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A larger centering jig for wider stock

Project by Bob #2 posted 259 days ago 447 views 2 times favorited 17 comments Add to Favorites
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Bob #2

1635 posts in 412 days


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 A larger centering jig for wider stock No-picture-s No-picture-s Click the pictures to enlarge them

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
centering-gage1

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.

centering-guage-2

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. <g>

centering-guage-4-
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

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner


17 comments so far

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

3538 posts in 609 days


posted 259 days ago

Bob, you are the jigmaster!

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

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View Peter O's profile

Peter O

624 posts in 265 days


posted 259 days ago

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!

-- What exactly is "The Move" and who are you calling a "Quirky Jerk"? -- http://www.north40custom.com

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

1635 posts in 412 days


posted 259 days ago

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

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View TomFran's profile

TomFran

2333 posts in 385 days


posted 259 days ago

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.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Max's profile

Max

4905 posts in 664 days


posted 259 days ago

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…..

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

1635 posts in 412 days


posted 259 days ago

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

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View Max's profile

Max

4905 posts in 664 days


posted 259 days ago

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.

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1398 posts in 381 days


posted 258 days ago

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

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

View Karson's profile

Karson

11555 posts in 791 days


posted 258 days ago

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.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

1635 posts in 412 days


posted 258 days ago

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

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View mot's profile

mot

4831 posts in 427 days


posted 257 days ago

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!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

1635 posts in 412 days


posted 257 days ago

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

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

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

10984 posts in 551 days


posted 257 days ago

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

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

1635 posts in 412 days


posted 257 days ago

Don’t worry Deb, I have my sandbox under surveilence with one of the best!

bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

10984 posts in 551 days


posted 257 days ago

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

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Chris 's profile

Chris

913 posts in 382 days


posted 253 days ago

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

-- Chris

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

1635 posts in 412 days


posted 253 days ago

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.

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

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