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Hey DIY-ers! This post is to fill you in on a super easy and cost-effective way for you to make your own table saw jig.
The idea for a DIY table saw jig came about when I was building my workbench and decided that I wanted an outfeed table.
When I was at the hardware store, the salesman told me he could not find any low-cost DIY L shaped brackets to hold it together so that’s when it clicked that most of these tables are really cheap and flat because they use brackets like these.
So the next time I was at the hardware store, I simply asked the clerk if he knew where I could find a few diy brackets for old skateboard decks from Walmart. He showed me a pile of diy brackets, gave me a price and then handed me some cheap nails and brad-nails for in-store use.
So that is what this DIY Table Saw Jig is all about.
It is super cheap and relative easy to build for your own DIY table saw jig needs!
How to Make a Table Saw Jig
Equipment Needed:
- Screws
- Hammer
- Nail Gun (Brad Nailer)
Materials Needed:
- 2 x 6 boards or 6 ft of 2″x4″ pine boards (up to 10 feet total)
Duration: 15-30 Minutes
Budget: $50-$100 (USD)
Steps:
1. Cut the 2″x4″ pine board into individual pieces that will end up making a square frame. My boards ended up being about 6-7 ft long. You only need about 3-4 feet of 2×4’s to start with
2. Cut the 2×4 pieces into the length you need for your outfeed table and place onto the workbench. I had my table saw sitting on a second workbench so I transferred them there, placed them together, screwed them together and then centered them onto the saw
3. Remove the plastic container parts from the brackets to use for your DIY Table Saw Jig: The L bracket from each side of the bracket piece and both screws. The plastic screw covers are very useful when making your DIY table saw jig
4. Place a small block of wood on top of the L brackets and hold in place with your palm. Use a nail-gun to staple the 2×4’s together. Don’t worry about sticking these staples to close to each other (see next picture). The reason why the staples are not seen in this picture is because I used some left-over PVC pipe supports that I had around and placed them between some of my 2×4’s. The 2×4’s were pretty close together so I needed something to space them apart. Otherwise it would be okay to staple right next to each other, but I wanted to leave plenty of room for movement
5. Here is an example of what my DIY table saw jig looked like after I set it onto my workbench. Other than the PVC pieces between the 2×4’s (because I was using something else for height) It is very similar to what you see here
6. Attach your L brackets to the DIY table saw jig. The bottom studs should be loose in order to adjust the DIY table saw jig up and down depending on where it needs to sit on your outfeed table. So when you place them on, leave one or two open spaces on each side. Then use a nail-gun (or hammer and nails) to secure them into place
You are done! I added some wood scraps to prop up the DIY table saw jig at an angle so that the top piece sits level. The way you see it here is how I use it on my outfeed table
How to Make a Table Saw Jig Video
How to Cut Dovetails on a Table Saw
Equipment Needed:
- Tapering Jig or Thin Rip Jig or other Jointing Jig
- Best Hybrid Table Saw
- Toggle Clamp
- Wood Screw
- Wood Glue
- Bolts
Equipment Needed:
- Rip Fence
- Miter Gauge
- Miter bar
Materials Needed:
- Plywood (Preferably Thin Strips)
Duration: 30-45 Minutes
Budget: $50-$100 (USD)
Steps:
Step 1-
Set up the table saw to cut the first bevel. This can be done by adjusting the blade angle or feeding your boards through at a weird angle. Make sure that you have enough clearance when you do this is it can cause some problems and frustrations if not done correctly.
Step 2-
Make two passes on each board so that they both have matching angles on one edge. You will need to flip one of them over and make another pass so that they are identical in appearance. This is essential for creating a snug fitting joint later on in the project, which many people find frustrating without a plan for success.
Step 3-
Once you have the first two passes cut, flip one of them back over and make the second pass on the same side as the first. Make sure that you do this for both boards so that they are actually super straight. This is a time consuming step but it is essential to creating a tight joint later on in the project.
Step 4-
Take one of your boards and trim it down to a straight line. Now you will need to create a wide bevel on this board using your table saw blade, which will be used in conjunction with another piece of wood later on.
Step 5-
Take the other board that is not completely straight and measure a depth of about 1/4″ on one side. Mark it out with a pencil and then flip it over to make two passes on the backside. This will help you see when you have cut through the entire piece of wood, which is essential for success here.
Step 6-
Use a chisel to break up any material that is left behind from your saw blade, which can be very difficult to remove without doing this step first. Otherwise, you might run into some failures in your project if this step is skipped.
Step 7-
Use your miter saw to cut a 45 degree angle on one side of your wood, which will help it to fit into place. Use this in conjunction with the beveled boards that you created earlier in the project and you should have a pretty nice looking dovetail joint.
Step 8-
Attach the two pieces of wood together using clamps and then drill holes through them. Make sure that you do not drill directly through the top piece into the bottom piece, as this can lead to some major problems later on. Drill straight through both pieces of wood and then use screws to attach them together using your drill bit as a guide for placement, which should make things much easier for you here.
Step 9-
After you have your two pieces of wood attached, you are ready to start cutting your dovetails into the joint. Start by putting one dovetailed board into place and then using a piece of scrap wood on the backside of this piece and trying to make sure that it is flush with the back side of the blade. This will help make sure that everything fits together correctly and that no one part is over off. You can carefully use your chisel to remove any protruding material from this piece if needed.
Step 10-
Drill pilot holes through both boards and use your screws to attach them together using whichever way has worked best for you so far in these steps. Make sure that you are only using one screw inside each joint at first and then drilling a pilot hole into the other board. This will help prevent splitting, as that is the biggest problem with any table saw project.
Step 11-
Use your chisel to cut gaps in between each of these joints, this will help to make sure that everything fits together tightly and makes for a more seamless looking joint. You can also use your router to remove lots of material from each of these joints, which will also make it look much better in the end.
Step 12-
Take your newly created piece of wood and attach it to the backside of the project. Then use a router to cut grooves into the top side of this board, which will fit together with the rounded edges of your original project. This will actually provide some support and stability to your new joint, which is never a bad thing in any situation. You can also use your router bit as a guide for this step, which will make it much easier for you to complete this process.
Step 13-
Use a chisel to cut more angles into your new dovetail and then sand it down until everything looks nice and smooth. This is a time consuming step but it is essential to the success of your project, as it will ensure that everything looks nice and polished in the end.
This project is a good way to add some stability to your tabletop, and if you do not want the extra support then you should be able to skip this step entirely, which will also make your project look much nicer in the end.
How to Cut Dovetails on a Table Saw
DIY Table Saw Jig
Final Thoughts
This ends our How To Guide of DIY Table Saw Jig.
It’s amazing to learn how to make different joints with a table saw. Some would use the table saw jig to make better improvements for their table saws such as a Table Saw DIY Cross Cut Sled. But you may end up with more clutter from the dust and scraps of wood lying around. Learning how to make your own DIY table saw dust collection system would be a nice thing to pursue next.
We hope the knowledge you gained here will help you in the future with your DIY or Professional Woodworking projects. We want you to be sure of that what you get from us are 100% facts, so please don’t hesitate to ask for advice or to advise us in return with accurate facts.
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