-
Professional mitre gauge with a 16 mm bar
This is the 2nd attempt at improving the mitre gauge for my Bosch table saw. A much larger, heavier, more accurate and equipped with a box joint jig mitre gauge required a bar that would fit into a 16 mm slot. I tried to duplicate the one it came with, changing only the width. My table saw has non-standard 16 mm (5/8″) slots and it initially comes with a cheap mitre gauge. A few years ago I replaced the aluminium bar with a mild steel one, it’s worked absolutely fine being gentle for the slots, there are no signs of…
-
Improved circular saw jig
It’s based on the previous version, but the capacity and functionality are improved. The front and the back pairs of blocks are replaced by longer risers. This is specifically important for the front, where there is no big gap now, and I can cut shorter pieces. Both ends of the workpiece are always supported with the left and right side of the jig and that increases accuracy too. The capacity is also bigger, and it’s been increased from about 34 to 50 mm (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches). This is the maximum blade position at the same time if…
-
Snipe reducing and reversible thickness planer jig
This jig helps to reduce the planer snipe significantly. Not completely – the real numbers are about 90% less snipe and I’m happy with that. Sniping occurs less frequently and if it does it’s very small. It’s not as deep as it used to be. To complete the test, I run 3 boards through the planer, one by one, planing both sides and not using any tricks. I’m very impressed with the results – if I used some tricks and did some sanding, the test pieces would look close to perfect. The melamine chipboard I used for the jig was…
-
Long blade storage tote
It’s made from an old PVC gutter and a scrap piece of timber. It can be put on the table upright or flat, but to make it more portable and versatile, I drilled a hole at the top for a carabiner hook. I use this tote for long jigsaw and reciprocating saw blades, they’re 250 – 300 mm long (10 – 12 inches), but it can be used for everything else. What I like the most about this project is the idea of upcycling scraps into something useful. There’s no need to throw away all the off-cuts from the shop…
-
New Year tools, edition 2022
Christmas presents bought last year have been tested and they can now be reviewed. They are both about drilling – the first one is used on concrete walls, the second one used only for metal, plastic and wood. Semi-professional tools, but they do the job, are easy to use and easy to store. A few years ago I would be happy with just a cordless drill and a dustpan with a brush. But with better tools, I can achieve better results. Specialised tools are better than universal tools. I like doing things in a professional manner, at least I try.…
-
Vertical-to-horizontal drill press jig
This jig comes in handy when I have to process cut bottles. I stick sanding discs to the velcro pad and polish the glass. For any other tasks i.e. wood and metal, I use my disc/belt sander, but for glass, I like to sand through the grits, from coarse to very fine. That wouldn’t be easy with a bench sander as it uses self-adhesive discs and offers no control over the sanding speed. Glass is different and it likes to be sanded slowly – excessive heat can crack the glass and melt the velcro backing pad. That’s why I built…
-
Tape holder
Its body was made from a plastic pipe, that was part of an intake/exhaust gas boiler shaft. However, not its origin, but its diameter was more important to me, the pipe could go inside the masking tape roll and surprisingly it could store some insulation tape inside. The scrap pipe I had was too long, I had to cut it to size using a hand saw and a mitre box, and next, all the sharp edges had to be sanded down. Once that was done I started drilling holes. As that project was very simple, there were only 2 steps…
-
Mini shooting board
Never mind its look, because it’s made from scraps. It works great, though, and even if it’s not made of very durable materials, it should last for a while. I wanted to see if I need one, and how does it improve my work? I used MDF, plywood and some off-cuts to make it. All glued together, reinforced with nails. A simple jig, used in combination with a block plane to trim and square up ends of boards. I think it does the job, can be quickly pulled out for a project and easily stored on a shelf. It was…
-
Back-to-school tools, edition 2021
This year, 2021, is about going cordless, at least for me. Many tools and appliances in my household have been changed from noisy and corded to quiet cordless ones. But the noise wasn’t the main reason I did some upgrades. Portability and ease of use, which often means no preparation before the job. In the past, time after time, I didn’t use a tool at all and skipped the task just because I saw all the cable work in my head, plugin in, changing sockets, being careful not to go over the cable etc. Many tasks started and immediately finished…
-
Simple weathervane
It’s made of scrap dowels, a scrap metal handle and a toolbox divider. If there was a need to cut wood, I used a hand saw. The arrow was built first and tested for a couple of weeks, using a temporary stand. It worked great, and I decided to make a proper mount for it. Coincidentally, I had some scrap metal handles lying around that I no longer needed for the device they came from. They were used for the mount. Surprisingly, my chamfering bit turned out good for wood and metal, and it saved me some time in part…
