# novice: my first jig!



## joetab24 (Aug 15, 2010)

so glad I found this site:thumbsup:

don't have many tools, but I now know that some good jigs and a circular saw can take me a long way.


watched a video that I found referenced on this site.


I quickly went to my basement to see if I had some scraps that I could use to make a cross cut jig. I can do better with the wood I use, but I wanted to try. the 1 X 3 has a straight edge on one side, not the other.


I still need to cut the cleat off.



























in the last pic above, the square looses contact slightly with the vertical piece. it's perfect on the left side, where the straight edge is.











i get real anal when learning something new. am i on the right track?


porch project


----------



## MastersHand (Nov 28, 2010)

Attach a piece of 1/4 to under side of your 3/4. Make it wider than the distance from the edge of your saw to the blade. Take circular saw and run it along straight edge cutting off the excess 1/4". Now you have a jig that you can simply set on the board you want to cut and line up the 1/4 " with the line you want to cut and the saw will cut exactly to the edge of the jig


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Agreed*

Except replace that gnarly 1 x 3 with something better, :thumbsup: then use the 1/4" masonite under the long leg. A little wider, like he said then when you make your first cut, the exact width will remain and you can line it up on your cut line, like he said.  bill


----------



## joetab24 (Aug 15, 2010)

that is a pretty crappy 1 X 3 ??


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

My suggestion is to make one from plywood, as it would be more stable. If you arrange the configuration (where the cut line will be) as it is drawn, your hand won't be in the way of the saw when passing through the cut. The jig's support is from where you are cutting, not at the backside.
.




















 









.


----------



## A_Sailor (Jun 17, 2009)

I agree with using plywood. 

It's probably cheaper than your 1x3 and like another poster said is more stable so it's more likely to stay straight with you.

I built one using about a 5" wide piece of MDF with some 1/4" hardboard glued and screwed to the bottom that I cut off on my first pass like people are recommending you do. It really makes it much easier to line up your cut.

On mine, I didn't include a squaring piece like you are doing though, I just would measure my workpiece and make two marks on either edge with a mechanical pencil and then line my hardboard up with it exactly and clamp it.

However, since then I have purchased the Festool plunge saw which is basically the same thing except you dont have to clamp it, just line it up and go. It sticks pretty well to most wood surfaces.


----------



## MastersHand (Nov 28, 2010)

A_Sailor said:


> I agree with using plywood.
> 
> It's probably cheaper than your 1x3 and like another poster said is more stable so it's more likely to stay straight with you.
> 
> ...


Fest tool should pay us all royalty. Wish we thought of that


----------

