Woodworking Jigs

One of the advantages of woodworking jigs is that you can make them yourself. The time you take to build these is well-spent, since you'll find they come in handy again and again.

Jigs for the Circular Saw

Some woodworking jigs are convenient if you don't have access to a table saw. Skilled tradesmen often use these in the field. For one type, you'll need a sheet of melamine or medium-density fiberboard for a straight edge.

Cut one piece 12" x 24" and another into a 12" x 2" strip. The strip gets attached to the rectangular piece with screws at 6" from the edge, leaving 18" on the other side. Next, cut the board using the strip as a straight edge.

Now you can clamp this jig onto any stock you wish to cut using the same process for either cross-cutting or panels. You just need to line up the edge on your mark for the cut.

Another version of this woodworking jig is fairly straightforward. You could just clamp a straight edge on your piece the distance from the blade to the edge of the guide on your circular saw and line it up on your cut mark. Or, you can make a jig the width of that distance from the blade to the edge of the saw.

If you use this jig as a guide you can clamp your straight edge into place and make the cut, keeping the saw firmly against the straight edge. By using this method, you can make different size cuts easily without having to measure that distance from the blade to the edge of your saw guide each time.

Other Commonly Used Woodworking Jigs

A featherboard is a type of woodworking jig that can assist you in using your table saw or router table. This can be purchased or you can make your own. Begin with a ¾" stock and cut down to somewhere between 12-18" in length and 5-6" wide. Next, cut one end 30 degrees. Using a bevel, mark a line three inches in from the mitered end of the board to serve as a stop line.

Setting the fence of your table saw at 1/4", run the board through the saw to the stop, and then pull the board back. Move the fence 3/8" more away from the blade and make another cut parallel to the first. The width of the board is cut into "fingers" that can hold your stock to be cut.

The short side of the featherboard should always be toward you to prevent binding. You can use two featherboards, clamped in position to allow smooth flow of stock, but also securing the piece.

Some projects need circular wood pieces cut with a band saw. You can make a simple and accurate circle cutting jig for these. Louver jigs are also simple to construct if you want to put these in closet or partition doors.

Woodworking jigs can greatly facilitate your projects, as well as making you safer. Many of these can be built safely in your shop, but there are also several varieties that can be bought.

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