jigs for the shop


duckkisser

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I like that device.  I would keep the back stop so as to reduce the chance of the jig moving forward and the bolt either cramping the cut off, or contacting the blade (that's at least a hundred dollar event on a SawStop).   Shorter bolts and a couple of wing nuts would work, but if you have star knobs laying around....

By the way who is this person?

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https://www.microjig.com/products/dovetail-nut-4pk
 

I just came across these.....god such a simple concept thinking I’ll make all my jigs work with these and buy all I need thinking of converting my assembly table with a new top and buying couple sets of the hold downs and these.    Just wish I could buy like 20 for 10 dollars instead of 4

man it’s hard being cheap

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You could always make your own. Cut lenghs of close-grained hardwood to a dovetail profile, cross cut into segments, then drill and tap threaded holes. Tapped threads hold quite well in wood, especially if the bolt stays engaged most of the time. You can always at T nuts or inserts for greater strength, if needed.

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14 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said:

You could always make your own. Cut lenghs of close-grained hardwood to a dovetail profile, cross cut into segments, then drill and tap threaded holes. Tapped threads hold quite well in wood, especially if the bolt stays engaged most of the time. You can always at T nuts or inserts for greater strength, if needed.

Thought of that but wood swells and shop can get very humid in summer and winter is very cold.   Only way it would work is if I made everything out of materials that won’t move like plastic then it gets more expensive then I want to spend.  I’ll probably just buy. I want to make projects not tools.  But I do like this and thinking I’ll get a sheet of ply to put over assembly table have half with dovetail groves for assembly and half for glue up.  All my jigs will have these.  Be cheaper than buying t track and I won’t have to buy more t track in future.  The hold downs are a little limiting but they will work and I’ll make some toggle clamps to make my own hold down clamps since they are 40 bucks each.  Have a bunch of toggle clamps bought a whole big box for 20 bucks at garage sale.  

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One thing I've considered for making something like those Microjig dovetail track nuts is to pick up some inexpensive plastic cutting boards, routing the profile as @wtnhighlander suggested, and countersinking a 1/4-20 bolt into them. 

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/3053/cutting-boards.html?filter=material:plastic&filter=length:22~30*-inches&filter=thickness:0.5-inches:0.5-inches:0.75-inches&multi=true

Link above shows a 24" x 18" x 1/2" White Polyethylene Cutting Board for $12.50. I bet even cheaper ones could be found at a dollar store or maybe even a thrift store. 

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oh sweet I didn't event think of using polyethylene I was thinking wood dovetail in a wood dovetail grove.   thanks  I knew if I ask enough people they could help me figure out how to be extra cheap.  

hell if I can get polyethylene cutting boards at the dollar store maybe I should buy enough to cover my assembly table then the glue wont stick too it ever. Only question is how much are they at the doller store?  I can also cut meat for the grill in my shop with a saw all.

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1 hour ago, duckkisser said:

oh sweet I didn't event think of using polyethylene I was thinking wood dovetail in a wood dovetail grove.   thanks  I knew if I ask enough people they could help me figure out how to be extra cheap.  

hell if I can get polyethylene cutting boards at the dollar store maybe I should buy enough to cover my assembly table then the glue wont stick too it ever. Only question is how much are they at the doller store?  I can also cut meat for the grill in my shop with a saw all.

I personally would not mix my assembly surface with food prep (but that's because I sometimes use poisonous stuff on my assembly surfaces). A restaurant supply store would probably be a good place to find a big plastic cutting surface you could throw up on top of your assembly table though. I agree with @legenddc that silicone mats might be a good option for the assembly table. 

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On 2/18/2020 at 7:15 PM, duckkisser said:

oh god chip you put the thin stick that close to fence that always make me super nervous.  I also have a zero clearance insert for table saw don't use it much if you make a push stick you don't move fence and you end up having like a 3 inch space between fence and moving blade but it still cuts strips of wood that are like 1/8 thick.  

I copied that directly from a Steve Latta video. He has some precautions about it but you’re 0.040” from the fence with a blade that doesn’t wobble. I’ll get a picture of my push stick for ya :) 

 

ok here’s the push stick. Mine is rather long (personal preference) but the most important area is where the corner meets the wood inboard of the blade (between the blade and the fence). If that deteriorates, make a new stick. This one, after much use, is still in excellent condition.

839F5809-3629-469E-A220-92D287CE7C49.jpeg

97536E57-E626-40CA-974F-AB3B439F773F.jpeg

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I thought about investing in a $400+ Incra fence system, and my wife even agreed to it (I love that girl!), but this works and is safe. Latta emphasizes turning the saw off and letting the blade come to a complete stop with each cut. He acknowledges that seems like overkill but says “get over it,” as it’s the safest way to do it. :) ymmv 

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1 hour ago, VizslaDad said:

I personally would not mix my assembly surface with food prep (but that's because I sometimes use poisonous stuff on my assembly surfaces). A restaurant supply store would probably be a good place to find a big plastic cutting surface you could throw up on top of your assembly table though. I agree with @legenddc that silicone mats might be a good option for the assembly table. 

 Ok wasn't serous about cutting meat on my glue up table but might check supply store for pricing

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