That takes a lot of potential concerns out of the equation. Share your "joinery" discussion here. I knew nothing about dovetails until recently & bagged a PC 4216 to learn on & for an upcoming project. This forum is for all the woodturners out there. Have you had to compromise your project... On the lathe, by the lathe: do you have questions? This prevented slippage. Home By using the clamping boards, you can rout boards that are too short to clamp in the jig base, allowing you to dovetail small decorative boxes. I have found that hand tools are the best choice when I want to make mistakes at a slower rate of speed. A shallow backroute pass at the beginning also helps. Privacy Policy, Setting Up A Dovetail Jig For Perfect Dovetails, Porter Cable 4216 vs Porter Cable 4212 vs Porter Cable 4210, Keller 1500 Journeyman Dovetail Jig Review. You should be able to wiggle the wood between the top of the thumb screw and the underside of the face of the template (does that make sense?). To prepare the jig for use, abut the inverted pin board against the tail board underneath one end of the template, with a support board under the other end to keep the template level. You can make half-blind joints in thicker wood than the jig can handle. Share your tips and challenges ... Before you pick up those woodworking tools, take the time to ensure your safety in the shop! View and Download Porter-Cable 4212 (29550) instruction manual online. Take the router with the template guide bushing attached to it and slide it into the small grove over the thumb screw. I don’t know if you can buy them individually or not, but it is a standard size and will be included in any set you buy. If the joint is too loose you need to take a deeper cut. The tool manual explains setup and use of the jig. What can cause premature pad failure? The Porter Cable jig came with several sized bearings. The finish, whether paint, wax, stain, or something else, can make or break a project. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. This video is a quick introduction to cutting box joints on a dovetail jig. I’ll play around with it though. A lot of people would see the original poster’s date of 2010 and maybe not read down much. If you search at www.woodworkingonline.com you can find a video the Woodsmith guys made where they walk you through the use of the 4212. A properly made dovetail joint should terminate at each end with a half-pin, not a half-tail. For the large jig, this is 1/2 inch. I do want to clarify that when the router (and bushing) was inbetween the fingers of the template that there was movement from one finger edge to the opposite. Posts: 1 View ldsmith1234's Uploads . Having difficulties reading project plans? As I recall, though, the manual is pretty good about telling you what adjustment needs to be made when the joints come out a certain way. JavaScript is disabled. I can take pics to show you what to do if you get confused. A forum community dedicated to router and woodworking professionals and enthusiasts. Size drawers for attractive tail layout (see below). However, when I build kitchen cabinets, vanities, or storage units, I turn to my compact, portable, and easy-to-use Porter-Cable dovetail jig. I would check how far the cutter is moving in on the horizontal plane first. You can use them to get you very close the next time you need to set up the jig and router for the same joint. I set the depth of the router bit (via the gauges on the side at) at 3/8” for both bits. With a fixed-spacing dovetail jig like mine, this. All the same, this limitation is easy to accept, given the practical advantages. As to the chip out, plywood will do that. The following are examples of trademarks for one or more PORTER-CABLE power tools and accessories: a gray and black color scheme; a “four point star” design; and three contrasting/outlined longitudinal stripes. Different wood requires different woodworking strategies - from cutting to finishing.