Workshop Jigs

Cutting on-the-money rabbets for half-lap joints with a portable circular saw and handheld router is a breeze with this two-in-one jig. Perfect for those who want great joinery but do not have a tablesaw to accomplish it.

Taper jigs do not get much more basic than this hold-down taper jig. Build the plywood base and hardwood hold downs. Then, mark the angled cut line(s) on your workpiece. Position the rip fence so the ...

Mount your router to this simple-to-build jig, and guide it arrow-straight down the workpiece to rout flutes with dead-on precision.

Sand perfect round-end cutouts on your drill press or spindle sander. When forming cutouts like those used in handle pulls, the cutout edges must be sanded. To get consistent results, here is a simple guide you can make in a hurry. You can make one to fit any size sanding drum.

Without a special clamp, gluing up a mitered frame can be an exercise in frustration. When gluing up numerous frames in the shop, we created these simple glue-up jigs. You can make your own to fit any size frame. For the woodworker working alone, these clamping frames are a must.

You could wrestle the top onto your drill-press table, support it with outfeed stands, and bore the outside rows of holes. But what about the inside rows? They are beyond the reach of most drill presses. No problem. Bore clean, perpendicular holes in a benchtop, or any other large surface, where your drill press will not reach.

Some woodworkers agonize over cutting accurate miter joints, because even a fraction of a degree of misalignment leaves unsightly gaps. But you need not fret about getting the angle right the first time with perfecting it on the second try is fast and easy using this adjustable shooting board.

This seven pack of plans will help you get the most use out of your tablesaw. First is the Precision Miter Stop which you can make in minutes and use as a lifetime addition to your shop. Next is the T...

We tested several prototypes before settling on this L-shaped table coupled with a pair of firm fences and hold-down clamps. This setup will allow you to perform numerous machining processes with impr...

With a large worksurface, an adjustable fence and stop, and storage space, this will be the last drill press table you will ever need. Plus it doubles as a drum sanding station with replaceable inserts and a built-in shop vacuum hookup. The cutting diagrams and materials list are available to download in this Online Extra.

If you do not have a store-bought tapering jig for your tablesaw, you easily can make one from scrap to safely and accurately cut tapers on legs and other angled workpieces. Here is an easy way to make repeatable angled rip cuts.

Nailing or assembling drawer boxes together often proves frustrating when trying to steady wobbly parts while keeping them aligned. This clamping aid adds stability to this ungainly process, and makes quick and accurate work of securely and squarely supporting the pieces when assembling drawer boxes.

For cutting long or wide stock on your tablesaw, this simple jig is like having another pair of hands. With a long, wide base securely anchored to a 20 inch long miter gauge slot guide bar, this crosscut sled provides a lot more workpiece support than a standard miter gauge. And it is so inexpensive and easy to build that every tablesaw should have one.

With shop scraps, a router bit, and a pair of bolts, you will have this shop helper up and running in minutes. This extension gives you control when crosscutting and backs up cuts to prevent grain tearout. Simply clamp a stopblock to it for accurate repeat cuts or to control the length of a tenon or lap joint.

The jig plan guarantees your success! If you have shied away from mortise-and-tenon joinery because it sounds too complicated, take heart. With our tenoning jig and a little practice, you can turn out...

If you have ever assembled a picture frame, you know the difficulties of creating seamless miters and a flat glue-up. Sometimes numerous clamps and an extra set of hands do not seem to be enough. Solve the problem with this adjustable frame jig.

The most useful tool in our shop is the tablesaw. Here is a simple-to-build jig that makes cutting chip-free crosscuts a breeze.

Hold small parts securely, safely, and dead-square to the blade for clean and super-accurate cuts on your tablesaw.

There are numerous jigs and upgrade devices available for tablesaws. Many seem overly complex to build or too expensive to buy. But the tablesaw jigs shown here, designed by Zane Powel of Indianapolis, take a different approach, being easy to construct and still easier to use. They include a box-joint sled, a thin-strip ripper, and a complementary pair of tenon-making jigs. With 15 years experience as a cabinetmaker and another 11 years as a woodworking instructor, Zane has learned to cut through complexity and get maximum results while minimizing his building time and material cost. Build one or more of these jigs to make your saw work harder.

Here are a collection of 10 great woodworking jigs proven to be useful in the workshop. They include: V-Block Jig for making splined corner joints, Circle-Cutting Jig for the perfect circle, Palm-Sand...

Looking to take your bandsaw to a whole new level of performance and versatility? Here is your chance. After you build the table, contruct the jigs included with the plan, and then see our section -Put Your Bandsaw to Work- starting on page 19 for tips on putting the system to work in your shop. The three jigs included are: tapering jig, duplicating jig, and feather board/single-point fence.

Tight-fitting joints are a snap on any saw when using this sturdy but adjustable jig. Use it to cut tenons, half-laps, and bridle joints.

Transfer hinge locations from door to carcase with marksman-like accuracy.

A sanding drum makes quick work of smoothing an edge profile rough-cut with a jig saw. You might think you need a drill press or spindle sander to keep the sanded edges square to the surface, but a corded electric drill, shop scraps, a few dollars worth of hardware, and a set of inexpensive sanding drums will do the trick too.

Are you ready for on-the-money miters? Once you build this little beauty, you can rest assured that your miters will always match up.

A simple design for a special task.

Learn how to make a disc-sander circle jig that helps you make circles without holes for your next woodworking project.

Improve the accuracy of your tablesaw with this zero-clearance jig.

Are you ready for on-the-money miters? Here is the solution.

Here is a reliable way to rip straight edges onto ragged-edge boards.