Popular Post gee-dub Posted February 19 Popular Post Report Posted February 19 It has been rainy and I have not been doing a lot lately. Finally drank enough coffee to get me out to the shop to do some clean up. I made these about 15 years ago. I found some old dimensional lumber in the rafters of a house I bought. It was super dry so I milled some up, laminated it together and then milled out these elevation beams. They are straight and true and allow me to elevate work during glue ups to clear the clamp heads. Despite taking some degree of care they have, over the years, developed glue drips, dings, and so forth. I decided it was time for a face lift. I just jointed one face, planed, and blah, blah, blah . . . the usual routine to get true, clean, and clear surfaces. I then re-shellacked them and will paste wax them as I did way back when. This refresh should last longer than I will . So this got me thinking about all the random shop helpers we all make up over the years. These torsion beams have been a shop staple since 2013. I think they were in a Woodsmith or Wood Magazine issue at the time. Basically two 1/2" MDF slabs with grooved in hardboard sides and 1/2" MDF dividers like any other torsion box. They are hella-stout and elevate, support or height adjust really heavy stuff across saw horses or whatever. That got me wool-gathering so I shot some other random pics. I guess I get fidgety when I am not busy. Clamping squares. Router templates. Sleds. Sac-fences and guide rails. More sleds. It is surprising all of the things we make as helpers that are worth keeping. I know I have made and tossed many times as many one-offs that only served one purpose. Look around your shop while you are having coffee. I'll bet we all have a lot more jigs and fixtures than we think. I'll go away now 6 Quote
roughsawn Posted February 20 Report Posted February 20 That's alot of sleds, g-man. I still have 2 more to make this winter, then I should be gtg... Quote
gee-dub Posted February 21 Author Report Posted February 21 The super large one only comes into play every now and then as do the small miter, router, and miter key sleds. The others get used at least once a week. 2 Quote
gee-dub Posted February 22 Author Report Posted February 22 On 2/22/2026 at 12:01 AM, BillyJack said: Why do you need all those jigs? I make a lot of abnormal scale and asymmetrical pieces. Many of them help me make and duplicate odd shapes. 2 Quote
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