gifkins jig

Today I am doing my first test cuts using the Gifkins jig to cut dovetails. I am starting on an article for American Woodworker magazine demonstrating the use of the jig to both join the corners of the box and make the wooden hinges to attach the lid. So far so good. The Gifkins jig is a reversal of sorts from other dovetail jigs. Instead of holding the router and guiding it to the jig and workpiece, with the Gifkins jig, you mount the workpiece in the jig and guide it into the table mounted router. This seems to be much easier than holding a router, and you can see very clearly what you are doing as you work.

Inventiveness and tradition are equal parts in the wisdom of the hands.

In the meantime, I'll have the 5th and 6th grade students in the wood shop this morning to work on their puppets, and the students from 7th through 10th to begin making book holders.