Amazing Thin-Strip Jig

Amazing Thin-Strip Jig · 10-30-2009, 12:34 AM

Hi all,

A year ago I posted some instructions for the Super Thin Strip Jig. As good as this jig was, I found a truly great one on the internet yesterday. It was designed and built by Steve Maskery who is a woodworker living and working in England. If you'd like the ability to cut strips as thin as .010" consistently, this is the jig for you. Here's a link to a video of the construction and usage of the jig.

Although the plans for this jig are no longer available on Steve's website (www.workshopessentials.com) Steve was kind enough to send me the plans. Here is my version of Steve's jig.

View image in gallery

In the next photo, the jig is set to cut an 1/8" strip.

View image in gallery

The wood strip shown in the next photo is .010" thick.

View image in gallery

Unfortunately for most of us, Steve's plans are dimensioned in millimeters instead of inches. With his permission, I've reworked his Sketchup file to display inches instead of millimeters. Minor changes were made to the dimensions that have no effect on the accuracy of the jig, but make the conversion to inches easier. If you'd like to build this jig, the following photos are of my Sketchup conversion files. If you're comfortable with working in millimeters, Steve has made his original Sketchup files available to us. You can download them here. Written instructions for the construction of the jig (Steve's instructions) can be downloaded here.

The following are photos of my "Americanized" version of the jig.

1. The Maskery Jig

View image in gallery

2. An Exploded View

View image in gallery

3. The miter slot runner

View image in gallery

4. The Base Blocks

View image in gallery

5. The Ruler Bar

View image in gallery

6. The Knob Assembly

View image in gallery

7. The Cursor Assembly

View image in gallery

With these photos and Steve's written instructions, building the jig is quite simple. If you'd like to work from my Sketchup file instead of the above photos, you can download the file here. As we cannot yet upload Sketchup files, this is a zip file which contains the Sketchup file. If you're building the jig and have any questions, let me know and I'll try to help. Please watch the video before building the jig. Most of your questions will be answered in this video.

Again, many thanks to Steve Maskery for sharing his jig with us. I love it when something works the way it's supposed to. This jig certainly does. If you get a minute, visit his website - it's quite interesting.

Happy Jigging,

Ernie

eyekode · 10-30-2009, 08:42 AM

Cool idea and nice implementation. I was thinking about making something similar. But had concerns over two things:
1) Miter slot slop == inaccuracy in the jig. Maybe using UHMW or something dimensionality stable would solve this?
2) Having to remove the jig to make the cut. This is probably no big deal.

The last time I had to make thin strips I opted for repeatability over accuracy:
1) I set the fence and stock at "close enough" to the dimension I was aiming for.
2) clamped a piece of scrap to the table and used a spacer of 3/4" ply held vertically between the stock and the scrap.

To use this setup you just move the fence till the stock registers firmly against the vertical piece of ply, then remove the ply (so the stock is not riding against the stop when ripping). Rip your piece, adjust the fence and repeat.

But I do like the idea of easy/fast measurement. I may give this design a shot. Great drawings by the way! I have been thinking for a while how to do shop made hold downs and I like this design that holds the arm from moving.

Thanks again!
Salem

LeeNC · 10-30-2009, 10:16 AM

Very cool. Thanks for posting.

Glennbear · 10-30-2009, 11:19 AM

Thank you for the effort you expended to share this Ernie.

It is this kind of willingness to share with brother and sister woodworkers that makes North Carolina Woodworker the terrific place that it is.

Sealeveler · 10-30-2009, 12:22 PM

Thank you for the info.Great job also on the plans.Tony

ErnieM · 10-30-2009, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by eyekode

Cool idea and nice implementation. I was thinking about making something similar. But had concerns over two things:
1) Miter slot slop == inaccuracy in the jig. Maybe using UHMW or something dimensionality stable would solve this?
2) Having to remove the jig to make the cut. This is probably no big deal.

The last time I had to make thin strips I opted for repeatability over accuracy:
1) I set the fence and stock at "close enough" to the dimension I was aiming for.
2) clamped a piece of scrap to the table and used a spacer of 3/4" ply held vertically between the stock and the scrap.

To use this setup you just move the fence till the stock registers firmly against the vertical piece of ply, then remove the ply (so the stock is not riding against the stop when ripping). Rip your piece, adjust the fence and repeat.

But I do like the idea of easy/fast measurement. I may give this design a shot. Great drawings by the way! I have been thinking for a while how to do shop made hold downs and I like this design that holds the arm from moving.

Thanks again!
Salem

Salem,

Don't worry about a sloppy fit in the miter slot affecting the accuracy of this jig. Keep in mind that the jig doesn't have to slide in the miter slot. As a result, you can make the runner a bit tighter than you normally would for something like a crosscut sled. All the runner has to do is fit into the miter slot - tight is fine.

As for having to remove the jig to make your cut, you're right. It's no big deal.

The nice thing about this jig - other than its small size and economical construction, is not having to compromise on accuracy to get consistency. Like most of us, I want both. In my testing of this jig, I'm able to consistently get within .002 of my desired thickness. That's more than close enough for me.

The Super Thin Strip jig that I posted about last year works almost as well. The difference is in the cursor, which is far more accurate and refined in this jig by Steve Baskery. You might want to try making the Super Thin Strip jig first and trying it out. It's only two pieces of wood and can be made very quickly.

Ernie

nelsone · 10-30-2009, 12:52 PM

Nice jig Ernie! Thanks for sharing!!!

mlzettl · 10-30-2009, 05:26 PM

Ernie,

Well, this is just grand. First, you post a how-to on making a thin strip jig about a year ago. Then, you post a how-to on an even better one. Not to mention the fact that Joe Scharle posted a how-to on a different type of thin strip jig that is quite intriguing. Now I need to make two new jigs.

Seriously though, thanks for taking the time to do all of the very nice Sketchup drawings and the detailed instructions - the usual Miller thoroughness. I would expect no less.

I watched the Steve Baskery video as well, and it is helpful as you had mentioned.

Matt

ErnieM · 10-30-2009, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by mlzettl

Ernie,

Well, this is just grand. First, you post a how-to on making a thin strip jig about a year ago. Then, you post a how-to on an even better one. Not to mention the fact that Joe Scharle posted a how-to on a different type of thin strip jig that is quite intriguing. Now I need to make two new jigs.

Seriously though, thanks for taking the time to do all of the very nice Sketchup drawings and the detailed instructions - the usual Miller thoroughness. I would expect no less. I watched the Steve Baskery video as well, and it is helpful as you had mentioned.

Matt

Hey Matt - I just found a third thin-strip jig.............. just kidding. Actually I just built Tom Hintz's auto width dado jig. It's quite nice and also works as advertised.

Happy jigging,
Ernie