taunton's complete illustrated guide to jigs & fixtures (gnv64)

8/12/2019 Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Jigs & Fixtures (Gnv64)

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Fences and Guides

Sliding Jigs

Portable Powertool Jigs

Guards and Hold Downs

Stops and Indexes

SANDOR NAGYSZALANCZY

Jigs&Fixtures

Tauntons COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED Guide to


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S A N D O R N A G Y S Z A L A N C Z Y

C

Tauntons COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED Guide to

Jigs&Fixtures


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Text 2006 by Sandor Nagyszalanczy Photographs by Sandor Nagyszalanczy, 2006 by The Taunton Press, Inc.Illustrations by Melanie Powell, 2006 by The Taunton Press, Inc.

All rights reserved.

The Taunton Press, Inc., 63 South Main Street, PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506e-mail: [email protected]

EDITOR : Paul AnthonyDESIGN : Lori WendinL AYOUT : Susan Lampe-Wilson, Lori WendinILLUSTRATOR : Melanie PowellPHOTOGRAPHERS : Sandor Nagyszalanczy

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS C ATALOGING -IN-PUBLICATION D ATA :

Nagyszalanczy, Sandor. Taunton's complete illustrated guide to jigs & fixtures / Sandor Nagyszalanczy.

p.cm.Includes indexes.ISBN-13: 978-1-56158-770-4ISBN-10: 1-56158-770-2

1. Woodworking tools. 2. Jigs and fixtures. I. Title: Complete illustrated guide to jigs & fixtures. II.Title. TT186.N3365 2006684'.08--dc22

2005021522

Printed in Italy 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The following manufacturers/names appear ing inTauntons Complete Illustrated Guide to Jigs & Fixtures are trademarks: 3M, Acrylite,Delta, Duco, Formica, Forstner, Incra, Lamello, Lexan, Plexiglas, Porter-Cable, Scotch-Brite,Tuffak, Wilsonart.

P


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W HEN I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK ON WOODWORKING almost a dozen years ago (Woodshop Jigs & Fixtures ), I was fortunate to have an entire cadre of insightful, experienced, and creative peoplesupporting me. Fortunately, many of those same people have given me their guidance and madesignificant contributions to the development of this project. First and foremost, I must thank my

publishing rock of Gibraltar, Helen Albert, without whom Id be lost in a sea of scribbled pages. I cant express ade-

quate gratitude to her for sticking by me all these years and always generously providing her expertise in both woodworking and publishing (along with a healthy dose of compassion and understanding). Also kudos to Jennifer Peters,Helens right-hand gal, who has done at least a thousand favors for me and never dropped the ball once. Thanks too,to Julie Hamilton, for keeping a steady hand on the reins of this project. High praise goes to Paul Anthony, my editoron this project, for his keen eye for detail (and nose for bull puckey). This book is far better than it would have been without his consummate skills and patience.

With regard to the materials and supplies needed for creating jigs for this book, Id like to thank several companiesand the individuals who contributed. A strong dose of my appreciation goes to Leonard Lee and Wally Wilson at LeeValley Tools, who graciously gave me tools, hardware, and jig-building materials used in many of the photo-essays. Ihave the greatest respect for Lee Valleys commitment not only to making high-quality woodworking tools and sup-plies but to improving woodworking and making it a safer and more joyful pursuit. I share a similar admiration for WoodHaven, and thank Brad Witt for his many years of support and generosity. Thanks too to: Rob Johnstone, editorof Woodworkers Journal magazine; Bill Perrizo at Rockler, Paul Fitzmaurice at Imre Communications (Ridgid & Ryobipower tools), Christian Oltzscher of Festool USA, and Lisa Agostoni at Freud America, for all their support and kindassistance.

Among my local cadre of woodworking colleagues, warm thanks to furniture maker extraordinaire RogerHeitzman, who not only supplied some of the jig-building materials used in this book but generously shared his con-

siderable woodworking expertise and creative insight. Thanks too to Michael Dresdner for finishing supplies andinformation, and to Jerry Bowden for supplying me with a handsome turning and so many great flea-market toolfinds. Gratitude to my friend and sometimes-assistant Steven Robins. Also, a big fat yee-haa to the terrific DJs atKPIG radio,107.5 in Freedom, Calif., for keeping me company during many a lonely night as I torched the midnightoil in my photo studio.

Finally, no project could be completed without the patience and understanding of the loved ones closest to you;they share your joy on good days, empathize with your pain on bad days, and make countless sacrifices and compro-mises in the name of creation. Thanks to my dear parents, Lorant and Maria, for their undying love and support. And

a whole-hearted thanks to my wife, Ann MacGregor Gibb, who often rescued me from being buried under a pile of jigs with the buoyancy of her smile.

Acknowledgments

To BOU DOU, my ever faithful companion


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Contents

9 The FunctionalApp ro ach

12 Cu stomizingJig s

8 Why Use Jigs?

About Your Safety 2How to Use This Book 3

28 Tra cks andGui d e Bars

31 Oth er JigHar dware

S EC TI ON 1 Function and Design 8

36 Joi n ery33 Jig -BuildingToo ls

SE CTION 3 Tools and Tec h niques 33

SE CTION 2 M aterials an d Hardware 15

15 Sel ectingMat e rials

22 Hig h -FrictionMa te rials

22 Fas teners 26 Tap er Pins

41 Glu in g Up 43 Fin ishing

PA RT O N E Design and Materials 6


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197 Tra vel Stops 202 IndexDevices

192 En d Stops

SECTION 10 Stops and Indexes 190

207 AlignmentDe vices

209 Si m pleCla mps

216 Pr oductionClamps

SE C TI ON 11 C lamping an d Alignment 205

170 Sh a ping

SE CTION 9 Te mplates 1 6 7

176 Jo inery 181 Dr illing 185 S awing andS anding

161 Rou ter Bases 165 Ha nd Tool

Guides

141 Fe n ces and

Gui des

S EC TI ON 8 Jigs for Portable Tools 139

150 Rou ter Jigs

PA RT T H R EE Wood working Fixtures 188


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221 Pa rt Holding

SECTION 12 Fixtures 219

226 As s embly

Fixt ures

230 Bending and

La mination

238 Hol d-Downs 243 Blade andCu tter Guards

SECTION 13 Safety Devices 236

251 Ji g DustCo llection

SE C TI ON 14 D ust Control for Jigs 248

256 Po wer ToolPickups

Ind e x 260

P A R T F O U R Safety and Dust Control 234


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2

W ORKING WITH WOOD IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS .Using hand or power tools improperly or ignoring

safety practices can lead to permanent injury or evendeath. Dont try to perform operations you learn about here (or else- where) unless youre certain they are safe for you. If something about

an operation doesnt feel right, dont do it. Look for another way. We want you to enjoy the craft, so please keep safety foremost in your

mind whenever youre in the shop.Please note that in some of the photos in this book, guards have

been removed for clarity. For your own safety, always use the appro-

priate guards when operating tools and machines.

About Your Safety


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a number of identical parts.As with other jigcomponents,there are many kinds of stopsand index devices to choose fromeachappropriate for a particular range of tools andapplications. A stop can be as simple as ablock of wood clamped to a fence or table toset the length of cut,as shown in the bottomleft photo on the facing page. More ingeniousstop devices include flip-up end stops usedfor crosscutting,extension stops that expandthe capacity of many different sliding jigs,travel stops that limit the length of dadoesand rabbets or edge-routed shapes,as shownin the bottom right photo on the facingpage, and depth stops that determine how

SE CTI O N 10 O VE RVI EW S EC TI ON 10 O V ERV IE W

W OODWORKERS STRIVE for accu-rate measurements when makingproject parts.Some measure-ments are regulated by tool settings,such asthe depth of cut on a tablesaw or handplane.Other measurements are determined by oureyes and hands,such as when were choppinga mortise to layoutlines.Jigs and fixtures canalso help us gauge measurements.When youre using jigs and fixtures, its extremely useful to incorporate stops and indexes thatcan be set to determine the length or width of parts,the depth of routed slots and grooves,and the spacing of holes or flutes, amongother things.Stops and indexes also serve tomake accurate operations easily repeatable,

which is very important when youre making

190 Stops and Indexes 191

Stops and Indexes

These adjustable router stops clamp on the edge of thestock, limiting the travel of the router and hence, theshape routed on its edge.

Index Devices

Depth Stops (p. 197) Travel Stops (p. 198) Routing Stops

(p. 200)

Flip Stops(p. 192) Extension Stops

(p. 194) Eccentric Stops

(p. 195) Fence Angle Stops

(p. 196)

Hole-Spacing Jigs(p. 202)

Kerf Spacing(p. 203)

Lathe-IndexingPlate(p. 204)

Travel StopsEnd Stops

deeply holes are bored.Still other stopdevices are extremely handy for accurately and quickly setting the position of jig parts.For example,a micro-adjuster can be used tofine-tune the exact angle or position of afence on a mitering jig or router table.

Index devices are specialized stops usefulfor setting the spacing of repeated machiningoperations.For example, you can use a holeindex to consistently space shelf-pin holes ina bookcase side. Youll also get great resultsusing index devices to cut multiple slots on atablesaw or crosscut saw,or when youre rout-ing evenly spaced flutes or reedsaround aturned chair or table leg.

A block of wood clamped to a miter gauge fence deter-mines the length of a part to be cut on the tablesaw.

Ever need to tweak a fence or

stop block to an exact position

say, to set the distance between a

fence and a part to set an exact

measurement? Rather than just

tapping the fence one way oranother, use a micro-adjuster to

move itvery precisely over a short

distance, so you can fine-tune the

setting before locking the fence in

place. The micro-adjuster shown

here is designed to fine-adjust the

fence on a router table, drill-press

table, or other machine table. It can

be adapted to work with many dif-

ferent jigs and machine setups.

One half of the adjuster is a

block that screws to the back of the

fence. A hole has been drilled

through the block, intersecting the

MICRO-ADJUSTERS

The U-shaped clamp portion ofa micro-adjuster is glued up fromthree small pieces of plywood.

Attached to the edge of a drill-press jig table, a micro-adjusterallows precise positioning of thefence.

edge, as shown, to create a notch.

The other half of the adjuster is a

U-shaped clamp made from ply-

wood scraps, which mounts to the

edge of the jig or machine table,

locking in place with a carriage boltand hand knob. A pointy-ended,

goose-necked lever of thin tem-

pered hardboard attaches atop the

clamp, pivoting on a wood screw.

To use the adjuster, roughly

position the fence as desired and

then mount the clamp block so

that the lever engages the notch in

the fence block. Rotating the lever

moves the fence in very small

increments, making it easy to get

the exact fence setting youre after.

How to Use This Book4

operations that follow and how to build jigsor fixtures needed for them.

The step-by-step essays are the heart of this book. Here a group of photos representsthe key steps in the process. The accom-panying text describes the process and guides

you through it, referring you back to the

photos. Depending on how you learn best,either read the text first or look at the photosand drawings; but remember, they are meantto work together. In cases where there is analternative step, its called out in the textand the visual material as a variation.

Each section begins with a similar visualmap, with photos that represent majorgroupings of techniques or individual tech-niques. Under each grouping is a list of thestep-by-step essays that explain how to dothe methods, including the pages on whichthey can be found.

Sections begin with an overview, orbrief introduction, to the methods describedtherein. Heres where youll find importantgeneral information on this group of tech-niques, including any safety issues. Youllalso read about specific tools needed for the

The OVERVIEWgives you importantgeneral informationabout the group of techniques, tells youhow to build jigsand fixtures, andprovides advice ontooling and safety.

A SECTION groupsrelated processestogether.

The VISUAL MAP tells you whereto locate the essay that details theoperation you wish to do.


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S IM PLE CLA MP S S IMP LE C LA MPS

table with your hand positioned well away fromthe bit. When youre drilling multiple parts, usinga fence has the added benefit of positioning thestock relative to the bit. By using a two-sidedfence (D), you can position a square or rectangu-lar part so that holes are spaced accurately in allfour corners.

As the teachings of Archimedes reveal, you cangreatly enhance your ability to handhold smallerparts steady by employing a lever. This drill-presshold-down jig (E) is just the ticket for holdingsmall parts rock-solid while boring them. Thelever arm, made from a 2-in. x 15-in. piece of4/4 hardwood, has a wedge-shaped end made bylaminating a 3 1 2-in.-long piece on one end andthen cutting out a wedge profile. Make the slot-ted hole in the middle of the lever by boring two1-in.-dia. holes 3 in. apart and sawing betweenthem with a jigsaw (F). For a more comfortablegrip, cut out and round over the handle portion ofthe arm. Add some PSA sandpaper at the edgesof the slot on the underside of the arm to furtheraid its clamping efficiency.

The arm levers against a base thats clamped orscrewed to the drill-press table. Make the base

by joining two 2 3 4-in.-high L-shaped supports, glu-ing them together from 3 4-in.-thick plywood scrapswith a 3 3 4-in.-long piece of 5 8-in.-dia. dowel (G) .Sliding the wedged end of the arm a little or a lotunder the dowel adjusts its height to suit thethickness of the workpiece.

Handscrew ClampsTraditional wooden handscrew clamps come in awide range of sizes and are great for clampingstock on a workbench or for securing a fixture toa machine table. In addition, theyre actuallygreat holding devices by themselves. A hand-screw is terrific for firmly clutching strips, blocks,or discs too small or awkward to hold by hand.The surface of the clamp even keeps flat-bottomed parts perpendicular for hole boring (A).Gripping the large body of the clamp keeps yourhands well away from the bit. Since its jawsadjust independently, you can use a handscrewto hold tapered or irregular parts, for example, torout grooves or shape edges on a router table (B).Because the clamp is made of wood, theres noserious harm if the router bit accidentally comesin contact with the clamp jaws.

You can also use wooden handscrews to holdsmall or irregular parts firmly in a jig, fixture, or onyour benchtop. To mount the clamp to a surface,bore an oversized hole (or rout a slot) perpendicu-larly through each of the clamps jaws. Fit bolts ordrive long wood screws through these holes (C).To make a handy holding fixture, cut a 10-in. x12-in. baseplate from 3 4-in.-thick MDF, and set alength of T-track into a groo ve so its flush withthe surface.

Secure the handscrew to the track with a pair ofT-bolts and hand knobs, and clamp the base intoyour bench vise. The clamp firmly holds smallparts for carving, planing, sanding, etc. (D),while the T-track lets you reposition the clampas required.

[TIP ] A pair of locking pliers is great forsecurely holding tiny parts, screws, etc.,for sanding, filing or grinding.

Clamping and Alignment210 Clamping and Alignment 211

A

B

C

D

D E

F

G

WARNING Take extra care whenboring parts with sharp corners on thedrill press. If the bit grabs and spins it,it could smash or cut your knuckles aswell as ruining the bit.

!

See Extruded T-Tracks on p. 29.

How to U se This Book 5

TIPS show shortcutsand smart ways towork.

STEP-BY-STEP ESSAYS containphotos, drawings, and instructionson how to do the technique.

CROSS-REFERENCES tell youwhere to find a related processor the detailed description of aprocess in another essay.

The TEXT containskeys to the photosand drawings.

WARNINGS tell youspecific safety concernsfor this process and howto address them.

At the back of the book is an index tohelp you find what youre looking for in apinch. Theres also list of further reading tohelp you brush up on how to use tools andkeep them sharp, as well as some generalreferences on design.

Finally, remember to use this book when-

ever you need to refresh your memory or tolearn something new. Its been designed tobe an essential reference to help you becomea better woodworker. The only way it cando this is if you make it as familiar a work-shop tool as your favorite bench chisels.

The editors

For efficiency, weve cross-referencedredundant processes or steps described inanother related process. Youll see yellow cross-references called out frequently inthe overviews and step-by-step essays.

When you see this symbol , make sure you read what follows. The importance of

these safety warnings cannot be overempha-sized. Always work safely and use safety devices, including eye and hearing protection.If you feel uncomfortable with a technique,dont do it, try another way.

!


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Before you can begin building your own jigs and fixtures,

you need to know what to build and how to build it. A good

way to start is to explore basics of jig design, appropriate

materials and hardware, and good construction practices.

Whether you plan to build jigs exactly as shown in this book or design

your own customized devices, youll benefit from learning the functional

approach to what jigs do, and how to go about choosing or creating jigsthat suit your tools and particular work style. Once youve nailed down a

design, you must choose from a wide assortment of wood and synthetic

materials and hardware (fasteners, fittings, extrusions, etc.) to make a jig

thats accurate and functional. Finally, you must employ good construction

practices to make your jig sturdy and durable. Youll accomplish that by

using strong joinery and solid woodworking practices, along with a few

tricks gleaned from the machinists trade.

PART ONE

Designand Materials


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S EC TI ON 1

tures and how they help us perform woodworking tasks more easily, accurately, andsafely. Well also explore some factors toconsider when choosing the best jig for aparticular job, as well as how to customize

jigs to better suit your needs.

Why Use Jigs?

With all the tools in an average workshop, why do we need jigs and fixtures at all? Forstarters, some tools are nearly useless with-out them: Imagine ripping or crosscuttingon a tablesaw without a rip fence and amiter gauge (see the top photo on p. 10). By using a variety of other jigs, you can greatly expand a tablesaws basic repertoire and cut a

variety of joinery, shape moldings and pan-els, and more. Whether basic or complex,

jigs and fixtures are an essential part of many tool and machine operations. Here are someof the ways woodworkers make good use of

jigs and fixtures:Performing operations that are difficult

or impossible to do freehand.Imagine cut-ting perfectly mitered ends on a pictureframe without a jig to guide the cut, orassembling a loose stack of bevel-edgedstaves into a perfectly symmetrical curvedcabinet door without the proper form. Wantimpossible? How about sawing out a perfectcircle without a circle guide? (See the bot-

tom photo on p. 10.)Machining parts with precision andrepeatable accuracy.Examples are cutting a

F INDING AN EFFECTIVE JIG OR FIX -

TURE for a woodworking operationcan be as elusive and time-consuming

as designing a great piece of furniture, a sail-boat, or a ukulele. It takes solid woodworkingknowledge and some problem-solving skills,

with a good dose of inspiration thrown in.Even a moderately complex setup can pose

numerous choices: What tool or machine isbest for the operation? Should the jig movethe wood over the machine or guide themachine past the wood? How does the work-piece need to be referenced and clamped?Should the jig be adjustable? Most of the

woodworkers Ive met delight in solvingchallenging jigging problems. But tackling

these problems requires a basic understandingof jig function and design.

Generally speaking, jigs are the devicesthat help us cut, shape, drill, and sand partsquickly and accurately, while fixtures aredevices that hold parts firmly during machin-ing and assembly (see the photo on the facingpage). Used separately or together, theseessential woodworking aids help us doeveryday tasks like cutting boards to accuratelength and width, as well as complex opera-tions like pattern routing parts or sawingthree-dimensional shapes. While we all ownat least a few commercially made jigs (mitergauges, router edge guides, etc.), most wood-

workers create their own jigs. In this section, well examine the function of jigs and fix-

8

Function and Design


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S EC TI ON 1

The Functional Approach To help you fulfill your jigging and fixturingneeds, Parts II and III of this book are filled

with photo-essays that show you how tobuild complete jigs and fixtures to tackle lit-erally hundreds of different woodworking

jobs, from initial layout to final assembly.Instead of being arranged by the machine

theyre used with (jigs for the tablesaw, etc.),theyre grouped by the kind of function they perform: marking and layout, fences andguides, sliding and pivoting jigs, tables andtops, portable power tool and hand tool jigs,and templates and patterns. In Part III Illdescribe fixtures for part-holding, assembly,and lamination, as well as an assortment of

jigging devices, including stops, positioningblocks, and clamps used to adapt and cus-tomize jigs.

dozen rails for a face frame exactly 135 8 in.long, or drilling holes at a precise 33-degreeangle. Jigs also help us do repetitiveprocessessay, cutting tenons on 100 framememberswith greater consistency andsafety, which is precisely why jigs are animportant part of production woodworking.

Expanding the capabilities of tools andmachines. Fences let you cut raised paneledges on a tablesaw, or saw compound-curved parts on a bandsaw. The right jig caneven take ordinary everyday hand tools andtransform them for other uses. For example,removed from a regular bench plane, a planeblade serves as a useful cutter in a trimming

jig used for mitering the ends of wood band-

ing strips for decorative inlays (see the topphoto on p. 11).

Function and Design 9

Heres a compound-curve sawing jig onthe bandsaw (rear),a pivoting arc-sawing jig for thebandsaw (left), andan edge-gluing fix-ture for makingpanels (right).


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The reason for the function-orientedorganization is simple: There are usually atleast several different ways to perform any particular operation, such as cutting a tenon,shaping a molding, or clamping up a panel.Before choosing one type of jig over another,its important to consider a number offactors, including the machine to be used,the workpiece, and the ultimate versatilityof the jig.

Which Machine to Use? You can plow a groove with a dado blade onthe tablesaw, with a straight bit in the router,or by handplaning with a rabbet plane (see

the bottom photo on the facing page). Thedecision depends not only on which tools you do (or dont) own but on how easy a toolis to set up for the operation, or how accu-rately and cleanly it can do the job. Also, one

jig setup may be a lot simpler and easier tobuild than another for a certain machine.

The Size of the Workpiece Typically, its easier to leave really big, heavy workpieces stationary and guide a portabletool to do the cutting, rather than try tomove the large workpiece over a stationary machine. For example, you can cut up a largesheet of plywood or particleboard with aportable circular saw and fence guide (seethe top photo on p. 12) instead of tryingto wrestle the sheet over the top of yourtablesaw.

Dedicated or Adjustable? An adjustable jig can handle a wider rangeof operations than a jig thats dedicated to asingle function. For example, an adjustable

Function and Design10

A good rip fence and miter gauge are essential jigs for rippingand crosscutting and hence are standard equipment with everytablesaw.

It takes more than a steady hand to guide a jigsaw when yourecutting out a perfect circular disc, and an adjustable circle jig is

just whats needed.


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putting yourself in harms way. For example,a mitering jig used with a radial-arm saw isgreat for cutting large frame members, but asmall-parts cutting carriage used on the table-saw is better for crosscutting small woodstrips because it protects your fingers from

tilting table on your drill press lets you boreholes at a variety of angles. However, adjust-able jigs require more time, effort, and mate-rials to build, must be adjusted before use,and can accidentally slip out of adjustment.

On the other hand, dedicated jigs are

simpler to build and require little or no setupbefore use. For example, the adjustable taper

jig, shown at the rear of the bottom photoon p. 12, handles a wide range of tapering

jobs, but the dedicated taper jig shown atfront uses a simple notched piece of plywoodto taper all four sides of a chair leg. Thededicated jig is not only easier to make butcan be reused in the future without the userhaving to remember particular adjustments.On the downside, you have to make a new dedicated jig for each and every job.

Safety When choosing between jigs, always preferthe one thats safest. In most cases, thatmeans choosing the machine and jig setupthat lets you perform the operation without


An ordinary benchplane blade acts asthe cutting tool in aguillotine-like trim-ming jig that cutsperfectly squareends or miters ondecorative woodbanding strips.

Grooves and rabbets can be cut using arouter with an edge guide, a tablesaw with a

rip fence, or a handplane with a depth stop.


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the blade and prevents parts from beingthrown. (You can make any jig safer by incorporating protective guards and dust col-lection, as shown in Sections 13 and 14.)

Customizing Jigs Although many jigs found in this book areready to build and use as shown,theres usu-ally a lot to gain by altering and adapting a

jigs design to suit your machines as well as your particular needs. Changing the size of a jig or fixture, as well as customizing its con-struction and features, not only helps

enhance its performance but enables thedevice to better suit your style of work. Hereare some important things to consider:

Changing DimensionsVery few jigs in this book are accompaniedby dimensioned drawings. Thats done onpurpose, because the overall size of the jig

you build is affected by the size of yourmachines as well as your workpieces. Youcan adjust the dimension of practically any

jig part to suit your particular needs (see thetop photo on the facing page). Once youveoutlined the overall proportions, make aquick sketch and fill in the dimensions of allthe necessary parts and hardware before youstart to build.

Combining FeaturesProbably the most significant way to cus-tomize a jig to suit a particular application isto mix and match various components of different jigs to get the features and func-tionality you desire. Most jigs are already combinations of several functional elements.


Although both of these jigs are made for tapering parts on thetablesaw, the one at the rear adjusts for different tapers, while

the jig in front is dedicated to sawing a particular taper.

Its best to cut up a large plank or panel by leaving it stationarywhile using a portable circular saw guided by a fence jig.

See Small-Part Routing on p. 114.


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For example, consider the part-shaping car-riage shown in the bottom photo. The baseof the jig is a template that guides the cut,

with stops that position the workpiece, clampsthat hold it securely during shaping, andhandles that allow the user to work safely.

You can combine all manner of jig fea-tures to suit your needs. You can add stopsto a fence on a cutoff device, or add a tilttable to a hold-down fixture to allow angleddrilling. Likewise, a micro-adjuster added toa tapering jig will allow you to tweak anglesettings. Sections 10 and 11 cover position-ing, adjustment, and clamping devicesmany of which arent complete jigs or fixtures

themselves, but are elements specifically designed for customizing jigs for particularapplications. For example, mounting quick-action pneumatic clamps to a parts-trimming

jig would allow a production woodworker tocut hundreds of parts a day much morequickly and efficiently, as shown in the topphoto on p. 14.

Another customizing method is to buildupon the jigs you already own. Instead of making a tablesaw box joint jig from scratch,

you could add the necessary components toa regular miter gauge.

The universal sliding jig is designed tohave different jig components bolt onto it sothe jig can be used to bevel or raise panels,cut tenons and splines, taper legs, and more.


Most jigs, like these sliding tablesaw carriages, can be built biggeror smaller to suit the size of your machines and scale of your work.

Adding a curved template to the base of this shaper carriageallows you to customize the jig to shape the edge of a workpieceas desired.

See Box Joints on p. 101 and 178.

See Universal Fence Jig on p. 104.


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Changing Materials or Hardware To make a jig easier to build, I have oftendescribed in the photo-essay the particularmaterials and hardware used. However, youcan usually substitute other materials to suitthe stock you have on hand, or to fulfill aparticular purpose. For example, eventhough I recommend using quality sheetmaterials (MDF, plywood, etc.) for strong,long-lasting jigs, theres no reason you cantuse particleboard for a jig or assembly fixture

you plan to use only once.Similarly, feel free to change jig hardware

to suit your application. If you build a jiglarger than shown or want to beef it up for

heavy-duty use, use larger fasteners andhardware and stronger construction tech-niques as necessary. For instance, if yourebuilding a really large tablesaw sled, usingheavy-duty metal miter gauge slot bars willhelp the jig slide straighter and truer.

Multi-Machine Jigs An excellent way to expand the functionality of a jig is to adapt its design and/or construc-tion so it will work on more than onemachine. A good example is the circle jig,shown and described at left.

The basic jig is made for cutting outround wheels, rings, and tabletops on abandsaw. But with a couple of extra compo-nents, the same jig also works on the sta-tionary disc sander for sanding the edges of rough-cut wood discs smooth and to exactdiameter.


Mounting an air-powered clamp to this sliding parts-trimmingcarriage allows rapid clamping of parts for high-volume pro-duction work.

This circle jig was originally made for the bandsaw, but a fewalterations adapt it for edge-trimming on a disc sander, makingthe jig more versatile.


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working jigs and fixtures, including knobsand handscrews, miter guide bars, extrudedtracks, self-stick measuring tapes, and more.Most of the hardware items described in thissection are available at good hardware storesand home centers, or through mail ordersupply catalogs.

Selecting Materials Whether youre making production fixturesfor a giant cabinet factory or a small setupfor a one-man shop, most materials havetheir jig-building niche. In the following

Y OU MIGHT BE CONTENT TO COBBLE

UP a jig or fixture out of any old bitsand pieces you find in your shops

scrap box and junk drawer. However, jigsmade for everyday use definitely last longerand retain their accuracy better when builtfrom high-quality materials using solid

woodworking construction practices. Jigs

built from quality materials and hardwareare a pleasure to use and yield more accurateand consistent results than jury-rigged,makeshift setups, so they may actually save

you time and trouble in the long run.

There is usually no single right materialfor any given jig youre building.But allmaterialsincluding solid wood,sheetgoods, and plasticshave a range of applica-tions for which they are best suited.Understanding the properties, strengths, and

weaknesses of these jig-building materials will help you select the best choice for a par-ticular application.

The same is true for the hardware items youll need to use when assembling and out-fitting your custom jigs and setups. Finding

just the right piece of hardware when build-ing a custom jig or fixture can save a lot of fuss and bother.

In addition to standard hardware itemsscrews, hinges, bolts, etc.theres a ton of hardware specifically designed for wood-

15

Materials and Hardware

Using the rightmaterials andhardware is thekey to buildingstrong, accurate

jigs that hold upto the rigors of woodworking.

See Tools and Techniques on pp. 33-34.


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section, Ill discuss the strengths and weak-nesses of the most popular and widely avail-able jig-building materials, including naturallumber, plywood, hardboard, MDF (medium-density fiberboard), and plasticsclear,opaque, and slippery. Also included arehigh-friction coated materials, because they have very useful applications in jig building.

Solid Wood When lightness and strength are key ele-ments in a jigs design, solid lumber is a validchoice. To minimize warping and dimen-sional problems, use the most stable lumber

you can get. Kiln-dried (KD) vertical-grain

fir has straight, uninterrupted grain perfectfor making rip fences, stops, and other long,thin jig components. On the downside,

vertical-grain fir splinters easily (see thebottom photo at left). Poplar is somewhatsofter and less abrasion-resistant than fir,but its very forgiving to work with, and itsusually cheaper than KD vertical-grain fir.

For jig parts that must be strong and wear-resistant, such as cam clamps, dense hard-

woods like maple are a much better choicethan softwoods.

[TI P ] You can save money by usingconstruction-grade lumber (preferably

with clear, vertical grain) for making big

jig parts. But dry the lumber thoroughlybefore using itabout a year per inch

of thickness.

PlywoodBecause of its dimensionally stable cross-ply construction, plywood is free of the kinds of splitting and warping problems common tosolid woods. You can also cut strong curvedparts out of plywood without concern for

Materials and Hardware16

The jig-builders arsenal of useful hardware includes manydifferent kinds of fasteners, such as nails, screws, bolts,handknobs, hanger screws, and more.

Although cut edges can splinter, vertical-grade Douglas fir is avery stable jig-building material.


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grain direction. For this reason, plywood isan ideal material for building jigs. However,

with its inconsistent thickness and inferiorinner veneers, standard construction-gradeplywood isnt the best choice for most jigs.Premium plywoods such as Baltic birch,apple ply, and maple die board are far supe-rior to construction-grade plywoods: They are fabricated with more layers of hardwood

veneers (not softwood), and most havethicker, clear-grained face veneers. For thebudget-conscious, shop-grade birch plywoodis also a very serviceable plywood.

[TI P ] To create tight-fitting dado jointsfor metric-thickness European plywoods

or American plywoods (which often devi-

ate 1 32 in. or more from their specified

thickness), use an adjustable dado set

or router bits specifically sized for under-

sized plywood.

MDF Often lumped in a category with particle-board, medium density fiberboard (MDF) isactually a hardboard product. Althoughcomparable in strength and stability tomedium-density particleboard, MDF iscomposed of more finely ground particles,

with 10% glue as a binder. MDF is a muchbetter jig-building material than underlay-

ment particleboard because MDFs core is atleast 85% as dense as its faces. This makesfor clean, smooth edges that are strong anddense enough to hold screws and other fas-teners.The dense edges also make it a terrifictemplate material because piloted router bits

wont compress and deform MDF edges the way they do particleboard edges.

Because of its exceptionally smooth,dependably flat surface, many woodworkers

Materials and Hardware 17

Interior plies with knots, or voids like those shown here,weaken construction grades of plywood.

Underlayment-grade particleboard (top) is weak and flaky,compared to medium-density fiberboard (MDF).


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ParticleboardStandard underlayment-grade particleboardthe kind most often sold at lumberyardsand home centersis inexpensive andreadily available. Unfortunately, its crumbly inner structure and mediocre strength makeit a poor choice for most jig parts. While apoor choice for templates used with pilotedbits (the pilot bearing digs into the edge of the template), particleboard is a fine materialfor veneering cauls and assembly forms

where material strength and edge quality arent crucial.

Hardboard With a harder surface than most solid woods and plywoods have, hardboard mate-rials are versatile fiber-based sheet goodsuseful for making templates and other jigparts. Hardboards come in two types: screenbacked (smooth on one side with an

imprint of the screen pressing process on theother) or S2S (smooth and hard on twosides.) Tempered hardboard products such asMasonite are high-density hardboards thathave been impregnated with heat-curedresin. Tempering not only improves theboards surface hardness, but it also makes itstronger and water resistant. Masonites

durable edge makes it a favorite for thin,long-lasting templates for pattern routing.Its abrasion-resistant surface also makes it

perfect for thin bases for sliding jigs, such ascrosscutting sleds, miter cutting carriages,and more.

prefer MDF over even premium-gradeplywoods for making jig bases or jig tablesurfaces. On the downside, MDF weighsroughly 50% more than plywood, which may be an important consideration if light weightis critical to the setup youre building.


See Bending Forms on p. 230.

Thin hardboard is a very affordable and practical materialto use for making sliding jig bases.

See Pattern Routing Templates on

p. 170.

WARNING MDF dust is danger-ous for respiratory health, especially forwoodworkers hypersensitive to theformaldehyde in the glue. Use dust col-lection and a good dust mask whenworking with this material.

!


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Clear Plastics Although often lumped under the singleheading of plastic, various plastic materialshave radically different working propertiesand very different applications in jig build-ing. Useful by virtue of their transparency,clear plastics are divided into two groups:acrylics and polycarbonates. Common brandnames for acrylics include Plexiglas and

Acrylite. Brands for polycarbonate includeLexan and Tuffak. You can distinguishbetween acrylic and polycarbonate by exam-ining the edge of sheet stock: Acrylic has a

yellowish tint to it, while polycarbonatelooks dark gray. Its important to know the

difference because these plastics have very different properties, making them perfect forsome applications and terrible for others.

Acrylic plastics are easy to cut, sand, andeven plane and rout. However, becauseacrylic can shatter when struck, it shouldnever be used for blade or bit guards.

Acrylics are also more susceptible to crack-

ing and splitting than polycarbonates, butacrylic sheet stock is stiffer than polycarbon-ate sheet and doesnt sag or flex as much.

This makes acrylic a good choice for clearrouter table insert plates (see the photo atright). Acrylic parts can be edge glued orface glued using special solvent-type adhe-sives available from plastics suppliers, orcyanoacrylate Super Glue adhesives, whichalso work very well. Clamp or tape parts intoposition with joints butted together, wick the thin solvent/glue into the joints, thenallow the assembly to dry.

Readily available in thin sheet stock, poly-carbonate plastics are less stiff than acrylics


Many kinds of clear and opaque plastic sheet materials areuseful for making jig parts.

Because of its stiffness, 1 4-in.-thick acrylic plastic is a goodchoice for router table insert plates.


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but 30 times more impact resistant, makingthem virtually shatterproof. Polycarbonate isan ideal plastic for chip deflectors, guards,and other safety devices. You can fastenpolycarbonate parts together using machinescrews and nuts or by driving threaded fas-teners into tapped holes. Alternatively, youcan glue parts together with Duco cement.Because of its thermoplastic nature, thinpolycarbonate stock can be heated and bent,allowing you to create curved jig parts andsafety guards.

Opaque PlasticsOpaque plastic materialsincluding pheno-lic, micarta, ABS, and solid-surface materialare more durable and scratch resistantthan clear plastics, but more expensive andharder to find. The most useful of these,phenolic plastic, is twice as expensive asacrylic or polycarbonate, but it is muchstiffer and tougher, making it a great choicefor production woodworking jigs. Black phe-

nolic plastic is available in1

2-in.-thick sheetstock from mail order sources. It is a goodchoice for machine throat plates as well assturdy jig bases. You can glue phenolic partstogether with epoxy, but for high-strengthapplications, its better to drill and bolt partstogether.

Slippery PlasticsIn the world of jigs and machines, asmoothly gliding workpiece or portablepower tool usually results in cleaner, safercutting or shaping. You can create bettersliding jigs by either covering jig parts withplastic laminates or by making parts fromslick plastic materials like polyethylene.


Opaque plastics useful for jig building include solid-surfacematerial (rear), ABS (front left), micarta (front right), andphenolic (right rear).

Clear polycarbonate plastics such as Lexan are tough, shatter-proof, and terrific for making jig and machine guards.


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Plastic laminates, such as Formica or Wilsonart, are easy to bond to plywood orcomposite substrates like MDF to makesmooth, durable surfaces for jig tables andbases. Theyre also good for covering glue-upfixtures because excess adhesive easily peelsor scrapes off for fast cleanup. So-calledultra-high molecular weight (UHMW)plastic glide strips are made from densepolyethylene, a tough white material with a

very slick surface (see the photo at right). Available in bars and thin sheet stock,UHMW plastic is easily sawn to length orshape. It can be chiseled or planed, but itsimpossible to sand. Bars cut to fit a standard


Ultra-high molecular-weight (UHMW) plasticcomes as bars, sheet stock, and sticky-backedtape. The latter is good for reducing friction onfence faces.

Youll get the best perform-ance from any custom sliding jig

by carefully fitting its bars and

aligning the jig to your machines

miter slots before mounting it.First, trim your shopmade wood

or plastic bars or adjust commer-

cial metal bars to fit your

machines individual slots (miter

slots arent always exactly the

same width). Apply a little adhe-

sive transfer tape or double-sidedtape to the top of each bar and

then set the bar atop a few pen-

nies placed in each slot (to raise

the bar slightly proud of the sur-

face), as shown in the top photo.

After squaring the edge of the

jigs base to the machine table,

center the base relative to the

blade or cutter, lower it onto the

guide bars, and press down sothe tape sticks. With wood or

UHMW bars, you can simply drill

down through the base into the

bars and drive screws in place,

as shown in the bottom photo.

With metal bars, slide the jig

out and carefully drill the mount-ing holes for the bars before

installing them with machine

screws. Check that the carriage

slides smoothly before tightening

the screws fully.

INSTALLING GUIDE BARS


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sandpaper, as shown in the photo above. Formost applications, choose a paper between

80-grit and 150-grit. You can attach regularsandpaper or other high-friction materials to jig surfaces using a spray adhesive such as3Ms No. 77 multipurpose spray glue. Toincrease the gripping power of clamp facesor fixture surfaces with small surface areas,use a high-friction material such as 3MsSafetyWalk non-skid tape, designed to pre-

vent slipping on stair treads.

Fasteners A stunning array of fasteners is available tosuit the entire spectrum of a jig buildersneeds. Your choices range from commonnails and screws to hanger bolts and special-ized threaded inserts. Simple fastenerssuch as production screws and pneumatically

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miter-gauge slot may be screwed or nailed to jig bases, thus creating very smooth gliding

jigs of all kinds. Rolls of thin UHMW material are available in various widths, witha pressure-sensitive adhesive backing. Tapingthe wide stuff to the face of a jig or fencegreatly reduces feed friction.

High-Friction MaterialsOne way to improve the stability of parts

clamped or held in a jig is to apply a high-friction material to contact surfaces to keepthe workpiece from slipping or creeping.

The easiest way to do this is to stick on alayer of pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA)


You can makefences and jig sur-faces less slipperyby covering themwith PSA sandpa-per (shown here),or with self-stick,non-slip tapemade for stairtreads.


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driven nails or staplesallow jig assembly toproceed at warp speed without sacrificing

strength or accuracy. Other fasteningdevices, including T-nuts, studded hand-screws, and taper pins, are ideal for jig partsthat must pivot, detach, or articulate foradjustment.

Nails and StaplesScrews or nuts and bolts make very strong

connections between parts. But nails, brads,and staples are speedier to use. Whetherdriven by hand or with an air- or electric-

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WARNING Never aim a nail gunat any living creature. Also, dont hand-hold parts near the guns nose, as fas-teners can easily deflect in the woodand come out sideways into your hand.

!

Holding jig partstogether calls fora wide range of fasteners, rangingfrom nails, screws,bolts, and nuts tothreaded rod,handscrews, andknobs.

A small compressor is all it takes to power most pneumaticnail guns. Shown here (left to right): a finish nailer, staplegun, and pin gun.


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powered gun, these mechanical fasteners gointo place quickly and provide a reasonably

strong connection. They not only reinforceglue joints but effectively hold parts in place while the glue dries, eliminating the need forclamps. This is especially handy when youregluing mitered or beveled parts, which canbe hard to clamp. Air-powered nail guns areparticularly useful for nailing glued partstogether, as a quick pull of the trigger drives

a finish nail or brad home before parts havea chance to slip out of position.

[TI P ] To keep small hand-driven nails andbrads from splitting thin wood parts,blunt the nails point slightly by tappingit with the hammer before driving it inas usual.

Wood Screws Wood screws may be more expensive thannails and more time-consuming to drive, butscrews have strong advantages. Not only dothey create stronger joints between woodenparts, but they are removable. This is mostdesirable when youre creating a jig fromscratch and youre not exactly sure whether it

will work as intended. Parts attached with wood screws can be removed and reposi-tioned or replaced as needed.

In recent years, most serious woodworkershave eschewed standard zinc-plated woodscrews and drywall screws in favor of square-headed production screws. Unlike drywall

screws, production screws are made fromstrong, hardened steel and seldom break. They have deep threads that offer superiorholding power, and their square-drive headsrarely strip out, unlike slotted- or Phillips-head screws. Best of all, their cylindricalshanks match the shape of pilot holes made

with standard drill bits, whereas traditional

wood screws require tapered pilot holesmade with a special, expensive tapered drillbit for maximum holding power (see thephoto above). Production screws come insteel, brass, bronze, and stainless steel andmany head styles, including flat-head,round-head, and washer-head. Washer-headscrews are especially handy when you needto attach a thin material like hardboard whereregular screw or nail heads might pull through.

Traditional brass and steel cabinet screws (left) requiretapered pilot holes, while modern production and drywallscrews (right) dont.

WARNING When assembling jigsthat will be used near blades and cut-ters, use brass or bronze screwsinstead of steel. That way, if a screw isaccidentally cut, it wont ruin the bladeor spray steel shrapnel.

!


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Theres practically no limit to the usefulness of plastic-handled hand knobs and threaded handscrews in buildingall kinds of adjustable jigs.

Lifting the handle of an adjustable-handle fastener allows you

to move it out of the way of the workpiece set against thefence of this tilting drill-press jig.

Handscrews and Hand KnobsStandard bolts and machine screws are finefor joining parts but require wrenches orscrewdrivers to tighten and loosen. This def-initely slows you down when youre making

jig adjustments, such as repositioning a stopor relocating a fence or clamping device.

With their large, easy-to-grip handles,threaded hand knobs and studded hand-screws allow quick setting of jig components

without the need for tools (which alwaysseem to go missing just when you needthem!).

Hand knobs have a built-in threadedinsert and tighten onto the end of a T-bolt,regular screw, or bolt, or onto the machine-threaded portion of a hanger bolt. Hand-screws are like bolts with plastic knobsattached to their head end. They can be used

with regular nuts or driven into threadedinserts or T-nuts.

Both handscrews and hand knobs come instandard bolt and machine screwsizes rang-ing from 8-32 size to 3 8 in. A variety of han-dle styles gives you plenty of choices for yourapplication. The styles include wing nut,three-pronged, knurled (also called rosette),

T-shaped, and winged.

Adjustable-handle fasteners have a large,spring-loaded handle that can be easily repositioned on its shaft for applications

where there isnt enough clearance for turn-ing a regular knob or handscrew.They also

work for securing adjustable fences or stopson jigs where a different handle wouldobstruct the workpiece, as shown at right.

See Threaded Inserts on p. 27.


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Threaded Inserts and T-Nuts When building a jig with hinged or movableparts, such as a tilting table or adjustablemiter fence, its desirable to attach a bolt or ahandscrew into strong metal threads.

Threaded inserts and T-nuts (see the photoat right) are designed to be installed in partsmade from hard or soft wood, plywood,MDF, particleboard, and even soft plastics.

The durable metal threads of these hardwareitems allow you to refasten handscrews orbolts many times without wearing out thethreads. Threaded inserts can be installedinto the face or edge of a part and can beused to join parts too thick to easily bolttogether. Inserts made of either brass or steelare available in common thread sizes rangingfrom 6-32 size to 3 8 in.

Threaded inserts and T-nuts add strong metal threads toholes in wood or plastic parts for attaching bolts, hand-screws, etc.

Threaded inserts have knife-like

outer threads made to fit into ahole thats the same diameter as

the root diameter of the insert (the

body minus the teeth). To install

inserts straight and true, use an

unplugged drill press. First, cut the

head off a bolt that fits the insert

youre installing. Chuck the head-less end of the bolt into the drill

press and then screw on the insert

using a pair of jam nuts and a

washer to secure it on the bolt. Use

a wrench to turn the insert as you

lower the drill presss quill (below)

to apply downward pressure. This

keeps the insert perfectly straightas its driven into place. The washer

helps flatten lifted grain as the

insert is seated flush to the surface.

For jig parts too big for the drill

press, use a regular bolt and ratch-

et wrench to drive the threaded

inserts in place (above).

THREADED INSERTS

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Tracks and Guide BarsIn addition to fasteners, there is a plethora

of other hardware that you can use toquickly build accurate, versatile jigs. Forexample, extruded-aluminum T-tracks comein many shapes and sizes and offer nearly endless jig-building possibilities. A ready-to-install track can add tremendous versatility to adjustable jigs or clamping fixtures. Andcommercially made guide bars, as shown in

the top right photo, designed to slide inmiter gauge slots are easier to install on car-riage jigs and slide truer than shopmade

wood bars.

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T-nuts are somewhat less versatile thanthreaded inserts, but theyre also less expen-sive and easier to install. T-nuts are com-monly available in sizes ranging from 10-24size to 1 2 in. After drilling a hole thatmatches the outside diameter of the T-nutpost, you simply pound the T-nut in with ahammer or mallet. Prongs on the flange lock it into the wood to keep it from turning. Forgreatest holding strength, install the T-nut

on the opposite side of the stock so thattightening the bolt pulls the T-nut againstthe workpiece instead of away from it.

[TI P ] Applying a little wax to the threadsof a threaded insert will help ease it into

the wood. This also helps with regular

screws, especially when youre driving

them into dense hardwoods.


A plastic mallet drives a T-nut into a hole boredin the end of a part cut from 2x4 lumber.

Metal miter gauge slot tracks, extrusions, andguide bars are all very useful for creating a varietyof sliding jigs.

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Extruded T-Tracks A T-shaped slot in any wood or plastic jig

base can be used to conveniently securefences, stops, clamps, etc., with T-bolts andfasteners.

You can rout T-slots in a wooden jig, butextruded T-track provides a quicker meansof adding a more durable slot to your jig orfixture setup. Made from a strong aluminumalloy, T-tracks come in a wide variety of

shapes and sizes to suit lots of differentapplications.

T-tracks are designed to accept either thehead of a standard 1 4-in. hex-head bolt orthe flange of a T-bolt or T-nut. In use, thefastener (or T-track accessory) is inserted atthe end of the T-track and positioned asdesired along the length of the track. When

Made fromextruded alu-minum, T-trackscome in differ-ent widths,configurations,and slot styles.

Some types of T-track are made for use with standard hex-head bolts (rear), while others require use of special T-boltsand nuts.

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the fastener is tightened, the track preventsthe bolt head, stud, or nut in the track fromturning, allowing quick one-handed tighten-ing and loosening.

The most basic type of track for simple jig setups has only a single T slot. The track is installed with either screws or glue into asimple dado or groove. Single-slot T-tracks

are unbelievably handy for creating versatilehold-down tables as well as clamping andassembly fixtures.

Wider T-tracks with two or more T-slotsare designed to serve several different jiggingpurposes. You can use L-shaped T-track tocreate a fence for a cutoff saw, router table,or other machine as seen in the photo at left.

Even wider extruded tracks, with four ormore slots, are useful for making highfences, clamping jigs, and other devices. Inaddition to standard T-bolts, T-nuts, or hex-head bolts, most tracks accept a wide rangeof accessories, such as flip stops, micro-adjusters, and cutter guards. Flip stops are

intended to work with tracks mounted tofences on miter gauge cutoff jigs, mortising jigs, etc. The beauty of flip stops is that oneor more stops can be flipped out of the way

when necessary without losing their positionon the fence.

[TI P ] Make sure to check whether your

desired T-track accommodates regularhex-head bolts or T-bolts and nuts. Most

brands and styles of track accept only a

particular size and style of fastener.


Most miter slot track extrusions are sized to fit into a 1-in.-wide slot, cut in multiple passes on a tablesaw fitted with adado blade.

Used with T-track, flip stops are set relative to a scale andprovide an end stop for parts cut to an accurate length.

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Miter Slot TrackMiter slot track is a handy product foradding a durable slot to a jig base or table toaccommodate a regular miter gauge or any sliding sled or carriage. Extruded aluminummiter slot track can be inlaid into solid

wood, plywood, MDF, or nearly any materialthats at least 3 4-in. thick. Made by a num-ber of different manufacturers, tracks comein 24- and 48-in. lengths. Most brands aremade to fit a 1-in.-wide, 1 2-in.-deep routedor sawn groove. Some brands of track include pre-drilled holes for screwing thetrack to the bottom of the groove. Othersare designed to be glued into the slot usingepoxy, polyurethane glue, or a thick-viscosity cyanoacrylate (CA) glue.

Miter Guide Bars The trickiest part of building almost any miter-slot guided carriage is making and fit-ting the guide bars that run in the machinesmiter gauge slots. Wooden bars, even when

perfectly sized and aligned, tend to run loosein the dry winter months and tight during

humid summers. Ive had much better suc-cess fitting my shopmade carriages with barsmade from UHMW polyethylene or com-

mercially made metal guide bars.Both plastic and metal bars are straight

and stable and will glide smoothly in any standard 3 4-in.-wide, 3 8-in.-deep mitergauge slot or miter slot track. Polyethylenebars come ready-made, or you can makethem yourself from UHMW sheet stock. If


Commercially available miter bar stock includes (left to right)steel with adjustable plastic inserts, UHMW plastic, andIncra aluminum bar.

you make your own, saw the bar oversizefirst, then plane its width a little at a timeuntil it fits its slot perfectly.

Other Jig HardwareSometimes a custom jig calls for a specificpiece of hardware to make it function asdesired. For instance, you may need to add ameasuring tape to a fence jig to ensure

accuracy. Or you may want to use powerfulrare-earth magnets to temporarily attach alarge hold-down assembly to your cast-irontablesaw table. Other hardware items such asair-powered cam clamps, dust ports, and

vacuum devices are discussed in the sections where they are implemented.

See Slippery Plastics on p. 20.

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Self-Stick Measuring Tape To get accurate, repeatable cuts using fences with T slots and sliding stops, attach a meas-uring tape to the fence or to the T-track itself. A self-stick tape measure has a pressure-sensitive, peel-and-stick backing for easy attachment to wood fences, aluminum extru-sions, or any other smooth, clean surface.

Available with scales that read either right toleft or left to right, self-stick tapes provide aconvenient way to add an adjustment scaleto a fence, part-positioning fixture, oradjustable jig component. For even moreaccurate setting of stops to the tape, a cursor

with a fine crosshair may be fitted.

Rare-Earth MagnetsRare-earth magnets (neodymium magnets)are made from a combination ofneo-dymium, iron, and boron (NdFeB), creatingone of the worlds most powerful permanent

magnetic materials. Available in severaldiameters, these small disc-shaped magnetshave tremendous holding power whenplaced against steel or iron parts. Theyreperfect for temporarily attaching a guard toany cast-iron machine table. Similarly, four3 4-in.-dia. magnets set into the base of a

wheeled hold-down will firmly clamp it to

a bandsaw table. These magnets will evenhold a fence jig securely enough for resawingoperations.


Self-stick measuring tape makes it very easy to add a scaleto a crosscut fence or any jig with adjustable parts.

Powerful rare-earth magnets are strong enough to tem-porarily attach fences, hold-downs, and other jigs to steelor cast-iron tool surfaces.

WARNING Rare-earth magnetsare so strong that they can wreak havocwith electronic devices and magneticmedia. Never place these powerful

magnets near computers, PDAs,watches, cassette tapes, or credit cards.

!

See Flips Stops on p. 192.

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Tools and Techniques

33

MOST OF THE TOOLS REQUIREDto build jigs are the same asthose used to build furniture

and cabinetry. And most practices forbuilding solid, durable jigs from woodand wood composite materials are thesame as for building quality furniture.However, in many cases jigs must bebuilt to higher tolerances in order toperform precise, repeatable operations.Furthermore, they must be durableenough to withstand the forces imposedupon them by powerful machines. In thissection, well explore joinery, gluing, fin-ishing, and other woodworking tech-niques that apply to jig building. Also

discussed are construction methods forother materials, such as tapping metal andplastic parts to accept bolts and screws.

Jig-Building ToolsIn addition to the usual woodworkingtools that are essential for building jigsfrom wood, composite wood materials,plastics, and aluminum, there are severaltools we can borrow from the metalmachinists tool chest. These items, whichinclude dividers, rules, dial indicators, and1-2-3 blocks, are very helpful for aidingaccuracy.

Machinists toolsincluding calipers, dial indica-tors, and 1-2-3 blocksall help to ensure accuracywhen youre building and setting up jigs.

Measuringcalipers are use-ful for checkingboth inside andoutside dimen-sions of parts, aswell as the depthof slots andholes.

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Measuring CalipersMeasuring calipers are extremely handy,simple-to-use tools that gauge very accu-rate measurements. Most calipers offerthree ways to check a measurement: Theoutside-measuring jaws will check partlengths and thicknesses; the inside-measuring jaws will check slot width orhole diameters; and a depth rod willgauge the depth of holes and grooves.Modern measuring calipers come in threepopular styles: Vernier calipers, whichread measurements in thousandths of aninch and micrometers from a specialVernier scale shown on the beam; dialcalipers that show measurements (thou-sandths, millimeters, and/or fractions of an inch) on a dial similar to a watch face;and digital calipers that display dimen-sions on a small liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, as shown at left. Push abutton and most models instantly convertbetween imperial, decimal, or metric

measurements.Engineers SquaresMade in several sizes, engineers squaresare very sturdy and accurate try squaresthat are ideally suited to the precise layoutand assembly tasks necessary for buildingquality jigs. An engineers square consists

of an unmarked, heavy steel blade rigidly mounted to a thick solid-steel body. Thesmaller-sized 4-in. square is excellent forlayout work on small jig parts, while thebig 12-in. square helps you align partsproperly when constructing large assem-blies. An 8-in. square is good for generalduty, as well as for setting blades ontablesaws, aligning drill press tables, etc.

Tools and Techniqu es34

Digital calipers feature a liquid crystal display readout thatcan convert between metric and imperial measurements.

Engineers squaresare useful forchecking the accu-racy of machinedwood parts andfor adjustingblades and cutterson shop machines.

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Machinists BlocksV-blocks and 1-2-3 blocks are mainstaysin any machine shop. Each is useful for a

wide range of machine set-up purposesand parts-machining operations. Made of hardened steel with squarely ground sides,a 1-2-3 block is a rectangular piece of metal 1 in. thick, 2 in. wide, and 3 in.long. Most are covered with holessomeof them threadedto save weight and toprovide a variety of mounting options.Because their edges are precisely square,1-2-3 blocks are perfect for spacing andpositioning parts that are being drilled ormachined, as well as for keeping partssquare as they are fastened together. Forexample, use one or two of these heavy blocks to hold a wood fence atop a jigbase plate as its glued and screwed intoplace, as shown in the top photo at right.

A V-block is a heavy, rectangular steelblock with a V-shaped hollow on oneedge. The V is perfect for supporting

either round or square-edged stock duringdrilling or machining operations, as shownin the bottom photo at right. Once thebottom of the V is accurately positionedunder the centerline of a drill press quill,holes will always be centered, regardlessof the size of the bit you use or the stock

you drill.

Tools an d Techniqu es 35

A machinists 1-2-3 block helps keep wood parts alignedduring glue-up, ensuring precise jig construction.

A heavy steel V-block holds dowels and other cylindrical work-

pieces steady during drilling or machining operations.


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Butt JointsIf youre building jigs in a hurry, thengluing and nailing together butt-joinedparts is usually the way to go. A butt

joint is one where two parts with square-cut ends are fastened together, as shownin the bottom photo on the facing page.Butt joints are very fast and easy to cut

and adequate for many jig box and frameconstructions. However, you must rein-force butt joints with nails, staples, woodscrews, splines, or biscuits.

To help align a butt joint duringassembly, use nails and screws in concert:

After applying glue to both mating sur-faces, carefully position the parts anddrive a nail in at each end of the joint tokeep parts from sliding out of alignment(see the top photo at right). Then drivethe screws.

Biscuit JointsPlate joinery biscuits are a quick and

handy way to reinforce a basic butt joint.Biscuits installed in slots cut by a plate joiner machine are ideal for creatingstrong joints in solid wood, plywood,or wood composite sheet goods. A row of biscuits added to the corners of abutt-joined frame or to the intersectionof two panels offers tremendous strength

and facilitates alignment and clampingduring glue-up. Biscuits can also beused to reinforce end-to-end panel con-nections, as well as mitered frame andbox joints.

On wide parts, biscuit slots should bespaced every few inches along the joint.

After plunge-cutting the slots in bothparts (see the bottom photo at right),

A few pneumaticnails quicklydriven into theseglued butt jointskeep parts fromsliding out of alignment asscrews are drivento strengthen

the joint.

To join two panels at right angles, plunge biscuit slots intothe face of one panel and into the end of the mating panel.

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apply glue to the slots and biscuits,assemble the joint, and clamp it up. Formitered joints and assemblies that aredifficult to clamp, you can drive a few screws through the parts to hold the jointtogether until the glue dries.

Rabbets and DadoesRabbet and dado joints are not only quick and easy to cut, but they add connectivestrength to joints and make jig parts easierto align and assemble. The joints work

well in practically all solid wood and com-posite wood products as well as thickerplastic stock. A rabbet is a stepped jointused to join the corners of frames andbox-like constructions. A ledge is cut intothe end of one part with either a dadoblade on the tablesaw or a rabbet bit inthe router (see the top photo at left). The

width of the rabbet should equal thethickness of the part it will accommodate.Rabbet depth can vary but shouldntexceed two-thirds of the stock thickness.

A dado is a square-edged channel thataccepts a part joined at a 90-degree angle.For a nice, tight joint, the width of thedado should exactly equal the thickness of the mating part, whose square end fitsinto the dado. The depth of a dadoshouldnt exceed half the thickness of the

stock it is cut into. As with a rabbet,dadoes are cut either with a dado bladeon the tablesaw or with a router, after

which they are glued and nailed orscrewed in place.

Routing Dadoes in PlywoodGetting tight-fitting dado joints can be

difficult when youre working with typi-


Special undersized bits are made for routing snug-fittingdadoes and grooves for commercial plywoods.

A rabbet can be cut on the edge of a workpiece in two passeson the tablesaw using a regular sawblade.

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Cutting odd-sized dadoes and grooves is easier with apremium router fence that allows for fine adjustments.

Routing a T-slot is a two-part process: First, rout or saw astandard groove and then reshape it using a special T-slotrouter bit.

cally sized plywoods1

4

in.,1

2

in.,3

4

in.,etc.since they are not exactly as thick asstated. However, you can cut dadoes to aprecise width with an adjustable stack dado on a tablesaw or with specialundersized bits made for the purpose(or metrically sized bits, for Europeanplywoods), as shown in the bottom photo

on the facing page. For cleaner cuts withless tearout, select bits with a downshear design, which puts a slight down-

ward pressure on the surface of the plywood during cutting. Another way to routodd-dimension dadoes is to use anadjustable router edge guide (see the topphoto at right) and a straight router bitthats smaller in diameter than the widthof the required dado. Take one cut andthen readjust the edge guide to widen thefirst pass to the exact desired dado width.

Routing T-TracksSolid, permanent joints are in order fordurable, long-lasting jigs. But adjustable

jig components, including stops, fences,and fixture clamps, must be removableand repositionable. T-tracks and the spe-cial fasteners that slide into them providea very strong and easy-to-use system formounting a wide variety of jig compo-nents. You can buy T-track as a ready-made

extrusion that installs in a simple groove,or you can cut a T-slot using a router, asshown in the bottom photo at right. Al-though routing your own T-slot into ply-

wood, MDF, or even particleboard wontprovide as strong a mount as an extrudedmetal track, it will be very serviceable.

See Extruded T-Tracks on p. 29.

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Building a Torsion Box Torsion-box construction provides a ter-rific way of creating very strong jig bases,router tabletops, clamping and fixturetables, and more.

A torsion box has an outer frame andan inner grid sandwiched betw een a thintop and bottom skin (see the drawing atleft). Its built to be strong and light likean airplane wing. You can make the outerskins from plywood, MDF, or hardboardas thin as 1 8 in. The frame and inner gridcan be made from just about anything,including plywood, particleboard, orNo. 2 pine. The combined thickness of the frame and grid can be as thin as 1 in.or can exceed 6 in. The thinner the skin,the closer the grid spacing needs to be tokeep the top rigid: For 1 8-in.-thick skins,use a 2-in. grid spacing; a 4-in. to 6-in.spacing is fine for3 8-in.-thick skins.

Amazingly, minimal joinery is neces-sary to connect the parts of the grid toeach other. The short components are justglued and stapled to the long ones to holdtheir edges in a plane until the skins areattached (see the top photo on the facingpage). Assemble the box on a dead-flat

bench or machine top after spreading glueliberally on the edge of every grid mem-ber. Attach the skins using brads ornarrow-crown staples every few inches.For a durable surface, cover the top skin

with plastic laminate.If youre making a router tabletop, you

can frame out an open section in the

middle of the torsion box. (See the detail

TORSION BOX CONSTRUCTION

The first step in routing a T-track isto create a 9 32-in.-wide groove, cut witheither a dado blade on the tablesaw or with a straight bit in the router. Once thisgroove is cut, the bottom of the groove is widened using a special T-shaped bit. This slot will accept either1 4-in. T-boltsor T-nuts as well as standard plumbing

toilet bolts (used to attach a toilet to itsflange).


See Air Table on p. 130.

Torsion Box Construction Thin plywood, hardboard,or MDF skins glued andnailed onto top and bottomof grid frame

Depth of grid and

frame may rangefrom 1 in. to 6 in. or more.

Outer frame

Inner grid glued andstapled together fromlong and short members

Detail: Router Tabletop

Short grid members omitted fromcenter of top form an opening fora router table insert plate.

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drawing on the facing page.) Apply theskins and then cut them out to accommo-date the router section. A lip routed inthe top opening supports an insert platethat mounts to the router.

Gluing UpVibration from machine tools can make

fasteners lose their hold over time, jeop-ardizing the accuracy of a jig. Therefore,fixed jig parts such as non-adjustable stopblocks and fences that must maintainalignment should be fastened with glue inaddition to screws or nails. While stan-dard yellow carpenters glue is just fine formost wood-to-wood gluing jobs, epoxy orcyanoacrylate glues also have some very useful applications in jig building.

[TI P ] Whatever glue you use, neverglue solid wood parts wider than 4 in.cross-grain to each other, or you riskfuture joint failure due to expansion/contraction problems.

Epoxy Two-part epoxy glue offers terrific versa-tility for jig building, because it bonds toa wide assortment of materials, including

wood, composite materials, metal, andmany plastics. And it will cross-bond dis-

similar materials, such as metal or plasticto wood. Epoxy also has excellent gap-filling properties, so its useful for gluing

joints that dont fit snugly together. There are a few things to remember

when choosing and using epoxies: First,the 5-minute type isnt as strong in thelong run as the type that takes a full

24 hours to cure. Secondly, always dispense


The MDF parts of this torsion box grid need only be joined

with glue and staples driven into the edges of adjacent parts.

With the torsion box assembly lying on a dead-flat surface,glue and nail the thin skins onto the top and bottom of thegridwork.

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epoxys two parts equally, and mix them very thoroughly for at least 30 secondsbefore applying. Third, for the best bond,surfaces must be clean, and wood shouldbe freshly machined. Finally, let parts sitafter clamping, leaving them alone for atleast as long as the recommended set timeof the epoxy.

[TI P ] Dont discard your epoxy-mixing pal-let or container after glue-up; the remain-

ing glue on it will inform you when the

joint has cured.

Cyanoacrylate GlueCommonly called super glue or CAglue, cyanoacrylate adhesive is known forits great strength and ability to bondmany different materials. CA glues areavailable in different viscosities: The thin

variety works better for smooth, non-porous materials such as metal and plas-tic, while the thick type works best forporous woods. When sprayed with accel-erator, CA will set instantly, making it

very useful for attaching small parts thatare difficult to clamp, or for bonding thinparts clamped atop wax paper.

CA is also great for holding hardwarein alignment while screws are installed. To instantly bond parts together, apply the CA to one part and spray accelerator(sometimes called kicker) on the otherbefore pressing or clamping the partstogether for a few seconds while the gluesets, as shown in the bottom photo at left.


See Mortise Template on p. 54.

High bonding strength and the ability to glue dissimilarmaterials together make two-part epoxy adhesives veryversatile adhesives for building jigs.

Commonly called super glue, cyanoacrylate adhesivesform strong bonds and dry almost instantly when sprayedwith an accelerant.

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Finishing As with any other woodworking project,finishing is the last step in creating stableand durable jigs and fixtures. A quick coatof finish on raw wood, plywood, and evenMDF and hardboard serves to protect the

wood from moisture and to reduce theeffects of humidity, which might other-

wise split solid parts or warp flat panels. A sturdy finish can also improve a jigs wear resistance and make it easier toclean.

In contrast to finishing furniture orcabinets made from fine hardwoods, thetask of finishing jigs and fixtures is con-siderably less demanding. Wear-resistantfinishes are best, such as brush-on orspray-on varnishes and polyurethanes.My favorite jig finishes are wipe-onpolyurethanes, which have excellent dura-bility and which apply easily and dry tothe touch in 15 minutes. You apply a thinlayer on the wood using a clean rag or

pad, let it soak in a bit, and then wipe off the excess. For best results, apply twocoats (especially to open-grained woodslike oak), waiting the recommended dry-time between coats.

[TI P ] On jigs made from wood partsthat have only been lightly sanded, apply-

ing a wipe-on finish with a nylon abrasivepad such as Scotch-Brite, will help

smooth edges and prevent splinters.


Wipe-on polyurethane finishes are very easy to apply andhelp protect wood jig parts from wear, dirt, and the effects of humidity changes.

Some jigs require special machine setups that can be

difficult to remember over time. To save head-scratching andsearching through old

notes every time you use

the jig, its wise to record

the pertinent setup and use

information directly on the

jig as shown at right. This

might include the type of blade or bit used, its height

or depth setting, the posi-

tion of fences or stops, and

the order of operations. Note the details using a fine-point

permanent marker and then protect the information from

wearing off by coating the jig with a finish.

RECORDING JIG INSTRUCTIONS


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Sliding and Pivoting Jigs, page 91Fences and Guides , page 63

Templates, pag e 167

Jigs for Portable Too ls, page 139

Marking and Setup J ig s, page 46

Jig Tables, pag e 121

PART TWO


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F rom the first pencil line marking the length of a part

to the last sanding and smoothing operation, jigs are impor-

tant tools that make building your wood projects faster and

easier. Theres an endless variety of jigs you can make to suit

the specific needs of an operation using stationary woodworking machin-

ery, portable power tools, or hand tools.

Marking jigs help us lay out precise dimensions, joinery, and consistentshapes, while setup jigs are invaluable for adjusting machinery. Fences,

guides, and sliding jigs all add consistency and safety to our machining

operations by aligning and guiding workpieces for accurate cutting, shap-

ing, boring, planing, and sanding. Tabletop jigs can extend the function of

many shop machines, while portable power tool jigs increase control and

accuracy and extend the range of capabilities of routers, circular saws, jig-

saws, and more. Finally, templates and patterns help us create shapely

parts as well as precise, tight-fitting joinery.

Woodworking Jigs

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to an edge. Other handy devices here include jigs for finding centers and for dra wing curvedlines, circles, and arcs. Youll see how to makea large beam compass and an amazingly sim-ple jig for laying out ovals and ellipses. Youlleven find out how to use your fingers as asimple marking device.

Ill also discuss templates as layout tools. While you might think templates are prima-rily for pattern-cutting with a router (seep. 159), theyre also useful for a variety of marking and layout tasks. Simple curve and

radius templates help lay out identical cut-lines quickly and easily. Angled templates are

THERE ARE LOTS OF COMMERCIALLY

available devices to help us mark linesand circles on our parts, many of which

are adjustable to accommodate different circum-stances. However, these devices take time to setand may slip out of adjustment. The fact is, wedont always need a marking device to be ad-

justable, because we very often mark our stock and set our machines to common dimensions orsettings. For example, how often have you takenthe time to set an adjustable marking gauge toscribe a line1 2 in. or 3 4 in. from an edge?

taunton's complete illustrated guide to jigs & fixtures (gnv64)

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