# Sharing first makerspace projects

**URL:** <https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428>\
**Category:** Projects\
**Created:** [7 August 2026 08:54 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428 "2026-08-07T08:54:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![James\_Nahajski](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/james_nahajski/32/12758_2.png) [@James\_Nahajski](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/James_Nahajski)\
**Post date:** [7 August 2026 08:54 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/1 "2026-08-07T08:54:35Z")

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I wanted to create a thread for people to share the first thing they make in the space (preferably outside of an induction)  
Sometimes these things feel too small to share, but I at least love seeing what people get up to, I also find it acts as a motivation to make similar things. I can confirm Inductors love seeing your hard won tool control being put to good use

There’s no obligation to put things in a thread here, you’re welcome to submit them as a standalone post, or not share them at all

For me, the first thing I have a record of making was this little stanley knife blade holder (which I think has long since been replaced with a better alternative):

 ![IMG_5714](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/2/d/2d348c7966771e923a02c242655535e641097c6d.jpeg)  
circa June 2024

(Happy for this to be shown in makerspace media)

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**Author:** ![stefanoromano](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/stefanoromano/32/349_2.png) [@stefanoromano](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/stefanoromano)\
**Post date:** [7 August 2026 09:41 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/2 "2026-08-07T09:41:00Z")

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What a wonderful idea, James! Thank you.

When I first joined in 2015, my project was to build my own bass guitar! I still have the body somewhere in storage… Never actually got around to even start it! 🤣🤣

Looking back, probably 99% of the things I’ve done at the space have somehow been related to the space itself, rather than being personal projects. So I’m going to share a few of those 😃

Almost none of them were solo projects either — there have been so many people involved in building, fixing, improving and generally making things happen over the years. So I hope you don’t mind me sharing things I’ve worked on with others. I think that’s actually quite fitting for what the space is all about!

 ![Screenshot_20260807-114327](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/3/3/339be88135790accdf97cbca914636e1a54d918f.jpeg)  
 ![Screenshot_20260807-114341](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/a/6/a6b7adaa0015224eca16b37973ffce3a04dd733e.jpeg)  
 ![Screenshot_20260807-114351](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/9/7/97cb4fe05837366635aeea203efd5591a1126e18.jpeg)

Here I was making the cyclone collector for the very first dust extractor in the first woodshop. It worked for years! 😃

 ![Screenshot_20260807-114312](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/8/9/89f3e2715aaedbccc2920c8bd396bb0861bbd3f5.jpeg)

And here are the finishing touches to the concrete kitchen counter. Another little bit of the space that we built together. 😃😃

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**Author:** ![Moikle](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/moikle/32/24884_2.png) [@Moikle](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/Moikle)\
**Post date:** [7 August 2026 11:00 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/3 "2026-08-07T11:00:24Z")

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![IMG_20250507_095748_416](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/4/8/483ba661347669d428c32c7d0f1f145e0ee0d2bc.jpeg)  
I made this watertight container out of aluminium on the lathe, including an o ring.

This quickly made me realise that tapping threads would be much easier with a tap follower, so i put a design together in fusion and this was my next project:

 ![IMG_20250615_185204_249](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/2/d/2d8be32e2f62e4eba06f29a63b06a073a713fb6e.jpeg)

 ![IMG_20250615_185339_474](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/a/e/ae86523f56f4a5507546c0b5c494da102a4a0b2f.jpeg)

I’m proud to say i still see it being used by others to this day

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**Author:** ![tomnewsom](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/tomnewsom/32/2_2.png) [@tomnewsom](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/tomnewsom)\
**Post date:** [7 August 2026 11:11 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/4 "2026-08-07T11:11:08Z")

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I probably did some little odd jobs here and there, but the first thing I documented was this laser-cut illuminated map of London

> [@Multilayered laser-cut map of London](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/multilayered-laser-cut-map-of-london/532):
>
> Fresh from the Openstreetmap Mines, comes this hideously detailed vector map of London. I’m sorting and tidying all the layers and intend to eventually assemble a 2.5D map of the city with the underground and railways picked out in separate layers, diving through holes in the “ground” where appropriate. Some experimentation will be needed before I decide on a scale. I want to go as wide as possible on one cutting-bed-sized sheet, so I predict lots of spindly cuts of tube lines that sna…

[![](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/optimized/2X/7/73da842f9ffe70e38e1d095e70af425e4ed808ba_2_690x388.JPG) ](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/optimized/2X/7/73da842f9ffe70e38e1d095e70af425e4ed808ba_2_690x388.JPG)

 ![image](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/1/2/122c95e141a04142b91e1eaec409a05b1428ed44.jpeg)

It’s still hanging up at home 🙂  
One of these days I’d like to improve the lighting so the middle bit isn’t so dim.

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**Author:** ![Willybood](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/willybood/32/47_2.png) [@Willybood](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/Willybood)\
**Post date:** [7 August 2026 11:42 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/5 "2026-08-07T11:42:14Z")

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For me, I joined the makerspace after meeting Dermot and a bunch of other members at a hackathon. My first project with them was a prototype hearable device, which I worked on with some other hackers to turn into a startup. I made a topic about it here back in 2017.  
[https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/how-the-slms-helped-me-build-a-hearable-startup/7728](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/how-the-slms-helped-me-build-a-hearable-startup/7728)

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**Author:** ![stefanoromano](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/stefanoromano/32/349_2.png) [@stefanoromano](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/stefanoromano)\
**Post date:** [7 August 2026 11:43 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/6 "2026-08-07T11:43:43Z")

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> [@tomnewsom](#):
>
> documented was this laser-cut illuminated map of London

Ohhhh I remember this!

And also I remember the frustration on the pc freezing mid cut and loosing alignment! 🤣

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**Author:** ![mbg](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/letter_avatar/mbg/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@mbg](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/mbg)\
**Post date:** [7 August 2026 15:07 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/7 "2026-08-07T15:07:03Z")

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Mine was making this desktop! (It’s upside down)

 ![image](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/2X/1/1c7d99528455f171cf748df081ba141b86262a88.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![LouLou](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/loulou/32/27088_2.png) [@LouLou](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/LouLou)\
**Post date:** [8 August 2026 17:41 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/8 "2026-08-08T17:41:42Z")

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would you be happy for the images you’ve submitted here to be used on an (internal) poster to encourage members to interact more with this post and add their own?

also, if its not to much of an ask- **please could you also indicate if you would be happy for the image and a sentence about your project** (either taken from what you’ve written here, sent to me via DM or added as an edit in brackets to your post) to be used in (1) the Tv window display (2) Sofa area Tv and/or (3) SLMS Social Media pages at some point in the future.

**Anyone posting after this I would also be grateful if you could answer the above!**

Thank you!

@James_Nahajski @stefanoromano @Willybood @tomnewsom @Moikle @mbg

also- **to avoid sidetracking a beautiful thread- please get in touch if you have any questions** about the what, wheres or whys (I think I’ve covered it in the post, but happy to discuss further if anyone would like. I’ll be posting updates about the window display as soon as I’m able and I would ask further permission should anything change)

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**Author:** ![stefanoromano](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/stefanoromano/32/349_2.png) [@stefanoromano](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/stefanoromano)\
**Post date:** [8 August 2026 18:44 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/9 "2026-08-08T18:44:24Z")

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I happy for my pictures and /or text in this post be used as described above 😃

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**Author:** ![Moikle](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/moikle/32/24884_2.png) [@Moikle](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/Moikle)\
**Post date:** [8 August 2026 19:27 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/10 "2026-08-08T19:27:54Z")

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100% the best thing that can come out of making something is if it encourages others to make something

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**Author:** ![Willybood](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/willybood/32/47_2.png) [@Willybood](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/Willybood)\
**Post date:** [8 August 2026 20:41 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/11 "2026-08-08T20:41:52Z")

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I’ll be happy to. If you want some pics of my more recent cosplay projects too, let me know.

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**Author:** ![tomnewsom](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/tomnewsom/32/2_2.png) [@tomnewsom](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/tomnewsom)\
**Post date:** [9 August 2026 12:28 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/12 "2026-08-09T12:28:13Z")

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Sure no worries

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**Author:** ![Willybood](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/willybood/32/47_2.png) [@Willybood](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/Willybood)\
**Post date:** [13 August 2026 08:29 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/13 "2026-08-13T08:29:40Z")

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I found a picture of one of the first smart hearing aid prototypes I made at the space. Feel free to use it.

 ![image](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/7/c/7caaf42911339d390aa6793686088b8849367f70.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![LouLou](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/loulou/32/27088_2.png) [@LouLou](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/LouLou)\
**Post date:** [13 August 2026 13:37 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/14 "2026-08-13T13:37:40Z")

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This is AMAZING!

Thank you for posting- I’ll be putting a post out at some point for projects like these as I think they are a great way of demonstrating to member-to-be the diversity and inclusivity within our space

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**Author:** ![Bryan](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/bryan/32/24336_2.png) [@Bryan](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/Bryan)\
**Post date:** [26 August 2026 20:00 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/15 "2026-08-26T20:00:44Z")

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The first project I did at makers was to use the Lathe. Not scary at all. 🙈

I’ve been customising an old BMW K100 and I decided to fit the front forks and triple clamps from a 2014 Suzuki GSXR to the old BMW K100. Luckily the diameter of the axel is right - but the spacing is all wrong, for the axel, and the custom brake disk mounts.

First I did the brake disk spacers. This was done on the lathe, and I had to make a 1.5mm spacer for each side. I was lucky enough to have @stefanoromano around and he suggested I use some 1.5 sheet metal and we simply size it. It was a challange, as my first project turned out to use a lot of interrupted cuts .

 ![IMG_5052](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/5/9/5979ddece2f577fec563885b1597373814613fd8.jpeg)

 ![IMG_5054](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/e/f/ef3ce4e22f8ddedfa1d5a278fd99d70444747118.jpeg)

The next challenge was drilling the bolt holes, and we may have got a little carried away with the precision of finding the centers.

 ![IMG_5055](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/2/3/2392556ac192cc042ddeb9cbb57358a173dfecb9.jpeg)

Ultimately the GSXR triple clamp is wider than the old BMW, and that meant I had to center the wheel on the axel by creating 2 spacers, and to this day I will never know how the first attempt’s dimensions worked out perfectly. This would have the inner diameter matching the axel - but widen the ridges on the axel to the bearings.

This was a lot more fun than interrupted cuts!

 ![IMG_5060](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/5/3/533ae94e65c2af50c4ee769a614fa81b236b0277.jpeg)

 ![IMG_5064](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/2/4/2471398485ff1f11b11ff031cc32adb27ab23fd2.jpeg)

 ![IMG_5066](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/7/2/722af767fd20917227423e0ad6287354d2ce20df.jpeg)

 ![IMG_5065](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/6/8/683801122c25f4c17257a94b751f7f521735e8ba.jpeg)

I got home to fit everything, expecting to have to go back with adjustments, but to my amazement it was spot on (to be fair I had to file the bolt holes a little for a smooth fit)

 ![IMG_5058](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/0/c/0c434d4dfd9bd2458a4e26a33f255623d1d27fc3.jpeg)

 ![IMG_5059](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/5/6/564d2a906fc0e182a60bdb4e30b8dba48b06c1b0.jpeg)

 ![IMG_5067](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/1/f/1f149c69c32a862733fe84b5a85fd2d4886482ea.jpeg)

 ![IMG_5070](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/d/3/d3e183e517a94dfbd605b25384c895c1131bd192.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![danielbenton](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/danielbenton/32/21279_2.png) [@danielbenton](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/danielbenton)\
**Post date:** [26 August 2026 20:29 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/16 "2026-08-26T20:29:47Z")

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I had a '86 K100LT, I mostly remember the brake systems on those were awful. Can we see the end result? Is yours café racer?

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**Author:** ![Bryan](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/bryan/32/24336_2.png) [@Bryan](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/Bryan)\
**Post date:** [30 August 2026 21:00 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/17 "2026-08-30T21:00:14Z")

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Yeah, it started out as a 91 K100LT - previous owner had removed some of the fairings before I bought it from him, and I’ve done the rest.

This is what it currently looks like - still a few things to do (like I’m 3d printing a fuse block in the SLMS as I type this), but it starts at least.

 ![IMG_7417](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/7/7/771b6d190135d3752475e6a0319eab9eb1d4d040.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![Brendon\_Hatcher](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/brendon_hatcher/32/12769_2.png) [@Brendon\_Hatcher](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/Brendon_Hatcher)\
**Post date:** [31 August 2026 20:05 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/18 "2026-08-31T20:05:59Z")

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![Version 2](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/0/d/0dd333f4cfe305e51d8d33ac9eac26710f2e2055.jpeg)

A console for exploring home automation, IoT, computer vision, AI and Node-RED.

Laser cut acrylic enclosure with brass standoffs and legs to hold it upright.

Internals are:

- A Raspberry Pi zero running Node-RED
- A custom protoboard with a LED matrix and a environmental sensor (temp, pressure, humidity, some gases)
- A USB hub for plugging in peripherals
- A distance sensor
- A USB webcam
- A sound board and speaker
- A servo motor
- 4 momentary push buttons

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**Author:** ![LouLou](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/loulou/32/27088_2.png) [@LouLou](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/LouLou)\
**Post date:** [1 September 2026 01:48 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/19 "2026-09-01T01:48:26Z")

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This looks so fun 🤩

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**Author:** ![fincheee](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/fincheee/32/4423_2.png) [@fincheee](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/fincheee)\
**Post date:** [4 September 2026 21:14 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/sharing-first-makerspace-projects/51428/20 "2026-09-04T21:14:31Z")

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The first project I made at the Makerspace was the “Exact width dado jig” that is still in the wood shop still available for use by members.

 ![IMG_20260901_152814](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/4/f/4fe4974f173af1ff162840ed0d0e035acf7e5e63.jpeg)

At the time (2017!) I was planning to make a large bookcase using dado joints on various different thickness timber shelves. So the router bit wouldn’t cut it (as they say).

There are numerous designs available for such a jig, but I think the one I used was at:

[https://www.routerforums.com/threads/exact-width-dado-jig.49738/](https://www.routerforums.com/threads/exact-width-dado-jig.49738/)

It’s really good for cutting dados that need to be exact, rather than approximating with a standard diameter router bit. As we know, 18mm plywood for example can vary quite a lot in actual thickness, even within the same batch. The hardwood inserts make sure your cuts are straight.

In the end, I made a bookcase with a completely different design that did not require dado joints but I learned a lot by making this jig, so it was well worthwhile. If your are making a project with dados, give it a try; it is usually hanging on the wall near the planer/thicknesser and the dust extraction.