Router & Table Saw Small Workpiece Holder
Smaller pieces of stock are used in projects all the time. But have you ever tried cutting one on your table saw or router table? Not the safest operation, right? For obvious reasons, it's never a good idea to get your hands too close to a spinning blade or router bit. Fortunately, now you can use our clever fixture to hold smaller bits of stock so you can safely make the cuts you need without putting your fingers and hands at risk.Â
My life as a new woodworker is almost entirely determined by the cost of things. Be it a figure in cold hard cash or the return on the investment of my time, everything has to be done in a way that makes financial sense. When it comes to woodworking jigs I always ask myself two questions before I go out and buy: can I make this myself, and how long would it take to make? If the investment in time and materials comes to less than the cost of a commercial jig, I'll make it.
I'm happy to report, then, that this small workpiece holder makes perfect financial sense for my shop, which I am pretty sure will mean that it makes sense for most shops out there. I found this thing easy to use, it performs more than one function, and costs less than a night out at the movies. The frugal trifecta.
Out of the box this small-parts jig takes very little to set up. The materials that make it up are sturdy and lock in place well and true, and the brass knurled thumb screws for adjusting the fence angle add a high-quality touch where the manufacturer would have been justified in skimping with chintzy plastic knobs. The angle gauge is easy to read in any light regardless of glare or shadow as well, so there's no having to bend way over your table saw to make sure that you're still at the correct angle.
The clamping setup is very well engineered as well and features a hefty, easy to grip knob for tightening as well as a quick release. Textured pads inside the clamping jaws add an extra hand at gripping the wood as well, so pieces sit firmly in place as you move across a cutting surface. Small workpieces can be cut at any angle up to 45 degrees without risk to your fence or fingers.
When you're not using it to cut miters and tapers on the table saw, this jig doubles wonderfully as a workpiece holder at the router table. The handles put your hands well away from the cutting edge as you pass small items over a bit, eliminating the danger of trying to hold down a thin piece of stock. Climb cutting on a small box lid along the bearing of a roundover router bit is far more secure when you can get a strong, wide grip as opposed to negotiating your fingers away from the danger zones during a cut.
And for less than $30 picking up the Infinity Tools small workpiece holder when you need it is really a no-brainer, regardless of where you are in your woodworking career.
