Homemade Jigs

  I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos lately.   It seems like a few years ago if you wanted a little info on something, you could do a search on YouTube and maybe find one or two sources on how something could be built or how something could be done.    Today I'm just blown away with all the sources of information that are out there.  If you want to know how to make a hall tree, you just do a search on hall trees and one could spend a whole day reading or watching about how one can make a hall tree.   (Oh yeah.   A hall tree is on my bucket list.)

  My shop space is petty limited.  (My shop budget is pretty limited.)   So besides building a few things here and there I am always interested in any little jig that can be made that helps the process go a little faster and makes the chore a little safer.    This week I just wanted to show what you can do with a little scrap wood.  (Plus, I have to reduce the size of my scrap wood pile.)  

    When I first saw this project I was pretty sure that it would be a handy gadget for me to use.   It is simply a wood vice that I can clamp to the corner of my little wood table.   I've used it to hold pieces in place while I do a little trimming or (Ugh)  sanding.  I had to tweak the plan a little, but for me it works great.  

   The second jig I just built recently is called "Bench Hooks".   I made these out of some scrap oak pieces that I had laying around.  (They were almost fire pit material.)   I have to be honest.  I was thinking that these would be pretty handy to have and use so I built six of them.    So far I have not used them as much as I thought I would.

      These too I tweaked from the plan just a little.   In fact there was no plan.   I just copied the idea from a video that I was watching.    Most of the projects I have been working on lately have been small in size.   I'm thinking that these will be handier when I will be working will larger pieces.     The idea is that you place these bench hooks on your table to hold the material up above your table top.    You should be able to saw or use your router without running the blades or bits into your table top.

   These are made so one end of the board catches the edge of your work table while there is a hook on top that will keep your board from sliding away while you are working on it.    
     I fixed a hanger rack in the shop to store them when they are not in use.   (I'm not sure about these things just yet.   Maybe they will become camp fire pit material in the end.)

   Hopefully as time moves on you will see these "Hooks" in action.

    Meanwhile --  Current updates:
1.   With me being in the basement shop, saw dust is floating around the house.    (Making big points with the wife...)
2.   Christmas projects are in the works.    (I mean it is just Nov. 30th.   What is the rush...)
3.   Last week's project has been on the silent auction table for three days now and the latest bid is $60.00.   (Wow!   That is good.)
4.  The wife's cat just puked on my shop floor again...  (Hmm.  Maybe a bench hook may accidentally fall off the rack some night...)