MEG shelf pin jig

[Rob Blaustein]

Does anyone know if MEG (http://megproducts.com/) is still in business? I'm interested in one of their jigs and have called the number listed on their website several times over the past few weeks but haven't gotten through. An answering machine does say MEG but I've left messages with my number and no one has returned my calls. I've emailed them too but received no response. I realize it is vacation season and that they are probably a small operation but was wondering if anyone knew anything or has purchased their products recently.
--Rob

[Jim Becker]

They still advertise...

That said, I built the Norm "shop built" version from the two-episode "Jigs" NYW installment from a few years ago and it works just great.

[Rob Blaustein]

They still advertise...

That said, I built the Norm "shop built" version from the two-episode "Jigs" NYW installment from a few years ago and it works just great.

I may end up doing that too. I actually have the Rockler jig but thought I'd try using the router approach. But it occurred to me that I can use the Rockler jig to pretty easily build a router based one--I just need to drill a series of holes in some plywood, then enlarge each hole to accept the guide bushing.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

I just need to drill a series of holes in some plywood, then enlarge each hole to accept the guide bushing.
Pegboard is your friend.
Along with a Vix bit, it makes spacing mindlessly easy.

[Jim Becker]

Rich, that's true, but using a plunge router is much, much cleaner in the cutting department. I used to use a Vix, but since going the router method, I'd never go back. It was worth the time taken to build my jig. And the material was free since it was off-cuts from other projects.

[Bill Huber]

I will go with Jim on this, the jigs are not that hard to make and with a router the holes are so nice and you can do it so fast.

This is a small one I made in about 30 min. or so and it works just fine and it is really cheap to make.

95924

[Bruce Wrenn]

I may end up doing that too. I actually have the Rockler jig but thought I'd try using the router approach. But it occurred to me that I can use the Rockler jig to pretty easily build a router based one--I just need to drill a series of holes in some plywood, then enlarge each hole to accept the guide bushing. The hard part is getting hole accurately spaced and same distance from centerline of jig. I have built both 32 MM and 1" O.C. jigs that use either 5 MM, or 1/4" pins. The method that Norm used depends upon being able to EXACTLY measure and drill the holes. This is something that I can't do. Lets say I cheated a little. I wish I could say more, but one of the WW magazines has my jig under consideration right now.

[Jamie Buxton]

I'm like Jim: a plunge router and a template work better than anything else I've tried. Woodhaven (http://woodhaven.com/Catalog.asp?Id=85) sells good templates. You can get 'em either inch-based or 32-mm based, and either 16" or 32" long. The long one in metric is $35 -- a bit less thna MEG's alumuminum one.