Porter Cable Omnijig

[Steven Bolton]

I got my hands on the DVD that comes with the new Omnijig. My first impression is that this is a serious unit.

But, my second impression is that there are countless parts. Am I wrong? There just seems to be so many different guide collars and assessories that it is amazing. I would think this means a lot of complication.

One question. Can anyone tell me what the adjustable fingers are made from and how they might be made? What is the maximun stock thickness you can use with the minature dovetail joints? Those look really nice.

Thanks

Steve Bolton

[Dennis Meek]

The minature can do 1/4" to 5/8". Yes, it comes with a few parts, but trust me, it is not complicated. It takes a stop for each side so you will have 4 stops besides the 2 you are using on the jig.

I imagine you can make your own stops. They sell generic stops. For someone like me it would be much easier and cheaper to just buy the generic ones.

My jig was very accurate out of the box. I have read that some are having a problem of not being able to dial in the cut. It's one sweet jig.

One thing I really like is the dust collection. My dust port is on back order so haven't experienced it yet. But with the support piece in place across the front of the jig all of the saw dust is forced straight down. It really is an amazing jig.

[Dennis Meek]

I miss read your post. I don't know if you could make your own fingers or not. They are machined and they do fit snuggly on the template. When you loosen the screw to move them you need to push down slightly on the screw driver to release the stop.

Sorry for the mis read.

[Steven Bolton]

Actually I didn't mean to ask if I could make the fingers. I was just wondering what they were made of. They look almost like the Leigh fingers, but not quite.

Did you get the minature set?

thanks

Steve Bolton

[Dennis Meek]

I haven't bought the miniature template yet. I've never looked close enough at the Leigh to say if the fingers are made of the same material. Maybe some who has experience with both can chime in on answer.

Dennis

[Wayne Watling]

But, my second impression is that there are countless parts. Am I wrong? There just seems to be so many different guide collars and assessories that it is amazing. I would think this means a lot of complication.

Thanks

Steve Bolton

It doesn't take that long to get familiar with the unit once you begin using it, and it helps if you have a basic understanding of DT to begin with.

I've just finished 6 drawers, variable spaced half blind DT's for the front and through DT's on the back in european steamed beech hard wood. After getting a perfect fit for a sample board last week I have had very mixed results for the blind DT's for the drawers. Most of them had gaps between the rear of the drawer face and the seat of the drawer sides. I've been speaking extensively with someone from Portercable about this issue but so far have not been able to resolve it. The suggested reason why this is happening is that there is a small space between the fingers and the pin board while routing the pins. I have spend hours reviewing my technique based on other suggestions from the PC technician and ensuring the fingers are sitting hard down on the pin board while routing but the result were still inconsistent, with very noticable gaps in most of the joints.
This all leads back to your impression, that there are just so many parts that complications are inevitable and just a matter of time, so in that respect I think your impression is right. This is not a cheap jig and the results should be far more consistent than this, so at this stage I can't recommend it if you plan to use it for variable spaced half blind DT's. As I said before the through DT's are consistent but all this is based on the standard set of fingers that come with the 24" version, I have no idea about the miniture fingers.

I have got approval to return my jig for another one in case there is a fault with the jig itself. If the new jig has the same results I'll be returning it for a refund. I'll post an update with the results.

Best,
Wayne

Sample of the gaps:
86867

[Steven Bolton]

Wow, Wayne, that is a pretty honest evaluation.

I must say, after watching the video and seeing the many, many parts, I would be a little leary. Now after hearing your experience, I would have to say that this jig got rushed to market. It is ironic that it took so long to get it to market and then not have most of the bugs worked out.

A Katie jig or Leigh is looking good to me right now.

Thanks for the input.

Steve Bolton

[Will Blick]

I think Leigh learned alot about making DT jigs after 15+ years of making only one product.....

But still surprised PC would release a half baked product... keep us posted.

[Wayne Watling]

I said I'd post back with the results of the new jig. Well, there is no new jig, it never arrived and I got a little impatient after waiting 3 months so I returned the original and received a full refund.
In fairness the reseller said the new jigs are getting a thorough QA examination before PC distribute them to the resellers, so that seems to be where they are at.

Best,
Wayne

[ben bigley]

The new Ominijig is a huge improvement over the old one. However that being said I have invested over $1400 into the jig and all the templates, bits, dust ports, storage boxes, generic stops I could buy. In short I won't let this tool go by the wayside without a fight on each of the many learning curves.

It seems like everything I want or needed has been backordered for months. I had to make varibale spaced half blind drawers when I really wanted miniature narrow pins for the "hand cut look" in my own kitchen project. My first compromise as I was tired of waiting for parts to arrive.

My second was having to buy the generic stops as the kit for the complete sets of stops is backordered as well. The generics work well but I would much prefer someonel to label and precisely measure them as a complete set needed for different cuts and thicknesses. Once you get these stops dialed it its easier and btter to leave them set and get a second set of stops for another thinkness rather than to change them again anad again.

I managed to knockout a half dozen good looking drawers after a struggle using this jig for my first time. I many many bad cust in the begining -n was my own fault as my bit was loosening in the router causing faulty fittings. It took a while for me to realize why I had bad joints- blame it on me not the jig.

I haven't yet had a chance to make any of the minature jig cuts or work with the narrow pins- one of the main reason's I bought this jig. I did buy the orginal Omnijig and its accessoires and ended up giving it away to a friend as it was too compliated. This one is much nicer- easier and has better documentaion to follow with the cards, manual and dvd supplied.
Great jig but expensive if you want to go all the way with it.
Ben

[Mike Heidrick]

The new Ominijig is a huge improvement over the old one. Ben


Did you use the old one at all? Did you watch the video that came with it? I am really not sure how much easier it could be. Once you get it dialed in and you can turn out drawers all day long no problem. Buddy keeps his setup for 1/2" BB boxes for drawers. I got it out and made three drawers in 15 minutes and that was being super critical on the cuts. I personally love the old omnijig. Maybe I would REALLY love the new jig then?!

[ben bigley]

I did use the old one sucessfully for half blind and through dovetails. It just wasn't my favorite tool and bear to use (especialy) when using the many other features and templates other than non standard half blinds. In the end there were cheaper and easier machines (than the old Omnijig) to do what I ended up doing with that machine.
If you were okay with the old one nothing but improvements then from this one. There may be people with a ton of patiece that can get deals on the old ones too. I gave mine away and I as I was buying my new one the saleman at the woodstore said he bought (an orginal Omnijig) for $75 off someone else who hated his yet was buying the new one. So there may be deals out there for those willing to stick with the orginal.

[Denny Rice]

Thats why I love my D4R......:D

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

but trust me, it is not complicated. It takes a stop for each side so you will have 4 stops besides the 2 you are using on the jig.


What he said.
The initial set up requires some attention but after that it's bullet proof.

["Gary Smith"]

Steve.................You need to get off the pot and try it!!! They allow you to return it if you are not happy with it. You know how I feel about mine, I think it is a great tool and compared to the D4 much easier to use.

Until you try it, you will always be taking someones word on it, everyone of my buddies that have stopped by my shop and has inspected it and watched me switched between different cuts are sold on the Omni Jig

[Steven Bolton]

Gary, where did you buy yours? They allow you to return it?

Steve Bolton

["Gary Smith"]

From CPO, the return policy is for 30 days it says something about "unused" not sure how you can be unhappy with it without using it though!
Call their customer service and ask them to be sure, however on a earlier post, Wayne return his so I'm sure they will take it back if you had issues with it.

We are committed to customer satisfaction. All our products are covered by CPO’s 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. If you aren’t happy with your purchase, send it back unused within 30 days, and we will refund the amount of the merchandise ordered. Please note that CPO’s 30 Day Money Back Guarantee is for the amount of the merchandise ordered and does not cover any additional expenses related to installation, materials, etc. Click here (http://www.cpoworkshop.com/return_policy.html) for more information on our return policy.

[Steven Bolton]

Gary, can you show use for sample joints?

SB

["Gary Smith"]

After setting both templet's up........half blind and mini finger I threw the test cuts away. That is the best thing about the Omni, you can repeat cuts even after switching templates without doing test cuts!

I'm not in the shop much now, I seem to be in a fishing mode recently but the next joints I cut, I'll post some photos.

Steve you are struggling to much with this decision, it is only a dovetail jig and even the cheap ones will cut good joints with the proper set-up. Help the economy out and do some spending!
If you are not comfortable with the omni then go with the D4. But you know that is you don't try the omni first you will always be second guessing yourself!

[Steven Bolton]

Actually I am more in a fishing mode now. Haven't really thought about it until you brought it up again.

sb

[Wayne Watling]

Hi, Gary:

I'm interested in whether you are able to get consistently good fitting variable spaced half blinds? Are you using the 24"?

Regards,
Wayne

[Steven Bolton]

That would be interesting. Photos would be great.

sb

["Gary Smith"]

Hi, Gary:

I'm interested in whether you are able to get consistently good fitting variable spaced half blinds? Are you using the 24"?

Regards,
Wayne

I have the 16" one and don't seem to be having any issues that some of you are worried about. Maybe it is because of the shorter jig! I had 24" jigs before and can't seem to remeber ever needing the extra length so I went smaller this time.

[Wayne Watling]

I have the 16" one and don't seem to be having any issues that some of you are worried about. Maybe it is because of the shorter jig! I had 24" jigs before and can't seem to remeber ever needing the extra length so I went smaller this time.

Gary,

I'd just like to confirm something if you have the time.

Using your 16" model and the standard sized fingers (not the mini);
Have you made multiple joints using the variable spaced half blind setup, and did you get a consistently good fit?

Thanks,
Wayne