Top 4 Best Jigs!

⚙️ EPISODE #215: There are some jigs every woodworker needs to do their best work in the most accurate efficient way. In this episode I show you my top four “must have” jigs of all time. And the best part is they are all cheap and easy to make yourself! Tune in, see if you agree, and add your comments about your favorites. (Closed captions)
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⚙️ RELATED VIDEO RESOURCES
• How to Make a Cross Cut Sled (Highlight): • How to Make a Cross Cu...
• 3 Cut Method to a Dead-on Crosscut Sled: • 3 Cut Method to a Dead...
• Making a Tenon Jig for the Table Saw: • Making a Tenon Jig For...
• How to Make a Miter Sled: • How to Make a Miter Sl...
• How to Make a Shooting Board: • How to Make a Shooting...
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LIVE EVENTS are filmed in the shop of Tom McLaughlin, host of TV's Classic Woodworking and Shop Night Live. Tom loves to pass on the craft of woodworking by creating projects to present in live video form backed by his over 30-years of experience making fine custom furniture.
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[@freddye3273]

I think you do a fine job explaining the process. You make things very clear. I remember you being a guest sometimes with Tommy Mac. Thanks for your videos.

[@MKimble515]

There are a lot of videos out there explaining jigs. This is the first video I've seen of yours though. I must say, AWESOME JOB!. Your explanations and demonstrations are so useful, and I do love how your enthusiasm and personality shine through! I'll be watching many more of your videos, sir.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. 😎 And thanks for watching! 👍

[@nelsoncollar1814]

Tommy, I have watched you for years and am still watching. You are one of the best. I wish you and yours the very best of a New Year. I'll be looking for your next great experience.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks, that really means a lot to me. Hope your New year is off to a great start too 👍

[@Fusterclucked00]

Thanks for explaining how to use a spacer block effectively. Now really I'm looking forward to getting home and getting started on some projects!

[@joegee1699]

Great video! One of my favorite jigs, which isn't really a jig per se, is the sacrificial chopping jig that saves my bench from chisel marks as I chop and tune dovetails and whatnot. Mine is pretty much a shooting board with a bench hook style fence to keep it registered against the bench.

[@petewollman550]

Great video, really like all your jigs, i feel like I'm watching a pro woodworker , your the type of guy i would want to spend a Saturday in the shop with. Thanks 😊

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you Peter. I’ve been doing it full-time for so long it would be a mystery if I didn’t at least “look like” I know what I’m doing 😎 That means a lot, thanks👍

[@liquidrockaquatics3900]

This is one of my three favorite channels. I seldom catch the livestream, but I love catching up later

[@EpicWoodworking]

Awesome, thank you!! 😎

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Great video. You told the truth about simple and useful jigs. If you trust your safety skills more than you trust your sliding miter saw, i suggest investing in a Radial Arm Saw. They’re as safe as you are & once set up, are the most accurate tool for cross cuts.

[@dougfrazer9202]

Great jigs, and very well explained. I will be making one or two of these for myself; esp. the "spacer/s" for the Tenon Jig. Will improve my joinery quite a bit! Thanks. 🤠

[@victoryak86]

Just revisiting this excellent video. These along with the course mtls are priceless for any level of woodworkers. I tend to watch something more than once to learn something new or that I missed.

[@OregonDARRYL]

Adding a little T-track to the sleds for clamping and end-stops make these perfect. Thanks.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Glad it helps, thanks for watching!

[@lewiscobb7817]

As soon as you announced the "Spacer Block Technology" I immediately subscribed. LOL

[@jimfromri]

I just built a donkey’s ear miter shooting board. It’s awesome for fitting the wooden insert linings of small wooden boxes. Great video. Very informative and I really enjoy your sense of humor. Now that I’ve found your channel I plan to watch the rest of your videos. I’m signed up for your FWW veneering class and am excited for that to start. Happy holidays to you and your wife. -Jim

[@joshwalker5605]

My shop is small and mostly bereft of power tools, so my jigs are small as well - shooting board, donkeys ear for shooting misters, bench hook for both push & pull saws (pull has to sit in the vise obey) and a crosscut sled for my one power tool, the bandsaw. Thanks again for all the great videos!

[@EpicWoodworking]

Actually sounds like a great set up, we should do another version of the top hand tool jigs…maybe you could teach/present that video 👍😎

[@dlk4318]

it is indeed epic what you do!

[@5858Heinz]

Great presentation of essential shop jigs.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks! 👍😎

[@specialmustard237]

I’m using amphibious from now on 😂😂😂 This is my first time running across you on KZbin and I’m really glad I did! Very good and easy to follow content. I’ll be looking for your stuff moving forward!

[@EpicWoodworking]

Awesome, so glad you found us! After a while you won't even have to think about it. Being amphibious will come naturally.

[@tatehogan5685]

I always get ambitious after watching your videos. Think it might be time for me to get jiggy with it and make a new cross cut sled

[@EpicWoodworking]

😂 We gotta have a little fun, brings new meaning to the word “jigsaw” too 😎 Have fun making the sled!

[@frogdavw9699]

I Enjoy the woodworking content ,especially the jigs, as well as the "dad jokes" thanks a lot

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you! 😎

[@sickwilly1171]

Great video, presentation. I will come back to it when building jigs. Didn't feel like 4 yr olds tutorial at all. Some people...smh.

[@renestover4600]

Great Job, thanks for sharing!

[@alfredobanuelos4730]

Thank you for sharing your experience

[@RandolOlah]

My wife is into Dimon art, which means I get to make all the pictures frames. I am really bad at my 45° frames, I m always off. I am going to make a few of your jigs to see if I can improve my 45° frames. Thank for sharing your jigs.

[@sawdustwoodchips]

Hi Tom, great Jigs! I agree that if you don't have a true 45 degree angle the combined angle will be 90 degrees. However, the lengths of the mating faces will not be the same. as an example, let's take a picture frame that is 10cm wide, the two angles are 44.5 and 45.5 the lengths of each of the faces will be 14.267cm and 14.02cm respectively. that's a difference of 0.247cm - enough to make the frame look odd. On smaller pieces it won't look so bad 🙂

[@EpicWoodworking]

Yes, good point! I probably shouldn’t emphasize that aspect all that much given, if it is off at all, it is certainly less than a 1/2 degree. And as you say, I am thinking more about narrower parts when I say that. Thanks for helping me see that clearer, and thanks for watching! 👍😎

[@YTubeSDD]

I like the shooting board.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you, it is a useful jig for sure 👍😎

[@RebeccaMcCallaghan]

Good work

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you 👍

[@michaelnorman5640]

Always great video and information

[@PaganWizard]

KZbinr Johnathan Katz-Moses just released a jig to align the rear fence on a crosscut sled without having to use a 3 cut or 5 cut method to aligning your fence. He added that there will be an upcoming video showing how to use this jig to perfectly align the fence on a miter saw. Is the miter plane you used with your shooting board a L-N 9??? I just looked at one on evilbay for more than $500, and there's still 6 days left for bidding.

[@philipchandler330]

Excellent

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you! 👍

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@EpicWoodworking]

My pleasure! 👍

[@bijan4727]

Hello. I always watch your videos and they are very educational and elaborated. In additional I always hear a very soft elegant voice behind the camera. It would be nice at least once we see the face too. I assume she is your wife. Thanks for educating us.

[@anthonyseiver7000]

Bench hook is the most versatile jig for hand tool work. Also the donkey ear shooting board for mitres.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Great jigs for sure, thanks! 👍😎

[@roncoleman4017]

If you make a variety of shims to go between the stock and fence you could use the miter jig to cut dead on segments of any size . just label the shims for the angle they make.

[@radoanazad4535]

Very nice job

[@ERone43]

Nice presentation. Nice ideas. I thought you were succinct, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. At no time did I feel you were talking down to me like Mr. Troll mentioned in these comments. Your wife’s involvement gave a down to Earth and sincere feel to the video as well, unlike most of the woodworking videos out there that are just one big fe$tool/$aw$top commercial. I subscribed! Cheers

[@adamdemirs3466]

The sliding miter does play a little and the sled saw seems a little more consistent. I would take it a step further and use the tape on the back fence with a clamp and square as a stop for repeatable cuts.

[@keith121261]

Nice jig

[@DraganIlich-r1s]

Thank you Sir.🎉

[@moisesrobles7884]

Very good video's woodworking is my passion thank you for all the cool info and tips I always smash my like botton Texas style yahoooooooooo katakaboooooooooooooooom

[@WoodworkingTop535]

thanks for sharing

[@richardgrayson9934]

First time I had anyone explain why the plane does not eat away at the shooting board. Thank you.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks Richard, I was thinking the same thing until someone showed me that a while back. Thanks for watching! 👍

[@MarkMoore-xk2rn]

the mitre for a box, any suggestions on jigs for 45 degree cuts

[@EpicWoodworking]

I usually use a crosscut sled for mitered box sides while having the blade tilted to 45 degrees. 👍

[@woodsniffer]

I really like the shooting board Jig thanks for posting. I must build one. what's the best hand plane for that application ? And I just came off your live Thursday night shop talk video thanks for the entertainment and flash light tip. but can you please fix the wood blinds next to the work bench next to the door. the last blind is resting on the sill. It was in the love video as well thanks LOL

[@sjeff70]

Fantastic jigs! I can’t help but ask if anyone here knows… how do you prevent tear out on end grain when using the shooting board? No preventive measure is used here. There’s nothing backing up the cut.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Actually, once you try it, you’ll see there is in fact something backing up the cut, the fence the workpiece is bearing against. With a proper shooting board, as I tried to demonstrate here, you will not have any tear out at the end of the cut. Glad you enjoyed it! 👍😎

[@sjeff70]

Thank you for clarifying! 👍😊

[@kenerickson4923]

Miss show on PBS

[@tomjudkins3799]

How much blowout do you typically get from your shooting board?

[@EpicWoodworking]

Virtually none, since the out-cut wood fibers are backed up and supported by being against the fence. 👍😎

[@tomjudkins3799]

I need to figure that out then...I get a noticeable amount on mine. It's remarkably similar construction with mdf base, bb top and an oak fence...

[@EpicWoodworking]

Hmmm, I’m not sure why. My guess is try taking very light thin shavings. Hope that helps 👍

[@tomjudkins3799]

It's not every board I shoot, and it's definitely more common with oak and pine. I'll figure out and try your advice

[@JasonEllingsworth]

Never had a use for a crosscut sled over the sliding miter saw. A sled is just too finnicky and limiting in what you can put in it. I don't do any real joinery either, and just glue and screw everything so I don't need one for using with a dado blade either. Also I find the miter saw to be a far safer tool compared to trying to use a table saw for everything.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Whatever works best for you…like they say, if it’s not broken don’t fix it! 👍 Personally I could never match the accuracy I get on the tablesaw using a sled, but I know people who feel just the opposite, including you. Thanks for watching! 👍

[@Timothylaing]

Amphibious or ambidextrous. Either way your dad game is strong Tom! Keep up the good work

[@EpicWoodworking]

😂 Thanks Tim! 👍

[@bibletruths-xs7qs]

great jigs I will be building soon and I lke your jokes

[@lafamillecarrington]

Making a box to fit over my fence showed me what a terrible fence came with my (cheap!) table saw!

[@markahlenius1962]

That was about how to make sure the sled was square

[@EpicWoodworking]

This is the video for making an absolute square sled: 3 Cut Method to a Dead-on Crosscut Sled with Tom McLaughlin kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ2YdXmieLd6gdE

[@christianabela6405]

Is it me or is the first jig totally not at 90 deg? I can see the shadows at the top.

[@EpicWoodworking]

I’m not sure what you’re seeing on the video, maybe I’m holding something off, but it is 90 degrees. Thanks for watching so closely! 😎👍

[@_dooley]

Last Father's Day my daughter bought me a shirt that said Dad joke champion. I'm now convinced that this shirt belongs to Tom. 😂

[@IAMICKGOD]

I laugh every time you say amphibious instead of ambidextrous. I like your vids as well.

[@EpicWoodworking]

We must have our fun 😎👍

[@garyhome7101]

I bought a Miter 5000 a few years ago, thinking it would up my game. It didn't, and so I exclusively use my hand made cross cut jig for the greatest accuracy. Just sayin'...

[@EpicWoodworking]

Man, ain’t that the truth, thanks for watching! 👍😎

[@christopherharrison6724]

I love a good jig but I don’t move so well these days

[@EpicWoodworking]

😂, we move how we can, and not sure I’m doing “good” jigs either

[@geraldberry7980]

I use a radial arm saw, why don’t you?

[@EpicWoodworking]

I actually have a nice old 3 phase 14” Dewalt downstairs, love radial arm saws. But they have been overtaken in the last thirty years by sliding chop saws, and since most people no longer have them, it doesn’t make sense for me to demonstrate using them. Thanks for watching! 👍😎

[@hendrand]

Suggested new title: "Best Jigs for Table Saw"

[@maxwellsimpson2898]

Amphibious?? R/L?!!🤣

[@jkbaer3086]

Hmm. Aren’t you a little scared of having a bolt or screw through that first jig with a saw stop?

[@kokokoLaylay]

Ya si. O. Ki

[@garylawrence7547]

Get yourself a real tenoning jig. This one is kind of awkward.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Sorry, I don’t find it awkward to use at all and it is a real tenoning jig. But if it doesn’t work for you and you prefer one that is more “real” or “store-bought”, by all means go for it 👍

[@Anoncore1]

Take a constructive input , stop talking to your viewer as if they were 4 years old , it’s sound a bit pretentious and condescending, you have good content , some of it is useful , but man it’s making your video a little annoying , take a page from bourbon moth or even nubby , 38 k viewer can turn to 1 million, just tweek your delivery . You do have something here , maybe involve your wife in the video more,instead of having her commenting and cackling off camera view .Here is a hint , more and more couple become contractor and builder especially in this economy and job market,she seems to know a bit , maybe a segment where you guys discuss the admin of the business . Remember , You are not talking to 4 grader , you are mainly talking to grow men .

[@jcantinma]

Maybe his goal is not subscribers just wants to help others learn from his experience. Everyone has their own style they are comfortable with.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks for your intended constructive criticism. It is a little vague to me though. I have no interest in talking to grown men like they are four years olds, and you are the first to ever have that impression, or at least to tell me that. If that is how my style strikes you, it would help me to know specifically what it is about the way I am speaking that makes it sound like I am talking down to you. That is certainly not my intent. Perhaps, if I am, it’s a result of being aware of the questions I will get if I don’t explain things deeply enough. Whatever, I am curious to hear. I am first a maker, for many years, so teaching/sharing the craft is more recent for me, so I’m aware I have a lot to learn and I want to be my best. 👍

[@Timothylaing]

Tom you are awesome. I find your style friendly and approachable and as someone who teaches high school students furniture making I learn lots of great tricks I can pass on. Haters gonna hate as they say. Keep it up. As an aside I’d say your subscriber base would be pretty engaged bunch of actual woodworkers not people who just like watching people work wood.

[@EpicWoodworking]

I should also add, if you’re open to some constructive input, you could improve your commenting style. Rather than dive right into what you think is wrong, it’s good form to say something about what you liked about the free content. And my wife is behind the camera because she is shooting the video and we like it that way. And you referring to her laugh as “cackling” is rude and disrespectful, and then saying “here’s a hint” comes off as condescending, arrogant on your part. Makes me wonder if you really care and are a person worth listening to. But I still am curious what it is about my delivery that made you feel like I was talking down to you like four year old.

[@frogdavw9699]

I do not feel like a four year old, so keep doing what you do, you gotta be you, just as I gotta be me. To do otherwise would come across as phony

[@dpmeyer4867]

thank you