Jig Hardware

[prov163]

I'm planning to buy some hardware for making jigs. What size do y'all use most 1/4-20 or 5/16?  Any favorite kits?  Looked at Peachtree and Rockler so far. 

Also, I'm thinking about buying a set of Marc's new wood taps to use for jigs and other things. I'm going to at least buy the three set to support Marc and cause I'm sure I'll use them. How many of you are opting for the full set and why?

[gee-dub]

I use 1/4-20 and 5/16-18.  I tried to stay with just the 5/16-18 but, many after market goodies use 1/4-20 so I've ended up with both.  A windfall price on the Lee Valley sets some years ago landed one of each in the shop.  Those combined with the fact that I strip any jig-centric hardware from anything I run into that is headed to the scrap heap has left me with the two sets plus a plastic shoebox full of stuff for each size.  You can pick up "things" for a song at garage sales and strip the jig hardware off of them before passing them to their eventual destiny.

I make a lot of jigs and use hardware over again.  A t-slot router bit is your friend.  The "most used" category would probably be various lengths of t-bolts, washers (flat and fender), followed by through knobs of various diameters and patterns.  Secondarily useful are t-slot styled oval nuts, short hex-drive cap screws and a selection of those knobs that accept either a nut or a bolt.

For t-track I stick to the Rockler Universal track as it accepts 1/4" and 5/16" hardware.  This makes it the best value and the most versatile for my shop since I use both.  Often on sale in 48" lengths along with a bunch of hardware for $20.  I've picked up several of these over the years.  The knobs and t-bolts that come with them go into the shoe boxes.  At this point I don't think I will ever run out . . . I don't have room for that many jigs.

I'm not home so these pics are kind of random but, you get the idea.

[wdwerker]

I also lucked into the Lee Valley set that had both 1/4 & 5/16. I've gotten a few things at Peachtree. I also strip old jigs of parts. I can't say enough about the BESSEY auto adjust toggle clamps. They will hold a piece of 1/4" then 3/4, 1" and 1 3/4 with the same amount of clamping pressure .  You can also adjust the amount of clamping force to prevent denting soft woods like basswood, poplar and Alder <grin>. You can crank it up and hold a chunk of 8/4 hard maple when you need to get aggressive with the far end. I usually hold them down with 6 of those washer head square drive pocket screws. This makes it easy to move them from jig to jig. I noticed gee-dub has them on his jigs.

[Brendon_t]

I stocked up on 1/4 20 gear when I came across a bunch of hardware on the rockler deep discount table. Most used for me are 1.75" T head and through knobs. 

[Eric.]

I've learned that jig hardware is kind of like router bits in that it's best to buy them on an as-needed basis...otherwise you end up with a bunch of crap in drawers that you never use but you spent good money on.  I make a lot of one-off jigs so I'll normally just dismantle them after they serve their purpose, and you'll end up with a decent supply of jig hardware after years of doing that.

[Marmotjr]

I'm kind of spoiled, as my "local" hardware store, 12 miles away, sells nuts and bolts by the pound, at $1.25 a pound.  I think they go as small as 1/8" and upto 6" (diameter), and Upto 18" long.   So I can buy whole bunch of 1/4"-20 bolts for the same price that I can get 1 6" bolt.   

Most anything beyond the nuts and bolts I try to make myself.