Do you finish your jigs?

[BeerBoy]

I'm wondering if any of you put a finish on your shop jigs. I made a panel cutting sled and am wondering if I should put some paste wax on it or something else or just leave it.

[Phisherman]

I ally finishes to jigs I use for bending and laminated glue-ups. The finish prevents glue from sticking to the jigs. Otherwise, I don't waste any finish.

[Swingman]

Jigs are great for practice, testing, and using that last bit of finish left in the can.

[Shawn]

Don't put on anything that you wouldn't want to get on any/all of your projects.

Shawn

Sw> Jigs are great for practice, testing, and using that last bit of finish left

[Andy Dingley]

I make most of mine from MDF, sometimes from ply, and I have trouble with damp in my workshop. All of mine get a coat of wax - it's an ugly colour that Axminster once shipped to me by mistake and I've no other use for it anyway.

I also write on them what they are, and what size (if relevant) to prepare the stock to before using them. Saves a lot of trouble in the future.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

[Bay Area Dave]

shellac. and wax the sliding parts like underside of a TS sled. My jigs are made from poplar and ply.

dave

BeerBoy wrote:

[RWM]

It seems that I always mix up more shellac that I can use project that I mixed it for. The extra usually gets applied to jigs and such. It is a great way to us extra shellac and it protects the jigs.

Bob McBreen

[Dave Fleming]

Absolutely. Either a couple of coats of Trewax or same of Dalys Sea Fin Teak Oil.

Anybody recall my 'the ADZE' stories? Well the fellow known as 'Little Hat Shapiro' was a true life person and his well equipped commercial woodworking operation called the 'Sonoma County Woodworks', had the walls hung with his jigs. A horizontal strip of 2X stock bored to take dowels and the jigs hung on the dowels. Very impressive to prospective clients to be sure and they were damn good. Well designed and made. Some times I thought he liked making jigs to do functions more than doing the actual work! Tales of a Boatbuilder Apprentice

[Swingman]

What commonly used woodworking finish would you suggest staying away from that I "wouldn't want to get on my projects"?

[Howard Ruttan]

Depends on my mood. I spray painted a couple of my router fences, poly'd my router box making jig, but my crosscut sleds usually only get paste wax on the bottom and the runners. However, I made a little jig for cutting narrow pieces on the tablesaw that ended up getting French polished.

[Jim K]

[Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D. P.A.]

BLO and poly, thinned to increase penetration. Paste wax when cured. Nothing more for the life of the tool.

[Erik]

Well, I've only made one so far and yes I threw some shellac on it. It's like my old dentist used to say - "You don't need to floss all your teeth . . . . just the ones you want to keep".

[Mark]

Yes.

[BeerBoy]

Thanks for all the responses and tips passed along to my question. Quite a variation in finishes. Everything from shellac to wax to Poly. I appreciate the advice.

[Steve James]

Best argument for finishing a jig is to put a water vapor barrier on it to minimize dimensional changes from humidity changes. Best finishes for that purpose are shellac or solvent based polyurethane. Non silicone containing wax on top of the finished parts of the jig that need to slide is also a good idea.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Yes, (both jigs and templates) depending on what I happen to be using the next time. I'm doing some finishing. If for no other reason than to keep them cleaner. I also mark them with their intended use and any critical dimensions, etc. Ed [e-mail]