Picket-fence jig
When I built a picket fence around my yard, I wanted it to blend
seamlessly into the landscaping by rising and falling in equal measure
with the terrain. I also wanted it to be easy to install. To achieve
these goals, I created a simple jig. As shown in the drawing above, I
ripped a piece of scrap to the 3-in. width of the space between the
pickets and attached another small piece of scrap to the top. The jig,
which is basically a wooden T-square, indexes off the height of the
installed picket, leaving my hands free to attach the next one with my
screw gun.
In addition to speeding things up on level ground, the jig helped in areas where the elevation changed. I needed to make only two simple measurements to have the fence rise or fall evenly with the ground.
I measured the distance to the end of the change in elevation and the total difference in elevation. By dividing the distance to the end of the rise or fall by the width of a picket and its accompanying open space (3 in. + 3 in. = 6 in.), I knew how many pickets would be affected by the change in elevation. By dividing the total change in elevation by the number of pickets affected, I knew how far each picket would have to move up or down. In the example shown here, the grade falls 8 in. in 4 ft. That works out to 2 in. per ft., or 1 in. per picket.
The jig made it easy to change the height of each picket by a set increment. I used small pieces of scrap of various thicknesses and in various combinations to adjust the T-square’s crossbar as necessary. In this example, the spacer is 1 in. thick. This setup allowed me to modify the jig in less than a minute to compensate for elevation changes.
In addition to speeding things up on level ground, the jig helped in areas where the elevation changed. I needed to make only two simple measurements to have the fence rise or fall evenly with the ground.
I measured the distance to the end of the change in elevation and the total difference in elevation. By dividing the distance to the end of the rise or fall by the width of a picket and its accompanying open space (3 in. + 3 in. = 6 in.), I knew how many pickets would be affected by the change in elevation. By dividing the total change in elevation by the number of pickets affected, I knew how far each picket would have to move up or down. In the example shown here, the grade falls 8 in. in 4 ft. That works out to 2 in. per ft., or 1 in. per picket.
The jig made it easy to change the height of each picket by a set increment. I used small pieces of scrap of various thicknesses and in various combinations to adjust the T-square’s crossbar as necessary. In this example, the spacer is 1 in. thick. This setup allowed me to modify the jig in less than a minute to compensate for elevation changes.
Follow us here: http://xeeme.com/HandymanSolutions
If you are looking to add a classic feel to your garden, the picket fence is a great choice. This article explains some of the features and prices and best methods to use when searching for your fence.
ReplyDeletePrivacy Picket Fence