Spent $40 on a magnetic jig for tube layout and it saved me 3 hours

I was laying out a bank of 2 inch tubes for a header job last week and kept messing up the saddle marks. Grabbed a cheap magnetic wrap-around jig from the supply house for $40 and it cut my layout time in half. Anyone else use those or still stick to soapstone and paper templates?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliviapatel7d ago

I read somewhere that a lot of old school guys still swear by soapstone and paper templates because they've been doing it that way for 30 years. But honestly, spending $40 to save 3 hours sounds like a no brainer to me. I tried a magnetic jig on a 3 inch tube bank a few months back and it was a game changer for getting those saddle marks perfect the first time. Plus, you don't have to mess with cutting out paper patterns that rip or get wet. I'm definitely on team magnetic jig now, especially for bigger jobs where layout mistakes cost real time.

andrew_nguyen646d ago

Heard a pipefitter foreman say the same thing last week, said he switched after watching a green helper nail a saddle in 10 minutes with a jig. $40 is nothing when you factor in the time saved on layout and rework, especially on tight deadlines. Those paper templates always seem to get crinkled or misplaced right when you need them most.