Bt3100 Gone?

[Raymonator]

a jig is a device used to maintain mechanically the correct positioning relationship between a piece of work and the tool or between parts of work during assembly.

Ok great, now can you explain that in ENGLISH please Actually, I'll do some research and hopefully will get to understand what they are. Again, seeing a picture of one, or one in use, will probably be more beneficial for my rusted up brain. Thanks for the info...............really

[scorrpio]

A jig is whatever contraption you may come up with to help you perform an operation easier, faster, more precisely, or safer.

For example., below is a picture of a jig I made to drill a row of equally spaced holes. By indexing the metal pin to the previously drilled hole, I ensure that next hole is always same distance from previous. Distance between holes is set by sliding the block jig mounts to along the fence, distance from board edge set by moving the fence, and then sliding the arm out.

[Raymonator]

Not to sound ignorant (cause I am) but in such a case, couldn't you just measure and mark with a pencil where you wanted the holes ? I mean, the time it took you to think of and make the jig, wouldn't it be faster ? But I guess after the jig is made, you can use it multiple times which eventually makes things go faster and more precise. Again, I'm showing my ignorance in wood shop know-how as I've never used one obviously. I notice you have plastic knobs on the jig to tighen etc. Which means you pretty well have to be an inventor of finding the correct knobs or whatever to go with the wood jig you fabricate. Man, I'm far from being there. I really envy you seasoned craftsmen. That said, you had to start somewhere too I guess, but I'm sure most of you were a heck of a lot younger than me LOL. Better late than never I guess. Thanks scorrpio for the picture and explanation.

[LarryG]

But I guess after the jig is made, you can use it multiple times which eventually makes things go faster and more precise.

That's part of the idea, yes. But the payback is quicker than you might think: the additional time and effort spent to make the jig is often offset by the time it saves the very first time you use it.

There is, however, one very important additional reason to use jigs, which is that they will often save you from screwing up a very expensive piece of wood. You put the effort into, and make your mistakes on, the jig. When it is right, doing the work on the actual workpiece becomes almost an automatic, paint-by-numbers exercise in which it is much more difficult to make a mistake that would ruin the piece.

BTW we all tend to use the word "jig" somewhat generically. Technically, the drilling jig that Scorrpio shows is not a jig, but a fixture. Jigs generally attach to the workpiece itself and move with it. Fixtures generally attach to the tool itself, as an extension of it. One way to remember the difference is, "A jig slides, a fixture guides." I personally equate the "fix" in "fixture" to "fixed," i.e., it doesn't move.

[greencat]

I would say the accuracy increases with jigs. Marking 10 holes very accurately and drilling those holes is not easy. With this jig if you are off then you are consistently off. If you test on scrap then you are assured that you can repeat the process.

My problem I don’t take the time to make the jigs.

[Jaden]

"A jig slides, a fixture guides." I personally equate the "fix" in "fixture" to "fixed," i.e., it doesn't move. - LarryG

Thanks for that little tip Larry........Now I CAN'T forget..............

What were we talkin' about again...........oh, never mind, it will come back to me eventually........

Steve

[scorrpio]

Trying to mark things like that is inherently mistake-prone. Easy enough if spacing is say, 2". But what if I need 1 7/32"? Try going over a 4-foot board, with a tape measure, adding these fractions in your head. Then, you'd have to slide a combination square to every mark in order to mark a point proper distance from the edge. And what if I am making a set of kitchen cabinets, and want all of them to have identically spaced shelf-pin holes?

The jig itself was not long to make - I'd say an hour or two tops. And once you start doing things in your shop, you'll have sufficient amount of various odds and ends to use for jig materials.

Far as knobs go, those are easily available. Rockler, Grizzly, Lee Valley, Woodcraft, and a whole bunch of others sell them. Home Depot hardware section should also have some. Some places sell kits with a whole assortment of stuff - like Rockler's 4' track kit that includes a 4 foot T-track and an assortment of T-bolts and knobs. I grabbed several of those when they were selling them for $11 each. An important thing is to adopt a system and stick to it. For example, I use 5/16-18 and 1/4-20 thread screws, nuts and knobs everywhere, meaning I never need to go rummaging through a bunch of knobs to find a right size. (Got the two sizes sorted out in two separate bins) Also, on ebay, look up a store called '8020 inc garage sale'. It's a jig-maker's candy store. Their 10 series uses 1/4-20 thread size, 15series uses 5/16-18.

P.S. And of course, I forgot to mention T-Nuts - the site linked right from these forum. Carries a whole lot of useful stuff.

[scorrpio]

BTW we all tend to use the word "jig" somewhat generically. Technically, the drilling jig that Scorrpio shows is not a jig, but a fixture. Jigs generally attach to the workpiece itself and move with it. Fixtures generally attach to the tool itself, as an extension of it. One way to remember the difference is, "A jig slides, a fixture guides." I personally equate the "fix" in "fixture" to "fixed," i.e., it doesn't move.

I guess this means that Leigh, PorterCable, and a number of others should rename their product to 'dovetail fixture'. Besides, you are guilty: http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=19111 As something that attaches to the tool, shouldn't you call it a 'Step-and-Repeat Hole Fixture'? Or do you mean that meanings of 'jig' and 'fixture' reverse when workpiece is stationary and tool is moving?

Me, I keep it simple. Fixture is that thing with light bulbs hanging over my head. Anything I attach to either workpiece or tool, moving or not, in order to do it right, is a jig.

[Raymonator]

Now look what I've started LOL.

[lcm1947]

Ray, you do seem to be a trouble maker. First with Loring and now these guys. Are you a plant from another jealous forum?

[Raymonator]

Ray, you do seem to be a trouble maker. First with Loring and now these guys. Are you a plant from another jealous forum?

Dang! I guess you're on to me now and the secret is out. Ok ok, I'll try to not start anything anymore

[gimpy]

I agree with scorrpio and LarryG to use the term generically. It's anything (to me) that makes doing the work easier, better, more accurate, etc, even a straight piece of wood to guide the router, circular saw, etc, I call it a jig (whether it's a jig, fixture, template or whatever). I still call it a jig.

Now, I hope that the 3100 certainly does not go away as I just recently got one. But I am only a week-end piddler, so, hopefully mine will last me for years to come. (I do mean piddler. Yesterday, I just learned/realized how to measure miter cuts with the smt fence).

Frank

[Salty]

Question!

A jig is whatever contraption you may come up with to help you perform an operation easier, faster, more precisely, or safer.

For example., below is a picture of a jig I made to drill a row of equally spaced holes. By indexing the metal pin to the previously drilled hole, I ensure that next hole is always same distance from previous. Distance between holes is set by sliding the block jig mounts to along the fence, distance from board edge set by moving the fence, and then sliding the arm out.
[ATTACH]921[/ATTACH]

I got a question about this jig/fixture "thingamajig" (Just had to throw that one in there)
When you move to the next hole, do you just pull the pin up part way and move the board. I'm assuming you do not have to loosen the knob each time cause that would require you to reset the arm in exactly the same spot each time.

[scorrpio]

All knobs stay put. Pin is sliding in the arm hole. Lift pin, slide workpiece till pin drops into just drilled hole. Pin end is ground to cone shape, but is not pointed - so it leaves no scratches. The arm is made from laminate flooring, very tough material with good wear resistance. The hole lets the pins slide free, but there is no wobble. I suspect wobble will eventually develop, but before that, I'll modify the jig - enlarge the hole and epoxy a short piece od 3/8" I.D. aluminum tube into it.
Great thing about this jig is that I can save about any drilling setup by drilling two holes in a piece of scrap. Then I can restore the setup in seconds at any time later.

[johnalay]

Home Depots in Austin stopped ordering BT3100

Back on the original topic (nothing to do with Jigs ) I bought my first and seemingly only BT3100 today. The first HD in Austin, Tx I went to had no stock, but the label said "backordered." So I asked a salesperson who checked the system and determined that the BT3100 was marked for clearance and that the backorder had been canceled. He checked other HD's in the area and found one that had a couple, though they were also marked "clearance." Oh, and the "clearance price" was $249. Not good news, I fear.

Maybe a replacement comes later, but I suspect that HD would much rather sell the RIDGID product line. More profit.

Counting on you guys to help me get this beast assembled (including the Herc-u-lift plus!) and working as well as it seems to work for the majority of you.

Thanks in advance!
John