Finish For Jigs

[Tom Blank]

This might be a Neander post, but thought I'd start here.

What finish do you find works best on ply used for jigs like a bench hook, shooting board, saw hook, and planing board? I think they need something simply for moisture protection but not something too slick. Shoud add that my "shop" is in a garage with no climate control so conditions change with the seasons.

I plan on adding a strip of 3" UHMW tape on the runway of the planing board for the plane to ride on. That area may get something extra to give the tape a good surface to stick to.

Thanks,

Tom

[Dale Cruea]

I use Shellac. About a 2 lb cut or so.
1 or 2 coats.
If it is too slick I will sand it with 220 grit to knock the nibs down.
I also use Gulf Wax ( paraffin ) on the part under the plane.
I add some 220 grit paper to the stop to hold the work from sliding.
Spray glue works well for the paper.

[glenn bradley]

I use shellac. I have shellac on jigs that I have used for years. I used it since it is easy to refresh but, I have only done that on a couple jigs where I mistakenly damaged them. None have worn through due to use.

[Todd Burch]

I use nothing or wax.

[Prashun Patel]

I use whatever is old and on hand and I'm looking for an excuse to use up. That includes paint, shellac, polyurethane, and boiled linseed oil. Truth is, the majority of my jigs are unfinished and their performance is not compromised for it.

Rarely do I use wax. A) never goes bad, B) doesn't do much to protect, C) Makes the surface slippery, which is bad for me for anything with a fence.

[Scott Holmes]

Most often I use shellac if I finish then at all

[sheldon pettit]

This might be a Neander post, but thought I'd start here.

What finish do you find works best on ply used for jigs like a bench hook, shooting board, saw hook, and planing board? I think they need something simply for moisture protection but not something too slick. Shoud add that my "shop" is in a garage with no climate control so conditions change with the seasons.

I plan on adding a strip of 3" UHMW tape on the runway of the planing board for the plane to ride on. That area may get something extra to give the tape a good surface to stick to.

Thanks,

Tom

When i started making jigs i used solid woods and plywood as most do, scraps from other projects i picked up from my cabinet makers. Later in the seventies till my retirement i switched to phenolics and other plastics and UHMWP [Ultre High Molecular Weight Polyethylene] when it became available. I would never make a permanent jig out of plywood, only temporary jigs at most, for one of a kind or limited small run use only. I never finished any jigs that i can remember off hand.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I use whatever is old and on hand and I'm looking for an excuse to use up

Yep....
+1 to that.