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Homemade Woodworking
 
Jigs/Fixtures and Tools
  (Clicking on the small images will enlarge them.)
   
 

Table Saw Jigs and Fixtures
  • My homemade spline jig for the table saw. 
  • Great for making picture frames.
  • The base of the jig rides against the table saw fence.
   
  • A sliding cross-cut sled for the table saw.  I realized I needed one of these after watching David Marks on tv. 
   
  • Tenon jig.  Rides against the table saw fence.  Works like a charm.  This jig rarely gets used anymore.  I mostly use floating or loose tenons for all my projects.
   
  • Split fence for the router table.  Once loosened, the left and right side of the fence can slide to adjust the size of the opening. The fence is attached to the table saw fence.
   
   
Evolution of a Mortise Fixture
  • Mortise fixture 1.0
  • This jig is used to make loose tenon joinery with my plunge router (Porter Cable,  PC-8529) and an edge guide.

 

  
  • I use an carbide up-cut spiral bit and an edge guide on the router.

 

  
  • Mortise fixture 2.0
  • I added a toggle clamp and a fence.

 

  
  • Mortise fixture 3.0
  • I added a top support from 3/4" plywood with a 3/4" slot routed in.

 

  
  • Pictures to the left show the jig with a walnut board clamped in place.

 

  
  • 7/14/09 Mortise fixture 4.0
  • I made the face longer and added an adjustable stop on both sides of the face.
  • This thing keeps getting better and better.
  • Check out this fixture in action here (look for the video titled :'floating tenons').

 

  

 

  

Planer/Jointer Blade Sharpening Jig
  • Home-made planer/jointer knife sharpening jig.  Made from a piece of maple that was face jointed and edge jointed.  Metal mending clips were bent and are used to hold the knife in place.  Two small brads are used to consistently position the knife from the front edge of the jig.
  • A bevel adjustment bar allows for easy adjustment of the bevel angle.
  • I used a router bearing for a wheel that rides on the sandpaper much easier.
  • See a video of this Jig in action.

 

  
  • Wet sand paper is used to sharpen the knife by moving forward and backward in small movements. 
  • In this picture I have a 12" planer knife in the jig.  It can also hold my 6" jointer knives.

 

  
 
  • In order to position the two brads which serve as stops for the knives, use a marking gauge to scribe a line down the length of the jig (distance to the front of the jig depends on the width of your knives). Place the small brads in the groove of the scribe line and nail them in with a tack hammer. This way they are both positioned the same distance from the front of the jig and your knives will be positioned correctly.
     

Table Saw and Jointer Fence Alignment Jig
  • Homemade alignment tool used to set fences and saw blades to 90° quickly and accurately.  (Also check out my review of the TS-Aligner Jr.)
  • The small nails (or screws) prevent the jig from rocking forward and backward during use.
  • To see a video of this jig in action go here.

 

  
  • The tool is first zeroed using a 90° reference.  Use a good quality square on a flat surface (granite surface plate or your table saw top will work here) to zero the tool.

 

  

 

  
  • Once the tool is zeroed, I can quickly and accurately set the table saw blade to 90°.
  • The main advantage to using this jig is SPEED.  Accuracy just comes along for the ride.
  • If you use a square to align the blade, you need to bend over in front of the saw and squint for light in between the blade and the square or use feeler gauges (either way this method is a PITA).
  • (UNPLUG your table saw BEFORE aligning your blade)

 

  
  • In this picture I am setting my jointer fence to 90°.
  • I have since replaced the ugly nails with small screws!
  • Very subtle movements in the angle of the blade produce huge movements in the dial (very sensitive).
     
     
 
     
   
   
Do you have any jig comments/suggestions/questions?

1-5 of 8 Comments
Subject: cross cut sled

Could you tell me the dimensions of your cross cut sled and what materials you used. I really enjoy your web site.

 by Dennis Scott – Trenton Ohio
January 30, 2010 - 12:08PM
Reply to Dennis Scott
Subject: Re: cross cut sled

The sled is made from 1/4" thick hardboard and is 24" deep by 42" wide. The fence is made from scrap cherry that is 1.25" thick. There are two runners underneath that are glued and screwed in place from the top (counter sunk). I use a neat trick to square the fence shown here. Let me know if you need any help getting yours set-up. Thanks for stopping by!

-Brian

 by GarageWoodworks – NC
January 30, 2010 - 01:51PM
Subject: An Adjustable Table Saw Taper Fixture

I have a question about cutting accurate tapers in 2x4 - 2 x 12s.
I'm an ex-machinist working as a frustrated carpenter for a sloppy employer.
My standards for accuracy don't seem to apply or matter.
After months of accumulated errors and sloppy workmanship, I'm now spending time cutting tapered furring strips to bring the soffit area onto an even plane.
So...I freehand a board on a table saw or a skilsaw cutting to a chock line.
It works, kinda sorta .... dangerous too but I'm not happy with the results.
I'm looking to make a fixture that will allow me to cut a taper in a 2 x 4 with accuracy and repeatability.
I'd like to be able to cut an 8' board say....1 1/2" down to nothing.
Consistently.
Any ideas?

Chuck

 by Chuck Gallup – Tonasket, WA
January 19, 2010 - 11:08PM
Reply to Chuck Gallup
Subject: Re: An Adjustable Table Saw Taper Fixture

I have no experience cutting tapers on stock that long, however when I do cut them I use a commercial jig shown here. It will be next to impossible to use this same jig for the length of board you are trying to taper. I would make a jig similar to the one shown here. This way you could make the jig the entire length of the stock you are tapering. It rides against the fence like the one I use and should give you the repeatability you are looking for.

Hope this helps.
-Brian

 by GarageWoodworks – NC
January 19, 2010 - 11:31PM
Reply to Chuck Gallup
Subject: Re: An Adjustable Table Saw Taper Fixture

A guided circular saw will accomplish this task easily. I recently cut 18 - 8ft. sleepers exactly as you described. I used them to level a sloped garage floor and topped them with tongue and ply.

I used the Festool track saw system. I laid the aluminum track on eight foot 2x4's and tapered them from 1" to 2" at the other end. You can accomplish the same thing by building a saw guide from masonite or mdf and use and use and ordinary circular saw (this will save about $500- 600 over the festool system).

 by Trent – Houston
February 02, 2010 - 07:15PM
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