# Lignatools



## cjstein125 (Mar 30, 2011)

I was doing some "web surfing" and I came across lignatools? Beside the VERY STEEP price, does anyone else know about this tool? Is it a safe investment due to its price? If anyone knows, just please let me know. Thanks!

Chris


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

The only tool I can come up with is this one . Is that it ? 
If it is , its a new tool to me Chris . 
If it does what they say it does , price dependant , I'd be in for one .


Odd use of the word 'milling' in regard to working timber tho eh :smile:


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## cjstein125 (Mar 30, 2011)

Yes, that is the one that I seen? Anyone know if these are a good "investment???"


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## RandyL (Jan 24, 2012)

Ya the system is pretty pricey. I don't see why a guy cant make his own jigs but maybe were missing something here.


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## Tommie Hockett (Aug 26, 2012)

ok well I'm afraid I don't understand what it's even supposed to do


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...7122259764&q=lignatool+chainsaw+cutting+guide


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## Tommie Hockett (Aug 26, 2012)

Well how about that. It would be awesome to have, but I think I could rig something like that up my self for a lot cheaper.


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## Jim_Rogers (Oct 6, 2011)

the whole problem with this type of connection system is that when the timber shrinks the dovetail gets smaller. And can then pull out of the dovetail pocket. Or slide down more. They have tried to counter this by making the dovetail on an angle instead of straight so that it would hold in two direction.

I have seen these tools at trade shows and I have seen them used face to face at the trade show cutting the joints. 

But I have never seen them in a finished structure.

Jim Rogers


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## 35015 (Nov 24, 2012)

*Be careful !!!!!*

I have some real concerns with the direction I see many of these "dovetail," type of tenon joints evolving and the jigs that are making them. Jim has, on several occasions, pointed out their potential flaws, and I can't begin to stress how absolutely true his assessments are. There has been some rather serious failures of this joint in the past decade, and for litigious reasons, not much is out there about it. 

Whenever you bastardize the traditional design and use of a joint, you can quickly run afoul with using it in a frame. I see way too many frames being built with these modified "dovetails," and the applied parameters are too far outside the scope of the joints intended use. That has been happening to the "dovetail," since it's reappearance in the mid 70's. This is a family of lap and scarf joint that exists wherever timber framing is practiced, but no place has a greater variation and application of the joint than Asian timber frames, especially Japan. The new "jig" assemblies that are out there being sold, are almost exact copies of what has been in Japan since just after World War II, when there housing boom started. Unfortunately, western timber framers are not applying the joint as originally designed! "Dovetail," joints are, (99.9% of the time,) a "housed" lap joint or toggled/lapped scarf. Unless you are building furniture, you would never rely on the tenon of a joint to take any kind of significant load.

When shrinkage is brought up for the reason of the modification, it only further demonstrates the lack of knowledge behind the application of this joint. When properly housed, and the timber is "kerfed," (as is often done in Middle Eastern and Asian timber frames,) "gaping" of the joint does not occur or, at a minimum, is highly mitigated.

Regards,

Jay


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