mm

"mark"

03/02/2008 11:16 PM

Ordered first dovetail jig

Greetings All,
I was waffling between the PC 4212, the new Omnijig and Leigh jig. After
thinking for a while, I went with the 4212 for $169 inc shipping from
Amazon. I went this route because I mainly need it for drawer boxes,
nothing fancy. I must admit after watching the video (featuring Norm)
showing the Omni in action, I almost ordered one. But I thought about the
price difference and couldn't see the $300 more for the Omni. I know it
does a lot for the money and is probably a good deal, it's just more than I
need now. Maybe after a while I'll see limitations of the 4212 and
eventually upgrade, but for now I think I made the right choice. I'll post
my first time using it for anyone else thinking about a DT jig. Mark


This topic has 3 replies

PB

Pat Barber

in reply to "mark" on 03/02/2008 11:16 PM

04/02/2008 7:52 PM

You will wanted read my earlier post about my
trials and tribulations with the 4212 jig.

It is a nice jig with the "correct" router bits.

mark wrote:

> Greetings All,
> I was waffling between the PC 4212, the new Omnijig and Leigh jig. After
> thinking for a while, I went with the 4212 for $169 inc shipping from
> Amazon. I went this route because I mainly need it for drawer boxes,
> nothing fancy. I must admit after watching the video (featuring Norm)
> showing the Omni in action, I almost ordered one. But I thought about the
> price difference and couldn't see the $300 more for the Omni. I know it
> does a lot for the money and is probably a good deal, it's just more than I
> need now. Maybe after a while I'll see limitations of the 4212 and
> eventually upgrade, but for now I think I made the right choice. I'll post
> my first time using it for anyone else thinking about a DT jig. Mark
>
>

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "mark" on 03/02/2008 11:16 PM

04/02/2008 6:58 AM


"mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Greetings All,
> I was waffling between the PC 4212, the new Omnijig and Leigh jig. After
> thinking for a while, I went with the 4212 for $169 inc shipping from
> Amazon. I went this route because I mainly need it for drawer boxes,
> nothing fancy. I must admit after watching the video (featuring Norm)
> showing the Omni in action, I almost ordered one. But I thought about the
> price difference and couldn't see the $300 more for the Omni. I know it
> does a lot for the money and is probably a good deal, it's just more than
> I need now. Maybe after a while I'll see limitations of the 4212 and
> eventually upgrade, but for now I think I made the right choice. I'll post
> my first time using it for anyone else thinking about a DT jig. Mark
>

If you have never made DT's with a jig before a simple one is better to
learn on.

Having said that, the biggest draw back to the fixed spacing on the 4212 is
that your projects, the drawers that you mentioned, will have to be made to
the size that the jig dictates. For proper beginnings and endings of your
DT joints you will be restricted to joint lengths that are divisible by the
distances between the fixed fingers on the jig. The problem with this is
that you will have to design you cabinet drawer openings heights around the
height of the drawer which is dictated by the jig. With adjustable finger
spacing jigs you simply adjust the fingers to the width of the drawer side
that was cut to fit the cabinet opening. Basically the more simple fixed
finger jigs are a case of the "tail wagging the dog". Something to think
about.

Dd

"Dave"

in reply to "mark" on 03/02/2008 11:16 PM

04/02/2008 10:50 AM


"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Greetings All,
>> I was waffling between the PC 4212, the new Omnijig and Leigh jig. After
>> thinking for a while, I went with the 4212 for $169 inc shipping from
>> Amazon. I went this route because I mainly need it for drawer boxes,
>> nothing fancy. I must admit after watching the video (featuring Norm)
>> showing the Omni in action, I almost ordered one. But I thought about the
>> price difference and couldn't see the $300 more for the Omni. I know it
>> does a lot for the money and is probably a good deal, it's just more than
>> I need now. Maybe after a while I'll see limitations of the 4212 and
>> eventually upgrade, but for now I think I made the right choice. I'll
>> post my first time using it for anyone else thinking about a DT jig.
>> Mark
>>
>
> If you have never made DT's with a jig before a simple one is better to
> learn on.
>
> Having said that, the biggest draw back to the fixed spacing on the 4212
> is that your projects, the drawers that you mentioned, will have to be
> made to the size that the jig dictates. For proper beginnings and endings
> of your DT joints you will be restricted to joint lengths that are
> divisible by the distances between the fixed fingers on the jig. The
> problem with this is that you will have to design you cabinet drawer
> openings heights around the height of the drawer which is dictated by the
> jig. With adjustable finger spacing jigs you simply adjust the fingers to
> the width of the drawer side that was cut to fit the cabinet opening.
> Basically the more simple fixed finger jigs are a case of the "tail
> wagging the dog". Something to think about.
>
I have a Leigh D4 and like it a lot. I just purchased the new Prazzi
Chessmate jig and played around with it. It only cuts through dovetails, but
is a no-brainer to use. There's no limit to the length of boards or spacing
you can use with the jig.


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