Okay, Guys - I challenge you on this one!

[Don]

Hey, Guys. Here's where the rubber hits the road. Woodworkers are some of the most creative guys I've ever seen. I think that the medium of wood allows the creation of so many jigs, templates, appliances - well you just name it.

A shop guy has an idea on how to do something. More often than not, wood will allow you to get going sooner than metal, plastic or other materials. This lends itself to some great creativity!

I've built and used so many jigs in my lifetime I simply couldn't remember them all. I bet you can't come up with one that I haven't seen, used or built.

Try me, let's see what creative ways you've solved problems.

All the best, Don

Welcome to WoodworkingBuzz.com, the newest Woodworking forum and community. Use this area of the discussion forum to post about jigs, templates and safety.

[wyogunwriter]

OK, Don, I'll toss you a softball.

I need to make a jig for my Uni with a Besimeyer fence to hold the adjustable Bench Dog featherboards down on the workpiece. What I am looking for is something clean, simple and absolutely un-moveable. The fly in the ointment is that I really do not want to drill and tap into the fence. I also want to incorporate a T-track to allow for adjustment as the project dictates.

So, what say you?

Thanks amigo!

[Don]

Hey, Writer and welcome to the forum. These fences usually have UHMW surfaces on both sides (white plastic) that is very slippery, this usually keeps us from "clamping" anything to them and having it stay in place. The center of the fence is most likely box steel or aluminum, with no easy way to attach something. If you were absolutely against drilling any holes then my only answer would be Velcro or the like. You can get wide industrial stuff at the box stores. I'd run that down the center of the box and make an L-shaped plywood jig that nestled snugly between the UHMW, this piece would naturally have the opposite hook or loop on the bottom. (I'd run run the hook on the fence and loop (carpet) on the bottom of the jig. Then you could attach your hold downs to that, make sense? You would then be able to move the whole affair fore and aft as needed.

Most modern rip fences only lock onto the operator side of the saw, this keeps you from applying too much down force without attaching an axillary clamp on the outboard end.

This would not be able to apply any killer down force, but it would certainly be in the realm of some of the magnetic featherboards that I've used. You will be amazed at the holding strength of the Velcro material when used in a wide/long application like this.

If you're not following, I can make a sketch of what I'm writing about.

All the best, Don (where's my, "That Was Easy," button?)

[wyogunwriter]

OK Don, please forgive me for not getting back here in a timely manner. Work, general emergencies and such are my excuses (and would bore you to death).

If you would not mind, please post a sketch for us conceptually challenged.

Thanks,

Dave

[Don]

Okay - I'll add it to the list of sketches to make, have it soon.

dawjr