Popular Woodworking – August 2019

14 14 ■■ POPULAR WOODWORKINGPOPULAR WOODWORKING

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Clamp-Free Rip Fence

After years of fumbling with clamps, I decided there
must be a better way to attach featherboards to my
tablesaw’s rip fence. Two T-tracks screwed to the
fence allow me to mount a piece of plywood with
a side-mounted track for attaching featherboards.
Now I can set and adjust my featherboards with
ease.—Loren Englemann

Side-mounted

T-Track

T-Track

Benchtop Board Clamp

My father showed me this “bird’s mouth” jig

almost 60 years ago. It securely clamps^1 / 4 - to 3"

thick boards on edge. It’s so useful that I’ve never

bothered to add a vise to my workbench. I’ve been

tempted to mount the jig permanently, but I prefer

an uncluttered work surface. Besides, this jig is easy

to install and remove. To hold a board for planing or

edge banding, simply engage one end on the sliding

wedge (see top photo). Slide the board and wedge

forward until they lock between the fixed wedge and

the fence (see bottom photo). Support the back end

of the board with a block the same thickness as the

base. I cut both wedges from a single board on the

tablesaw, using a tapering jig and the blade tilted

45º. I mounted the fence on the base and glued

a stop on the sliding wedge. I positioned the two

wedges by using a^3 / 4 " thick spacer between the slid-

ing wedge and the fence. Then I fastened the fixed

wedge to the base. —Darwyn Briggs

Support Block

Sliding

Wedge

Stop

Fence

14° Taper

45° Bevel

Fixed

Wedge

(^1) / 2 " x 9 " x 21 " Base
Hook for Inset Doors
Have you ever closed an inset door in a cabinet you
were building and found that you couldn’t open it,
because you hadn’t added the knob yet? Well, I have.
Here’s an easy effective solution: Make a little hook
from a plastic lid. Cut the opener as shown below,
with a raised tab that’s cut on three sides. Fold
the tab at its base to give it a little spring. To use,
just slide the opener through the door’s gap with
the raised tab facing the door’s edge until the tab
catches, then pull. For drawers or strong hinges, use
heavier plastic.—Charles Mak