I’m not very handy when it comes to woodwork. I mean, sure I can stain and cut and paint, but when it comes to designing and building a piece of furniture from scratch, I’m about as useful as a monkey trying to solve a calculus problem. Come to think of it, I’m not very good at calculus either.
As such, I’m always keeping my eyes peeled for gadgets that can make working with wood easier.
This is the ChestMatefrom Prazi USA. It makes joins, including:
- Dovetails, 14 degrees & 7 degrees
- Precision box joints in 4 sizes: 3/8, ½, 5/8, & ¾
- Random spaced box joints in 2 sizes: ½ & ¾
- Dowel joints, any spacing on any length of board
- Mortise joints of any length and width
There are no fixed templates, which allows the user to customize the unit to specific needs. The routing insert can be removed to accommodate a variety of different dovetail bits.
Here’s the ChestMate in action:
At under $120, the ChestMate offers a lot of variability without breaking the bank. A three piece carbide router bit set is also available with a 5/16″ straight cutter, a 5/8″ 7 degree cutter, and a 3/4″ 14 degree cutter.
Hmmm, what should I make?
by John Barker
