Leigh D4, P-C OmniJig, and More Questions

[LarryG]

Some questions about high-end dovetail jigs, some specific to current Leigh owners, some not.

1. Has anyone actually seen or used the new version of the Porter-Cable OmniJig? If so, how does it compare to the Leigh? (It appears to have been deliberately designed to out-Leigh the Leigh.)

2. When cutting half-blind DTs on a Leigh, it appears that you use a cut-to-length bridging piece between the fingers. Seems a little klutzy, but I'll admit that I can see no other way. How fiddly are the bridging pieces? Is the material considered sacrificial; i.e., you cut new ones for each project that uses half-blinds?

3. Related to the above ... I currently own a P-C 4212. My first thought was to sell it if I upgrade to a Leigh or OmniJig, but I wonder whether I ought to keep it, for doing half-blinds only. Comments?

Thanks much!

[TheRic]

I suggest you buy the Old Omnijig, the New Omnijig, and the Leah. Then do a in depth comparison and post an article here for the rest of us.

[drumpriest]

Larry, you do indeed need bridge pieces for the D4R jig when cutting VARIABLY SPACED 1/2 blind dovetails. You can push the fingers all together and get results like the 4212 if you'd like. The jig comes with some plastic bits for using as bridge material, or you can just cut your own out of any hardwood. They last just fine so long as they don't warp over time. You key your collar off of them, so you don't cut through them.

I would suggest making several for common spacings, and holding onto them.

The 4212 is faster at cutting 1/2 blind, so long as you are ok with the drawer box size constraints and the even spacing, as you cut both pieces simultaneously, With the Leigh Jig, you cut the parts seperately, and flip the template. I find the PC mildly more convenient for this task, unless variable spacing is required.

[MilDoc]

I didn't know there was a new PC jig. Better than the old? How?

[drumpriest]

The new Omni is much like the D4R, infinite variable spacing etc.... I think Leigh's patent ran out.

[LarryG]

You can push the fingers all together and get results like the 4212 if you'd like.

Ah ... didn't even think of that possibility.

So are you saying you think the 4212 is worth hanging onto as a stablemate to the Leigh or OmniJig?