Edge Guide for Porter Cable 6931 Router

[Marshall Harrison]

I have a Porter Cable 6931 plunge router base and I need to cut some mortices. Can someone recommend the best edge guide? Will other brand edge guides work it it?

I found the Porter Cable 42690 edge guide but want to know if there are better options.

Thanks for your help.

[Jerry Miner]

The best edge guide is the Micro-fence (https://microfence.com/product-category/edge-guide/). I started with the P-C edge guide, used several home-made versions, but when I finally got a Micro-fence, I never looked back. Costs a few $, but so well-made that every time I use it I smile and wish all my tools were so well-made.

[Michelle Rich]

I've used many kinds over the years. I finally bought a microfence, and threw the rest out. Love the precision

[Marshall Harrison]

Thanks for the advice. I saw the Microfence in a YouTube video and it looks great. But I can't quite afford that at the moment. Need to keep the cost down as I'm saving for a SawStop PCS.

Michelle: I sure wish you had thrown one of those my way.

[Charles Lent]

You should also look at the CRB7 and it's options. This is a very versatile router guide and my GO TO whenever I need an edge guide, circle guide, mortising guide, etc. The 7 stands for the number of different uses, but added options since the original offering have provided more uses. Watch the videos on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyS1JpKx684

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppOBzHBJxHI


Charley

[Marshall Harrison]

Thanks Charley.

That looks impressive and a lot closer to my price range.

[lowell holmes]

Make a plywood template and route the mortises. A little ingenuity helps.

[glenn bradley]

At $35 from Tool-Up the Porter Cable one you mention would be a safe place to start. It may turn out to be your first and last edge guide; it depends on how you do things. My go-to guide is just a teardrop aftermarket plate with an adjustable block on it. My Bosch Colt uses their guide and it works great.

379624

Unless your doing super precise work like guitar purfling, adjustments in .001" aren't really very beneficial to me. That's not to say I don't like being precise. Its just that I use templates and guides for precision work; that would be the "depends on how you do things" part :)

[Michelle Rich]

sorry marshall but they really were just awful back in the wagon train era :-) ..but I like the CB7 recommendation too..it looks like a very useful tool. If I din't have the MF I bet I'd get that one.

[Marshall Harrison]

The story of my life Michelle- a day late and a dollar short.

I may try to hobble up something tomorrow. And see what I can do.

[Charles Lent]

If you buy a CRB7 you will likely need to make a box to hold the jig and all of it's accessory parts. The CRB7 arrives in several cardboard boxes. Here is what I made for mine. Of course, they keep coming out with new options, so the layout of my original box isn't quite optimum any more and I may end up with a remake if they offer any new accessories, but it still holds everything that is available as of this date.

Charley

[Marshall Harrison]

You should also look at the CRB7 and it's options. This is a very versatile router guide and my GO TO whenever I need an edge guide, circle guide, mortising guide, etc. The 7 stands for the number of different uses, but added options since the original offering have provided more uses. Watch the videos on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyS1JpKx684

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppOBzHBJxHI


Charley

Followup: Thanks Charley. I just ordered the CRB7 from Amazon and it should be here Wednesday. Looking forward to finally getting my mortises cut.

[Charles Lent]

The MHLF accessory for the CRB7 is a worth while option for making mortises. I hope you bought that too, but mortises can be made without it. When I ordered it for my CRB7 I had already built the box and had quite a challenge figuring out how to modify the box as little as possible, yet provide a good way to get the MHLF accessory inside the box. For a while, it was looking like I might have to make a replacement box, but I managed to figure a way after studying the problem for a while. It isn't quite as elegant as it might have been if I made a new box designed to include it, but it fits. I'll try to add a picture of the box modification, if you are interested.

There are two additional diameters of guide rods available for the CRB7, but none of the US sources seem to be carrying them as an option. Lee Valley was able to get these from M Power for me. I have many routers with different guide hole diameters, so I wanted the additional sizes. These additional rods will also allow you to make larger diameter arcs/circles, since the ends of each are M/F threaded to match the included rod ends. You might also be able to buy these direct from M Power.

The only problem that I've had with the CRB7 so far has been my fault. I was cutting a circle using my DeWalt 611 with plunge base and a 1/4" spiral bit. I failed to get the wing bolts of the router base tight enough against the CRB7 guide rods and they slipped during the cut. Fortunately, I needed a second, but smaller diameter circle as well, so I was able to re-cut the damaged larger circle to make the smaller circle from it. Then make a new larger circle, so I didn't even waste much wood.

Charley

[Marshall Harrison]

I didn't order the MHLF as I decided I would try the posts when cutting my mortises. If that proves too cumbersome or awkward to do then I'll order the MHFL. Save some money if possible.

I would love to see the box you made for the CRB7. It should be here tomorrow and hopefully in use this weekend.

[Charles Lent]

Marshall,

The photos of the box that I built for my CRB7 are in my post #11 above. When I bought the MHLF I managed to make some minor modifications to the box to fit the MHLF in it along with everything else, but have no photos of this, yet. I just spent 4 days in the hospital, so it will be a while before I can take and post a photo of the modification. Please give me a couple of days. It's at the top of my TO DO list.

Charley

[Marshall Harrison]

Marshall,

The photos of the box that I built for my CRB7 are in my post #11 above. When I bought the MHLF I managed to make some minor modifications to the box to fit the MHLF in it along with everything else, but have no photos of this, yet. I just spent 4 days in the hospital, so it will be a while before I can take and post a photo of the modification. Please give me a couple of days. It's at the top of my TO DO list.

Charley

Charley, its not that important. Just take care of yourself. Your health is more important than posting pictures