Porter-Cable Omnijig now Discontinued

[John Michael]

I just got off the phone with Delta/P-C and they now state the new model 16 and 24" Omnijig's are discontiued. I saw that they had pulled the preview photo's and descriptions off their website, which sparked my curiosity to call. Around the middle of last year, when they missed the original release date, I was told they had full inventory of both models but "Marketing" was waiting to release them at perfect time.

I've been told by someone supposedly "in the know" they are having foreign production issues. Personally I find it sad that two names that epitomized quality American woodworking machinery and tools can no longer design and execute with reliability. I could find it remotely acceptable if we were paying 50% less for their Chinese produced tools, but were not.

[Steve Milito]

How can a product that was never produced be discontinued? :D

[frank shic]

How can a product that was never produced be discontinued? :D

good one, steve! ;)

[Chuck Lenz]

Sounds like the elusive Delta drill press. Gotta luv Black and Decker.

[Bruce Page]

Gotta luv Black and Decker.

That's it in a nutshell. :rolleyes:

[glenn bradley]

That's it in a nutshell. :rolleyes:

B&D's evil master plan is to weed out all those pesky folks who demand quality by continually failing to meet their expectations. That way they can get back to selling marginal tools to folks who won't know any better.

[Paul Johnstone]

Yes, it's sad that so many companies are now driven by trying to squeeze out every cent in cost, but I guess we as consumers helped to drive them to that.

It's also sad that they lie about how they're ready but just waiting for marketing to give them the go.. Sadly, this is also expected coorporate behavior now.

[Bruce Page]

B&D's evil master plan is to weed out all those pesky folks who demand quality by continually failing to meet their expectations. That way they can get back to selling marginal tools to folks who won't know any better.

Exactly.
I have always been a Porter-Cable fan but as my PC tools start to wear out, I think they’ll be replaced with green.

.

[Chuck Lenz]

B&D's evil master plan is to weed out all those pesky folks who demand quality by continually failing to meet their expectations. That way they can get back to selling marginal tools to folks who won't know any better.
You mean the HGTV market of veiwers ?

[Mike Heidrick]

This is why you have to order the tools you need that are available now. Plenty of great drill presses and dovetail jigs available now.

[Brad Townsend]

It strikes me that PC was trying to market a jig that would compete feature-wise and price-wise with the older DR4 Leigh jig. Now that Leigh has introduced the Super Jig line, the market for the more expensive alternatives will shrink even further. Perhaps they decided it just wasn't worth it. How many more dovetail jig choices do we really need?

[Joe Spear]

It sounds like John Michael got the information right from the horse's mouth. Just today I had an email from somebody at Acetool online. He said that the release date would be, at a minimum of waiting time, in February. It seems that Delta-Porter Cable isn't even letting their vendors know what's happening.

[Steven Bolton]

I just saw one of these new PC omnijigs in an advertisement.

It looked like a beefed up Leigh jig. I wondered if there weren't patent problems. From what I could see, they duplicated the Leigh concept to a large degree.

Steve Bolton

[Jon Bonham]

I just saw one of these new PC omnijigs in an advertisement.

It looked like a beefed up Leigh jig. I wondered if there weren't patent problems. From what I could see, they duplicated the Leigh concept to a large degree.

Steve Bolton
The first time I saw the brochure, I thought the exact same thing.

[John Michael]

Exactly.
I have always been a Porter-Cable fan but as my PC tools start to wear out, I think they’ll be replaced with green.

.

When my last 333VS ROS gave up the ghost in the middle of a remodel (I used to not use my Festools for this type of work) I went out the next day and bought Porter Cable's latest 5" ROS. First time out the sander vibrated like hell and made an awful noise, one replacement arbor later and still the same thing. I haven't bought anything but Festool since, accept for when my PC 3x24 belt accidentally took a 2 story fall onto concrete, luckily I found a supplier that had a NOS 4x24 that still had the US produced castings.

You guys may be onto something regarding the Patent infringement, explains the ever changing stories. The original Omnijig is a beast, and a very solid design. I was really looking forward to the new jig because of the included full adjustability along with the proven heavy base assembly. Really the only complaint I have heard regarding the Leigh is sturdiness when dealing with heavier thicker lumber, which I use a lot of, that was my main reason for waiting on the PC. Oh well.

[Seth Poorman]

I wonder if its possible to still get the templets for the omni jig ? I need the 1/4" dovetail templet !!!:rolleyes:

[Don Bullock]

I'm disappointed.:( That PC jig looked like it would be the easiest to use, even easier than the Leigh. I've been waiting for it's release. Hopefully your source is wrong.

[Bruce Page]

I wonder if its possible to still get the templets for the omni jig ? I need the 1/4" dovetail templet !!!:rolleyes:
Last time I looked AMAZON was selling them.

[Alan Schaffter]

One of Amazon's suppliers is selling them (don't know if you will get it for awhile) plus I have seen it advertised in two recent WW mags- in a special PC Advertising section of "Wood" and it is shown as part of the $15,000 Dream Team giveaway in "PopWW"

[J. Greg Jones]

If you look at the product details at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Porter-Cable-77240-24-Inch-Omnijig/dp/B000HGL5A6#othersites), it says "Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes".

[Joe Spear]

Seth Poorman,

You say you need a 1/4" dovetail templet. Does that mean you actually got one of the new-model Omnijigs? Or do you have one of the old-model Omnijigs? I think parts for the old ones are still available.

[Brian Dormer]

I *THINK* the templates for the Rockler jig are supposed to fit the Porter Cable. Wouldn't hurt to call their CS and ask.

[Pat Germain]

How can a product that was never produced be discontinued? :D

In the computer world, we call that "Vaporware". It happens a lot.

[Bill Jepson]

I have one of the older 24" omnijigs. They are a miniscule amount harder to set up than a Leigh but the machine is ROCK SOLID. The 24" came with adjustable fingers. If you have the old 16" you might want to order some.

The thing I love about this jig is the clamp mechinism and the frame. All steel and THICK aluminum. If doing through dovetails or box joints in soft woods the clamp will even flatten the board out! On properly milled hardwoods if you do the setup right the dovetails are so close you hardly need glue! The only thing wrong with this DT jig was that you actually needed to read the instructions. Sad comment on the "way things are."
I think these Omnijigs will be the Stanley planes of our era, much sought after by people who want things to work right and are willing to invest a small amount of time to learn how. On boxes or drawers less than 12" you can set up and do two ends at one time, on the left and right. I'm very sad to see the OLD PC Omni go.
Bill J

[Steven Bolton]

I saw two different adverstisements for the Omnijig today. One was in Popular Woodworking and one was in Wood.

Are you sure they are discontinued?

sb

[Joe Spear]

Those ads are set up months in advance. Even some of the retailers didn't seem to have been told what the situation was. I telephoned Acetools online because their website said "In Stock." However, their representative said that the new Omnijig wouldn't be available until at least February. Then, that same day, someone on the forum wrote that he had talked to somebody at Delta-Porter Cable who said it had been discontinued. It may very well be involved in a patent-infringement dispute. I really would like to see it become available.

[Jon Bonham]

There's more to this story then is being told. You don't design a new product and throw hundreds of thousands of dollars of advertising behind it to discontinue it before it hits the shelf. It is was a matter of production, the unit cost per is a small price compared to the full page magazine ads, you'd simply take it to another manufacturer to complete. We're not talking about a million units here. How many people own a Leigh jig? Divide that number in two, that's max sales over the life of the product.

[Eric Haycraft]

I 'ordered' one a few days ago after being reassured by the CS rep that they were available. I was told that they would ship from the factory, but I am no exactly expecting anything besides a refund when it doesn't ship. I'll let you guys know if it ever comes.

[Mike Heidrick]

Too be honest the new omnijig does not look anywhere near as solid as the original omnijig. maybe I am wrong. Maybe this is only so much stability that you need in one of these jigs.

http://mysite.verizon.net/resoh894/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/omnijig1.jpg