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appropriate way to secure small workpiece for jig saw?

6K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  Chubbz 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I hope this is the right forum for my question.

I am making a feather board for my table saw using the design described here: http://www.table-saw-guide.com/featherboard.html

I do not have a router and so am going to drill holes and use my jig saw to cut the slots that allow the mitre slot runner to expand and the board itself to be repositioned.

My question: what's the correct way to secure a small workpiece while I cut with my jig saw? Do I need some kind of table under which to invert the saw (like a router table) or is there some other way that I could securely hold this 3/4" wide strip and have clearance underneath for the saw blade?

Thank you
 
#2 ·
A piece of 3/4 ply with a 3/4" u shaped hole in one end. Maybe 8" wide, a foot or so long. Clamp to a table or workbench with the U opening extending out from the end and clamp the workpiece to it. It will support the jigsaw while you cut the slots.

Why won't the procedure given in the article you linked work for you?
 
#3 ·
A piece of 3/4 ply with a 3/4" u shaped hole in one end. Maybe 8" wide, a foot or so long. Clamp to a table or workbench with the U opening extending out from the end and clamp the workpiece to it. It will support the jigsaw while you cut the slots.
That sounds good, though there's still a bit of a bootstrapping problem. I guess I'll drill a hole at the U-end and then make dado cuts on the table saw.

Why won t the procedure given in the article you linked work for you?

- brtech
Did you mean the router approach? I don't own one (yet). Did I overlook a solution to the jigsawing part? I looked again and still don't see but am happy to be wrong.

Thank you for your help.
Eric
 
#4 ·
Use the jigsaw right side up. To do that, you support the workpiece over the edge of a table. To do that, use a piece of plywood. But the blade will stick into that plywood, so cut a slot on the end of it that allows the blade to pass through. Clamp the plywood to a table or workbench so it sticks out far enough to make the cut. Clamp the workpiece to the plywood and that should allow you to use the jigsaw right side up.

Cutting it on a table saw is probably easier tho. Line up the cut with the blade all the way down. Turn on the saw and start raising the blade (the same way you would cut the opening in a Zero Clearance Insert). You will have to clean up the ends with a drill, or maybe just a small file, or maybe drill the ends before you start the cut. You might need to do it in two passes to get the width.
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
Cutting it on a table saw is probably easier tho. Line up the cut with the blade all the way down. Turn on the saw and start raising the blade (the same way you would cut the opening in a Zero Clearance Insert). You will have to clean up the ends with a drill, or maybe just a small file, or maybe drill the ends before you start the cut. You might need to do it in two passes to get the width.

- brtech
This is the way I would probably cut the runners as well. Clamp a longer piece over top the runner end to end on the table saw, long enough to be able to clamp this piece down on top of the runner piece. Would be best to have pieces the same thickness as your runner so your runner piece is "sandwiched" down. Would even put a piece in front and behind. This way the blade could not eject the smaller runner out.

Lol hopefully me explanation was helpful. Basically what brtech said… the same way you would cut the opening in a zero clearance insert.

Edit:
This would require you to have a zero clearance insert on your table saw. If you don't i would highly recommend one! Very useful and safer.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
Sounds like some of you are trying to find more difficult ways to do it, rather than easier :)

I'd use my scroll saw (and have done just that many times), but since you probably don't have one, the jig saw would work just as good. Drill a hole in the middle for your screw first. Then, the easiest way IMO would be just holding it in a bench vice to cut the slots. If you can't do both slots in one pass, do half, flip it around and do the other half. Could also be done the same way by clamping it on a table so it sticks out half way over the end - cut one half, flip, cut the other half.

Here is an example of one of mine (using it for a thin-rip jig):

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Wood stain


The holes at the end of the slots are not really needed, but might help with preventing splitting. The wider slots on the feather board can be done the same way, but drill the two end holes first and cut between them.

Cheers,
Brad
 

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#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
Sounds like some of you are trying to find more difficult ways to do it, rather than easier :)

I d use my scroll saw (and have done just that many times), but since you probably don t have one, the jig saw would work just as good. Drill a hole in the middle for your screw first. Then, the easiest way IMO would be just holding it in a bench vice to cut the slots. If you can t do both slots in one pass, do half, flip it around and do the other half. Could also be done the same way by clamping it on a table so it sticks out half way over the end - cut one half, flip, cut the other half.

Here is an example of one of mine (using it for a thin-rip jig):

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Wood stain


The holes at the end of the slots are not really needed, but might help with preventing splitting. The wider slots on the feather board can be done the same way, but drill the two end holes first and cut between them.

Cheers,
Brad

- MrUnix
This was my first instinct but thought OP tried this with little success or saw it as dangerous.

Not to steal your thread here leftcoaster, but your thin rip jig is ingenious MrUnix. I really like the bearing on the one side. Is there a thread here that explains it i'm very intrigued in how it works.
 

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#8 ·
Make the cut on a wider piece of wood, say 6" wide. Drill the holes and lay out the cut along one edge. Secure it to your work bench with the side that has the slot to be cut hanging off the bench. Make the the cut w/ a jig saw. Then rip it to final width on the table saw.
 
#9 ·
Make the cut on a wider piece of wood, say 6" wide. Drill the holes and lay out the cut along one edge. Secure it to your work bench with the side that has the slot to be cut hanging off the bench. Make the the cut w/ a jig saw. Then rip it to final width on the table saw.
 
#10 ·
Not to steal your thread here leftcoaster, but your thin rip jig is ingenious MrUnix. I really like the bearing on the one side. Is there a thread here that explains it i'm very intrigued in how it works.
- Chubbz
I don't have anything written up on it… but a quick google search will turn up all sorts of info on thin rip jigs and how they are used. The one I made was just some scrap wood and an old bearing I pulled out of my old bearing box (I keep all the old ones I replace for just such things!).

Cheers,
Brad
 
#11 ·
Not to steal your thread here leftcoaster, but your thin rip jig is ingenious MrUnix. I really like the bearing on the one side. Is there a thread here that explains it i m very intrigued in how it works.
- Chubbz

I don t have anything written up on it… but a quick google search will turn up all sorts of info on thin rip jigs and how they are used. The one I made was just some scrap wood and an old bearing I pulled out of my old bearing box (I keep all the old ones I replace for just such things!).

Cheers,
Brad

- MrUnix
Yeah, i ended up googling it. As i am new in the hobby (and an engineer) it really struck me as a good idea.
 
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