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Project Information

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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Gallery

Comments

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6,840 Posts
Great idea, Gary. I'm going to have to make one of those.
 

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

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604 Posts
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.
 

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144 Posts
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!
 

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6,953 Posts
Gary,

Nice looking jig. Very straight forward and very functional.

I really like homemade devices like this.

Lew
 

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3,315 Posts
Bad News Gary,

Someone stole your motor. LOL

Nice jig!

Lee
 

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

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225 Posts
Gary,

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

· In Loving Memory
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10,409 Posts
Nity Idea Gary, thanks.
 

· In Loving Memory
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142 Posts
COOL GARY
 

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143 Posts
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.
 

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7,008 Posts
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!
 

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

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2,185 Posts
Sweet. You one smart dude. You could add dust collection inside the C channel whilst in router table mode.
 

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5,163 Posts
This is a nice addition to your router, Gary. As usual another well-engineered project. :)
 

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1,410 Posts
Very nice. Thanks for the idea Gary I think you just solved a problem for me.
 

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1,236 Posts
Very nice design. Time for a patent?
 
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