Making a Small Parts Planing Jig

In this video I construct a jig for hand planing small stock to precise and repeatable thickness.

[@garyfairbrother5532]

At 77 I’m going to try my hand at Kumiko so I’ve been researching on KZbin and found your jig build to be simple, clever, and accurate. I just finished a small 11 inch version of it to use with my block plane. I’ve got the blocks and starter set ordered and once that gets here I should be set. My version of your little planing jig is accurate to 1 thou in 11 inches so because I’m only doing this on a small scale for my own pleasure it should be sufficient. I plan to use it for accenting small items like boxes, napkin holders, coasters, etc. the only change from your design was I used nylon 1/4 -20 bolts for the elevation adjusting sides. I got all the parts from a 4x4 Douglas fir cut off. Thanks for the good plan and the (something from nothing) fun build.

[@christopherkouri2317]

Ok so I hope you take this as the compliment that I mean it to be...You are the Mr. Rogers of woodworking videos! Love it! Not to mention a super cool jig build! Thank you for sharing!

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks :-)

[@okieinva1]

Glad to see you back in the wood shop Marty! Nice jig build.

[@Jay2525Jay]

Just wanted to thank you for sharing your skills and knowledge. The jig is awesome. I enjoyed your laid-back style. Thanks

[@jasonrobinson9524]

Extremely well executed. Thank you for sharing your method.

[@MD-en3zm]

This is a clever idea, and not something I’ve seen before. Thanks for sharing.

[@robertbrunston5406]

I can see you would use this jig a lot! Thank you for sharing Marty.

[@bighands69]

You can use jigs like that to produce all manner of things from table legs, door stiles, face frames and so on.

[@robertbrunston5406]

Watched this one again, I still need to make one of these jigs, I use the table saw but I need a better way to do it! Thank you Marty.

[@PhilMakesThings]

It's great to see you back in the workshop, and a very nice little jig. I'm always impressed on how clean your workshop looks... It's immaculate!

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks. I think my shop is a bit on the messy side ;-)

[@seanc215]

Fantastic idea. I appreciate how much effort you put into even a prototype jig for your shop. Thanks for the video.

[@MartyBacke]

Thank you.

[@erikrazie]

Love the return to woodworking vids!

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks :-)

[@eversleyowl]

Great that you are making woodworking videos again, always loved your delivery style. And a very useful jig to boot. I hope there is more to come from the workshop!

[@MartyBacke]

Thank you. More are in the pipeline :-)

[@jrlejeune]

He's BAAAaaak(e)!!! Thanks Marty I've missed your Zen woodworking videos. Just installed a Jerdon mirror in our WC because of your inspiration. The only problem now is, I now know how bad my morning shaves were previous to the mirror installation. :-O

[@MartyBacke]

Funny John. After I installed that first mirror for my wife I did install one for me two. They're both still working fine.

[@MrKYT-gb8gs]

Brilliant! Excellent idea/design.

[@GuysShop]

Pretty cool Marty. And I appreciate the making of the jig to make the slots in the side "risers". Jig making to solve a challenge is to me an important part of woodworking. And of course when you make a jig to make a jig, it's always a fun day in the shop :)

[@MartyBacke]

Hey Guy, and thanks. Jig making can be very satisfying when you see the end result :-)

[@caroleburns7277]

Thank you, best one I have seen beautiful job.

[@dan__________________]

Just finished making one. Works great!

[@MartyBacke]

Cool. Hopefully it'll come in handy every once in awhile like mine does for me.

[@tabhorian]

Good idea, I might have to add this to my arsenal. I would try bevelling the rails so that when you reinsert the plane each time it will be easier.

[@BoxcarJerry]

good to see you making woodworking videos again .

[@treebangham]

Great idea Marty. A mini thickness planer! I need to make one.

[@MartyBacke]

Really does work nicely. Worth your while if you use small thin parts.

[@robbysearle]

Marty, great jig, I was looking for a taper jig and came across yours, which of course can be tapering as well. Well done

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks :-)

[@68HC060]

This is a very good video and a very good and useful build. I've seen similar builds on KZbin (both some simpler and some more advanced), this build is advanced enough to allow adjustment while being simple enough for most basic woodworkers to make. In addition, you can make jigs like this for 'taller' pieces (eg if you need to make the sides of a wide board parallel). The body of the jig in this build stands on the workbench, which can be preferable, however, in some situations, you may wish to make a variant where the adjustable side pieces stand on the workbench, so there will be a space under the jig itself. This will have the advantage of not moving the workpiece when you push the plane downwards while planing; it'll also allow you to have a 'template' shim under the jig. To further reduce the chance of the sides sliding out of position, you can also glue fine-grained sandpaper onto each side. -Or you could use beeswax as 'anti-skid', but the sandpaper might be preferable. I believe that the best way to avoid the sides sliding, could be to set the jig up in a vise, if you have one. Marty, thank you for taking the time making this video; this jig is definitely one that makes a valuable addition to any woodworking workshop.

[@johnchung6900]

Good video there. Worth the effort for the jig.

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks.

[@bloho_design]

I have been using matt kenney's fixed version of this jig for a while and was about to make several more when I came across your video. Neat idea -- especially the use of known thickness material to set the rail height. For stock less than a 1/16th I have been using the veritas thickness plane, but it is a bit finicky.

[@MartyBacke]

It's certainly worth experimenting with a jig like mine. I find it very effective. When it wears out I'll make a more robust version of it.

[@joemassanova7184]

Hey Marty, good Video. Nice shirt. I worked for Sun for 15 years.

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks. I always liked working with Sun products

[@jhart7304]

Upvoted and subscribed 5 minutes in. Everything is about details. Thank you for this video. Send me the jig!!!

[@d.i.d]

Very good jig!

[@MartyBacke]

Thank you

[@Lazasakh]

Nice jig, thnx for video! I used to plain small parts in standart machine planner having well sanded piece of wood as a base )

[@MartyBacke]

I use a planer too, but there's nothing like the finish that you can achieve straight from the hand plane. And no matter what kind of power planer jig you use, trying to plane 1/16" thick wood is not going to end well ;-) Thanks for watching.

[@mikehill3426]

I made one based on this video. The only thing I did differently was use 1 piece with a rabbet for each side. Works great.

[@MartyBacke]

Fantastic. Thanks for letting me know :-)

[@heriberthuber54]

What a great little jig! I could use one like that :-)

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks!

[@johnvanderhoof1248]

I don't have a thickness sander and don't want to buy one. I have the same # LN hand plane that you do. Would like to incorporate that more into my work. Cherry and Purple Heart have a tendency to tear out. Especially when I get down to finish thickness for my boxes. Thanks again, I love your attention to detail, it is inspiring.

[@acanadianwoodworker]

Wow your feed rate into your tables is so slow and easy. Bet the cuts are flawless

[@DrewMarold]

You just saved me from having to buy a thickness sander for the project I'm working on, which is good since I didn't have room for it anyway.

[@robertbrunston5406]

Long time no see Marty! Very cool jig! Thanks for sharing.

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks :-)

[@bryanwavechapman1]

Good idea!

[@davidbell7658]

Thankyou from Australia, regards Dave Bell

[@tooljunkie555]

thats a cool jig and a good idea man!

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks Joe.

[@tooljunkie555]

Marty Backe always! Glad to see ya back to woidworking 👍 although that two wheels machine you have is pretty cool

[@raytbrown2]

Neat jig. Nice videos.

[@nodarikirtadze8220]

Thanks, that's a cool project

[@nayrb11111]

Awesome will be building one, only one suggestion epoxying in threaded inserts.

[@MartyBacke]

I enjoy using tapped holes whenever I can. They are much stronger than many people think they are. Of course threaded inserts work fine too, but I really don't think epoxy would be necessary for this application.

[@cinocrossed609]

Love the concept behind the jig and how clean it will give you parts for fine shelving, drawers, and boxes. Would making the sides one piece with a rabbit in it as a plane carrier have been better? Just thinking...

[@MartyBacke]

There are lots of variations on this general concept. This was my approach which but I think the rabbet implementation would work also.

[@SoundsToBlowYourMind]

Nice jig, but how well will those threaded holes last in Poplar ? The end stop in particular which is in end grain. Wouldn't it be better with something a little harder?

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks. I'm not cranking down hard on the bolts, and they feel nice and strong with no signs of weakening (it's amazing how strong threaded holes are in wood). However you are correct that poplar is not the best choice for a long term jig. One of the purposes of this jig was to determine if the design would work, and I'm really happy with the results. I'm going to continue to use it and if or when it shows signs of wearing out I'll make another one with maple. I can tell that the end grain hole is not strong, but that's mitigated because the end is against a bench dog which takes all the planing stress. In my next one I may opt for a threaded insert for the end. Thanks again for the comment.

[@SoundsToBlowYourMind]

You could also glue in a dowel near the end of the board, in line with the machine screw, so you have some cross grain for the threads to get a better hold.

[@luisurbina5115]

You could strengthen those threads with thin CA. I was surprised to see you tap with a drill. I always thought that was a no-no, because it would strip right away. I will try that

[@safelinefleet6633]

The actual force of the push by the plane is taken by the plug stop in the work bench. There would be very little to none force on the screw and the threads itself. The main purpose of the screw would be just to keep the end stop in place. That being so, I wonder why the need for a metal screw here. A simple wood screw would have done fine. This is based on my observation, but please do correct me if I'm wrong.

[@alfredobanuelos4730]

Helpful jig. Provided another idea for a different application. Where did you get that clamp that goes into the bench’s dog hole

[@KarlBunker]

Nice jig! I think I'll make one if I find myself making more small boxes. Perhaps an improvement would be to put a bevel on the tops of the guide rails to make it easier to drop the plane down between them. BTW, this is also a tapering jig -- you'd just have to tighten the guide rails at an angle. I like the tone and pace of your videos, and also how neat your shop is. :-)

[@MartyBacke]

You are right of course regarding its use as a tapering jig - I hadn't thought of that. Then again I never seem to need tapered wood of this size. But it's useful to note this 'feature'. Thank you for compliments :-)

[@johnvanderhoof1248]

Nice Marty. Would you find it practical to make a jig like this for a wider box; such as 3 1/2 to inches?

[@MartyBacke]

This technique is limited to the width of your hand plane. There are no 3-1/2 inch wide handplanes that I'm aware of.

[@ejtakach]

I looked back and now see it. My bad, great jig!

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks for your note!

[@christiandestefano9997]

ultimate precision

[@julioaragao]

Great job! One question: What are the spacers glued on the side for? Cheers!

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks. You may have missed the section towards the beginning of the video where I explain the spacers. By accident I made the original block too narrow for my #4 planes. So the spacers were added to widen the block.

[@julioaragao]

Marty Backe Oops, yeah, I didn't quite get that part. I just saw it now! Thank you! And keep going with your projects!

[@lewislevine8095]

Nice jig, thanks

[@Belg1970]

To what grit and angle do you sharpen your plane irons? Very clever and useful jig. I like the router jig as well, two for one bonus. How come you stopped making videos, loved your attention to detail?

[@MartyBacke]

~4000 grit and the angle varies depending on the blade. ~25. Thanks for the compliment :-)

[@joeblow5958]

Threaded holes in poplar? A wood screw would probably hold up longer. I just cut 6 slots for screws with a drill and coping saw. Took about 8 minutes. How long did it take to build that jig?

[@MartyBacke]

The threaded holes in poplar work in this application. Keep in mind that this was somewhat of an experiment. If or when it falls apart I'll make another one with better materials. I can't remember how long it took me to build, but because I filmed the whole process it took a lot longer than it would if I wasn't making a KZbin video. Thanks for the comments.

[@pcka12]

Nice jig, but why would you use a low angle plane to cut with the grain of the wood?

[@TheKingsOutlaw]

Where did you get your dog hole clamp? Brand? Thanks!

[@MartyBacke]

Veritas Quick-Release Wonder Dog: www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=74622&cat=1,43838,43847&ap=1

[@TheKingsOutlaw]

Great! Thanks!

[@Withplaneandsaw]

you remind me of frank howarth

[@TjallingBlackCat]

Fantastic jig! Just a quick question: you use a spacer to set the thickness of your finished parts, but that doesn't take into account the fact that the blade protrudes from the bottom of the plane, does it? Or is that a negligible difference in your opinion?

[@davidosullivan3432]

An fancy version of the Paul sellers jig.

[@MartyBacke]

I can assure you that Paul did not invent this jig. People were making this jig before Paul was born :-)

[@BigFatTonys]

I have seen three designs for adjusting the height of this jig; crossed arms, opposing wedges and spacers (seen here). has anyone tried all three ?

[@craigperry9918]

when drilling the threads what size and fine or coarse

[@MartyBacke]

I used 10-32 screws.

[@_J.F_]

Very nice jig. A bit surprising that you just chiselled out a square slot in the stop block, when you could have made a router jig and routed a nice slot similar to the side guards.

[@MartyBacke]

I enjoy using hand tools and sometimes they are quicker for work like this (a single hole)

[@ejtakach]

Not sure how the last spacers that set the height of the slotted sides control the final thickness of the workpiece. The plane seems to be captured by the slotted sides, but the thickness is set by running the plane on the inner, permanent rails.

[@mikes1330]

what's the mini plane you are using @ about 2:31?

[@MartyBacke]

That's an early 20th century block plane. Lie-Nielson makes a modern version: www.lie-nielsen.com/products/violin-makers-plane?path=block-planes&node=4072

[@joaoluis1744]

muito fixe

[@dpmeyer4867]

nice

[@jasonb4350]

Your drill press sounds like an engine that spun a bearing

[@owenpeter3]

I went to sleep about half-way through this. Ended up nice though.

[@MartyBacke]

Thanks for the compliment, I guess.

[@jbidinger]

I could have used this earlier today.

[@Ratimus_]

4:56 must be Gallifreyan poplar

[@johntaylor1359]

Wow that big red blade scares me. Why use it to cut to length when a hand saw would be so easy and totally safe plus you have a good plane why not use to reduce width John uk

[@MartyBacke]

There's a million ways to do anything. This is how I did it on that given day.

[@ermirr8414]

The jig is nice, but you use a lot of machines to make what could be done in easier (and safer) ways with simple tools that everybody has.

[@MartyBacke]

There's a million ways of doing anything. This is how I choose to do it.

[@ermirr8414]

@@MartyBacke Of course there are and it is clear this is how you choose to do it. But using a drill press on a poorly supported beam is bad practise safety-wise. In your case, that hole does not need to be precisely perpendicular and, considering how you hold the piece, it probably didn't come out perpendicular.

[@Jeff034]

No riving knife. Just a matter of time.....

[@MartyBacke]

LOL

[@rogermartin7942]

youtube tournage sur bois

[@MrHeavyParty]

Yo, your drill press is shakier than Michael J. Fox...

[@MartyBacke]

Funny. It's not a machinist drill press that's for sure. The vibration is coming from the belt which hasn't worn in yet. So far it hasn't got in the way of how I use it.

[@thomasarussellsr]

Not cool, dude. If his shakiness were do to some self inflicted issue, like alcohol use it would be funny, but to use someone as a joke for a disease they con not control is pretty petty. However, yes the drill press is quite shaky.

[@jasonb4350]

Thomas Russell I agree with you after reading that comment I was twisted some people are just mean and that guy needs a good ass whooping and I would be happy to deliver it

[@MrHeavyParty]

Jason B I think its time to take a nap gandpa.

[@jasonb4350]

Robert Hunt im 45 and brother bring it you punk

[@user-hf4mj7xs1o]

You are bad demonstrator