Leigh Isoloc Templates

Description

Leigh Industries’ Isoloc Templates are accessory joint cutting templates for Leigh’s Dovetail jigs. There are a total of 6 joint designs, with all of the designs being amazingly easy to cut. If you’ve ever cut half-blind dovetails on a fixed jig, you’ve already done more complicated work than Isoloc templates will require. The precision-machined aluminum templates fit on Leigh dovetail jigs, with no modification required. All you’ll need is a 5/16″ straight router bit. Leigh recommends rigid, clean-cutting solid carbide up-cut spiral bits.

Template Guide

The template guide used with Isoloc’s is provided with the templates, and it’s one of the system’s strong points. It’s Leigh’s Variable Guidebush System, which allows built-in fine tuning of joint tightness. The turret of the nominal 1/2″ template guide is milled to a 5-degree taper, so rotating the threaded turret within its mounting flange can increase or decrease its effective size in increments of less than .001″, allowing quick and easy tuning to fit any bit. VGS template guides fit any standard Porter-Cable, Black & Decker or DeWalt style router base, and can be fitted to other routers using the Leigh adapters listed separately.

Joint Patterns

Each Isoloc template offers two joint patterns. All six patterns can be used for half-blind or through joints, and each can also (with 1/4″ & 3/8″ bits instead of the usual 5/16″ bit) cut joints with a 1/16″ inlay of contrasting wood. Stock capacities are from 3/4″ to 1-1/2″ thickness on the socket or “pin” piece and up to 1″ thick on the “tail” piece. Maximum workpiece width varies from the standard jig width slightly depending on the shape of each template.

• Key and Clover patterns are about 1/4″ narrower than standard.
• Ellipse pattern is about 3/4″ narrower than standard.
• Mirror Key pattern is about 1-1/4″ narrower than standard.
• Bear’s Ears and Wave patterns are about 1-3/4″ narrower than standard.

Each template comes with a 5-piece VGS template guide system and fully illustrated manual which is a model of clarity.