UHMW polyethylene is the material you find in most factory-made jigs. The letters stand for "ultra-high molecular weight", a type of plastic that is dense, tough, rigid, impervious to moisture and, most important, has a very low coefficient of friction. Jig bases made from it slide easily on machine tables.
We offer it in a range of sizes so that you can use it for making fences, jigsaw sub-tables, etc., as well as jig bases.
One of the most useful strips is the 3/4" x 3/8" x 48", sized to fit in table slots. The width is cut to close tolerances so that it fits well in a 3/4" slot and completely avoids the annoying galling that you get with many slot runners. It machines much like wood. It can be drilled, tapped, routed or cut with a saw blade. It even makes good bearings for low rpm use.
Phenolic sheet is valued for many of the same qualities as UHMW (except lubricity) and its greater rigidity makes excellent table tops, templates, and structural elements of jigs. It machines much like wood as well. It is 1/4" thick and 16" x 24" less saw kerf of approx. 1/8".
Made in USA.
The 1/4" Phenolic is no longer available.
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