Simple box joint jig

Handy Woodworking Tip TimeHere is the first in what I hope will be an ongoing feature. I often have viewers ask me how to make certain jigs or perform certain techniques. Frequently, I have covered these topics in my videos but its difficult to sift through them to find a certain tip. So I decided to start compiling these tips into their own short videos on my Mere Minutes channel.
I was inspired to do this because viewer Per Almered took the time to create a brilliant little jingle for me. I thought it was funny, clever and decidedly quaint, so why not build a series out of it?
Per is quite talented. Please listen more of his music here.Box JointsI thought I would start out this series with a simple box joint jig I used in my Knitting Box video back in February. I doubt many of my viewers are into knitting and may have missed this technique.
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Dowel center finding jig and some Christmas woodworking ideas

Heres a quick little jig that Bill Wilson (the Cajone king) made for centering dowel holes on the edge of a board. Just two dowels and a hole all lined up. Place the dowels on each side of an edge and drill through the center hole. Voilà!

And since its gift-building season, Bill also sent over a picture of a project he built. The snow is flour.

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Heres another gift idea...a slit drum. Dave Hecker says his biggest woodworking challenge is getting wood into his basement...it has to go through the house to get there! Slit drums are fun projects.

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Kenneth Hockenberry posted this most incredible video over on Facebook today. (If youre not signed up the the Mere Mortals Facebook page, check it out. Lots of really cool discussions, sometimes about wood, sometimes about football on Sundays. Plus, if you arent there, we talk about you behind your back.) 

At any rate, there is so much that is cool about this video, I wont spoil anything before you watch.

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Picture frame and a spline jig

Just gluing miter joints together is not particularly strong, but splines add strength to them. Plus, they take your woodworking to the next level by adding interesting visual elements. Andy Glass sent over this cool oak picture frame with walnut splines.

Heres the jig he used to make the spline slots. It doesnt take much to make something cool. Thanks Andy!

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Mere Minutes

Got any Halloween projects? Id love to see them. In fact, just send me pictures of anything cool youre doing for Halloween!  zrammedia (at) gmail (dot) com. 

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Woodworking ideas and a really cool jig

Making toys is very rewarding. Paul Jobbins made this "bead board" sorter for his son Zach. Any of you with toddlers know that toys such as this fascinate little ones. Its open-ended play fuels their imaginations.

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Bill Bumpus sent over this picture of a head band holder that I found very clever. Makes me want to try making a wood headband, too.

Not only that, but hes been cranking out trivets too!

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Benjamin Zupancic from Slovenia is back with more versions of my projects. He modeled this one after my sliding-lid box, but added a magnetic lid.

And yes, he made a garden bench, too. I really like his modifications and the ways he shaped it.

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And heres Don Robertos bench with a new, beefier take on the backrest.

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Not enough benches you say? Ha. Simion Horatiu from Romania built these two. One similar to mine and the other with a cool storage area in the seat.

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Heres Dan Cooks version of my Shaker style coat rack I made just about a year ago. He made his out of cedar and it looks gorgeous.

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Finally, Hans S. from the Czech Republic clued me onto this video from Festool showing a really cool home-made round peg jig. This one looks easy to make and a lot of fun to try. (If you dont speak German, youll have no trouble getting the gist of this video.)

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Coping saw jig

Everyone seems to be making Tims three-piece puzzle. Dattatreya Parupudi posted his a few days ago on the Mere Mortals Facebook page. Dattatreya doesnt have a bandsaw or scroll saw, so he cut it using a coping saw and chisels.
He then posed the question: "How can I cut straight lines using a coping saw?"
Well Tim Sluder actually has a coping saw jig! This is pretty cool. If you like, heres a PDF version.Here are his instructions: 

The jig, works best when clamped in a vice or screwed to awork bench. Coping is a two-handed operation that iswhere this jig helps. You have to keep turning your workback and forth to get a straight line as you saw. Well, asclose as you can get due to the blade flex. Make sure to lubethe saw blades to aid in cutting and preventing brokenblades. This jig can be used with a jeweler saw or files.These jigs are easy to replace as they wear out. I used thistype of jig when I was in high school(1975), we used ajeweler’s saw to make jewelry out of coins. Try cutting outthe face on a dime. Let your imagination be your limit.Enjoy.

Finally, there was a question about a couple dimensions in Tims design. He has updated it. Here is the new plan.Thanks guys!

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Plans for the home made pocket hole jig and kids gettin er done

Last week I posted some pictures Carmen Salamones shop-made pocket hole jig. It wasnt long before Bruce (Wood Chuck) cranked out some plans. Download his Sketchup file here. Thanks Bruce!
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Carmen Salamone is quite productive. Here are more versions of the wind spinner.  (You may recall, hes the one who inspired me to make mine.) I love the way people are painting these things.

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And check out these made by Macgyver Norris and Country Barbie. (I am going to guess those are nicknames, unless they live in Hollywood!) This is part of Kevin Wells "Little Woodworkers" feature.  And check out Kevins web site, Chuckin Wood.

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Kids today. Charlie Webster incorporated his version of my planter box as part of his Boy Scout Eagle Project. Looks great. 

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