INCRA Jig User Manual

Owner’s Manual

25971

Please read before use and keep it at hand for reference.

Since its first appearance in woodworking shops around the globe many years ago, INCRA Jig has established itself as the finest and most versatile woodworking system available. At the top of its list of features has always been its unparalleled positioning accuracy. As a fence system, INCRA Jig’s amazing precision allows exact fence placement to within a few thousandths of an inch, regardless of your skill level. As a joint making machine, these same positioning capabilities permit an endless variety of box joints and all styles of dovetails to be created. And with decorative joints like the exquisite INCRA Double Dovetail (described in the INCRA Master Reference Guide and Template Library sold separately), INCRA Jig makes the seemingly impossible quite possible.

This owner’s manual is an ideal companion to the superb instructional DVD included with the purchase of your new INCRA Jig. Please take an hour or so to view this enjoyable video production. You will see and hear in real life, everything that is illustrated and written in this manual, and you will soon be on your way to unleashing the awesome capabilities that the world famous INCRA Jig will put in your shop. As a bonus, you’ll also learn a host of useful information about general purpose router table techniques that you can apply to all your woodworking projects.

SAFETY Important safety instructions for using the INCRA Jig

x Before using the INCRA Jig, carefully read and follow all of the instructions and safety information in this manual.

x When using the INCRA Jig in conjunction with any other tool, first read and follow all instructions and safety information in that tool’s owner’s manual.

x When the INCRA Jig is mounted to a wooden base or table surface, make sure that all four mounting screws are securely tightened and the INCRA Jig is firmly held in place.

x When using the INCRA Jig with a wooden base panel, always make sure that the base is securely clamped, screwed or otherwise fastened to the work surface before making a cut.

x Always turn off the power and make sure that the bit or blade is fully stationary before moving the INCRA Jig to any new setting.

x Always keep both hands behind the fence when moving the INCRA Jig to any new setting.

x Before making a cut, always make sure that the clamping knob is fully tightened and the jig is securely locked in place.

x When using the INCRA Jig with other tools, make sure that all safety guards and other safety equipment supplied by the manufacturer of that tool are securely in place and functional. Never let the INCRA Jig interfere with another tool’s safety equipment.

x Use appropriate safety devices. Keep hands clear of the bit or blade. Always use a push stick, rubber soled push block, or other safety devices to keep your hands safely away from the cutting tool.

x Wear safety glasses, hearing protection and a dust mask, and follow all normal shop safety practices.

RTD10000168AA

1

INCRA Jig Assembly

Step 1. Attach sawtooth positioning racks.

Fig. 1 Install INCRA sawtooth racks

Begin by assembling the (4) INCRA sawtooth racks to

8-32 hex nut (8)

Hex nut in recess

the (2) INCRA Jig body halves. Place a rack into one of

the receiving grooves and align the mounting holes.

Now place the 8-32 hex nuts from hardware pack D-01

INCRA Jig body half (2)

into the hex recesses on the rack and loosely fasten

Sawtooth rack (4)

using the 8-32 Phillips screws with washers, Fig. 1.

#8 flat washer (8)

Repeat for all of the remaining racks. For now, finger

8-32 x 7/16“ Phillips screw (8)

tighten only. The racks should still be loose enough to

shift slightly back and forth.

Step 2. Clamp INCRA Jig body halves

Fig. 2 Clamp halves together

2-wing clamping knob

together.

Large washer

IMPORTANT: Before proceeding, make sure that the

racks installed in Step 1 are still a little loose .

Place the two INCRA Jig body halves together as shown

in Fig. 2 and install the carriage bolt, large washer and

2-wing clamping knob from hardware pack D-01.

IMPORTANT: The body half

Fig. 2A Tighten racks

with the scale should be on

the bottom. Set the top half to

First: Tighten

Body half with scale is

a position of about 5 inches

clamping knob

on the bottom

(not critical) as indicated on the

bottom scale, then tighten the

Carriage bolt

clamping knob. Now securely

tighten all (8) Phillips screws,

Second: Tighten all (8)

Fig 2A. This procedure aligns

Phillips screws (4 top,

the racks automatically and

4 bottom)

perfectly.

Step 3. Attach INCRA Jig to base panel.

To attach the INCRA Jig to your router table, you’ll need a piece of 3/4” thick by 9” wide plywood or MDF that’s long enough to span the width of your router table. Remove the top half of your INCRA Jig and center the bottom half, scale side up on the panel. (Be sure the carriage bolt is properly installed from underneath as shown.) Center and square the INCRA Jig on the panel, then attach it with the #10 x 1” wood screws with washers included in hardware pack D-02. Now replace the top half of the INCRA Jig along with the washer and clamping knob. Secure the base to your router table with a pair of C-clamps as shown in Fig. 3, or if your router table is “INCRAready”, with slotted holes, you can attach the base panel with user provided T-bolts, washers and clamping knobs, Fig. 3A. Just drill holes in the base panel to align with your router table slots.

Fig. 3 Attach to base panel	Carriage bolt in place before mounting	9”
#10 x 1” wood screw & washer (4)
Bottom INCRA Jig body half
(with measuring scale)
Square INCRA Jig to
base panel
3/4” plywood or
MDF base panel
	Fig. 3A

	Use C-clamps to attach a 3/4” thick by
		… or, if your router table is “INCRA-ready” with
	9” wide plywood or MDF base panel to
		built-in mounting slots, you can attach the base
	your router table . . .
		panel with T- bolts, washers and knobs for
				greater ease of use

2

User Made Accessories - Fence

Note: If you have purchased the factory INCRA Fence					Fig. 4	Factory Accessories
System shown in Fig. 4 (recommended), use the							INCRA
instructions included with that product to assemble and							Right angle
attach to your INCRA Jig. Follow the instructions below							fixture
if you would prefer to make your own, Fig. 5.
Fig. 5 User made accessories		Right angle
		fixture

			T-slot fence
			Stop positioner
			Fig. 6 User made fence dimensions
Fence			5/16” diameter through hole							3/4”
			with 5/8” diameter by 3/8” deep				2 1/2”			3”
Stop			counter bore (2)						1 5/16”
					”
Making and attaching your fence.				/4
			3						4”
			10				1”
Begin by making the fence as dimensioned in Fig 6.									11/
Use a straight piece of 3/4” MDF, hardwood or plywood.							”		”
						/8		4
					1	3		2
Layout the position					1
for the notch, then	Fig. 7 Clamp INCRA Jig to table							Fig. 6A Cut notch
cut the waste away
with multiple side-by-
side passes at the
table saw using a			1/4-20 x 7/8 socket head cap
miter gauge to guide
			screw and washer (2)
the material, Fig. 6A.
IMPORTANT:			Fig. 8 Attach fence to INCRA Jig							Fence
Before attaching the
fence, the INCRA Jig
must first be securely mounted to a 3/4”		1/4-20 rectangular nut (2).
wooden base panel and the base panel must		Raised rim MUST face AWAY
be clamped to your router table. Also make		from the fence
sure that the INCRA Jig’s clamping knob is
securely tightened, Fig. 3 & Fig. 7.

Attach the fence to your INCRA Jig front end using the 1/4-20 x 7/8” socket head fasteners with washers and rectangular nuts from hardware pack D-02.

CAUTION: The raised rim on the two rectangular nuts MUST FACE AWAY from the fence as shown in Fig. 8. Now slide the rectangular nuts into the T-slots located at the front end of the INCRA Jig’s top body half and tighten the fasteners to secure.

After attaching your fence, check for squareness with your router table top. If any adjustment is necessary, loosen the mounting screws and insert a paper or plastic shim between the INCRA Jig and the rear of the fence, Fig. 9. A shim placed below the fasteners will increase the angle between the fence and table; a shim placed above the fasteners will decrease the angle. Tighten the fasteners to secure the fence.

Fig. 9 Square Fence to router table

Square

Place shim between top of jig and fence to decrease angle

Place shim between bottom of jig and fence to increase angle

3

User Made Accessories - Stop

Making a Stop Positioner

Your stop positioner is useful for limiting the length of cuts made at the router table. Just position the stop and secure it to the fence with a wooden hand screw clamp, Fig 10. This is perfect for the stopped cuts required for the dovetail pin cuts described in the joinery section of this manual.

The simple design shown in Fig. 11 includes a rabbeted area that allows moving the stop over the top of the cutter for very short stopped cuts. 3/4” MDF will make a good stop material.

Fig. 10 Stop positioner

TIP: When making fine adjustments relative to an initial stop position, place a mark on the front face of the fence along the leading edge of the stop positioner, Fig. 12. Now when you loosen the clamp and slide the stop you can easily gauge how much you have moved the positioner.

Fig. 11 Stop dimensions	Fig. 12 Marking stop position
8”	1/2”
3/4”
	1/2”
3”

User Made Accessories - Right Angle Fixture

Fig.	13	Right Angle Fixture		Material:
				3/4” MDF
		6 1/2”	Faceplate
		B		Side (2)
		5 1/2”	Base
2 5/8”			A
		6 1/2”
			5 1/2”
6 1/2”
		6 1/2”
			1 3/8”	Runner (2)

Making a Right Angle Fixture

This simple Right Angle Fixture is an important accessory for joinery. Use it to guide your material for the vertical cuts required for dovetails and box joints as shown beginning on page 7.

Fig. 13A Right Angle Fixture cutting diagram

					A
		A
						e
					Sid
						e
			se			Sid
		Ba
	”						”
1/2				1/2
5				6
				”
		1/2
		6

B

			te
		pla
	ce
Fa
				”
			1/2
			6
		”
26	3/8

C
	er
nn
Ru		er
	nn
Ru			te
		as
	W
				”
			1/2
			6

Fig.	13B Groove detail		Fig.	13C	Top view	Faceplate
			3/4”			1/8”
All grooves are 3/4”			3/8”
wide by 1/4” deep
and located 3/8”				Base		This Side bears
from the material		1/4”
	edge					against fence
					3/4”	Runner (2)

To make the design shown in Figs. 13 & 14, begin with (4) identical pieces of 3/4”

MDF, cut to 5 1/2” x 6 1/2”. Cut (2) pieces “A”, (1) piece “B” and (1) piece “C” as shown in Fig 13A. To cut ALL the grooves as shown in Fig. 13B, set a 3/4” diameter router bit to 1/4” depth of cut, and set the fence-to-bit distance at 3/8”. Check the fit of the material in the grooves, then fine tune as necessary. Now, rip (1) piece “A” to yield (2) 2 5/8” wide Side pieces. Then rip the final uncut blank “C” to yield the (2) 1 3/8” Runners.

To assemble, first glue the (2) Runners to the Base, allowing 3/4” of overhang as shown in Fig. 13C. Now glue the Faceplate and the (2) Sides to the Base. Make sure that the Faceplate is offset 1/8” from the fence Side piece as shown in Fig. 13C, and that the Faceplate and the fence Side piece are square to your table top.

Fig. 14 Finished Fixture

4

Right angle fixture operation.

Before clamping a workpiece to your Right Angle Fixture, always press the fixture against your fence, then immobilize by clamping it to the table with a spring clamp, Fig. 15. When positioning the workpiece against the faceplate, make sure that the edges of the boards are against the fence and the ends are contacting the table surface, then clamp in place using a wooden handscrew clamp.

CAUTION: Do not allow any part of your hands to hang below the body of the Right Angle Fixture. Always keep hands well away from the bit.

TIP: To avoid contacting the wooden runners with the router bit, clamp your stop to the outfeed end of the fence to stop the forward travel before contact.

Fig.	15 Right angle fixture operation	Third: Position stock against fence and
		clamp with a wooden jaw clamp
		Second: Immobilize with spring
		clamp (acts like a “third hand”)
	Avoid contacting wooden	First: Push Right Angle
	runners with router bit	Fixture against the fence

TIP: A wooden jaw clamp works BEST! One-handed clamps typically don’t have enough holding power, and a C-clamp can mar your work, and can be difficult to handle.

Basic Operation and Calibration

Note: All subsequent illustrations reflect use of the factory accessories.

Basic INCRA Jig operation

To move your INCRA Jig’s fence from one scale setting to another, loosen the clamping knob two full turns and lift the rear of the INCRA Jig’s upper body. This disengages the saw-toothed racks and allows you to slide the Jig forward. Slide to align the rear of the upper body over the desired mark on the scale, then lower the upper body to re-engage the racks. You should be able to shift the upper body from side to side easily when the racks are engaged properly. Tighten the clamping knob, Fig 16.

Fig. 16 Basic operation

First: Loosen clamping knob 2 full turns

Second: Lift back end of upper body

Fourth: Lower body then tighten clamping knob

Third: Slide upper body to desired alignment over scales

INCRA Jig calibration

Initially, the alignment between the scale and body may appear slightly off, but the one-time-only adjustment is easy. Loosen the four Phillips head screws that secure the upper racks, then loosen the clamping knob about one-half turn. Now shift the upper body slightly forward or backward until the rear of the upper body aligns clearly over any scale mark. Tighten the clamping knob, then secure the racks by re-tightening all four Phillips head screws, Fig. 17. From now on, the scale will align perfectly at all INCRA Jig settings.

Fig. 17 Calibration

First: Loosen all (4)

Phillips screws

Second: Loosen clamping		Fourth: Tighten
knob 1/2 turn		clamping knob

Fifth: Tighten all (4)

Phillips screws

Third: Shift upper body until desired alignment over scales is achieved

5