Project by hjt | posted 03-23-2013 12:15 AM | 12934 views | 17 times favorited | 20 comments | ![]() |
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As I often say, “I get excited when I cut a straight line!” Achieving this with a circular saw can be a challenge, especial when one is just starting out making saw dust.
Wish I could take credit for this idea, but whoever designed it was a genius. I first saw this in some wood working magazine I got from Home Depot. I later searched LJ to see if anyone had improved upon the idea and one fellow had.
While I don’t have any photos of me making this guide or jig, the process is simple. Get a flat, wide, solid board to use as the base. Attach a strip of wood to the base. This will be the guide that the saws rides against. Now set the base of your saw against the wood strip and rip the board. When done, the saw blade will be right on the edge of the board with the base right up to the wood strip. (Hope this makes sence)
Now here it is “in action.”
Measure – 20 1/2
Position the guide – line the edge of the guild right up to your mark.
Cuts. No clamps!!!
20 1/2 YES!! Smile.
Clamps always got in my way, and our fellow LJ from Ireland came up with the idea of using “carpet stay.” And believe me, it works. My neighbor (Roger) who is an incredible carpenter, was amazed that the padding sticks so well.
I’m going to rebuild this soon and change two features. First I’m going to use ¼ inch hardy board instead the ¾ inch board I now have. This will achieve two things, it will make it lighter and secondly, the thinner base will allow me to cut thicker wood. While I don’t often trim doors, my present guild just barely cut the door edge.
The second thing is that I’ll make it wider so that I can use clamps when needed. In these photos, since the guild was so much longer then the piece I was cutting, it would have been nice to have it clamped down just for the added security. But as you can see, the cut was dead on. Gotta like that!
-- Harold
20 comments so far
RonInOhio
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721 posts in 4358 days
#1 posted 03-23-2013 12:35 AM
These are really must-have jigs. Especially without a table saw. Thanks for
sharing.
Oldtool
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3539 posts in 3685 days
#2 posted 03-23-2013 01:25 AM
Yep, I agree, this is a very good ” jig” to have. The accuracy and simplicity of it is amazing. I wish I had learned about it earlier than I did, after spending daaaaaaays attempting to build a set of built-in shelves. Better late than never, I guess.
-- "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The point is to bring them the real facts." - Abraham Lincoln
mxrdrver
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38 posts in 4156 days
#3 posted 03-23-2013 01:32 AM
Dude…I think you re-invented the wheel
BigDaddyO
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136 posts in 4271 days
#4 posted 03-23-2013 01:33 AM
I have been using one of those for years but I never thought to put on the no-slip padding underneath. I always just clamped it. Next time I get it down to use i’ll put one on to see how it works. Thanks!
-- www.bigdaddyoworkshop.com
Woodwrecker
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4240 posts in 5070 days
#5 posted 03-23-2013 01:48 AM
Really nice man !
That came out sweet !
And that no-slip padding is smart !
SebringDon
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95 posts in 3434 days
#6 posted 03-23-2013 01:58 AM
The non-stick padding is genius! I’ve got several of these tracks in different lengths up to 8’, and I also built a crosscut sled for cutting smaller stuff, all the way up to 21” in the short dimension. I mostly use the tracks to break down sheet goods to get them down to crosscut sled size, then use the sled for the rest. I can’t wait to try the non-skid in the crosscut jig.
-- Don
hjt
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906 posts in 4632 days
#7 posted 03-23-2013 02:19 AM
Thanks for the comments follow LJ’s
-- Harold
Jeremy Greiner
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568 posts in 4266 days
#8 posted 03-23-2013 02:21 AM
HJT I made one of these after seeing it on Woodsmith shop, I loved it for breaking down sheet goods. Now that I’m currently staying with family and all my tools are packed away I made another one of those for my dad’s circular saw that I’m borrowing so I can make a small work bench to tinker with.
It’s really a must have for anyone with a circular saw.
-jeremy
-- Easy to use end grain cutting board designer: http://www.1024studios.com/cuttingboard.html
Ken90712
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18123 posts in 4683 days
#9 posted 03-23-2013 11:03 AM
Nice Jog, I have a 8 and a 4 footer. The padding seems to be a good idea. I’ll have to give that a try! Thx
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
Thinman
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44 posts in 4852 days
#10 posted 03-23-2013 12:48 PM
Nice jig Harold. I use mine so much that I made one for my router too. Perfect dadoes every time!
-- Jeff
Mauricio
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7170 posts in 4645 days
#11 posted 03-23-2013 02:00 PM
HJT I have one of these to but have used clamps to secure it which is not convenient.
I like the nonslip stuff but my question is this. Does the small gap between the plywood and the guide created by the pad leave room for tearout? One of the advantages of my guide is that it eliminates tearout of the plywood.
From your pictures It looks like a pretty clean edge though so I’m going to have to add some of that stuff to my guide.
-- Mauricio - Woodstock, GA - "Confusion is the Womb of Learning, with utter conviction being it's Tomb" Prof. T.O. Nitsch
scrollsaw
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#12 posted 03-23-2013 06:54 PM
Very nice thanks for shareing
-- Todd
Chris McDowell
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645 posts in 3647 days
#13 posted 03-23-2013 10:47 PM
Nice. I first saw this on Fine Woodworking’s “Getting Started in Woodworking” video series.
-- Chris, http://www.youtube.com/CMRwoodworks , FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/cmrwoodworks1 , Proverbs 16:9
Shawn Masterson
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1325 posts in 3442 days
#14 posted 03-24-2013 12:28 AM
these are great jigs to have. the only thing is, it is best to make it with sheet goods(plywood or masonite). this will help keep it straight, where as solid wood has a tendency to pull and warp-twist with time and moisture. sheet goods are way more stable.
hjt
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906 posts in 4632 days
#15 posted 03-24-2013 03:24 AM
Thinman – I’ve just got a router (made a simple router table at this point, but will have to look into a jig for it. Have you posted your router jig? If not, i’d like to encourage you to do so and then we can all see what you have created.
Mauricio – I’ve seen no, tear out at all. Nice clean STRAIGHT cuts. Basically… a thing of beauty!
Shawn – I”ve not noticed any issue with wrapage and I’ve had this one for over a year (just a tad slow on posting). However, i do plan to remake it and will use hardy board. I’ll post that when I do, so make me a buddy :~) and stay turned.
-- Harold
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