Sandal Woods

Woodworking with passion

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New RTJ400 in my shop, and a new router table

First, the router table insert that accepts the eBush went missing. It arrived in Kansas City, then mysteriously was sent by the USPS to Knoxville, Tennessee; I called Rockler, who sent me a replacement in an overnight UPS package — wonderful Customer Service!

The new RTJ400 dovetail and finger joint jig arrived from Leigh Industries. Once everything on the router table was installed, I assembled the new jig in 10 minutes flat. This does not count the time I spent watching the DVD that came with the jig.

Leigh reaches a totally new level of ease of assembly with the RTJ400. I did not even have to read the User Guide to be able to assemble the jig properly. All I can say about this is WOW!

In the short video above I play with the jig on the new router table, as I get the feel for the combo. The only times I have used a dovetail jig on a router table was when I first got the R9 Plus jig, also from Leigh.

The RTJ400 feels “right”. It is balanced perfectly for router table use; also, it is not top-heavy. It probably has to do with the beautifully machined template, which is always on the bottom of the jig assembly. In the video I had not yet waxed the bottom of the template, nor the top of the router table top. I will use Renaissance wax on both surfaces, looking for the minimal resistance as I use the jig.

Stay tuned!

— Al Navas

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A new video from Leigh: Features of the RTJ400 jig

Innovations give us the best tools at affordable costs. New woodworking tools make us look at the way we do things in an entirely new light. I must explain a little.

When I started using the earlier R9 Plus dovetail and box joint jig, I knew was handling a new compact, capable, reliable, accurate and nice tool ; I also suspected it would be hard to push the envelop with similar technology to make the experience even better, while providing accurate results in making joinery.

And I wondered if a new jig would be able to extend the range of joinery possible, to half-blind and rabbeted dovetails, while still having the ability to machine through dovetails and box joints.

I wondered if it might be possible to design and make a new jig that a woodworker might use, and be certain she or he would be able to reproduce results any time, not matter how long between uses, while keeping setup to a minimum.

It happened! Enter the RTJ400.

The video below illustrates what I mean. Using boards up to 16 inches wide, the two-minute video shows how the RTJ400 can help us make a wide array of joints easily, on a router table, in what seems an effortless way.

I can’t wait to try this new jig!

— Al Navas

P.S.: Don’t get me wrong. I still love my D4R Pro, and templates I can use on it.