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Thread: Powermatic PM-TJ - I got one!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Wheaton, Illinois
    Posts
    364

    Powermatic PM-TJ - I got one!

    Most of what I know about woodworking I learned from my father - who lives five hours away.

    When I build some laundry room cabinets and started talking about the doors, he knew a tenoning jig would make life easier. He has one - an 30+ year old Delta - and he offered to buy me one too. I did a bit of research and found the current version is not quite what it used to be.

    I told him about the PM-TJ. I also told him it was three times the price of the Delta and hard to justify. I figured the conversation was over.

    The following day he calls me and says BUY IT!
    The previous night he watched a few videos on it and thought if it had been around 30 years ago, he would have one too.

    Tonight I went about setting it up. I set aside a couple hours to make sure I would have the time to fiddle with it; getting a jig like this working really well must take some time. I was wrong.

    From the time I removed it from the box to the first test cut was roughly 90 minutes. I only required one test cut as it yielded perfect results on the first try.

    The tenon slid in with little resistance but enough to hold in place when I let go - a perfect fit.
    PM-TJ.jpg Tenon.jpg
    I am thoroughly impressed with this device.



  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    LA & SC neither one is Cali
    Posts
    9,447
    I don't on one (have more or less given up trad mortise and tenons save hand cutting) but have used one and I must say it is by far the best tenoning jig I have used. It actually was so easy and accurate it made me want to buy one even though I would rarely if ever use it.
    Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.

    Deep thought for the day:

    Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Wheaton, Illinois
    Posts
    364
    I did not imagine buying one myself, total surprise.

    I am remodeling our house. I will be building out a new kitchen with all the cabinets, several closets, a few built in pieces in the family room. I'm also interested in building actual furniture too - this will definitely get a workout.

    In my opinion, if somebody is considering a $100 tenoning jig they should save the money and get this one. Its rare when something works as well as advertised.

    Note, I
    followed the setup procedure meticulously; I took the time to double check my miter guide slots on my table saw - even filing a couple tight spots in the slot, made sure I had near zero play in the jig, used feeler gages to check the teeth to face spacing - several times, etc.

  4. #4
    This is fantastically helpful, I am getting ready to build a run of Craftsman style furniture....

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,512
    Blog Entries
    1
    I played with one and it is well designed and executed.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

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