| Project by Sawdustonmyshoulder | posted 146 days ago | 1402 views | 13 times favorited | 11 comments |  |
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I always wanted to a jig for making loose or slip-tenon mortises and I didn’t have $800 laying around for one, so like true a Lumberjock, I set out to make one.
I wanted a jig for production work so I tried to make the jig easy to use and incorporate features that make repeatable cuts. I didn’t want a lot of c-clamps or a multitude of tedious alignments.
After much research on Lumberjocks and YouTube, I came up with my version. I won’t say “my design” because I really didn’t design it. I found Kent Shepard’s jig on LJ (http://lumberjocks.com/projects/17529) and I really liked the way he designed the front bar to hold the stile (horizontally) but I couldn’t see how he held the rail (vertically). I also liked the way Kent’s jig held the stile without a c-clamp. I also like Kent’s design of the part that limits the length of the mortise and I have to confess, I was too lazy to incorporate this design, so I had to look elsewhere for inspiration for the “router sled”.
The basic design for the “router sled” came from a YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4r6L4b2PE8). The only change I made to this design was to have my rail fixed and make adjustments from the top side of the sled with slots and knobs.
I guess the only things I can claim as mine (they are mine because I haven’t run across them in my research, fair enough?) are: (1) the blocks on the front of the jig to aid in holding the horizontal bar in place while it clamps the rails and also serving as stops to square the rail to the top of the jig. These blocks are adjustable with slots cut in the front of the jig. (2) the grooves cut in the router sled to align the router bit with the center of the mortise.
The basic materials used are 3/4” birch plywood, 1” Red Oak, black walnut runner, 3 – 5/16 knobs, 5 – 1/4” knobs, 2 – 1/4” thumbscrews, dual track from Rockler, plastic cutting board, rubber washers, several carriage bolts and pocket screws.
Thanks for viewing my latest project.
-- Makin' Sawdust!!!
11 comments so far
a1Jim
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16577 posts in 469 days
posted 146 days ago
thats a beauty well done
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
Christopher
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563 posts in 812 days
posted 146 days ago
Very nice. I will email you my address and you can mail it here first thing Monday! Can you give a quick rundown on how it works?
-- "That Government is Best that Governs The Least."-Jefferson
Karson
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25794 posts in 1292 days
posted 146 days ago
A great designed jig. Very nice.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
jockmike2
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7297 posts in 1138 days
posted 146 days ago
Great looking jig. Looks like it will work like a dream.
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
DaveR
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1516 posts in 612 days
posted 145 days ago
Nice. Do you find much flex in the cutting board as you plunge the router?
-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.
Sawdustonmyshoulder
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168 posts in 520 days
posted 145 days ago
Thanks all for you kind remarks and questions.
Christopher, I am going to work on a blog for instruction on use. May be fun making a video. Wow, I could be a video star!!! Not likely. Let me work on some refinements before I release it to the public.
DaveR, the cutting board doesn’t flex when I plunge. I guess because the cut is supported by the work piece and the router is positioned on the “sled” so the left knob (plunge lever) are over the jig table and not hanging out over the work piece. I usually put just a little more pressure on the left knob. I could add a couple of L-shaped additions to the horizontal bar to run up to the top edge of the work piece to add support. Got to buy more knobs.
I did initially put a washer on the trailing edge of the hardwood runner to catch in the T-slot of the track but I removed it after running into the fact that once the limiting washer was positioned, I couldn’t remove the router from the jig.
-- Makin' Sawdust!!!
jim1953
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1598 posts in 734 days
posted 145 days ago
Nice Jig
-- Jim, Kentucky
Kent Shepherd
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805 posts in 178 days
posted 145 days ago
Great job——Nice improvements
By the way, I don’t use mine for the the rail. I use a tenoning jig on my table saw.
I like the way you incorporated that into you jig. I bet everything works well. Very good build.
I flattered you use my concept.——-Thanks
-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!
Splinterman
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4827 posts in 253 days
posted 145 days ago
Now that is a nice jig…..well done.
-- I will just keep doing it till I get it right.
Richard44
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10 posts in 274 days
posted 144 days ago
My next project.. thanks for the info
Bruiser
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2 posts in 178 days
posted 144 days ago
Nice Jig, looking forward to your video an would like to see sa plan if possible