March 21, 201214 yr It seems that every time I start a new project, I have to build some sort of a jig. Sometimes, I spend as much time building jigs as building the project. There are jigs hanging, laying, boxed and propped all around my shop. I know I've built the same jig twice cause I couldn't find the original or, remember that I had made it. I was searching for one yesterday and found several for which I could not remember the function!  And, most preposterous, I've been known to make a jig for making another jig. So, do you all make a lot of jigs? Which ones REALLY helped and which ones do you use most often? The ones I use most are the simple ones. Table saw sleds and planer sleds. Gene 'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton
March 21, 201214 yr this is the one I use the most for compound cuts on the scroll saw. I've got a couple smaller ones like this for cutting some of the real small stuff. I need to make a planer sled, it would surely come in handy. GregScroll Saw forum hosthttp://www.thesawdustfactory.net/
March 21, 201214 yr GeneI make them as I need them. The one I kept and use the most is a box joint jig, that is fully adjustable and easy to use. The others, usually end up in the scrap box or dismantled for another project or jig.Wayne MahlerGod bless and protect our troops that serve so we can be free.
March 21, 201214 yr I know what you mean Gene. On my 3D stair step cutting board for instance I had to make several single purpose jigs but that was part of the fun, taking an idea then modifying it and improving it and then seeing the fruits of my labor come to life in the final product. It's also a good way to use up those scrap pieces around the shop. I'll usually look at a project and try to analyze it to see if a jig is required or if there is a better way of producing the required cut or drilled hole. It's the problem solving part of woodworking that insures the desired outcome. When I'm finished with a project I'll usually label the jig and attach a picture of the project to the jig for latter reference. I'll also take a picture of the jig and attach it to the plans and file that in a 3 ring binder. Usually after a project is completed you'll say to yourself either you liked building the project and you'll be building more and you'll save the jig or If you aren't particularly fond of it then the jig goes in the scrap bin.
March 22, 201214 yr Repeat ability is the name of the game. Where I used to work we made jigs for everything from cutting holes in counter tops, to insuring pieces were the correct size without constantly remeasuring. As for myself there are a couple jigs that i want to make. One is a segmented bowl jig (cross cut sled). Another is a lathe tool sharpening.No greater Loves than God, Family, Friends, country, the sight of flying chips and the smell of saw dust.
March 22, 201214 yr Author Russell,Here is a commercial jig specifically for cutting segments. MITERSET I bought one even though I don't turn. thought it would be great for making round cutting boards and tray bottoms. I like to make jigs, but this one is so inexpensive and so accurate, I couldn't justify making one.Gene'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton
March 22, 201214 yr I guess my cross cut sleds are the ones I use the most. I have one the is just setup to cut the pieces for my end grain cutting boards. Recently I built several glue up jigs for the cutting boards after seeing one of Allen Worsham's. I have several as you hanging or leaning up against the wall that I have made for other projects. I have one that I made to cut the pencil post legs for the pencil post bed. I spent a fair amount of time on it and I think I will make another one so I have kept it. I usually make on to put hinges on the drawers of a project so I know all of the holes will be in the same place on each drawer. Some times I keep them and sometime they got back to the scrap pile when I am finished with them.And like Mike said, it figuring out the jig sometimes is as much fun as making the project. The solving how to do it makes it a lot of fun.John MoodySite AdministratorJohn Moody Woodworkshttp://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com
March 23, 201214 yr Jigs, do I have Jigs!?! Panel cutter hangs on table saw Circle cutter and resaw jig hang on the band saw Usually label them with specific setup information and so I can remember what they were used for. I like the idea of attaching a photo to them as a reference. Lew Kauffman-Wood Turners Forum HostTime traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!
March 23, 201214 yr Gene,That is a nice jig, but my table saw is a craftsman version of the Ryobi BT3000, with a sliding miter table (which is difficult to keep tuned up.) So i want to make one that will fit over  and use the fence for the main guide.Have plans for a tenon cutting jig also. Thank you for the suggestion though.russNo greater Loves than God, Family, Friends, country, the sight of flying chips and the smell of saw dust.
March 26, 201214 yr Author WOW, Lewis. That's a bunch of jigs.Gene'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton
March 26, 201214 yr I emptied the cyclone collector the other day and found a bunch more smaller ones- hiding behind it- that were for one time projects!Gene Howe said:WOW, Lewis. That's a bunch of jigs.Gene'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton
March 26, 201214 yr I have a slew of jigs fixtures and patterns that I keep around but the vast majority of 'em get recycled or used for kindling because They are single use and I don't expect that I'll need them again.I have been hanging onto a set of complex jigs and fixtures that I used to make one (count 'em 1) Chippendale style chair as a prototype to see if I felt like it might make for a good outdoor permanent weather exposure deck chair for an out-of-door dining set I'd considered.  It was a nice design with a radius sweep on the back support and a wide seat but I decided that the joiner y was not going to work because it relied on glue and water would attack the glue joints with swelling and shrinking and yet I keep the jigs. The other day I picked up the most complicated one of this set. It's a long rectangular box-like structure with T nuts and clamps and adjustable stops and ports and places where a router is to be run and I was dammed if I could remember how to use it.  I held it up and looked at it and asked myself: "I pulled this out of my back side - - on the spot - - to make a chair I'd also just pulled out of my back side? Man~!! I gotta remember what it was I was smoking then." Â
March 26, 201214 yr I will have to revisit this topic as I build all my jigs for my work in the shop... many I use over and overespecially my tablesaw cross cut miter jigs.. others that I build I always lable them for sizes and used on? I'll have to take and post photos to this topic. most all my jigs I build from scrapped out Plexyglass from a local company that works with 4X8 sheets of this stuff and they toss out what they cannot use any longer... these work great!!
March 27, 201214 yr Author Russell,Plexiglass would make excellent jigs. You're a lucky guy.Mine are most often MDF or scrap pieces of BB. Love to have a shop that throws away plexiglass nearby. Or, one that throws away pieces of BB even. Gene'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton
May 7, 201214 yr This is one of my main Jigs for building my certificate frames in Mass... It's built from Hard Maple Base, 3/8" Plexiglass with Ash Shoulders. the lockdowns produce 700 Lbs torque/locking power. certificate frames are 8 1/2" X 11" standard inside measurements. I can also add additional blocks to build 8X10 and 5X7 frames in mass. Edited by me to show image in thread (Charles)
May 7, 201214 yr a sharpie will mark it then hang on the wall. Most of mine are for holding odd shapes, impossible angles or just for safety. Sleds are just a mainstay jig that's used all the time. I also use a few for the drill press. I even made one for using a core bit to drill 1 1/2" holes, it holds the core bit straight up and down so when it hits the stone the bit is square to the surface and doesn't wander and mar the stone.
May 26, 201214 yr Jigs for my router cutouts for inlays military challenge coins and patches dog tags etc.
May 26, 201214 yr Jigs I use to quickly lay out the Illinois for cut outs on the bandsaw. One is missing here I just built.. it is large enough for plaque for mounting Deer heads...
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