Template for stair treads / shelves

Things You've Made
1

This is a template/helper for cutting shelves/tablets/countertops, even if you cabinet/wall is’nt perfectly straight

I’ve been wanting to build this jig for quite some time now…
I needed to cut a few tablets to make shelves for the office, so I guess it was a good time to make this :slight_smile:

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Cut it out of 18mm MDF and 10mm plywood
Knobs are 3D printed and I used M6 bolts and inserts for fastening
Center piece can be any 10-15mm scrap to fit the length you need

So… How does it work?

Perfect fit every time :slight_smile:

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2

This is awesome!

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3

You always solve problems with your gadgets that I didn’t know I could have. :smiley:

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4

One of the best tips I ever had in wood working is: “The more you measure, the less acurate you are”
It may seem a bit counter-intuitive, but I try to avoid “measuring” things as much as possible, and I get better/tighter fit ever since :slight_smile:

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5

What a great idea.

Would also make a perfect jig for spacing drawer runners.

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6

This must be from the “measure once, cut twice “ school of carpentry…

:wink:

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7

There is SO much to learn.
To show how ignorant I was, I only just learned why tape measures have that “stupid” loose fitting end. (So you can compensate for blade kerf- or not).

For literally decades I’ve tried to compensate for the kerf and wondered why I always messed it up; only just now have I realized the tape measure builds this in for me. Jeez, how dumb am I :wink:

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My understanding was different. I was instructed it was for allowing both “inside” measurements and “outside” measurements. The little tip can slide inwards for measurements where the tape measure is inside the thing being measured, and the outside of the tip is being pressed against the surface, while the tip can slide outwards when it is gripping the measured item, with the material being up against the inside of the tip.

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9

:+1:That’s exactly what I was taught. The loose fitting hook automatically compensates for the thickness of the hook.

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10

That is my understanding as well. The end moves inward so the outside edge is at 0, or slides outward so the inside of the hook is at 0.

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11

Dan explained it so much more succinctly than I did! LOL :smiley:

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12

Practical and clever application of relative dimensioning.
It’s rewarding to get the perfect fit

13

Reminds me of that anecdote (which could nearly be a koan)

Do you know why manhole covers are the size they are, and it’s standard all over the world?

To fit the manhole

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14

The jig did it’s job alright
Very happy with this…

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15

First time I saw something like this was on the Modustrial Maker youtube channel.

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16

Rockler? That’s 250 bucks… :smiley:

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Yeah the rockler stuff is all pretty darned good, but mostly too rich for my blood.

I love seeing DIY versions like the topic of this tread, it’s part of what it is to prefer to make things rather than just fork over a pallet of cash.

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