While building a suite of benches for the lobby of a local university, I faced one particularly challenging problem. The bench design called for triangular blocks to stiffen the joints, and each block needed a notch cut into the corner to fit around the leg. I had a bunch of blocks to notch, so I needed a safe and efficient method. This jig slides in the tablesaw miter slot and holds the workpiece firmly so that I can cut notches without concern.

I used 1/2-in. plywood for the base, maple for the fence and stop block, and a De-Sta-Co clamp to hold the workpiece. The fence is attached to the base with countersunk machine screws that tighten into T-nuts in the top of the fence. Slots in the base allow the fence and stop block to move so you can cut different-size notches.

Jim Richey

Jim Richey

Jim Richey

Michael Ellis, Portland, OR

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