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View Full Version : Non-wood Woodworking Project-Guided Router Base


Brad Townsend
04-26-2006, 11:12 AM
Got one of these "Red Boomer" clamps from MLCS. It's not really a clamp in a construction sense, but I thought it might make a good saw/router guide. They also offered both router and saw plates to go with it, but at $33 each, a little pricey I thought. I took some 3/8" polycarbonate and 1/2" UHMW I had on hand and made a router base that rides in the groove of the clamp for a slick guided dado jig. I'm not Pat Warner, but I thought it turned out quite well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/btownsend/DSCN0892.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/btownsend/DSCN0893.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/btownsend/DSCN0894.jpg
Don Baer
04-26-2006, 11:16 AM
Very good Brad.
Bryan Somers
04-26-2006, 11:49 AM
Quite well indeed. Looks good.
Norman Hitt
04-26-2006, 1:02 PM
Got one of these "Red Boomer" clamps from MLCS.

I'm not Pat Warner, but I thought it turned out quite well.




Yeah, Brad, I could tell right off it was only a Pat Warner "Knock Off", 'cause, he Never Uses Phillips Head Screws.:D

Beautiful Job on that jig. It looks MUCH BETTER built than Most of the Commercial ones I've ever seen, and should really work well for Dados, etc. I think I'll put one of those on my "To Do" list.

Do you get any/much Flex with that MLCS Guide/clamp? Seems I remember some mention of that in several brand's models of those in a tool test of them a while back.
Brad Townsend
04-26-2006, 1:39 PM
Do you get any/much Flex with that MLCS Guide/clamp? Seems I remember some mention of that in several brand's models of those in a tool test of them a while back.
Thanks Norman. The 3/4" drywall screws are pretty cheesy.:D They seem to be holding for now, but if they fail, will drill all the way through and replace with something more substantial.

The clamp seems to have no flex at all from side to side. It's wide enough and has enough ribs that it shouldn't. I've only made a few cuts so far and it doesn't seem to be a problem.
Grant Davis
04-26-2006, 2:10 PM
AWESOME idea. I have one of the Rockler guides that I may just have to do this to.
Norman Hitt
04-26-2006, 2:33 PM
Thanks Norman. The 3/4" drywall screws are pretty cheesy.:D They seem to be holding for now, but if they fail, will drill all the way through and replace with something more substantial.

The clamp seems to have no flex at all from side to side. It's wide enough and has enough ribs that it shouldn't. I've only made a few cuts so far and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

Thanks for "Flex" the info, Brad. Just the width of your UHMW piece fitting snug in the track probably adds to the rigidity of the clamp as well. I kinda have the same habit of grabbing a drywall screw or a pockethole screw when I'm making jigs, (always thinking I'll replace them later):rolleyes: , but most times they just keep on working, and I never end up changing them out. 'Course, Pat's stuff is for sale, so it's gotta look "Purty" and have those neat looking Torx or Allen head screws or the like.:D How thick is the Polycarbonate you used?
Steve Clardy
04-26-2006, 3:52 PM
Looks great!!
Brad Townsend
04-26-2006, 4:19 PM
How thick is the Polycarbonate you used?
It was 3/8" on the polycarbonate and 1/2" UHMW. Yeah, probably the trickiest part was getting the fit in the groove just right so it ran smooth, yet didn't have any play in it side-to-side. Took me a couple of tries to get it right. Was just out in the shop playing with it some more and am very pleased. If set up right, makes routing a dado pretty foolproof (for this fool anyway:D) Now to figure out a sawplate.

Thanks to all for your kind words!