what is a jig?

[chemical_ali]

i was reading melvyn hiscock's make your own electric guitar and stumbled onto some woodworking jargon. what is a jig and what is it used for? also, how does this relate to the "roller bearing" attached to the shank of the router bit?

[Scott Rosenberger]

A Jig is a traditional Irish dance

no really, a jig is like a template, it lets you make the same thing over and over again

[krazyderek]

i'll just elaborate a bit more on the above incase you're slow like me

see router bits with bearings at the end that doesn't go into the router are used to trace things, these are called flush trim bits, bits with the bearing on the shank (the shaft that fits into the router) are used to trace the template you just made with the flush trim bit, onto a blank peice of wood.. these are usualy called template bits, and are used with a template or jig (same thing) that is taped (with double sided tape) or screwed to the blank peice of wood.

[chemical_ali]

i still don't get how you can be tracing the jig (template) with the end of the router bit when the router bit is cutting wood?!?!?

[Setch]

OK, a template is an example of a jig, but the two things are not synonyms.

A jig is a device used to hold a piece of work and guide the tools used on it, allowing you to perform a task quickly and repeatably. For example, I have an angled jig I use to hold my neck blanks and route a perfect 12 degree angle on them for a scarfed headstock, a router jig to rough radius f'board blanks, and so on.

Um...oh... that's what Scott said. Nevermind

[chemical_ali]

can someone post a picture of a jig in action?!?!

[westhemann]

take your pick