As any maker will tell you, we spend more time making jigs than making projects, or so it seems at times. Take the new brass thumb screws I bought for the navigation lights. There were two small problems with them. The first is that they are brass. Nothing I can do about that as those are the only ones that fit. The second issue is that they are flat on the head, no slot for a screwdriver. Now that is something I can do something about.
The first, and most obvious answer, is to cut a slot with a hacksaw, but if you’ve ever tried doing this you will know that the result is usually less than optimal.
Enter a jig.
I cut a 5.5mm holes through a piece of scrap plywood and then a 12mm hole halfway through centred on the smaller hole. I marked a centreline and use the bandsaw to cut a slot in the wood through the centre of the larger hole. The thumbscrew was put into the jig and fixed in place with a nut on the bottom.
Like this.
I then used the bandsaw again to cut a small slot in the thumb screw, just to get the slot started and to stop the hacksaw blade from wandering.
Over to the bench vice next and with the jig clamped in place, I used the jigsaw to carefully cut the slot to the required depth using the cut in the plywood as a guide.
The result is a nearly perfect slot in the top of the thumbscrews. Marvellous.
The newly slotted thumb screw in place. Apart from the obvious newness of the brass, it looks pretty good. I’d say that was a good use of my lunch break.
Time to get back to work and …
Time for a cup of tea.