Replies

1. 
   Tony Z | Oct 08, 2006 05:34pm | #1

   Well, let me say this about that!  My wife bought me the 16" Omnijig some 12 to 15 years ago (can't remember exactly).  I would say if you have a ton of dovetails to do, then maybe yes.  It takes a bit a palying to understand the set-ups, but once you have it, its always ready to go.   I don't know if the instructions got any better, but I remember my first tries were very discouraging, plus the included video seemed at times contradictory to the printed instructions.  Was not real intuitive.

   I don't use mine very much--have learned to handcut dovetails whick look much, much better and are far cheaper.

   My take on dovetails jigs are that they are one of those things that we all look at in catalogs and think these are just the ticket to make us more proficient woodworkers.  I'd learn to cut dovetails by hand first, if I had to do it all over again.  However, if you got a lot of repeat work, then the jig will help.

2. 
   KenW | Oct 08, 2006 05:45pm | #2

   I have owned the 16" Omni Jig for 20 years now and find it easy to use, my teen aged son can set it up and make good dovetails with it after one lesson of about a hour with it.

   Ken

3. 
   Woodmaster1776 | Oct 08, 2006 05:46pm | #3

   I'd echo what Tony Z wrote. I bought the Porter Cable 4212 dovetail jig because I needed to cut dovetails and didn't know how to cut them by hand.(An appropriate tool purchase can always make up for a lack of skills, right?) And the 4212 jig was more affordable than other jigs on the market. But then I got involved with a project which required hand-cut dovetails, and with the help of some FWW and PopWood articles along with one of Glen Huey's DVDs I took the plunge. Now my $29 dovetail saw and $11 chisel get the workouts while the 4212 jig sits idle. I would probably use the 4212 again if I had a mess of drawers to build, but short of that I reach for the dovetail saw and a marking guage.

   Bob

4. 
   cadiddlehopper | Oct 09, 2006 12:14am | #4

   I will echo Woodmaster & TonyZ. My PC 4212 is easy to use & is dead on. I can't speak for the 16-incher. If I have only a couple of short corners to join though, hand cutting will definitely be considered. Recently, I did get out the 4212 for a single deep drawer. That work went quickly enough. My plans are to make a bunch of drawers, a task I would never consider doing by hand. Life is short!

   Cadiddlehopper

5. 
   Napie | Oct 09, 2006 02:59am | #5

   Best jig ever: good DT saw and a few sharp chisels.