Proper wood for jigs

ipbarnard · Post by **ipbarnard** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:16 pm

I am looking at building a couple of jigs for my SS.

Would 3/4 ply be too heavy?

Thanks,
Foster From Flint

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 1:30 am

ipbarnard wrote:I am looking at building a couple of jigs for my SS.

Would 3/4 ply be too heavy?

Thanks,
Foster From Flint

Insufficient input. What kind/size jig?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 4:49 am

My wood of choice for nearly all jigs has been 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood. Baltic Birch tends to be a bit pricey and in some areas is difficult to find. If you plan several jigs, I suggest you designate specific saw blades for use with the Baltic Birch (plywood). Plywood dulls the blade more quickly.

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:15 am

I try to use 3/4" oak boards for many of my jigs. I plane and sand for a really fine finish and use a poly on them if they test out OK. I do move some of my jigs to aluminum if I will be using them many times for a lot of years. Sometimes, I just grab whatever wood is available to see if the jig is worthwhile to maybe used again. Not always the case. Then I make the jig again taking more care and better material. However, most of my jigs are for metal type working.

WmZiggy · Post by **WmZiggy** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:16 am

Like JPG noted, much depends on the type and size of the jig. Regular plywood can have air pockets in the layers. Recently I made and extension table for my SS using 3/4" plastic laminated particle board I bought at Home Depot. It has worked well, even holding threaded inserts. The material is available in all sizes for making shelves and is reasonable priced.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 10:59 am

Small pieces of baltic birch are sold by 'Michaels' craft stores. Up to 1/2" by (IIRC) 2' x 1'.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 1:59 pm

I normally do all jigging using "WIH" (What I Have

) It is the cheapest stuff I can use.

I do have a supply of decent sized scraps from a local kitchen cabinet factory. I used to have access to their big dumpster of scrap for firewood. I don't know if I still can since I suspect that my old friend there has retired. Much of the pieces that I saved were a birch looking plywood with a lot of ply's. I am not sure if it is Baltic Birch of not but it is very high quality stuff. The biggest problem with it is that I got it several years ago and stashed it in a loft. It would now maybe take a half day to quarry safely back to that area.

One of the farm stores down the road carries 4' X 8' sheets of what I am pretty sure is high density polyethylene in several thickness from .25" to at least .50". It looks just like the material the Router Workshop guys use for a fence and jigs. IIRC it runs about $50 to $60 a sheet for the .50". Livestock farmers especially hog farmers use this stuff and some of the more fancy horse farms use some of it. I have intended to get a sheet of .50" to use for jigs. One 4' X 8' sheet should make a "LOT" of jigs.

.

garys · Post by **garys** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:37 pm

I usually use maple. It is relatively cheap, and easily available.

curiousgeorge · Post by **curiousgeorge** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:12 pm

Most of the time I use MDF. It's perfectly flat, cheap(er) and doesn't warp. Just keep it dry and no problem. I usually seal it with spray lacquer or even just a liberal coat of paste wax to help keep it dry.