Anyone used a handibot to cut traditional dovetails with a dovetail bit? I've seen the vetric gadget for flat ones, but the handibot seems perfect for the gapless joints from clamping boards as when using a jig and routing them together, but letting the machine do it. If it could save the cost of a quality jig for occasional joinery, that would help mentally defray the cost.https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2193#msg-2193Tue, 19 May 2026 20:41:53 -0400 Phorum 5.2.22 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2220#msg-2220 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2220#msg-2220
I have tailmaker and I couldn't use it with the handibot with the .tap file. Tailmaker is awesome if you want perfect fitting boxes without hassle. It takes a little to get it set up. It is, however, very slow with something like the DWP611 as a spindle. It won't index - so you will be stuck with 6-8 inch widths on your box.

Also, it requires very tight tolerances, so you will want to create some kind of jig with a known flat surface. I'm not sure it would work just setting the handibot on top.]]> RS Handibot ForumMon, 23 Jan 2017 15:15:07 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2203#msg-2203 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2203#msg-2203-------------------------------------------------------
> If the handibot can read .tap files (I haven't tri
> ed it yet), this is probably a viable option: http
> ://www.tailmaker.net/ The guy who made the softwar
> e is on the main Shopbot forum. I need to make the
> angled jig before I can try the dovetails, but I p
> lan to attempt the fingerjoint one soon.

I'm not sure myself if it will directly read *.tap files but they are just G code so if you can't load them directly just copy paste into a *.sbp file.]]> Mark Evans Handibot ForumTue, 17 Jan 2017 15:05:54 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2202#msg-2202 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2202#msg-2202www.tailmaker.net] The guy who made the software is on the main Shopbot forum. I need to make the angled jig before I can try the dovetails, but I plan to attempt the fingerjoint one soon.]]> CL Handibot ForumTue, 17 Jan 2017 14:48:53 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2201#msg-2201 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2201#msg-2201> Personally, you can't beat the speed and accuracy
> of the Leigh jig with a pair of routers.

I get that, but I only use the jigs occasionally, and if I could get a quality machined cut at home without additional cost or equipment (beyond a clamping setup), then it's just added value. Could probably create some pretty unique joinery with it too.]]> Josh Gunnar Handibot ForumTue, 17 Jan 2017 14:34:29 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2200#msg-2200 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2200#msg-2200-------------------------------------------------------

> You can do some fancier things if you really get i
> nto it with CNC, but sometimes you can't beat the
> dedicated tools when it comes to time investment.

I can't argue with that, sometimes a dedicated machine or jig works best, especially if you doing a lot of something.

I learned early to use a table saw for cutting to shape and then just use cnc for the complex work.]]> Mark Evans Handibot ForumMon, 16 Jan 2017 08:32:11 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2199#msg-2199 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2199#msg-2199
Personally, you can't beat the speed and accuracy of the Leigh jig with a pair of routers. The largest Leigh jig is about $600 with the accessory, and if you get a pair of 2HP routers - add another $300 or so. The dust collection is light years better with the Leigh accessory. If you plan to do a lot of finger joints / dovetails, a dedicated jig is the way to go in my opinion. You can knock out a 12x12 box in under an hour with a dedicated jig.

You can do some fancier things if you really get into it with CNC, but sometimes you can't beat the dedicated tools when it comes to time investment.]]> RS Handibot ForumMon, 16 Jan 2017 08:17:03 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2197#msg-2197 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2197#msg-2197
Be careful about getting a handibot, it can lead down a dark road. The handibot was my first smart tool and now I have a 3d printer and a laser on the way. The good news is the handibot and the 3d printer are helping pay their own way and producing some positive cash flow.

If you WANT to justify a handibot, just add up all the jigs and one use tools it can make or replace and suddenly it is easy to justify.]]> Mark Evans Handibot ForumSun, 15 Jan 2017 22:22:13 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2196#msg-2196 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2196#msg-2196 Josh Gunnar Handibot ForumSun, 15 Jan 2017 20:46:08 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2195#msg-2195 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2195#msg-2195This has been my personal fusion power problem. In other words for some time all it has lacked is building the jig. (:P)

I agree totally that the handibot would be perfect for doing dovetails. The thing is, the same jig would work great for mortise and tenon work as well

If someone can come up with a week off work for me to work on just this we'll have this licked!.]]> Mark Evans Handibot ForumSun, 15 Jan 2017 17:38:59 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2194#msg-2194 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2194#msg-2194
I haven't tried dovetails yet--I did some box joints that I then clamped vertically: [youtu.be]

But it seems like it would be pretty easy to make a jig to hold your pieces of wood together on the edge of a table.

In fact...the tool ships with an mdf board bolted to the bottom--which converts into a jig for cutting on long boards. I could also publish a toolpath to cut a hole in that board to allow boards to be passed through the bottom plane of the jig as well!

Brian]]> Brian Owen, ShopBot Handibot ForumSun, 15 Jan 2017 17:36:58 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2193#msg-2193 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,2193,2193#msg-2193 Josh Gunnar Handibot ForumSun, 15 Jan 2017 17:06:20 -0500