Table saw jigs, sleds, push sticks and other goodies.

[JustJim]

Yeah g'day,

I think this is going to be a thread where I put any sleds, jigs etc that I make for my table saw.

I don't intend to post 'step-by-step how-to' instructions because:-

• I am not in any way an expert, and
• There are probably a million YouTube videos out there that will provide instruction is as great a depth as you could wish.

I will, of course, answer any questions that anyone wants to ask.

I'll start a new post for each, er, device? Thingy?

[JustJim]

Here we go then.

The first item is called a kerfmaker. This is a totally stupid name, by the way. It is my saw blade that 'makes' a 'kerf'.

This device is used to cut out precise dados or rebates that will exactly accept another piece of wood.

It is therefore useful for cabinet casework, shelving and other related joinery.

For instructions to make one, or how to use it, either Google or search on YouTube for 'kerfmaker'. It is totally too late for me to get the name changed to "kerf-considerer" or similar!

The foolishly named 'kerfmaker'.

[JustJim]

Uno mas!

The second jig I made today is a combination of a hold-down jig, a tapering jig and a jointing jig.

Sounds complex, doesn't it?

Nah! It's just a leftover bit of 17mm film-faced plywood (I had to hunt for a bit with a square corner, otherwise it's a case of needing the jig to build the jig)!

A grid of 6mm holes is drilled and they are counter-bored at 10mm on the back face so as to keep the bolt heads from scratching the table saw bed.

A couple of blocks with the same 6mm holes and some plain blocks to keep the first blocks roughly level and we're away.

• cut tapers in table legs,
• joint rough sawn or recycled wood to get that initial straight edge so you can use the fence and/or crosscut sled.
• hold down odd shaped pieces where the rip fence, mitre guage, mitre sled or crosscut sled are no use.

Note that this jig does not have a runner to go in the mitre slot. It runs against the rip fence.

The very useful, multi-purpose plank of wood with holes in it.

The next post will be of my crosscut sled. It was built first, but I don't have any photos of it yet.

[Jason]

Good stuff @JustJim, many thanks for sharing. 

Perhaps for absolute beginners you could explain the purpose of a jig? And show what you have built with each?

Jason

[JustJim]

Still no photos of the crosscut sled but here is the latest high tech piece of kit for my table saw.

A block of wood. Actually it's two blocks of wood glued together and they're faced with two other thin bits of other sorts of wood!

It's a push-shoe or push-block. I find this type of instrument easier to use and feel that it gives more control of the main piece of wood being cut.

When cutting small or thin parts, it can act like a Gripper and control both the main work piece as well as the offcut.

And this one is not as low tech as it may first appear. It has built in magnets and an extra attachable face piece!

Push shoe. Two bits of wood glued together with two bits of masonite glued to them!

[JustJim]

I finally remembered to take some photos of the crosscut sled.

This is built up of 17mm film faced plywood with Tassie Ash hardwood runners.

Here is a view showing the runners.

Crosscut sled from below showing runners and the open safety box.And shots from the front and rear.

Crosscut sled from the front (the end away from the operator).

Crosscut sled from the rear or operator's end. Note the bright "No Hands Here" safety box.

 I use this sled the most of any of the table saw devices yet.The rear fence is squared using William Ng's five cut method and it is within tenths of a milimetre over it's length.

[JustJim]

Here is another jig that I made recently. This one does a similar job to the multifunction hold-down/tapering/jointing jig from earlier but is a dedicated jointing jig for taller and longer workpieces.

I got the idea from Neil on the terrific Pask Makes YouTube channel. Strangely he used film-faced plywood which I have been using a lot, but I recycled some ordinary plywood from an earlier project.

Face jointing jig sitting over the rip fence and with the sawblade embedded into it.

Face jointing jig rear view showing modifications I had to make to fit the lock of my rip fence.

[Bundaboy]

I generally make my jigs out of MDF, mainly because it, of all the sheet goods available, with the possible exception of melamine (my second most used material) is flat, straight, stable (under normal conditions) and because it is comparatively cheap.

HOWEVER, a couple of weeks ago I had cause to regret that as, for some crazy reason my "tin" shed occasionally develops it's own microclimate and rains :-(.

At least condensation on the ceiling (roof) drips down into the work area, this time straight onto my crosscut sled - RIP crosscut sled. Sigh...

Now if it had been made of form ply...

(I know better and I should have finished the sled with some kind of waterproof finish, but I am always time poor, sniff).