Katie Jig Article in Woodshop News - June 1998

The Katie Jig dovetail system consists of an extruded aluminum track that allows individual sliding dovetail fingers to be locked into position anywhere along its length. The fingers, which resemble tuning forks, are made of 1/2" anodized aluminum and attach to the track with T-nuts. The fingers allow for a minimum on-center dovetail spacing of 1-3/4" when positioned side-by-side, but a system of sliding aluminum spacers enables dovetails to be individually spaced any distance apart.

According to John Behrle, Woodcraft new products development manager, the Katie Jig is one of the easiest dovetail systems to use.

"The Katie Jig is intended for the serious hobbyist or home user," he said. "Someone who doesn't want to read a 160-page manual, or watch a long video to figure out how to use it. There's nothing mysterious about it. Once you use it, all the mystery is gone."

To use, the proper number of fingers for the project is selected and locked into position as desired, while a pair of aluminum stops is affixed to the underside of the track to match the size of the workpieces being used. The tail and pin workpieces are clamped to the plywood facing beneath the fingers on opposite sides of the jig. The entire jig is then held in a bench vise for the actual routing.

Because each aluminum finger has guides for tails on one side and pins on the other, tails and pins can be routed with the same setup, ensuring an accurate match for fit-up after the joints are cut.

The system can handle stock of any width, with thickness ranging from 1/2"-1".

The Katie Jig system comes with a pair of carbide-tipped 3/8"-shank bits. The dovetail bit measures 5/8" x 1", and has a 7-degree cut, while the straight bit is 7/8" x 1". Both bits are fitted with top-mounted bearings matched to the dovetail fingers.

The Katie Jig dovetail system includes five forks, six spacers, a pair of workpiece stops, and a wrench for locking fingers and spacers in place. The jig sells for $249. A shank adapter that mates the included bits to a 1/2" router collet goes for $11.99. Additional spacers and finger sets are available for a different dovetail pattern, as well as two box-joint patterns. Behrle added that Woodcraft plans to offer a finger set for half-blind dovetails later in the year.

For more information, write number 825 on the Reader Service Card in this newspaper, or contact: Woodcraft Supply Corp., 210 Wood County Industrial Park, Parkersburg, WV 26102. Tel: 800-225-1153. Web site: www.woodcraft.com.