Video Transcript

Beginning DIYers often ask about hacks to easily handle chores that have to be done multiple times in the process of completing a project. The answer is something called a jig. It’s a tool that’s used in conjunction with other tools to simplify their placement and use.

Some jigs can be purchased from tool manufacturers, but often the best ones are created at home using scraps of lumber you already have.

For example, a stop block jig can clamped to a miter saw to allow you to make numerous cuts at exactly the same length again and again. It even makes cutting multiple pieces at the same time possible. Multiple cuts along the length of a board, or rip cuts, are best made on a table saw. But you can also make them with a circular saw by clamping a 1×2 to the saw shoe, parallel to the blade. The 1×2 acts as a guide to offset the blade the perfect distance from the edge.

Installing cabinet hardware can be simplified with an “L” shaped jig made from several small pieces of wood. This allows you to drill holes for hardware in the exact same spot on every door, no matter which way it swings.

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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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