Couple Low Budget Jigs

Dominator

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Here's a couple of handy jigs I threw together with scraps lying around the shop. I got the foam rubber from my wife which was leftover from one of her projects.

I can't afford one of those guitar repair vises from Stew Mac and I’ve never had a good way to hold a body. I saw a YT video and the guy was using a vise called a “Guitar Troji”. I could only see the top part of it and based on that I threw together what you see in the first picture. The day I finished the jig the guy from YT sent me a link with the plans for the guitar troji. It is is a free standing floor model jig. I may revisit it in the future but I don’t have space for a floor standing unit right now. I made one of those rolling pin sanders that Chris Paulick made and this vise holds the body so I can use the sander properly.

The second picture is my $3 version of the Freehand Holder that Stew Mac sells for close to $90. I needed some way to have access to the entire instrument when grain filling and since I use a bolt on neck this worked out great for me. I’ve made one modification which is I replaced the PVC spacer with a dowel that I drilled through the center. I then drilled and tapped it on the side for a ¼ carriage bolt that gives me a little handle so I can turn the instrument without having to touch it. I think I will look for some different hardware parts and make a better one.


uke_jig.jpg
uke_jig_2.jpg
 
That ukulele troji looks very similar to mine. I made the back board longer so I can clamp it into a woodworking vice. Nice height that way and I don't have to bend over as much. Yours look much better than mine.
 
That ukulele troji looks very similar to mine. I made the back board longer so I can clamp it into a woodworking vice. Nice height that way and I don't have to bend over as much. Yours look much better than mine.

Working height is indeed important. This one on the benchtop puts it at a very comfortable spot for me.
 
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