Grid Jig

I have a couple of projects that make use of a 2″ grid. Students create their own grid for use in a drawing but there are always a number of absent students, students who fail to complete the grid correctly, and students who have to begin again. There are also new students added mid-project sometimes. In these situations, a grid shortcut is very handy and I finally caved in and spent a little time and effort creating a 2″ grid jig out of wood and masonite that I had laying around. I put together a wood frame and spaced strips of dense fiber board for straight-edges. I can produce a grid in about 20 seconds and they’re back to work. The advantage, of course, is time saving for the students and teacher. Also a little conservation of materials. The disadvantages are the time to make the jig (30 minutes for me) and certainly if your focus is to make sure each student knows how to create a grid on their own, this doesn’t accomplish that.  The jig is also not adjustable. It is for a blank grid of two inch squares and that’s it. For me, it will be a great time-save for those compatible projects I repeat each year.