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A Handmade Router Edge Guide / Router Table

Project by GaryK posted 539 days ago 4080 views 53 times favorited 39 comments Add to Favorites Watch

After having bought a cheap little router edge guide a looong time ago, and maybe using it twice because it was so cheap, I decided to make myself a really useful one. As an extra bonus you can use it as a small router table. I haven’t gone to the store yet to get a butterfly nut for the adjustment screw.

With so much surface area in contact with the workpiece it is very stable, even while doing mortises on the ends of boards. Flipping it upside down and clamping it to your workbench, you can use it as a small router table.

I rarely use the plunge base for my router so I will leave is more or less permantly attached to the jig.

I left the router off for clarity.

As you can see it made from only 4 pieces of wood. 3 each 3/4 thick, 2 1/8 wide, and 20” long. After gluing
them together I ran it though the jointer to square up all the faces. The 1/2 plywood started out as a 10”x 10” square.

Construction Details:

Here is an end view which shows the carriage bolt and the nut fastening it to the lower piece. It will never come loose while adjusting the top nut.


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Here you can see the counterbore for the carriage bolt. I used a 1/4” shoulder bolt (stripper bolt for those in the UK) for the pivot point.
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The following 2 pictures shows how you can use it along a straight edge. For inlays, mortises, slots, dados…
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Here is it clamped to the workbench to use it as a little router table. The cut out for bit clearance was made with a forstner bit.
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Since the router base is flush with the workbench you can use the workbench surface for stock support.
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-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.


39 comments so far

View mrtrim's profile

mrtrim

1698 posts in 775 days


posted 539 days ago

very cool setup gary

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

7632 posts in 1113 days


posted 539 days ago

Great idea, Gary. I’m going to have to make one of those.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View PaBull's profile

PaBull

292 posts in 559 days


posted 539 days ago

that is very smart, one more thing for me to do

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com

View teenagewoodworker's profile

teenagewoodworker

2481 posts in 662 days


posted 539 days ago

thats cool gary. i just might be tempter to make one! thanks for the post.

View USCJeff's profile

USCJeff

899 posts in 962 days


posted 539 days ago

Very Cool. I made a table (not a guide) much like this once. It was on the cover of one of my many jig books. Your top is thicker and the fence is stouter, so I bet it won’t have the problems that mine encountered. I mounted mine in a face vice when needed. Love your posts, keep them coming.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

View Randy Sharp's profile

Randy Sharp

198 posts in 567 days


posted 539 days ago

Great job Gary! These are the kinds of posts that encourage us all. Well, this jig and the box of drawers, and the harpsicord, and the inlay jig…I could go on but…you just inspire and awe us! Thanks!

-- Randy, Tupelo, MS ~ May I become more like the Master Carpenter every day.

View lew's profile

lew

4486 posts in 650 days


posted 538 days ago

Gary,

Nice looking jig. Very straight forward and very functional.

I really like homemade devices like this.

Lew

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

3710 posts in 874 days


posted 538 days ago

Bad News Gary,

Someone stole your motor. LOL

Nice jig!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View Rymann's profile

Rymann

11 posts in 672 days


posted 538 days ago

That is brilliant! Incredibly creative and oh, so functional. I want one.

View Kevin's profile

Kevin

294 posts in 852 days


posted 538 days ago

Gary,

You never cease to amaze. Always coming up with cool new ideas. So simple, yet so useful.

-- Kevin, Wichita, Kansas

View Grumpy's profile

Grumpy

14920 posts in 745 days


posted 538 days ago

Nity Idea Gary, thanks.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

View dlcarver's profile

dlcarver

260 posts in 624 days


posted 538 days ago

COOL GARY

-- Dave Leitem,Butler,Pa.,http://dlcarver.etsy.com

View Woodhacker's profile

Woodhacker

1145 posts in 618 days


posted 538 days ago

Very Nice Gary. I’ll have to keep this one in mind. I too use my plunge rarely and could just dedicate it to such an edge guide. Thanks for the post.

-- Martin, Kansas

View Joe Lyddon's profile

Joe Lyddon

483 posts in 947 days


posted 538 days ago

Very clever design to nail down a very good / flexible edge guide!

Looks like you could even use it for an edge trimmer too!

C O O L

Thank you!

-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"

View YorkshireStewart's profile

YorkshireStewart

781 posts in 795 days


posted 538 days ago

Nice one Gary. That could have a lot of uses.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

948 posts in 776 days


posted 538 days ago

Sweet. You one smart dude. You could add dust collection inside the C channel whilst in router table mode.

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

20651 posts in 716 days


posted 538 days ago

This is a nice addition to your router, Gary. As usual another well-engineered project. :)

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View Topapilot's profile

Topapilot

123 posts in 735 days


posted 538 days ago

Nice work!

View John Gray's profile

John Gray

1753 posts in 780 days


posted 538 days ago

Very nice. Thanks for the idea Gary I think you just solved a problem for me.

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

View gizmodyne's profile

gizmodyne

1675 posts in 984 days


posted 538 days ago

Very nice design. Time for a patent?

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

View irishhandyman's profile

irishhandyman

96 posts in 570 days


posted 538 days ago

Gary I think you need to contact Rockler with this idea. You may be a multimillionare and not know it!
When and if I can get a router I will be stealing your design. Glad you posted this. Keep up the great work!

-- God bless the men and women who protect our counrty.

View jockmike2's profile

jockmike2

7314 posts in 1141 days


posted 538 days ago

Nice idea Gary. I don’t know where you come up with these, but you do, you are truly blessed. mike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

View Sef's profile

Sef

97 posts in 545 days


posted 538 days ago

That’s a realy nice jig, Gary. Well thought out. Don’t be too surprised if you see something similar in the Rockler catalog next year. That’s the kinda thing they like to make out of plastic, and sell as thier own.

-- I may not know a lot, but at least I know that I don't know.?.?. I think. http://chathampenworks.com/

View Sef's profile

Sef

97 posts in 545 days


posted 538 days ago

Ha. I just read all the comments, and see irishhandyman sees Rockler all over this as well.

-- I may not know a lot, but at least I know that I don't know.?.?. I think. http://chathampenworks.com/

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

3039 posts in 916 days


posted 538 days ago

Great jig Gary, that will keep things flush a lot better than the stor bought types.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View Douglas Krueger's profile

Douglas Krueger

379 posts in 618 days


posted 538 days ago

Gary,

Great idea and an even better design. I will definitely have to fab one of these as I am sans table right now. Thanks for the post and hope you don’t mind a bit of intellectual theft.

-- I can so I wood but why are my learning curves always circles

View Jiri Parkman's profile

Jiri Parkman

603 posts in 707 days


posted 538 days ago

Looks very simply. I’m going to do one just today.
Thanks for sharing.

-- Jiri

View Bradford's profile

Bradford

787 posts in 717 days


posted 538 days ago

Once again, you have raised the bar with this creative and highly useful jig. As everyone else has said, watch out rockler. I am always surprised by your work. I have purchased over 100 woodworking books in the last three years. This one is by far this best jig. Patent it and make us all proud.

-- so much wood, so little time. Bradford.

View JC's profile

JC

127 posts in 692 days


posted 538 days ago

Awesome!

-- JC - Central PA - www.affyx.com

View Praki's profile (online now)

Praki

139 posts in 891 days


posted 538 days ago

Very nice. Much better to make this than buy a cheap one.

-- Praki, Aspiring Woodworker

View coloradoclimber's profile

coloradoclimber

448 posts in 962 days


posted 538 days ago

That is very clever. Nice work Gary. Thanks for posting.

View Texasgaloot's profile

Texasgaloot

467 posts in 595 days


posted 538 days ago

I want one…

-- There's no tool like an old tool...

View cobra5's profile

cobra5

139 posts in 864 days


posted 538 days ago

good lord gary, i had to scroll down half a mile to get my comment in!!

this is what i despertly need, apart from spelling. tHIS JIG IS COOL!!!!

-- tool time tim aka "cobra5"

View SteveKorz's profile

SteveKorz

2030 posts in 608 days


posted 537 days ago

Very cool… looks really handy. I thought I’d come to this site and cut my workload due to the knowledge I would gain, but my to-do list and wish list is growing longer than this list of comments… I’ve got to have one! Great job!

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

View thetimberkid's profile

thetimberkid

1944 posts in 597 days


posted 537 days ago

Great job!

Thanks for the post

Callum

-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/

View Richforever's profile

Richforever

339 posts in 614 days


posted 536 days ago

You just added to my project list!!! Thanks (I think).

-- Rich, Seattle, WA

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9521 posts in 883 days


posted 535 days ago

For those who plan on making one, please post it.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9521 posts in 883 days


posted 525 days ago

I just thought of another use for the fence.

You could use it also as a horizontal router as is for small mortises on the end of pieces or make a small support the same height as it is mounted in the picture. This will allow you to suppoer larger pieces of stock.

With a longer clamp you could also clamp it to the side of the table and use the table top for support.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View suliman's profile

suliman

292 posts in 698 days


posted 503 days ago

GOOD IDEA SIR

-- Suliman , Syria, jablah ,

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