PORTER-CABLE 4216 Super Jig - Dovetail jig (4215 With Mini Template Kit) with 9-Piece Template Guide Kit
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The router bits included, however, are for making the various dovetail and mini dovetail joints. They don't come with the 1/2" and 1/4" straight bits needed to make the box joints, but you should already have those in your shop. br>br>Another thing to keep in mind, if you didn't read the manual, your router must be capable of accepting both 1/2" and 1/4" collet bits. The bits that come with the standard dovetails have a 1/2" shank. If your router has a fixed 1/4 collet, you may be able to buy and use 1/4" shank bits, but cutting 1/2" joints with a 1/4" shank may result in sloppy joints due to bit wobble.
I purchased a Bosch adapter kit as well as a quick change collet - They both worked fine, but with the Bosch base plate, I had no visibility when trying to figure out where the router was. A little shopping resulted in the purchase of a clear acrylic universal base plate, model 71022 from "Powertec." The visibility is excellent, and the Bosch adapters are not required - at $17. 00, it is a superior solution for Bosch Router users — I hope this information is useful,,
Yes, it comes with 1/4 in and 1/2 in guide bushings. The jig comes with router bits. Make sure your router's base plate has the same size hole as the Porter-Cable. Routers for cable.
A maximum width of 12 inches is allowed. 1 1/8 inch is the maximum thickness. Yes, it can work with 4/4 stock.
Selected User Reviews For PORTER-CABLE 4216 Super Jig - Dovetail jig (4215 With Mini Template Kit) with 9-Piece Template Guide Kit
Setting it up and using it is a breeze! This is an outstanding set-up! Let me begin by stating my level of experience. In general, I'm an advanced beginner woodworker, but I'm an absolute novice when it comes to joints. Plain butt joints and miter joints are the only joints I've worked with so far. I wanted to learn pretty (and stronger) joints, despite the fact that it was intimidating. As a result, I placed an order for this apparatus. Even after watching a youtube video about it before ordering it, I was still apprehensive. I purchased three six-foot-long tables. Assuming a steep learning curve, use 1x6 boards for practice. Not. At. All. The first shot out of the gate, with only about 30 minutes to set up - KEY - I made a through dovetail box that worked out quite well. Not perfect, but for someone who has never cut dovetails before, it's a good start. I have no remorse! br>Setup, as I previously stated, is crucial. Again - I expected it to be difficult, but if you READ THE MANUAL - IT WILL BE EASY. Yes, we must follow the instructions! The setup is simple to grasp and put into action. One thing I'd like to point out is that The instructions for through dovetails in the manual are misprinted. It says to use guide 42046 when cutting the pins, but the supplied (and correct) guide is stamped 42047. I had a brief panic that I had forgotten to order a part, but as I previously stated, part 42047 worked perfectly. It also states that the mini joint bits are not included, which is incorrect. In the latter case, I believe a generic'series' manual to cover the jigs that do not include the additional templates will be the issue. It's not enough of a flaw to deduct a star for either issue, but it's something Porter Cable's technical writers should keep in mind for future revisions. br>br>I foresee a lot of use for this. At $180, it's an absolute steal. Overall, this is an excellent rig, with the only drawback being that I waited so long to enter the world of advanced joints.
This is a very well-thought-out and well-built jig; I was able to make a box jointed box in about ten minutes. Time to cut the box faces is included in the 20-minute estimate. The instructions are my only gripe. So far, the instructions for the box joints have suggested using a 3/4" template guide, but this should have been 5/8" - So, before you go all out on your prime lumber, make sure you do some dry runs on some sacrificial work pieces.
I really like it, but you'll need to be patient and read the directions. After you've read the directions, you'll need to practice, and I'll give you some helpful hints here. Everything must be perfectly aligned, flush, and at a 90-degree angle for the perfect joint. Regardless of how hard you try, you're likely to be off by about 1/32". That may not appear to be a lot, but it will add up. You can easily sand everything flush to make it look nice, but if you're working with plywood, you'll quickly sand through the first ply, rendering it unattractive. Solid hardwood is the best, but it is also the most expensive. I'd also recommend practicing with the half blind template because it has fewer steps and actually looks nice, though keep in mind that you'll need to make sure your router's template guides are compatible. Make sure to check to see if your router is compatible; if it isn't, you may have to buy a new one. With a little patience and time, you'll be an expert in no time.
Finally, after reading and rereading it, set it up and get to work on some of the leftover scraps from previous projects. You'll be able to cut beautiful joints with patience and practice. My first half blind I cut out of scrap maple was perfect, but my first through dovetail cut out of scrap poplar was laughable at best. Practice, practice, practice, and this jig will be worth its weight in gold.
Guys, take a look at the directions! I recommend building a storage box for the jig as your first project and putting the styrofoam from the shipment in the new box because it will help you learn how to use it properly without getting angry if you jack up good stock. Otherwise, it's simple to use; I cut all of the dovetails for my box in ten minutes. 15 minutes (once everything is in place).
However, you should expect some minor adjustments before putting it to use. After years of putting this on my wish list, I was able to get a great deal on Amazon. Sometimes all you need is a little patience. br>br>An Omni Jig or a Leigh aren't in the cards. This isn't the case. However, after some trial and error, it can be used. Make sure you tune it up the first time you use it by clamping in some nice wide stock and checking with a small square that the front threaded studs (the ones that the large knobs screw onto) are square to the face of the workpiece both up and down and left and right. I was going to return the whole thing to Amazon until I realized what was wrong, but then I just threaded a couple of 3/8 nuts onto the studs, leaving them far out at the end to protect the threads, slipped a piece of pipe over that, and tweaked until everything was square. A minor alignment issue here can make it nearly impossible to get the template to sit flat on the horizontal workpiece or sacrificial backing board, effectively rendering the device useless; however, once the issue was resolved, I was able to produce acceptable results almost immediately. One star deducted for this insignificant flaw, which should have been mentioned in the instructions at the very least. Oh, and those, by the way, are pretty much a waste of time. br>br>I hacked mine with some extra bolts and aluminum angle stock so I could attach a 12" wide shop vac nozzle and collect some of the dust; one star deducted for the lack of dust collection (shouldn't be difficult for PC to fix, should it? At the very least, give it a companion!
Still, if you are making a bunch of casework, especially kitchen drawers that need to be about 95% perfect, this is a good investment. Certainly not for fine work, but you'd be better off cutting by hand for that anyway. Oh, and it comes with a ton of router bits! br>br> This is a very complete package that only requires some additional engineering.
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