Plea to PC 4212 Users

[Canuck]

I have had the PC 4212 for about 6 months now and still have not mastered setting the router bit depth for either through or half blind dovetails.:BangHead: The jig does come equipped with a depth guide (lower right in the pic) for setting the approximate router bit depth. See the enclosed photo:

I am wondering if the factory height setting on the "depth guide" is a way off. I checked the PC manual and nowhere does it say what the distance from the top of the guide to the top of the HB template should be (from the factory). If there is anyone out there that has the jig, could you measure it for me? Or, are there any suggestions for alternate router bit depth setting?

If I weren't so cheap, I would have saved up for a Leigh!:eusa_doh:

Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light on this issue! (It definitely has become frustrating as well as a mounting pile of firewood!)

Thanks again,

Wayne

 

[DaveO]

I don't know how yours is set up..I have a Leigh:-D but the bit depth is set just slightly more than the thicknes of the work piece on thru DTs. For HB DTs, the depth setting is the fit adjustment and needs to be done on a few pieces of scrap. Once you have it set up just right make a gage block for further set ups....and then test that on scrap again :eusa_doh:

That's prolly no help, but I had to add it :-D

Dave

 

[Travis Porter]

I have a Leigh and bought the 4212 about 6 months ago. Unfortunately, I haven't used it yet, but I would suspect the depth guage is off. Trial and error until you get it right, and then write down and save what you find it to be. You have to do the same thing with the Leigh.

 

[MarkW]

I have this jig and Travis is correct. I had to keep trying it on scraps until I had it set correctly. I then locked it down(very tightly) and have not had to reset it since. Mine was pretty far off if I remember correctly.

Good luck with yours.

 

[Ray Martin]

I have this jig and Travis is correct. I had to keep trying it on scraps until I had it set correctly. I then locked it down(very tightly) and have not had to reset it since. Mine was pretty far off if I remember correctly.

Good luck with yours.

Mark,

I appreciate the tip. I just pick up my 4212:lol: a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately I'm on the road so the jig is in the box:-(

Ray

 

[Canuck]

Thanks folks.

I guess that this method (trial and error) is my only alternative. I think that the depth guide must have worked loose or something. When I first got the jig the HB's were just fine.

I just thought that if I could get it back to where the factory set it, I wouldn't have such a long ways to go in the trial and error (mostly error)department:BangHead: .

(Perhaps I could pop into Lowes or Woodcraft and measure the display models in hopes that they may be closer to what I need.)

Thanks again for all of the responses.

Wayne