ABOUT ALL THOSE PARTS . . .
One of the often overlooked things about jigs is where to keep all the parts and accessories. This is especially true of dovetail jigs with variable spacing "fingers". They have sets of "fingers" for different sized dovetails and bits to go with them. And there's the brass guides (aluminum for the cheaper ones) that fit in the base plate of the router. Some jigs also have an allen head wrench or two to not lose (my ability to lose a lit flashlight - in a dark room - makes it essential that I corral parts before they can escape and hide - UNDER something HEAVY and next to something that stings, bites, stinks or all three.
Since the AKEDA is, after all, a dovetail jig, it seemed logical that all the little parts should have a nice home - a box, dovetail joned of course. So ... a fitted box - 11 1/2" long, 7 1/2" wide and 2 3/4" tall. Try fitting the accessories for The Other Dovetial Jig(s) in that amont of space. OK, so the router bits aren't in this box - they come in their own box.
Did I mention that the dovetails for this box were done with the AKEDA?. Seemed like the logical first project for the AKEDA right?
And in answer to your question - "Did the dovetails turn out perfect - the first time?" - the answer is no - but that's my fault.
When I handcut through dovetails I cut them so the ends of the pins and tails "stand proud" (stick out) just a little bit. That way, if my socket depths is a little off I can sand or plane the ends of the pins and tails flush with their matching surface. MUCH easier than having to sand or plane entire faces of the parts. So - while still trying to think in terms of how dovetail jigs work, I was thinking in terms of handcutting - and - naturally - "adjusted" in the wrong direction. The ends of the pins and tails are "short" - by just a tad. I could sand or plane everything smooth - but I'm going to leave it as a reminder of what NOT TO DO. After all, a good woodworker can always come up for a rational explanation for why a potential screw up is ACTUALLY a FEATURE. For this AKEDA PARTS box, the important thing was getting everything in the smallest space possible. Everything for the AKEDA fits in this 11 1/2" long by 7 1/2" wide by about 2 3/4" tall box.
See that brass guide bushing - with the turned ebony "pulls" on a piece of Padouk? Well if, using the ebony pulls, you lift the Padouk and the brass bushing guide in it OUT - the second brass guide bushing is underneath - in a piece of Claro Walnut.
NOW do you see why the "less than perfect" first dovetails cut with the AKEDA aren't perfect?