Porter Cable Dovetail Jig question

[Leo Voisine]

Not really a power tool.

I have a Harbor Freight Dovetail jig - it works but is a total PITA to set up.

I won a $100 gift card at work on a weight loss program ;D ,so I was thinking about this Porter Cable dovetial jig PC4212 12" jig.

Anybody have a porter cable dovetail jig??

How is it?

[imahic]

Leo, I have the 4212 and it seems to be a pretty good jig but I am just starting to learn how to use it. Here is a link to it: www.deltaportercable.com/jigs/dovetail/

This site also has the manual to it as well as an advance manual. It is easier to read than the one that came with my jig. It has been awhile since I bought mine so they may be including this newer manual with them now. You have to tweek it a bit to get the joints to fit but once you do it works pretty good. The one thing I have been doing wrong is not turning the pieces around correctly for the pins and tails for through dovetails. I also tried one sliding dovetail and it looks like it might work pretty good once it is set correctly. I was just playing so haven't set it up to correctly cut the sliding dovetail yet.

[wisardd1]

the 4216 comes with a small template for about &176-$200. Of course, as you know, Akeda would be my choice. Plus you can get the 64 piece set on ebay for $100

www.akeda.com/

[imahic]

Leo, here is a podcast demonstrating the 4212: www.woodworkingonline.com/?s=porter+cable+4212

[fredbelknap]

Hi Leo.
I have the 4212 and like most said it kinda has a learning curve. If it is properly set up it will make nice dt. I haven't used it much as I'm not a great lover of DT joints, the last few times I have used it was to make box joints and it is great for that. Depending what you are going to do you might need some extra templates than the ones that come with it. Has good instructions with it. Set comes with two router bits.

[Leo Voisine]

Does the PC 4212 have varying spacing on the dovetails - or is it a fixed spacing?

[rrich]

Leo,
I'm not sure about the model numbers, however I saw the new PC jig demonstrated at the last AWFS. It is the one that has the fixed stops for bit depth set up.

IMNSHO the jig was the cat's meow! From what I saw, every other jig became obsolete. Although I thought that the price was a lot more than the $200 or so of the older jig.

I do know this, If I were going to buy a DT jig, it would be the new PC one.

[fredbelknap]

Mar 27, 2010 11:28:35 GMT -6 Leo Voisine said:

Does the PC 4212 have varying spacing on the dovetails - or is it a fixed spacing?

No the spacing is fixed.

[imahic]

Leo, check out the link to the Porter Cable website and look at the manuals. I believe it was the advanced manual where they explain how to use it for variable spacing. I haven't tried it yet as I am still in that learning curve Fred refers to. I think I have it down now but you know how those things go....lol.

I went and looked at the advance joint manual and you will find that info on page 19 (through dovetails, skipped pin method). It also shows you how to do several other joints as well. It shows you how to do some pretty cool joints. You can also do angled dovetails and can also joint wider stock than 12 inches with it. You can print both manuals out so you don't have to read them off the computer. I did that so I could take it out to the shop with me.

If I remember correctly I paid around 200 for mine when it was on sale at Woodcraft. But that has been a year or so ago. I bought it while I was deployed on a storm and just now getting around to being able to use it.

[Leo Voisine]

Well - I dug out the old HF dovetail jig I paid $40 bucks for.

I did make some half blind dovetails with it some time back. OK, well it was many years ago.

I just don't do dovetails often enough to spend any significant money of a jig.

The PC jig don't look all that much better than the #9.95 HF jig.

So, let's see if I can get the job done - and I will spend my money on something better.

Wish me luck.