Jig is a funny word. The first dictionary definition is usually something to the effect of "a lively dance", and/or the music to which one might, on St. Patrick's Day or otherwise, perform said dance. "Jig" can also refer to a trick or game: it's what is "up" in our somewhat antiquated colloquialism.
Some customers venture into the metal shop and ask, "What's with all those boards on the wall?" Occasionally someone comments, "Nice jigs!" and its obvious s/he is familiar with what appears often as the word's last definition:
"a device used to maintain mechanically the correct positional relationship between a piece of work and the tool or between parts of work during assembly"*
Hanging on the wall in the photo above are several examples of the wooden jigs Keith uses to fabricate his designs. (There are also a variety of metal jigs lurking around the shop, some of which are used in the production of our Wine Lanterns.) The one on the floor is new today, designed and built to accommodate the lengths of 3/8" hot-rolled round steel Keith is using to create a pair of custom pole bean trellises recently commissioned by a new client. Keith drilled strategically-located holes in the 1/2" FSC urea-free plywood that forms the base. Positioning the vertical lengths of steel in these holes and then securing them to the shorter cross-pieces with clamps and Very Strong Magnets is the necessary preparation for tack-welding them into place. It's a delicate process bringing the life-size drawing to life! Look for images of the finished trellises on our web site and Facebook page later this month...
*source: merriam-webster.com
