Ceramic Studio Jig craft
Material, brass, and fabrication notes for Ceramic Studio Jig.
Browse finishes and brass care.
- Photograph brass under site light
- Confirm oil schedule for coastal air
- Log edition tags before courier day
Local timbers and the making process
We use locally sourced hardwoods for every Ceramic Studio Jig, with kiaat and maple being favourites for their stability and wear. The wood is planed and cut in our Woodstock workshop with routers and jigsaws, then sanded smooth to avoid glove snags and clay drag. Each guide is shaped to the agreed plate or vessel dimensions, and edge profiles are eased off for easy release in the studio. Once shaped, holes for hanging or stacking are drilled, and the finish is applied by hand.
Finishing and tolerance checks
Finishing is done over two days: the hardwood gets a light coat of Danish or tung oil, depending on what will suit your climate and studio use. The oil is buffed in, then left to cure overnight before a second coat for richer protection. Each jig is checked against its DXF file, with test blanks run to confirm the ±1 mm repeatability. Every edge and face is inspected for snags, splinters, or burrs. Before packing, a soft cloth rub-down is done to clear workshop dust and check for a smooth, even sheen.
What can vary in the workshop
No two batches of hardwood are identical. You might notice slight colour variation or a unique grain pattern in each guide. We mark every jig with a batch stamp on the reverse. The tolerances are kept tight, but if you want a thicker or thinner guide, or an extra-wide handle grip, tell us at order. For studios with special clay mixes or unusual blank sizes, we're happy to custom-cut the profile. All files are shared open, so you can adapt or tweak for future runs.