Gifkin Mod Version 0.01

[Shedhand]

Should I patent this idea? :wink:

The only thing I don't like about the Gifkins jig is the method of securing the wood to the jig when cutting the joints. I've watched Roger do it with his hefty G clamp and he makes it look pretty easy. However, for someone like me who struggles to get my joints working together (in my hand I mean) a clamp is too cumbersome and sticks in my chest when I lean over the table. I've tried the smallest Bessey DuoKlamp which is a 1 handed clamp but its still too cumbersome.

So I says to meself, "there's gotta be an easier way". :doh: My old man always said give the hardest job to the laziest man and he will find the easiest way to do it. So I applied this tried and true method to the gifkins and came up with this.

I had the small lever clamps sitting around waiting for a use. I just drilled 4 x 3/16th holes in each side of the sliding block and fixed the clamps with 3/16th nuts and bolts.

Voila! And it works. Comments welcome.

[Boxinator]

Pretty slick idea, quick and easy! Nice job.

Corey

[Just George]

I like your idea, I'd be a little worried about it coming lose. From the pictures you have an early model Jig but with the alloy stop.

How many times have you used it this way?

How much force do you apply when clamping the timber in?

My concerns would be:
will the MDF jig hold up to the extra strain that it wouldn't have normally had, and
will the stop handle the extra strain that it too wouldn't normally have had.

Neither the jig or the stop were designed with this mod in mind.

However, good thinking just the same.

What about those folks like myself who have an early model Jig that has the stop made out of timber, what should I do to successfully use your mod.?

[Wood Butcher]

Sheddy, a great idea but I semi agree with George.

I don't see how it will put any abnormal strain on the MDF as the timber is normally clamped to it anyway but I would be very cautious about how much force is used to clamp the timber as the clamps will have a tendency to put very abnormal strain on the 90deg bend of the stop.

[Big Shed]

Shedhand, that looks like a nifty mod. Got to admit that one of the things that always put me off the Gifkins jig was that huge G clamp (the other being the cost:o )

Have you used this a fair bit so far? Is the holding power of these as good as the huge G clamp?

Fred

[Billylad]

IWOULD ASSUME that it willthrow the stop out of 90degrees. What aboutif the clamp was on the jig.Good idea well done.

[Shedhand]

I like your idea, I'd be a little worried about it coming lose. From the pictures you have an early model Jig but with the alloy stop.I bought this jig at the Hobart WWS late 2005 so i don't think its the old model. It was the latest model when I bought it. It came with the alloy stop.


How many times have you used it this way? Only once to see if it secured the wood tight enough. Mind you, you still have to ensure that everything is firmly set and square before commencing to cut. This is Version 0.01 so some tooling around will be necessary before I deem it idiot proof. I already have an improvement or 2 in mind.


How much force do you apply when clamping the timber in? Enough to hold the timber firmly but the improvement I have in mind will enable a lesser force to be applied but still hold the timber firmly in place.


My concerns would be:
will the MDF jig hold up to the extra strain that it wouldn't have normally had, and
will the stop handle the extra strain that it too wouldn't normally have had. This can only be ascertained over time but is not an issue with the newer alloy model.


Neither the jig or the stop were designed with this mod in mind.True but the mod (especially with the improvement i have in mind) doesn't put undue pressure on either component.


However, good thinking just the same.

What about those folks like myself who have an early model Jig that has the stop made out of timber, what should I do to successfully use your mod.?Not a lot said spot other than buy an alloy stop from Roger.


I WOULD ASSUME that it will throw the stop out of 90 degrees.Not that I can measure..
What about if the clamp was on the jig. I thought of that quite a while ago but it couldn't be done if you wanted to work with stock that was different widths as you would be forever screwing and unscrewing the clamp to reposition it.
Good idea well done.Thanks mate.

In any event I only came up with the idea today so I wouldn't recommend that anyone races out to the shed and butchers their Gifkin Alloy stop. I'll keep working on the idea and report back on whether its really worthwhile or not. Besides Roger might get a bit miffed if I do it without consulting him first. Better do that now.:doh:

Cheers

[Shedhand]

:doh: Well there you go. There will be no further development of this mod. 'Why' you ask. Coz Roger has already dunnit. Shuda known.

Great mod. Here's his. I'll be getting a pair when I can get some money. :( :2tsup:

[Billylad]

Damn,bad luck,just when you get a good idea,and you could have made amillion,

[Shedhand]

Damn,bad luck,just when you get a good idea,and you could have made amillion, Yeah, my life story. I already made enquiries about this (http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/conceptcar?modelid=20001). :((

[mlsa]

I wonder when Roger will have these for sale on his site? He said toward the end of 2006...better hurry Roger or you are gonna be late. :U

Although I must admit I do like the setup Shedhand has. I also already have some of those clamps setting around my shop.

[Nevyn]

I have a pair of the clamps and holders, tried them and switched to a seperate clamp because the B10 cutting bits were moving the workpiece when they cut in. Worked well for the fingerjoint and A10 bits though.

Just could not get enough pressure on the workpiece with the Bessey Kliklamp.

Cheers

Nigel

[Stuart]

Ah well, modify the concept, and concoct a vacuum system instead - both hands can hold the work in place, and flick a lever with a foot to bind the work tightly to the jig :)

[Shedhand]

I have a pair of the clamps and holders, tried them and switched to a seperate clamp because the B10 cutting bits were moving the workpiece when they cut in. Worked well for the fingerjoint and A10 bits though.

Just could not get enough pressure on the workpiece with the Bessey Kliklamp.

Cheers

NigelHmm...on second thoughts I have another plan.... :doh:

[Shedhand]

I wonder when Roger will have these for sale on his site? He said toward the end of 2006...better hurry Roger or you are gonna be late. :U

Although I must admit I do like the setup Shedhand has. I also already have some of those clamps setting around my shop.Just hold the bus Tex. I have to rework the mod. I did some cutting today and found that indeed the stock was moving ever so slightly but enough to ruin the fit of the joints.. I have an idea which may fix the problem. Don't go drilling holes yet.
Cheers

[Cliff Rogers]

The latest AWW arrived yesterday & the Gifkins advert has clamp holders for the Bessey KLI 16 Kliklamp.
The holders are $6, the clamps are $42.
There are no details other than the prices on the web.
If you want to see a picture, you'll have to look at the latest paper advert.

[mlsa]

Just hold the bus Tex. I have to rework the mod. I did some cutting today and found that indeed the stock was moving ever so slightly but enough to ruin the fit of the joints.. I have an idea which may fix the problem. Don't go drilling holes yet.
Cheers

I was just looking at your clamp system really close. (Hmmm...how do I explain this). Since the board was moving just a bit...I wonder if you took the clamp and where the rubber tab closes on the board..if you made that tab a little longer where it spread the pressure across the board instead of on that one small point.

David

[Lignum]

Great stuff Sheddie:wink: Simple and perfect way to hold it. I have been using toggles to hold a router in a bench for years and it has never come lose. And its simple to fix the movement problem, just swap the toggles with rubber for ones with solid. Well done again:D

[Shedhand]

OK, here we go again. I got Roger to send me a 2nd Alloy stop. I bolted a second clamp to the other side of the first clamp.

[Shedhand]

Then I cut a 25mm square x 12mm thick piece of scrap and clamped it to the pin cutting side. Then I clamped the workpiece against the new plain stop on the dovetail cutting side.

Clamping the small scrap piece first, forced the dovetail side of the modified clamp to push the workpiece firmly against the plain stop. I then engaged the clamp on the dovetail cutting side of the jig.

[Shedhand]

After ensuring the workpiece was nicely seated on both the plain stop AND the template I put a piece of Silky Oak on the jig and started the road test.
Side 1 = great. No movement of piece of wood - checked after each cut.
Side 2 = great. Again no movement. Again checked after each dovetail cut.

Then I cut some pieces of African Blackwood. Made sure it was all cut nice and square. Thicknessed it down to 12mm with my hybrid Stanley #3 Scrub Plane (which worked a treat).

I then transferred the small block of scrap from the pin cutting side to the dovetail side and repeated the whole process.

Before I started on the joints I used a digital micrometer to check all the cuts and they were well within my anal tolerances :- . Not bad for a WC2000 with an old Makita saw. The width ranged from 60.14mm to 60.12mm. But I digress.

After sanding the pieces from 180 to 1200 I put it together. I rubbed 3 coats of EEE followed by 3 coats of Wax.

Here it is. Its only small and no lid or base yet as this is just an exercise to see how the clamp mod works and I'll probably turn it into a ring box for MIL.



I think I can safely say the mod works. It doesn't cause any weakness or strain on the metal parts. Nor the MDF body of the jig now that 2 clamps provide an opposing force. It provides easy one handed setting of the work piece. Provides excellent visibility when cutting. Adds bugger all weight to the jig and is cheap. I think from memory the clamps were (from Carbatec Melb) $11.00 each and the extra stop was $29.00. Plus a few cents for the metal threads and nuts.

Anyway, I hope this is clear enough for you to try the mod for yourselves if you so desire.

PS: There is enough clearance in the clamping bolt to screw it in far enough to clamp up to 25mm thick stock.

Cheers

[Boxinator]

Looks great! So does the box!

Corey

[Billylad]

well done shedhand

[Shedhand]

Thanks guys. I'm working on the next version. Even simpler and able to cater for wider boards. This mod is ok for up to about 110 mm before the clamps run out of 'reach'. Hence the need for some further modification.
:mods::think:

[dazzler]

I like it sheddie

And if you clamp both peices at once then the pressure is evened up somewhat.

My mod was to glue 240 grit to the mdf and then adjust the shims to suit. I was just holding them with my fingers and didnt get any slip but I reckon with your mod and mine she'll be licked.

cheers

dazzzler


check out the time :doh:

[Shedhand]

Go to bed mate...you get the 2 am feed then? :wink:

[Fencepost2]

My fumbling problem with the Gifkin's jig is to ensure that the workpiece is tight up against the side and bottom stops while I get the G clamp on. The solution I am experimenting with is a little feather board held by a second Gifkins stop. The work piece is slid down trapped by the feathers against the true stop and it seems to stay down too, held be the springiness of the feathers. This frees my hands a bit more to manage the G clamp. Any less than perfect joints have been the result of not maintaining the workpiece tightly against the registering surfaces whilst clamping. Still working on it.:doh:

[Just George]

My mod was to glue 240 grit to the mdf and then adjust the shims to suit. I was just holding them with my fingers and didnt get any slip but I reckon with your mod and mine she'll be licked.

:doh:


This is a good idea, I use a large G-Clamp, this idea would help make the whole thing just that little bit more secure - alot actually.