Wasted $400 on a cheap dovetail jig that couldn't cut straight

Bought a no-name dovetail jig off Amazon about 3 months back. First few cuts looked fine but after a week the plastic template started warping and every joint came out sloppy. Had to trash a whole batch of maple drawers because the pins didn't line up. Anyone else get burned by budget jigs or am I just the cautionary tale this time?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_richard19d ago

Did you check if the template was actually warped or if the jig itself had slop in the guide bushing? I've seen those cheap plastic jigs where the whole body flexes when you apply pressure, which throws everything off way more than a warped template ever could.

danieljenkins19d ago

Dude, I feel your pain. I once bought a jig that came with more plastic shavings than actual dovetails. Turns out the template was off by a millimeter from the factory. Spent a whole weekend fighting it before I threw it in the trash and just cut them by hand. My grandma's technique was way more reliable than that Amazon special.