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Leigh F1 User Manual

Finger joint template
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LEIGH
USER GUIDE
LEIGH
USER GUIDE
Finger Joint Template
Finger Joint Template
Joining Tradition with Today

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Summary of Contents for Leigh F1

  • Page 1 LEIGH USER GUIDE LEIGH USER GUIDE Finger Joint Template Finger Joint Template Joining Tradition with Today...
  • Page 2 F1 to rout a precious hardwood “Finger” and “Box”: Both words are used uni- workpiece.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    C O N T E N T S Glossary of Symbols......................iv CHAPTER 1 - Assembly, Mounting and Template Alignment......1 CHAPTER 2 - Using Your Template Safely............15 CHAPTER 3 - Operation Concepts and Basic Template Functions ..21 CHAPTER 4 - The Variable Guidebush System (VGS)......27 CHAPTER 5 - Board Width Selection..............33 CHAPTER 6 - Box Joint Procedures ..............39 CHAPTER 7 - Rounded Half-Blind Finger Joint Procedures....49...

  • Page 4: Glossary Of Symbols

    Glossary of Symbols The Leigh F1 template can be in one of only two modes with either the ⁄ "and ⁄...
  • Page 5 Which Way Round Should the Board Go? Most joinery done on the Leigh jig is for case- work (i.e., boxes, cabinets, drawers, chests and so on) so in nearly all the illustrations we have indicated which side of the board shows outwards when it is in the jig, eg.
  • Page 6 G L O S S A R Y O F S Y M B O L S...

  • Page 7: Chapter 1 - Assembly, Mounting And Template Alignment

    CHAPTER 1 Assembly, Mounting and Template Alignment...
  • Page 8 A S S E M B L Y , M O U N T I N G A N D T E M P L A T E A L I G N M E N T Chapter 1 F1 User Guide Assembly and Mounting Before you begin mounting the Leigh F1 finger joint template to your D Series jig, make sure you have received the model ordered (Inch or Metric), and all the necessary parts.
  • Page 9 Illustration shows F1 "Inch". See below for your template model. Check that you have received one of the templates shown below: “Inch” “Millimetres”...
  • Page 10 Remove the dovetail finger assem- bly, front clamp bar and springs. D1258, D1258R and D3 jig owners: If you already own the Leigh Mortise and Tenon Attachment, fit the extended sup- ➀ port brackets...
  • Page 11 Slide the template assembly onto the jig support brackets with the ⁄ " and ⁄ " [10 and 8mm] combs toward you and lower it gently onto a ⁄ "[20mm] thick spacer ➃ board (A piece of ⁄ "x 5 ⁄...
  • Page 12 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 F1 User Guide Inch To ensure that you produce the precise joints the Leigh F1 template was designed to pro- vide, the following procedures must be care- fully followed: First, the template bar and template must be centred exactly between the two scale ➀...
  • Page 13 1-10 Align the template so that the template’s ➀ centre hole lines up with the hole in the bar (it will only align with one hole in the ➁ bar) and insert the template pin . Gently twist and push the tapered pin into the hole until it is fully seated.
  • Page 14 A S S E M B L Y , M O U N T I N G A N D T E M P L A T E A L I G N M E N T Chapter 1 Chapter 1 F1 User Guide 1-13...
  • Page 15 1-16 Push the template/bar assembly to the right until it stops with the dial knob’s cam hub against the scale. 1-17 The template/bar should now be centred on the jig. Double check by pulling the dial knob directly out of the right-hand gap, inserting it back into the left-hand gap with 3/8"...
  • Page 16 A S S E M B L Y , M O U N T I N G A N D T E M P L A T E A L I G N M E N T Chapter 1 Chapter 1 F1 User Guide 1-19 D1258 jigs only: Loosen both front side stop bolts.
  • Page 17 With the screw and washer from the loca- tor kit, lightly screw the side stop locator to the front extrusion with the Leigh logo below the screw and the upper tip of the locator projecting up through the last open- ing in the ⁄...
  • Page 18 A S S E M B L Y , M O U N T I N G A N D T E M P L A T E A L I G N M E N T Chapter 1 Chapter 1 F1 User Guide 1-25 D4 Jig: Move the side stop bumpers against the locator and tighten them firmly.
  • Page 19 1-29 Reverse the locator to the right-hand end of the jig, with the Leigh logo below the screw, facing toward the jig. Lightly screw it onto the extrusion. The locator’s upper tip projects up through the last opening in ⁄...
  • Page 20 A S S E M B L Y , M O U N T I N G A N D T E M P L A T E A L I G N M E N T Chapter 1 F1 User Guide 1-31 Replace the front clamp bar and knobs or cam clamps. Your Leigh F1 Template is now ready for use.

  • Page 21: Chapter 2 - Using Your Template Safely

    CHAPTER 2 Using Your Template Safely...
  • Page 22 U S I N G Y O U R T E M P L A T E S A F E L Y Chapter 2 F1 User Guide Chapter Foreword Safety is not optional. Read and follow the recommendations in...
  • Page 23 Read the owner’s manual that came with your router. It is essential to understand the router manufacturer’s instructions completely. Always wear hearing protection when using a router. Always wear approved safety glasses when using a router.
  • Page 24 U S I N G Y O U R T E M P L A T E S A F E L Y Chapter 2 F1 User Guide Protect yourself from harmful dust by wear- ing a face mask. Never drink alcohol or take medications that may cause drowsiness when you will be operating a router.
  • Page 25 Before connecting the router to the power source, make sure the cutter and collet revolve freely in all the areas you plan to rout, and the cutter does not touch the guidebush or jig. If you insist on removing the router from the template while it is still revolving, always pull it straight off the jig horizontally, and do not raise or lower the router until it...
  • Page 26 Make plenty of simple open-face practice cuts without a guidebush before you try to use the router on the Leigh Template. You must, of course, always use a guidebush when routing on yyyyyy the Leigh Template.

  • Page 27: Chapter 3 - Operation Concepts And Basic Template Functions

    CHAPTER 3 Operation Concepts and Basic Template Functions...
  • Page 28 O P E R A T I O N C O N C E P T S A N D B A S I C T E M P L A T E F U N C T I O N S Chapter 3 F1 User Guide...
  • Page 29 3/8" The inch template has four different comb 5/16" sizes: ⁄ ", ⁄ ", ⁄ ", and ⁄ ". The mil- limetres template has three: 8, 10, and 1/4" 12mm. The active comb (the one you wish 1/2" to use) is positioned toward you at the front of the jig.
  • Page 30 O P E R A T I O N C O N C E P T S A N D B A S I C T E M P L A T E F U N C T I O N S Chapter 3 Chapter 3 F1 User Guide You will clamp your work pieces against the front side stop or...
  • Page 31 Template Modes Template pin hole icons denote the type of joint and edge finish from each position. See notes on symmetry and board widths, chapter 5 page 33. Throughout the manual, the proper pin location for each step is highlighted with red in an inset.
  • Page 32 Chapter 3 F1 User Guide Mating joints routed under the same comb have to be offset to achieve correct joint alignment. On the Leigh F1 template the offset is achieved by moving the template left or right by half the pitch of the comb.

  • Page 33: Chapter 4 - The Variable Guidebush System (Vgs)

    CHAPTER 4 The Variable Guidebush System ( VGS )
  • Page 34 T H E V A R I A B L E G U I D E B U S H S Y S T E M ( V G S ) Chapter 4 F1 User Guide...
  • Page 35 The F1 Template comes complete with the Variable Guidebush System (VGS). ➀ Note: One bush 709V is not in the met- ric set. Each of the tapered bushes is drilled to accept one of the nylon thread-inserts (eight of them on a “tree”). See 4-7 to fit.
  • Page 36 T H E V A R I A B L E G U I D E B U S H S Y S T E M ( V G S ) Chapter 4 F1 User Guide ➀ With the VGS tapered bush screwed ➁...
  • Page 37 Fit the holder to the router first. Before fit- ting a variable bush to a holder, fit one of the small nylon thread-inserts to the hole in the side of the thread. Leave the insert on its “tree” and push into the hole. Then snap off the “tree”.
  • Page 38 T H E V A R I A B L E G U I D E B U S H S Y S T E M ( V G S ) Chapter 4 F1 User Guide...

  • Page 39: Chapter 5 - Board Width Selection

    CHAPTER 5 Board Width Selection...
  • Page 40 B O A R D W I D T H S E L E C T I O N Chapter 5 F1 User Guide Chapter 5...
  • Page 41 5-1 Board Widths and Joint Symmetry Unlike the infinitely variable Leigh Dovetail Jig, a fixed template cannot accommodate any width of board and still produce a neat and even finish on both side edges of a joint. The boards must be cut to specific widths, depending on the pitch of the comb.
  • Page 42 However, ordinary box joints may be asym- metrical and look okay. Note: Because the Leigh VGS allows for fit adjustment on template size, the pitch widths have been made slightly greater than the nominal pitch, i.e. slightly more than two times the cutter diameter.
  • Page 43 B O A R D W I D T H C H A R T ( I N C H E S ) 1.462 1.087 0.900 0.712 1.970 1.470 1.220 .970 2.478 1.853 1.541 1.228 2.986 2.236 1.861 1.486 3.494 2.619 2.182 1.744...
  • Page 44 B O A R D W I D T H S E L E C T I O N B O A R D W I D T H S E L E C T I O N Chapter 5 F1 User Guide Chapter 5...

  • Page 45: Chapter 6 - Box Joint Procedures

    CHAPTER 6 Box Joint Procedures...
  • Page 46 B O X J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 6 F1 User Guide...
  • Page 47 Always use scrap boards to test for fit. Width and thickness of the scrap boards is not crit- ical. Let’s rout some simple box joints. These general instructions are the same for any of the four comb sizes. The illustrations show the left-hand side of the jig;...
  • Page 48 B O X J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 6 F1 User Guide Select the correct variable bush and cut- 709V 711V 713V 716V ter combination for the comb size to be used.
  • Page 49 Fit the selected cutter (that matches the bush) to the router and tighten securely. Set the scale on the comb size to be used ➀ (example here; ⁄ "[12mm] comb ). Loosen ➂ ➁ fence knobs and move fence to rear ➁...
  • Page 50 B O X J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 6 F1 User Guide 6-10 Adjust the cutter to cut down to the cen- tre of the pencil line. Make sure the collet will not rub on the guidebush.
  • Page 51 6-13 Test the two boards for fit. Adjust the height of the variable guidebush by trial and error and rout more pairs of test boards to achieve the desired fit. Remember, lower the vari- able bush for a tighter joint and raise the variable bush for a looser joint.
  • Page 52 B O X J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 6 F1 User Guide 6-16 All square box joint boards (for boxes or end-on-end joints) are clamped alter- nately face in and face out , always with the same side edge against the side stop.
  • Page 53 6-19 Keeping the marked side stop edges of all boards toward the top (or bottom) of the box, select the preferred outside faces of the boards and assemble the box. Remember; box joint corners need clamping from both directions, or use strap clamps and blocks. 6–20 The same method will produce square end- on-end joints.
  • Page 54 B O X J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 6 F1 User Guide...

  • Page 55: Chapter 7 - Rounded Half-Blind Finger Joint Procedures

    CHAPTER 7 Rounded Half-Blind Finger Joint Procedures...
  • Page 56 R O U N D E D H A L F - B L I N D F I N G E R J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 7 F1 User Guide...
  • Page 57 Rounded half-blind finger joints make ➀ ➁ an attractive drawer front to side con- nection. See page 97, appendix II for cutter selection. 7-2 Routing Half-Blind Joints Set the template scale to the thickness of the pin board on the grey scale, e.g. 1"[25mm] shown here.
  • Page 58 R O U N D E D H A L F - B L I N D F I N G E R J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 7 F1 User Guide Measure the distance from the guidebush ➁...
  • Page 59 Set the depth of cut to slightly greater than ➀ the thickness of the side board . You want the drawer front fingers to come through the side sockets by no more than ➁ ⁄ "[0,25mm] for cleanup later, just like half-blind dovetails.
  • Page 60 R O U N D E D H A L F - B L I N D F I N G E R J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 7 F1 User Guide 7-10 Rout the rounded pins.
  • Page 61 7-13 If you rout this horizontal board in the con- ventional way you may tear away the right ➀ hand board edge , although some woods will rout quite cleanly. If a plunge router is used, gently plunge down at the rear of the ➁...
  • Page 62 R O U N D E D H A L F - B L I N D F I N G E R J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 7 F1 User Guide 7-16 Assemble in the usual way.

  • Page 63: Chapter 8 - Square Half-Blind Box Joint Procedures

    CHAPTER 8 Square Half-Blind Box Joint Procedures...
  • Page 64 S Q U A R E H A L F - B L I N D B O X J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 8 F1 User Guide...
  • Page 65 8-1 Square Half-Blind Joints Just like the rounded half-blind joints: boards must be exactly the same width, inside faces always face away from the jig body, and alternate edges are placed against the side stop. Even though part of this joint is rounded, we use the square pitch pin set- tings to rout it.
  • Page 66 S Q U A R E H A L F - B L I N D B O X J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 8 F1 User Guide Set the template pin on .
  • Page 67 The drawer front pins should project through the side sockets by no more than ⁄ "[0,25mm] for clean-up . If the sides project , adjust the template inward to suit. When satisfied with the fit, rout all the ends of the box fronts and backs in this mode. Assemble and glue in the usual way.
  • Page 68 S Q U A R E H A L F - B L I N D B O X J O I N T P R O C E D U R E S Chapter 8 F1 User Guide 8-10 Rounded Square Box Joints...

  • Page 69: Chapter 9 - Rabbetted Half-Blind Finger Joints

    CHAPTER 9 Rabbetted Half-Blind Finger Joints...
  • Page 70 R A B B E T T E D H A L F - B L I N D F I N G E R J O I N T S Chapter 9 F1 User Guide...
  • Page 71 9-1 Rabetted Half-Blind Finger Joints ➀ Rabbetted drawer fronts and the mat- ➁ ing sides have to be blocked away from ➁ the side stops. Block drawer sides away from the side stops by one complete comb ➀ pitch (A). Block the drawer front away by (B) which is comb pitch (A) minus rab- bet width (C).
  • Page 72 R A B B E T T E D H A L F - B L I N D F I N G E R J O I N T S Chapter 9 F1 User Guide...

  • Page 73: Chapter 10 - Small Box Joints

    CHAPTER 10 Small Box Joints...
  • Page 74 S M A L L B O X J O I N T S Chapter 10 Chapter 10 F1 User Guide Chapter Foreword These instructions are based on the assump- tion that you have mastered the routing of the basic box joint, and are thoroughly familiar with those procedures.
  • Page 75 10-1 Small Box Joints The template pin positions for square and rounded finger joints are a quarter pitch apart. This allows routing of half-size, even quarter-size box joints (it does not work on rounded finger joints). You get the advantage of routing thicker, wider boards with ⁄...
  • Page 76 S M A L L B O X J O I N T S Chapter 10 Chapter 10 F1 User Guide 10-4 ➂ Quarter-size asymmetrical Chart width, or chart width plus or minus two diameters of small cutter. 10-5 ➃...
  • Page 77 10-7 Box Joints Half the Nominal Size E.g., ⁄ "[6mm] box joints on the ⁄ "[12mm] comb. Use the same size guide bush for the selected comb, but use a cutter of half the nominal size. 10-8 Put the template pin in setting , rout the ➀...
  • Page 78 S M A L L B O X J O I N T S Chapter 10 Chapter 10 F1 User Guide 10-10 ➁ Mount the mating board . Put the tem- plate pin in setting and rout the sock- ets. Leave the board in place.
  • Page 79 10-13 Pin position 10-14 Pin position 10-15 Pin position Repeat 10-12 through 10-15 on the other ➀ ➂ end of board and on both ends of board...
  • Page 80 S M A L L B O X J O I N T S Chapter 10 Chapter 10 F1 User Guide 10-16 We have now run out of template offsets, so to make the two boards mate flush at the ➁...
  • Page 81 10-19 Pin position Repeat 10-16 through 10-19 on the other ➁ ➃ end of board and on both ends of board 10-20 For very thin or short boards, make up an auxiliary clamp with its own stepped side stop by adapting a stock clamp. Remove ➀...
  • Page 82 S M A L L B O X J O I N T S Chapter 10 Chapter 10 F1 User Guide 10-22 The front jig clamp holds the auxiliary clamp by its stepped side stop. The small boards may slide behind the jig front clamp ➀...
  • Page 83 10-25 Remove all four boards together, and turn end for end, keeping the same edges to the ➁ side stop. Move boards back to the front before re-clamping. 10-26 Now rout these four ends in the same two template pin positions as before.
  • Page 84 S M A L L B O X J O I N T S Chapter 10 Chapter 10 F1 User Guide...

  • Page 85: Chapter 11 - Wider Box Joints

    CHAPTER 11 Wider Box Joints...
  • Page 86 Chapter 11 F1 User Guide Chapter Foreword Occasionally, you may need box joints that are wider than the combs on the F1 Template. Woodworker and Leigh Jig user Donald Brown of Havana, Florida, sent us this good idea on routing procedures for wide box joints on the Leigh F1.
  • Page 87 11-1 Refer to the extended board width charts on page 84 to select the width and comb size. Prepare four boards and mark them 1,2,3,4. Select the grain alignment and mark the common top (or bottom) edges. Don’t worry about face side selection, this can be done after routing.
  • Page 88 W I D E R B O X J O I N T S Chapter 11 F1 User Guide 11-4 Rout the full width of the active comb on both ends of boards 1 and 3 in position . Be sure to keep the same side edges to the side stop.
  • Page 89 11-7 Rout both ends of boards 2 and 4, first rout- ing both ends of each board against the the left side stop, and then... 11-8 ...reposition (as with boards 1 and 3) to align and complete the routing. Keep the left edge of the board away from the side ➀...
  • Page 90 W I D E R B O X J O I N T S Chapter 11 F1 User Guide B O A R D W I D T H C H A R T ( I N C H E S a n d M M ) 15.178...

  • Page 91: Chapter 12 - Hints And Tips

    CHAPTER 12 Hints and Tips...
  • Page 92 H I N T S A N D T I P S Chapter 12 F1 User Guide Chapter Foreword Here are some special techniques and ideas to help you get the most out of your Leigh F1 Template.
  • Page 93 12-1 To prevent tear-out at the back bottom part of the cut, scribe a line with your mark- ing gauge across the back of the board at exactly the depth of cut. 12-2 To help prevent tear-out on the sides of the exit cut, back up the cut with a horizon- tal board end-grain pushed against the back of the workpiece and held in the rear clamp.
  • Page 94 H I N T S A N D T I P S Chapter 12 F1 User Guide 12-4 Router Stand: Make up a small router stand as illustrated, to mount the router secure- " [90mm] ly on the bench when not in use.
  • Page 95 12-7 Quick Fit Test Rather than routing test pieces separately, here is a quick way to get 99% of the way there. Simply rout two thinner boards of scrap stock simultaneously. Any single pin position will do, unless you intend to rout small box joints, in which case, use the matching pin positions described in chap- ter 10.
  • Page 96 H I N T S A N D T I P S Chapter 12 F1 User Guide...

  • Page 97: Appendix I - Variable Guidebush Selection

    APPENDIX I Variable Guidebush Selection...
  • Page 98 Appendix I F1 User Guide Chapter Foreword VGS: The Leigh Variable Guidebush System The VGS is included with the F1 Finger Joint Template but you may need an option- al adaptor for your router (see next pages). Do not use the VGS on D Series dove-...
  • Page 99 FREUD MAKITA BLACK & PERLES CASALS HITACHI METABO DECKER HOLZ-HER SCHEER DEWALT HOLZ-HER RYOBI DEWALT ISKRA STAYER JEPSON SKIL KANGO WEGOMA FESTO MAFELL PORTER CABLE 709V 701V 711V 700V 713V 716V *Note: 709V is not included in “metric” F1 Template.
  • Page 100 V A R I A B L E G U I D E B U S H S E L E C T I O N Appendix I F1 User Guide How to Select the Adaptor for The Leigh F1 Template and Variable Guidebush System 1.
  • Page 101 Find the make and model of your router in columns 1 and 2. See which Leigh holder works with your router in column 4. Select the correct adaptor plate for your router (if required) from column 3. Leigh adaptors are in red.
  • Page 102 V A R I A B L E G U I D E B U S H S E L E C T I O N Appendix I F1 User Guide...

  • Page 103: Appendix Ii - Cutter Selection And Joint Specification

    APPENDIX II Cutter Selection and Joint Specification...
  • Page 104 C U T T E R S E L E C T I O N A N D J O I N T S P E C I F I C A T I O N Appendix II F1 User Guide...
  • Page 105 * 1/4" and 1/8" box joints may be routed up to 14" widths on the 1/2" comb. ** See Chapter 11 for wider box joints. Leigh does not stock metric sized cutters. Please contact your national distributor for Leigh. METRIC SPECIFICATIONS...
  • Page 106 C U T T E R S E L E C T I O N A N D J O I N T S P E C I F I C A T I O N Appendix II F1 User Guide...

  • Page 107: Appendix Iii - Template Parts List

    APPENDIX III Template Parts List...
  • Page 108 Tab Nut (used on Model D1258 jig only) 3156 Allen Wrench for Set Screws 3157 VGS Box 3158 VGS Box Liner 3161 F1 User Guide, inch & metric 700V VGS Holder (2 pieces) 701V VGS Holder 709V VGS Bush for ⁄...
  • Page 109 F1 Template "Inches" 3030 3120 3060 3130 3020 3040 3000 3090 3030 3080 3110 3140 3010 3100 3149 3157 3050 3149M 3158 3070 700V 709V "Inch" only 701V 3153 3154 716V 3152 713V 3156 711V 741V 3161 3155 3151 730V...
  • Page 110 T E M P L A T E P A R T S L I S T Appendix III F1 User Guide Appendix III...

  • Page 111: Appendix Iv - Customer Support

    APPENDIX IV Customer Support...
  • Page 112 *Email can be useful, but technical queries usually raise queries from us. So the telephone (if possible) is a much quicker and more convenient way to get those queries answered; either direct- ly to Leigh (toll-free in North America) or to your national dis- tributor. …Thanks! Distributors United Kingdom &...
  • Page 113 N O T E S...
  • Page 114 N O T E S...
  • Page 115 N O T E S...
  • Page 116 (104-1585 Broadway St.) Port Coquitlam, BC Canada V3C 4K6 © 1995 Leigh Industries Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Leigh Industries Ltd.

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