Get Crafty with Peg Board and Blocks

If you have specific products that you personalize often, you may want to make a jig or template specifically for each size of the product you process. You may also find items in stores that are designed for another purpose yet work great to hold one of your products. I found peg boards to be a great base to make a holder out of.

Cut the peg board the size of your laser table. I cut three boards the same size and glued and screwed them together. Make sure the holes line up. Three sandwiched peg boards allowed me to make holders with 1/4-inch wooden round pegs I purchased at the hardware store. The peg board holes are deep enough to hold the pegs steady and not flush to my table.

I cut blocks of wood into a variety of shapes and lengths and drilled holes for the wood pegs one inch apart (on center). Two rectangular wood blocks can easily hold round glassware or insulated mugs in place.

Some of the blocks have grooves cut into them to hold pens or other small products. I use the blocks to not only hold round objects, but to hold square and rectangular products in place and squared to my laser table. I have made these blocks several thicknesses to accommodate a variety of products. One-quarter plywood or press board is great for keyrings or other thinner products. Three-quarter MDF makes deeper, sturdy blocks for holding heavier or larger items. They often hold insulated mugs while they are engraved.

-Bob Hagel, Eagle’s Mark