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After I made the small centering gage last week I decided yesterday that I could use a larger one as well for drawers and the odd cut on plywood .
I picked up a package of 1/4" brass threaded inserts from Lee valley tools last week as well as a knurled set screw to hold the pencil in place.

I had a piece of mahogany lying about that had the height and width i needed so I cleaned it up with my fore plane and proceeded to mark the stick out to recieve the inserts and hole for the pencil

The centering of the inserts was easy using the drill press and a fence to line things up on the center mark from my smaller gage.
To make sure the hole were equidistant from the center I used stop on the fence and drilled the first hole them fiipped the stick round and dropped in it's mate.
the layout took about 15 minutes because I wanted to check everyting but the actual drilliing was only about 5 minutes.

Here's another shot showing how I made the centering pins from some 2-1/2" bolts with the heads sawed off.
I was going to use brass rod for the pins but the Borg needs $18.50 for three feet of 1/4".

What they don't know will kill them.

I layed out the top curve with a french curve and ran it through the bandsaw.

It took about an hour and half of piddling and about 20 mins actual work to make this.

Question… Am i anal enough to put a finish on it?

p.s. The complete project is in shopnotes VOl 15 issue 86 page 24…

Cheers Bob

Gallery

Comments

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6,840 Posts
Bob, you are the jigmaster!

And to loosely borrow from your signature line… A jig, like its owner, should be unfinished. :)
 

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Very nice. You will be reaching for this tool a lot. Any thoughts on how to build one for a router?

p.s. I would!
 

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Thanks Charlie.
I find these type of things take the pain out of measuring which incidently, is my Achilles heel.

Peter.
If you are thinking about centering groove for mortices and the like I just mark them and pray.<g>
Norm NYWS runs his grooves by reversing the stock for the second pass.
If the stock is nominal I often use key stock to set the cutters.

cheers

Bob
 

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690 Posts
Bob,

Another great jig! It really pays in the long run to spend a little extra time making things like this to speed up the work and increase our accuracy. Plus, these kinds of projects are just plain fun to make.
 

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I made one of the smaller marking jigs myself yesterday, but do you think I could find a drill the same size as the pencils I have????? NO!!!!!! Either need some different pencils or a wider variety of drills…..
 

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Hi Max.

That drill you haven't got is a 9/32" .
If you have a 1/4 with a wobble you may be in business. <g>

p.s. I bought a real cheap set of brad points at the wood show last year and they are awful but at least I hve some weird sizes. (around $25.00 for about 30 sizes)
I have decent one for the common sizes from Lee Valley but the whole set is a killer for a hobby guy like me.

Bob
 

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Bob,

Your right that is the one that I don't have…. I'll have to check at my Dad's place to see if he happens to have one, if not I will have to buy one… Thanks for the size information I appreciate it.
 

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Never thought of using one of these to find the center of a drawer face. Would be great for locating the handles and pulls.
 

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Bob. Red paint would look good on it. Just be careful dragging it across your board. You might leave some paint.

Great design. I like it. and centering a drawer front is a good use for it.
 

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Dadoo these little one hour projects end up saving time and materials.
I don't know how many times I have measure center inb both ends of a board and ended up out by 1/8"
I can run these divider from bott ends and cut in the middle of the lines at the very worst.
p.s. I still find center that way with my finger and thumb for rough carpentry..

Karson, with the way I lose stuff, red may be the right colour.

Bob
 

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I don't know now I missed this! Great Bob. You may want to chain it to your bench though…it's Thursday, you only have two more days to live in the joy, bliss and serenity that comes with NOT knowing me face to face!
 

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i can't wait Tom. Were going to have fun!

p.s. I have a chicken guarding this thing of beauty! :p

Bob
 

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Bob, when Tom leaves check for CTS conduits (Cyber Tool Share black holes) hidden around your shop!!
 

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phew.. I can sleep soundly tonight! lol
or is that "cluck-cluck-cluck"
 

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Thanks for the detailed write up & photo's. I have been thinking about builiding something similar; however, your design trumps mine.
 

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Thanks Chris.
It's not my design but I wanted to share this as another way to make woodworking fun and perhaps less rocky than It was for me.
 

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Hope you don't mind but i added all your jigs to my favorites.

i have no problems with having others use their brains to my benifit.

thankyou very much
 

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Dannymac, I'm happy to share these with you and delighted with your confidnce in me.

Cheers
Bob
 
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