kinds of templates usually can be used to make up to twelve different size jigs. If you do make your own routing and woodworking jigs, you may need a dovetail router and dovetail bit. Templates are great for letting you make dovetails that are variable in their spacing so that you can use them for many purposes, including cabinets, drawers and small boxes. You can even get kits that have the bits and templates all included, which will save you money over buying these components separately.

A dovetail saw will cut fine joints for all sorts of projects, not just dovetails. The blades are thicker than on other saws, giving you greater accuracy for these kinds of fine joints. Make sure you get a good quality tool for these types of tight joints. Fourteen to seventeen points per inch is the recommended size.

A dowel jig is, as its name implies, used for making dowels. If the wood you are working with is thick, be sure to ger a self centering jig so that you will have better accuracy. Sizes range from 1/4 to 1/2 inch. You can also buy complete kits that contain the dowel jig and hundreds of dowels in various sizes, and often carries the glue as well.

A kreg jig is used for cabinet making. To ensure that drawers move in and out smoothly, you have to have a perfectly positoned slide. Using a dreg jig will allow you to do this without marking and measuring for the drawer slides each time. They make is easier to mount the metal drawer slides. The kreg jig is an expensive piece of equipment, but so versatile since it can be used for cdnter, bottom or extension mounted drawers. For professional cabinets makers, this expense is well worth it.

If you make your own jigs, you can save a lot of money, especially if you use scrap lumber that you were going to throw away anyway. These jigs are thrown away after use, so it doesn't make sense to spend much money on them. If you do want to reuse them, you have to use strong hardwood as the material.

To make your own jigs, just look for instructions in woodworking magazines or books. They are also available in the internet. Print them out and create a binder. You can keep all of the instructions for different kinds of jigs in this binder, and if you put each one in a plastic sleeve, they will stay in good shape and you can use them over and over.

About the Author

Leroy Calstard pens especially for http://www.insidewoodworking.com , an internet site covering information on routing , router accessories and other interests. With his publications on routing and woodworking jigs the columnist affirmed his expertise in the field.