Powermatic Dovetailer

[Jay T. Marlin]

Hello,

I'm thinking about getting one of these babies...

http://www.timberlinetools.com/product_info.php?products_id=2530

Does anyone have experience with this particular machine or similar machines? I'm thinking it works in the same way as a regular dovetail jigs (as in two boards clamped at 90 and a stylus following a template) but is faster due to the pneumatic clamps. They also seem much less prone to user error thanks to the spindle that slides on a carriage. I like this design over the multi-spindle machines because of the increased flexibility.

I'm currently using an Incra LS setup and it's easily the biggest bottleneck in my shop. I can't gang feed more than four small drawer sides at a time because the sled is too wimpy. I've tried clamping six or eight at a time in the past, and some of the boards in the middle of the stack moved slightly, causing pretty noticeable gaps in the final product. I hate using wood putty.

Any comments on the PM or other similar machines would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Bruce Page]

This is the first time that I have seen one, pretty cool. You must do a lot of dovetails! :eek:

[Jay T. Marlin]

Yeah it looks really slick... I'm so tempted.

I need to fill an order on a complete bedroom set that includes about two dozen drawers and a dovetailed blanket chest. Add maybe another dozen if the buyer decides to add mini drawers behind the doors of the armoire. Definitely not looking foward to cutting 100-150 joints on the dinky Incra, especially on the 9-10" wide drawers and the 20" blanket chest.

[JayStPeter]

I think just about any dovetail jig will be faster than the Incra in production. The Incra/Jointech systems are best for jewelry boxes and small drawers. Definitely not optimum for making drawers in quantity.
If you size your drawers correctly and dedicate a router, I think one of the standard DT jigs (Leigh, PC, etc.) would go pretty quickly.
That machine looks pretty darn cool though. I would like to see some pics of it in action when you get it.

Jay

[Jim Becker]

You might want to consider buying your drawer boxes if you have to do a "large volume" job like this...and it's a lot less expensive than buying a production machine if your usage isn't going to be constant. I bought them for my kitchen renovation in 2003, not because I don't enjoy doing dovetails, but because it was more work time-wize than I could afford. In your case, it sounds like you are doing this for a customer. One phrase fits: Time Is Money. Most of the pros that I know don't build their own drawer boxes anymore unless it's very high-end fine furniture that is bringing in substantial money with the expectation of "all hand made" by the craftsman. They make more money by buying these labor intensive parts for normal cabinetry and furniture jobs. I would do the same thing if I were in that position...

That said, the machine is pretty kewel!

[Rick Lizek]

I've used the Dodd's dovetailer which PM appears to have copied.
www.dodds.com
It's a nice tool but uless you are in business I would have them made outside or get the Leigh. Seems a bit of a leap to go from an Incra to a commercial unit.

[tod evans]

rick is absolutely correct in my opinion..dodds makes a very good machine! there are any number of taiwan clones out there wearing different colors with the appropriate price tag. if for some reason your production is at a level that you need production dovetail capability check out some of the other colors, you`ll save several hundred bucks on the same machine....but it will not survive like the dodds..........02 tod