Building a Jointer Jig for Your Table Saw

Why a Jointer Jig Is Useful

Chris Baylor

Wood stock, particularly the stuff that passes for dimensional lumber at modern big-box home centers, isn't the most agreeable of products. It often reaches the shelves before it is fully dried, and because of the speed at which it is grown and the methods used for milling, it often warps, cups, twists, or bows as it acclimates to the local climate. We have all had the experience of searching through piles of lumber looking for straight pieces, only to find that the lumber continues to warp and bow after we get it home.

Many woodworking projects depend on perfectly straight lumber. When you have boards that need a little straightening, the preferred tool is a jointer, sometimes called a jointer/planer. You can always use your table saw to square up the board once you have one flat, true surface, but you need the jointer to create that one surface.

Jointer Machine vs. Jointer Jig

The problem is that jointers are rather pricey and bulky, not exactly suited to a small shop or working on location. Quite simply, there are more versatile tools that are your first priority when putting together a woodworking shop.

The good news is that there's a simple jig for your table saw that can do a great deal of the work of a jointer. In this project, you'll learn how to build a simple table saw jointer jig that will give you the clean, straight edges necessary to do glue-ups and make other tight-fitting joints.

The essence of this jig is a plywood base fitted with a guide strip that slides along the miter gauge slot on your table saw. On top of the jig, you'll attach an adjustable 1 x 6 that holds a pair of clamps, which will secure the stock you want to square up on your table saw.

There is no finishing required for this project, and you should need no more than 1 to 2 hours to complete it.

Tools and Materials You Will Need

• Table saw
• Drill with twist bits
• 1/2-inch straight-cutting router bit
• 1 x 6 SPF lumber, 3 feet long (1)
• 3/4-inch-thick sanded (AC) plywood (12 x 24 inches)
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Open-end wrenches (2)
• 1/2 x 2-inch hex bolts with flat washers, lock washers, and wing nuts (2 each)
• 1 1/4-inch deck screws
• 3/4-inch wood screws

Original article and pictures take http://woodworking.about.com/od/woodworkingplansdesigns/ss/JointerJig.htm site