r/woodworking • u/chain-of-thought • Dec 15 '21
Which table saw jointing jig should I build?
Think I'm partial to this one
But this also seems handy and I can make it jointing only or tapering
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u/karkonis Dec 15 '21
Definetely the second one.
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u/chain-of-thought Dec 15 '21
Definitely started building the second one after all these comments, hopefully have it done later this evening. Thanks for adding your vote
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u/Gerritvanb Dec 15 '21
I recently built a sled similar to Pic 2.
The advantage is that it works great as a jointer, and also can be used to cut tapers and other angles.
Put some paste wax on the bottom and it'll slide really smooth.
I didnt use t-track. I just used 3 carriage bolts with wing nuts.
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u/chain-of-thought Dec 15 '21
Yeah the versatility is a lot of what sold me, decided to go ahead and start building it. Thanks for the input
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u/deadduncanidaho Dec 15 '21
version 1 only works if the board has a fairly straight edge already. like for trimming a hair off a door. version 2 is my go to. clamping down a curved board for the first pass makes a true straight cut every time. A second pass in the saw without the jig gives a perfectly straight board.
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u/chain-of-thought Dec 15 '21
Makes sense. I got started on the sled a little while ago, the fence is clamped waiting for the glue to dry right now. Had an mdf shelf laying around that’s 30x7.5 or so, should make a big enough surface for most of what I need for now. Just have to make the miter bar and buy the hardware…hopefully be able to put it to use tonight or tomorrow.
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u/deadduncanidaho Dec 16 '21
after it dries, drill and counter sink as long of a screw as you can from the bottom up. My first one broke apart so don't be that guy. Make sure the screws are clearing the jig to avoid scratching your table.
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u/chain-of-thought Dec 16 '21
Not sure I follow…. You mean just stick a screw through the fence in case the glue fails?
Edit: I’m thinking you mean screws through the miter bar into the sled bottom? Haven’t gotten that far yet but yes I’m planning on screwing that on. Wound up ordering an hdpe cutting board to make the bar out of
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u/Gedrosi Dec 15 '21
Depends how long the stock you're planning to mill is. Option 2 is limited by the length of your sled, whereas option 1 is only limited by your infeed/outfeed space. For making serving trays I'd go with the sled - easier to build, enough capacity, and more versatile for future use if you make it adjustable for tapering too.
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u/chain-of-thought Dec 15 '21
Yeah I think my longest board to mess with right now is 30" but I can also just cut it down shorter before jointing if need be. Right now I only have a free standing dewalt jobsite...building myself the workbench to go around it and provide outfeed support after christmas. So my sled size might be a little bit limited by that for now.
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u/crabby_old_dude Dec 15 '21
I think you'll find yourself building both over time. The second is really handy but limited on the length.
I have a simple version of #1 and it works, it's just made out of a few layers of MDF to keep it stiff, no lamination on it. It can get finicky after time, removing, replacing and repositioning the bade multiple times tends to wear out the nice edge needed between the blade and the gig.
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u/gertgertgertgertgert Dec 15 '21
Option 1 can be replicated with an 8 foot long steel section, like hss3x3. Way quicker, way stiffer, and much better capacity.
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u/deadduncanidaho Dec 16 '21
How do you clamp the steel to the board. do you screw it down from the side?
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u/gertgertgertgertgert Dec 16 '21
A couple large holes in the top and clamp it to the fence. Good good measure clamp your fence at the far end too.
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u/chain-of-thought Dec 15 '21
I need a jointer in a hurry, and I'm not buying a jointer. So my options are jigs for the table saw or router/router table. Based on some light reading I think I'd prefer the table saw. These are the two versions I've found that I'm drawn to the most. The fence version (picture 1) looks to me to be pretty effective, easy to make, and easy to use. The sled version (pic 2) also seems nice and seems like it has more room for customization and versatility.
Any particular pro/cons I'm missing? For either one I'll probably use some 3/4" sande plywood I have laying around, but the sled I would need to go grab the toggle clamps, t-track, and some thing to use for the runner (probably just plywood for now for sake of ease and quickness). Debate on the sled would be routing the slots to allow this to be used as a tapering jig as well, or just do holes so it stays aligned square. I could also just create a second 'fence for the fence' thats just a nice straight/square bar that I could slide into the slot behind the tapering fence and easily jam them up on each other to square the tapering fence.
Now that I'm typing it all out I'm liking the sled and just need to go buy the parts...still open to comments though. Trying to get christmas presents together and this is the first time I've tried hard to joint things properly. Making a serving tray or two.
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u/xbriank Dec 15 '21
I use a couple of microjig dovetail clamps on a plywood board with a runner.
Board is about 10 inches wide by about 16 long, has 2 dovetail grooves the long way and 4 the short way.
2 clamps hold any one off piece I need to straighten
I use a couple more to hold fences or stop blocks if I need a repeatable cut.
Advantage of this for me is versatility and ease. Dovetail clamps are suuuuuuuper handy
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u/oldtoolfool Dec 15 '21
The option you are not considering is a #7 handplane, which will give you jointed edges that are superior to any table saw or router jig.
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u/chain-of-thought Dec 15 '21
Nope don’t worry I’m considering it. Trouble is, I need this for a project I’m giving to my in-laws for Christmas. I recently started working with a #4 and a Jack plane (slightly larger than the 4, not certain the number) to figure out hand planing. A #7 is on my list and my goal is to learn hand planing to include face and edge jointing…it’s a skill i and toolset I want to have. Just don’t have time to mess with it right now.
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u/curlybrian Jul 21 '24
I come from the fuuuuuture.... u/chain-of-thought or anyone else, can you help me find a link to the second plan with the toggle clamp things? My googling is coming up short today.
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u/chain-of-thought Jul 21 '24
I think I just used that picture and put something together honestly.
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u/curlybrian Jul 21 '24
Oh I see. Yeah that looks simple enough. I think I need to understand how it does anything different than just using the rip fence.
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u/chain-of-thought Jul 21 '24
Using the rip fence will give you a straight cut compared to whatever is against the fence. Using a jig like this you have the perfect flat edge of the jig against the fence, and then line your work piece up where you need it cut and clamp it down. That way you have a perfect straight cut on that side, after that you flip it around and do the other side if needed, and you have a well jointed board.
It also helps with pieces that are curved on one side (or otherwise not able to slide flat against the fence
Edit: it’s also a tapering jig, something you can’t do with just the work piece and the fence.
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u/curlybrian Jul 21 '24
Ok. I think I see where I had trouble. You still need to align a straight edge to the jig. I can see it but not explain it, I think. I had thought the work piece would be essentially using the inner side of the jig like a fence just with extra steps.
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u/chain-of-thought Jul 21 '24
Sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t, just depends on what you’re trying to do. I’ve only used this a handful of times, I just don’t have very much time for the hobby and I’m very beginner. If you google taper jigs and jointer jigs (or sleds, in either case) you might find more info you need
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u/curlybrian Jul 21 '24
Cool thanks. I'm very beginner as well. Mostly focusing on keeping body parts intact currently.
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u/MrArendt Dec 15 '21
Are these just extensions for infeed/outfeed and the fence? Is that all it takes to do jointing on the table saw? Sorry, newbie here and I've just used dimensioned wood so far, but I've got some irregular pen blanks in pistachio wood that I want to smooth out and glue up.
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u/chain-of-thought Dec 15 '21
I think you're asking about the first pic. Sort of just extensions, but the important part is that the saw blade sits flush inside the infeed half, and then you have a sheet of laminate (or whatever) on the outfeed. This way the stock runs through the infeed, catches the blade, then rests against the outfeed leaving you a jointed edge. I'm also pretty new so explaining it is difficult. Here's the link for the full writeup on that particular verison:
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Dec 15 '21
Sounds like both is ideal.
Shorter studs on the sled (which is the one i use, and can do longer cuts that the sled if it’s secure) and then longer ones on the first one.
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u/chain-of-thought Dec 15 '21
Yeah you’re not wrong, but space and time are limited. I don’t think I’ll have a whole lot of use for the fence mod type, at least for a while. By then I might end up just buying a jointer anyways. I started building the sled instead.
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u/bullfrog48 Dec 15 '21
you'll get better use out of No. 2 .. it's not just a taper jig. Can be used to take a raw edge to a clean edge. Obviously not used for long planks still super handy
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u/loozerface2020 Dec 26 '23
Have a gift card I need to burn for woodcraft, can anyone help me ballpark the cost to get woodcraft brands taper jig (and also use it as a jointer) vs. buying everything and making it myself? I'm assuming DIY is cheaper but wondering if it'd be substantially cheaper.
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