Mini-Thickness Sander
This tool/jig has become invaluable in shaping small parts, leveling parts, and putting scoops on bridges. Mated with your bench top sander, it becomes an accurate “mini-drum sander” – perfect for thinning smaller work pieces.
If you’d like to make one, download the plans at The Mini-Thickness Sander page
Neck Mortise & Tenon Jig
Mortise/Tenon Jig in the Wild
The Neck Mortise and Tenon jig is one of my favorite jigs. The jig features a unique angle compensation mechanism to easily add a negative angle to the neck or remove any angle discrepancies (never happens 😉) between the neck and body.
I started with Robert O’Brien’s jig plans which I modified to work with the very different profile of soprano to baritone ukuleles. I also created a custom, laser-made ukulele mortise/tenon template.
I held a workshop on this jig. I still get comments on how this is the most effective and useful jig in the workshop! If you’d like to understand how to build this jig, or just see some fun photos from the workshop, check out the Mortise/Tenon Jig page.
Digital Temperature Controller
I made this Digital Temp Controller to provide highly accurate control of the bending temperature. At the heart of the device is an AI-based digital device that can maintain any temp to within about a degree of target. This has saved my countless moments of utter frustration!
Please find how I bend (“the recipe!”) as well as instructions, schematics and parts list for building your own Temp Controller. I’ve also thrown in some fun pics from a workshop I held building them with a number of fellow luthiers on the island.
Scarf Joint Jig
This is my vertical neck scarf joint jig for use on my table saw. I prefer the clean cut of the table saw vs. the typical bandsaw cut which is, of course, more coarse. Align accuracy is paramount since I typically do a “racing stripe” down the center of my necks. The resultant two parts made by the scarf joint must align perfect otherwise the racing stripe won’t look contiguous.
This jig enables just that.