# Help - what do these router templates go to?



## Mike_D_S (May 3, 2012)

So I'm out visiting my dad yesterday and he asks me if I want these router templates that he got at some garage sale somewhere. He didn't know anything about them and didn't ask, they were just in a box of random stuff with a few items he wanted.

They are about 16-ish inches across and maybe 4 inches across. There are a few normal looking templates for maybe box joints and through dovetails, but there are a number of matched sets that look sort of like Isoloc type joints with decorative profiles.

They are cleanly machined and they all have attachment slots, so I assume they are bought and not custom made. I'd be very interested to know what jig they fit on.

Thanks,
Mike


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## Rentvent (Jan 28, 2016)

http://www.ptreeusa.com/rtr_jigs_fast_joint.htm


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## CharleyL (Mar 10, 2009)

I agree with Rentvent, but these jigs are now available from several manufacturers. Here is another source

https://www.woodline.com/products/route-r-joint-packages

Charley


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## Mike_D_S (May 3, 2012)

Appreciate the info, once I saw the peachtree link and picked up a couple of the right keywords, I found a few versions via google.

They make pretty joints, but the general opinion seems to be that they are pretty finicky to setup and use. Wonder if they are really worth messing around with.


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## Mike_D_S (May 3, 2012)

Does anybody have the instructions they could scan and send me? Also maybe measurements on the setup blocks. I can probably sort out the setup blocks by carefully measuring the template offset, but I'm lazy…..

Thanks,
Mike


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

If you can find a copy of Woodsmith magazine issue #125,Oct 1999, they have plans for a shop built router dovetail jig that uses templates similar to this. Might be another option and a lot cheaper.

EDIT: Here is a picture from the magazine


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

Correction: I looked at the Woodsmith article more closely and it is about using the jig. The issue with the plans was #58, Aug 1988.


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## EEngineer (Jul 4, 2008)

Aha, lazyman!
My first thought on reading this thread was "That sounds like it needs a shop-made jig!" 
I wish I could find these kinds of things in garage sales near me!


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

> Aha, lazyman!
> My first thought on reading this thread was "That sounds like it needs a shop-made jig!"
> I wish I could find these kinds of things in garage sales near me!
> 
> - EEngineer


Yeah, If I had seen these in a garage sale I would have grabbed them myself. The article in #58 also has instructions for building the basic dovetail templates too. They recommend using a box joint jig to get accurate pin spacing. I've always wanted to build this. Adding to my projects list.

BTW, You can buy the entire back issue library of Woodsmith magazine on DVD if you cannot find a friend or library with a copy. Even though I actually have subscribed for 25+ years and have all of the back issues. I bought the DVD because it is a lot easier to search the index and then quickly pull up the issue to see if it has the information or plan I need. You can also search their back issues online at www.woodsmithlibrary.com/browse/.


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## Mike_D_S (May 3, 2012)

Thanks for the info, I have the back issue DVD current as of a few years ago, so I'll go digging in. I was planning on making a shop built jig for it as the jig seems to not be all that much.

My Dad is one of the luckiest guy I know for deals. He went to an estate sale a while back and they had two steel 20 gallon steel drums which they auctioned off. You could pick the barrels up and shake them, but you couldn't open them. My dad wanted the barrels, so he bid $10 for one and $20 for the heavier one. When he got home, he unbolted the band and found they contained a complete Dillon RL550B reloader setup with about 6 sets of dies, 2500 bullets in various calibers plus a bunch of other stuff which worked out to about $1500 in stuff. Since he doesn't reload, I am now the proud owner of a very nice Dillon upgrade to my old lee loader.

For the jig, my buddy has a small CNC setup, so if I can sketch out the base plate, he can cut it for me in aluminum. I have a feeling a little rigidity is probably important with these thin templates. The side plates need to be something you can cut into and the base plate only seems to have some slots for moving the clamp piece.

On the high side, making shop jigs means I can build a dedicated horizontal and vertical jig so I don't have worry about trying to clamp in the 90 degree adapter.

Sounds like a fun project to try out either way. Just as soon as I wrap up the others…..


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

I do not have a dovetail jig but my understanding is that one reason that the horizontal and vertical jigs are combined into a single jig is that it helps ensure that the 2 pieces join properly. With 2 separate jigs, you might have to fiddle with it to get whichever one you cut second aligned properly.


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## Mike_D_S (May 3, 2012)

Lazyman,

For jigs like the PC 4200 series, you can cut half blind in one pass with both pieces together, but for through dovetail and other cuts, you need to do the each side separate, but the alignment guides help a lot.

Looking at the link above and a video on youtube, the original jig that used these templates had a removable vertical piece to position the front/back board for the cut. For most of the joints, you need to swap templates as well. So I'm not losing anything to build dedicated horizontal and vertical options.

Mike


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