I make my own jigs or whatever, partly because it's more fun that way, and partly because that way I get exactly what I want, not what someone else thinks I want.
Read more here:Every woodworker wants his or her time in their shop to be efficient and productive. Some of the most important tools in the shop are the jigs used to help make your work cleaner and easier. Jigs are physical versions of workshop shortcuts, tips and workarounds that can actually make a job fast and fun, although they won’t necessarily give you the precision and skills you might not yet have. Working with Jigs
I slapped something similar together to make a simple frame for a mirror. I've used it several times now. After seeing yours, Tom, I won't be posting pictures of mine.One of my favorite jigs is one for making splines in picture frames...
Or, just as bad, when you're making multiples, with no writing sometimes it will wind up in whatever you''re making. Then it's remake time. Now the first thing I write on mine is MASTER, on each side. Don't ask how I know this. I write anything useful on mine, how many copies I will need, etc.I have also learned to write a note on the jig with its purpose and date. Otherwise after a few months I look at it and think "What the heck did I make this for?"![]()
Oooh, glad I stopped by this thread. I'm just putting together a photo storage box and it is to have splines. I knew I'd seen one somewhere but couldn't remember the original thread, now here it is. Thanks Tom, so timely.One of my favorite jigs is one for making splines in picture frames. It has a sliding fence that's tall so I can clamp on a picture frame. Because the V angle is exactly 90, I can place a backer on the back stop, to prevent chipout when using my 1/4-3/8ths specialty blade. That increases the versatility. The fence cinches down tight and can be set to place the spline precidely every time. It is close to 18 inches wide.
This was a lot of fun to put together. It is very precise and I did use a right angle triangle to make sure it was dead on 90 degrees. But I started by cutting two 18 inch wide pieces of 3/4 ply in half. One about 1 ft x 18 inches, the other about 20 x 18 inches. What made it so precise was cutting it on the table saw, not quite down the center, after using a Wixey to set the blade angle at precisely 45 degrees (the picture shows it at a different angle).Oooh, glad I stopped by this thread. I'm just putting together a photo storage box and it is to have splines. I knew I'd seen one somewhere but couldn't remember the original thread, now here it is. Thanks Tom, so timely.
Geesh, going by this, I should go back to playing golf...:surprise:Good hand-crafted jigs aren’t meant to be micro-adjustable or universal unless you have the time and skill needed to create them. Besides, they sometimes don’t work as well as those that are quick, simply designed and easy to craft. Unless you’re a master craftsman, you probably won’t have the need for specialized jigs.
• Make jigs from materials you already have in your shop.
• Get the job done, but don’t get too involved. Build it quickly, fasten the parts together with some screws, nails or staples or even hot-melt glue.
• If it takes longer to make the jig than it would to finish the job without it, don’t bother unless it’s something you’ll be doing on a regular basis.
• Don’t make a jig you may need in the future for some unplanned project. Do make it when you have a task right on your worktable.
• Use a nominal number of pieces and fashion it in a simple design. And unless you’re creating a gift or work of art, why bother applying a finish?
Are you kidding? Golf is far more frustrating than woodworking. :crying:Geesh, going by this, I should go back to playing golf...:surprise:
Yesterday I had a fight with my DW 745 tablesaw as it wouldn't go to 45 degrees. The end travel stop had been tightened by goliath at the factory. Tried the impact driver but that made the cross head driver access bigger but didn't move the screw. So I got the larger cross head screwdriver and with pure force got it loose........................What made it so precise was cutting it on the table saw, not quite down the center, after using a Wixey to set the blade angle at precisely 45 degrees (the picture shows it at a different angle)...............
Kind of fun, huh? Precision up front pays off as the project moves along. Next up is cutting the splines themselves to the sidth of your saw blade. There's a gadget for that...of course. makes cutting spline material very precise and repeatable. You can make one of these, but some things are worth buying. The Rockler Thin Strip Jig ($39) is one of them. Thin Rip Tablesaw Jig | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware...Tomorrow I'll cut the base, then fix the first wing and support, then add the second.
Got that covered already Tom. Saw this on another thread on this forum, sorry I don't know who's it was. I do need to change the mitre slot bar to a hardwood one but that's an easy fix............This jig allows you to rip thin strips on the left side of the blade, eliminating the danger of pushing narrow strips between the blade and fence................