Thursday, February 4, 2010

Woodworking Jigs - Why? How To Build?

Woodworking machines and hand tools need jigs and fixtures to reach their full potential. A table saw can slice up wood adequately but tenon making requires a fixture. Drilling holes in line on the drill press requires a fence. You can Bandsaw circles free hand. If you want two of them the same diameter, you'll need a jig.

Hand tools are just as dependent on jigs. A corner chisel needs a guide to chisel a square mortise corner. Most cutting tools need help to perform their chosen task. Routers are the worst-case situation - they are simply dependent and reliant on support.

You might think that the key to getting control of the router are difficult. Instinctively, you would think a whirling tool enclosed in a metal case is not good for jigs and fixtures, but it is.

Commercial jigs are available, as some experts suggest. Can you make your own? If done properly, they are better than most commercial jigs and cost a whole lot less. You can improve the jig after building your first one. As this progression continues, your work improves. Often, you find more uses for the same jig.

The point is jigs help you become a quality woodworker. Moreover, your skills will increase as you make woodworking jigs!

A good woodworking jig allows quick set-ups, and efficient cuttings. With a superior jig, few mistakes are possible and not much skill is required for good results. Can you ask for more?

Some jigs take time to make. Once completed, you can use them repeatedly. This is an excellent reason to use first-rate materials and take time to align the pieces.

Let's discuss a couple of the woodworking jigs that you can make. These jigs are superior to Commercial Jigs.

Mortise Jig

Why bother with a mortise jig? The mortise and tenon is the joint of choice in furniture. The joint resists tension and twist, and work great in compression and shear. In addition, registration of your joint is perfect.

Some people use hand chisels or a drill press with hollow square chisels. For the most precise and repeatable mortises, you should consider a mortise jig. For a perfect fit, you want the tenon to fit the mortise exactly.

The Mortise Jig gives excellent results without giving away anything. The mortise and tenon joint will last for a lifetime. You can make mortises of nearly any length, width or depth. Moreover, they are repeatable for multiple cuts.

How does the mortise jig work?

The beauty of this system is simplicity.

The set up is quick.
The cuttings are efficient.
It supports the workpiece in all directions.
It locks in the router to remove only the mortise needed.
It is repeatable for several pieces, such as multiple drawers' cavities on each side of a desk.
It makes the joint uniform and strong.

Tenon Jig

A Tenon Jig is easy to make. It provides precise four-faced tenons of nearly any length and width. It has fewer parts than the Mortise Jig, yet is just as precise.

With a Tenon Jig, the cutting results are excellent, the process fast, and guaranteed safety. All that you need is a little patience to make a Tenon Jig. Along with the Mortise Jig, you can instantly have a mortise and tenon joint that fits snugly and aligns correctly.

Using these two woodworking jigs, you can craft precise mortise and tenon joints in less time than any other method. You get exact alignment for both parts. Can you ask for more?

You can build many woodworking jigs. Examples: Baby Crib Spindles Jig, Circle Cutting Jig, Edge Guides, Inlay Jig & Templates, Lapping Jig, Notching Jig, and Router Insert Plate Jig & Template, just to name a few.

You will gain confidence with making jigs. It gives you more versatility with your projects. With a little practice, you can't go wrong!

Have fun making Great Woodworking Jigs with safety in mind!

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