Woodworking Jigs Make DIY Projects Safer

Posted by Kelly Smith Sep 30, 2008

The cooler weather (thanks Canada, for the last two cold fronts) makes working in my wood shop a bit more tolerable. Which means cranking up the table saw and other stationary power tools. And that means breaking out the jigs and maybe making some more, as the situation warrants.

Although some "jigs" are commercially made, like Keller dovetail jigs, most are designed and handmade by the carpenter personally. In fact, a particularly clever one is a basis for braggin' rights in DIY circles.

My stepfather (God rest his soul) was not only a Naval Commander, he was a master carpenter. He was particularly skilled at making jigs. I've got his band saw and a pile of his exotic wood, some of which he personally harvested in the Panamanian rain forest, in my shop right now.

One of the keys to making woodworking jigs is having the right materials on hand. These fall into three general categories:

• Sheet goods - Plywood, acrylics, MDF, etc.
• Plastics - Plastic laminates (Formica), Plexiglas, Phenolic plastics, and UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight), etc.
• Metal and hardware - Aluminum stock, carriage bolts, and a variety of knobs and T-nuts.

What fall projects do you have on your plate? I've got an entertainment center, a bookcase or two, and installing laminate flooring in two closets. And if I'm going to get any of that done and stay out of the doghouse, I'd best get away from the keyboard and get busy. We're burnin' daylight here.