Decision Time

[art3427]

I have finally got my $$$ in line to make an addition to my shop tools. I'm down to either a Wood Rat or Router Boss. I chose these because I want to make DTs and M&Ts on the same machine. I also like the accuracy built into the machines. The idea of their not taking up a chunk of floor space is also appealing. I also considered the Omnijig and the Leigh DT jigs. They are good, but they don't do M&T so I eliminated them on that basis. They both still appear to be very good at what they are designed for.

My problem is that I have reviewed, compared & contrasted both the WR and RB until the info is running together in my 1 KB brain. I'd appreciate any input to this decision you guys can offer. I'm looking at these "High tech" joint tools because I want to eventually build with joinery and glue alone - no mechanical fasteners.

Tell me what you think.

art

[TDHofstetter]

WELL... call me CHEAP, but for that money I'd buy a contractor-style table saw, a tenoning jig, a router, and a dovetail jig. Or... if I had any of those already, I'd hang onto that money & use it to buy wood. Nearly a thousand dollars for a router jig just kinda' stings to me.

Remember... there is virtually NO jig you cannot make yourself. Also remember... bung up ONE thing on a WoodRat or RouterBoss, and you're completely out of the water. Can't do ANYTHING until your replacement parts (what do they cost?) come in & you fix it. Can't make tenons without your dovetail jig, can't make dovetails without your tenoning jig.

Oh, and... ALSO remember that our ancestors did very good woodworking, built with joinery and glue and no PONKA PONKA brad nailer... with no fancy high-tech joint-making jig bought from a store.

[Ruffnek]

I've never used either one but I sure have read a lot of good comments about the WoodRat. Not only does it do multiple joints but the dovetails produced by a WoodRat look as close to hand-cut as anything I've seen come off a jig.

It IS expensive and the same joinery can be reproduced by other methods and tools. However, there is also something to be said for having all of those jigs and tools combined into one very well designed jig.

If you can afford it then the WoodRat would be my choice. After all, the sting of the price goes away pretty quickly.

[Leo Voisine]

You are out of my league with that stuff.

I do have a H.F. dovetail jig that I paid $49.99 for. Works OK, for the few times I have used it. Most recently on my daughters dresser. Now it's put away for who knows how long.

I do M&T in a couple of different ways. Works OK for me.

Also I am a bit ignorant - I don't know what a wood rat is, or a Router boss. I should go look those things up.

However, it seems I can do just about anything I want to do with what I have now.

Sorry - but I cannot help.

[TDHofstetter]

Here ya go, Leo.

Woodrat (Made and sold in England, even to US customers):

woodrat.com/


Router Boss:

www.chipsfly.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=W/PROD/M/10-470

[Leo Voisine]

Whew - yeah - uhhh -- OK

Yep - definately WAY out of my league.

WAY too much money for me.

NICE to have, though