Right-Side MFT Cutting Jig

[Matthew Schenker]

I have been reading with interest the discussion of Jesse Cloud's jig for cutting thin strips (Jesse's discussion).  This made me remember a jig of my own that I developed for a very similar purpose.  I've used my jig hundreds of times for small strips that go into cutting boards.  It works really well.  It's name is derived from the fact that cuts are measured from the right side of the MFT guide rail, instead of from the left (the usual way).

Here's a general shot of the jig:

Here are all the components of the jig:

It has two 3/4"-thick wooden parts.  One of these parts is a "base" with two holes.  Each hole is drilled so that a star knob's threaded rod can go through it.  The rods are connected to nuts which tighten in the MFT's extrusions.  As you can tell from the above photo, the base is also set against the MDF edge of the MFT. 

I cut a shallow dado in the base (about 1/8" deep).  The other wooden part is the "arm," which slides back and forth in the shallow dado of the base.  The "arm" is the part that actually forms a register against the stock, which is under the guide rail on the MFT.  That's how the jig works.  The arm has a slot cut into it.  The star knob goes through the slot, and this allows the arm to slide back and forth for adjustments.

The arm also holds an 8" section of a stainless-steel ruler (from Woodpecker).  I drilled several tiny holes in the arm, and in those holes I inserted 1/8" rare-earth magnets.  The magnets are strong enough to hold the ruler down while sawing, but if I want I can still adjust the ruler to calibrate it with the MFT fence.

Here's a shot of just the arm, with the stainless-steel ruler:

I built an "indicator assembly" -- a block of wood with a brad nail hammered through carefully to form a pointer.  I connected the indicator assembly to the base.  The photo below shows the base, with the shallow dado.  The "indicator assembly" is near the top of the photo.

Here's a shot of the indicator assembly in operation with the stainless-steel ruler:

The next photo shows essentially the same shot of the indicator assembly, but with the stainless-steel ruler removed:

Here's another angle on the indicator assembly, with the stainless-steel ruler removed.  You can also see here how the indicator assembly is connected to the base:

To use the jig, I first zero it out.  To do this, I place my TS55 on the MFT guide rail and, with the power off,  plunge the blade.  Next, I slide the arm to the left until it touches the right face of the blade.  Now I have my "zero" spot.  I lock the star knobs and then slide the stainless-steel ruler until the pointer reads "0," as shown in the photo below:

Now, let's say I need several strips of padauk all 1/8" thick.  I simply slide the arm until the indicator is at 1/8", then lock the star knobs.  Then I just need to slide the stock under the MFT until it touched the arm of the jig, and I know I will be cutting a 1/8" slice of wood.  The photo below shows the jig registered against a piece of padauk, ready to make a 1/8" cut:

Now I go ahead and cut.  As long as the star knobs are locked down, I can make repeated cuts like this, and they all come out exactly the same.  I have used this jig to cut slices down to about 1/16".

When I first built this jig, I wasn't sure if it would work.  It was just an experiment.  But I was pleasantly surprised at how well this simple thing works!

I've been trying to come up with improvements to the design.  If anyone has ideas, let me know!

With holiday season approaching, this jig comes in handy when making cutting boards and other small craft items.

Thanks,
Matthew

PS: This jig was first reported in the old Yahoo forum.

 

[John Stevens]

Thanks for re-posting this, Matthew.  I don't know why, but I didn't understand it when you posted it on the old forum.  Now I think I get it.  Would there be any advantage to using two such gauges, one at each end of the stock being ripped?

Regards,

John

 

[Matthew Schenker]

...Would there be any advantage to using two such gauges, one at each end of the stock being ripped?

Yes, that's one of the improvements I have been considering.  I've experimented with a couple of ways of doing this.  The trick there is making sure both arms are perfectly calibrated, or you end up with an angled cut.  Still working on it!
Matt

 

[Eli]

Good one. I like the ruler with the magnets, nice touch.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Good one. I like the ruler with the magnets, nice touch.

I discovered rare-earth magnets a couple of years ago, and I seem to always come up with a new use for them in my shop.  Great little things.

The trick with the ruler is to build the arm and cut the dado so it all lines up with the brad-nail indicator.  Otherwise, the pointer either extends too far over the ruler, or not far enough.  I'm picky about these things!

Anyway, I'm working on improving this jig.  It's been very useful, but I want to make it more elegant somehow.

Matt

 

[Eli]

My favorite rare earth magnet trick (besides having my tape measure belt mounted to one) is to put a small one on both sides of my t-shirt right in the middle of my chest and hang my 6" rule and mech pencil from it.

RE: the brad pointer, you could build the whole thing and then clip it to length with a pair of dykes diagonal cutters (didn't want to start anything)

 

[Matthew Schenker]

My favorite RE magnet trick (besides having my tape measure belt mounted to one) is to put a small one on both sides of my t-shirt right in the middle of my chest and hang my 6" rule and mech pencil from it.

That would be helpful to me.  It always seems my pencil is somewhere other than where I am.  It forms one of the Murphy's Laws of my shop: "The pencil (if you can find it) is always at the farthest point from where you are working at the time."

Matt

 

[Eli]

The tape measure rare earth belt thingy I have right now has a pencil clip under it, which is real handy. I've started using regular pencils again. Just have to remember to take out the pencil before you get in the car. You can use a regular leaded pencil with that shirt magnet too, just whack a staplegun staple up at the top of it, it holds surprisingly well.

 

[Dorrin]

Matt,

Where did you get those niffty nuts?  Do they fit snug in the track?

Dale

 

[Dave Rudy]

My favorite rare earth magnet trick (besides having my tape measure belt mounted to one) is to put a small one on both sides of my t-shirt right in the middle of my chest and hang my 6" rule and mech pencil from it.

Does it require surgery?  Anesthesia?  LOL

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Where did you get those niffty nuts?  Do they fit snug in the track?

They are available at a few dealers.  I bought the rare-earth magnets (link) and the star knobs (link) at Lee Valley.  I got the nuts at Woodcraft (link).

The nuts fit nicely in the MFT extrusions and tighten down well.  Of course, you don't have to, or want to, over-tighten them -- just enough to make then snug.

Matt

 

[Matthew Schenker]

RE: the brad pointer, you could build the whole thing and then clip it to length with a pair of dykes diagonal cutters (didn't want to start anything)

Yes, I thought about clipping the brad, but I wanted to keep the point, as it makes a very precise indicator.  I've repeated this basic brad-nail pointer idea in a couple of other jigs.  Very simple but effective thing.

Matt

 

[Eli]

My favorite rare earth magnet trick (besides having my tape measure belt mounted to one) is to put a small one on both sides of my t-shirt right in the middle of my chest and hang my 6" rule and mech pencil from it.

Does it require surgery?  Anesthesia?  LOL

No, just two magnets.

RE: the brad pointer, you could build the whole thing and then clip it to length with a pair of dykes diagonal cutters (didn't want to start anything)

Yes, I thought about clipping the brad, but I wanted to keep the point, as it makes a very precise indicator.  I've repeated this basic brad-nail pointer idea in a couple of other jigs.  Very simple but effective thing.

Matt

Clipping it usually gives you a pretty sharp chisel point.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Clipping it usually gives you a pretty sharp chisel point.

I'll have to try that next time.  Obviously, what you suggest is easier than measuring so carefully and having to choose exactly the right brad nail.

Clippers are something I've never learned enough about!

Matthew

 

[Eli]

I gotta carry two pair. Diagonal cutters with a hammer are the second best way to pull door hinge pins (hinge removal tool is best, but a waste of space unless all you do is pull doors), and a second pair of flush trim cutters are awesome for pulling wrong shot or bent gun nails, and any ragged staples or regular finish nails from demolition. I reach for one or the other pair every day.

You'd be able to trim that indicator nail within a mm of where you wanted it, and then grab it with the cuttter and rotate it in or out.