Woodworking Jigs Ideas

Woodworking jigs you can make

The online dictionary at Yahoo! Education defines "jig" as "a device for guiding a tool." In woodworking jigs are used to hold things in place while cutting, planing, sanding, or otherwise manipulating a workpiece.

In the article "The Right Stuff," the materials considered optimum for making jigs are birch plywood, melamine particle board (cabinet grade), phenolic plywood, and medium density fiberboard (MDF, cabinet grade). Hardwoods, like poplar, or softwoods, like pine, can be used for guide boards, if needed. Quality fasteners, like wood screws and bolts with washers and nuts, will ensure your jigs will be able to stand up to the rigors of shop life.

Tablesaw Jigs

This category of jigs will help hold your workpieces while you cut and prepare the various parts of your projects. Throat plates help make cleaner cuts. Taper jigs allow you to cut items that are wide at one end and diminish down to a smaller dimension. Cross-cut sleds help control long boards that are being cut across the grain. One type of joinery used in woodworking is the box-joint. Jigs can be fabricated to help you make this classic, decorative joint.

Bandsaw Jigs

A popular jig to make for the bandsaw is the bandsaw fence. Many bandsaws have fences designed for small pieces. Making your own fence allows you to make a custom fence that is specific to your shop needs. Resawing is the practice of making long, thin slices from long, fat boards. To make accurate, repeatable slices it's best to use a resawing jig.

Handheld Router Jigs

Using a router by hand is greatly simplified by jigs that either hold the router, the workpiece, or both. Laminate-trimming guides, straight-edge guides, and circle-cutting jigs are almost indispensable. Mortise and tenon jigs and dado guides are examples of joinery jigs that you can build.

Router Table Jigs

With the router held firmly in place by the table, you can concentrate on workpiece control. Jigs like the pattern-routing jig and the miter angle sled can take your woodworking to the next level. Safety can also be enhanced by a featherboard and a zero-clearance fence.

General Shop Jigs

Jigs can also help you command and conquer every day workshop tasks. In this category you have simple jigs like the bench hook and the miter shoot (a jig to dress up the angles of miter cuts). Jigs can also be used to help draw repeated shapes on different workpieces as cutting guides.

References

• "The Best of Fine Woodworking, Essential Shopmade Jigs", Editors, et al., 2009

Resources

• Bench Hook Video
• Woodworking Plans at Wood Magazine
• Free Jig Plans