What's your favorite router jig you've either

[Alan Tolchinsky]

made or bought? I just made this one using a design by Bill Hylton. It's used in the loose tenon technique and makes the mortises. There are two hold downs that you attach to this jig. One is for holding pieces vertically and the other for holding horizontally. What's your favorite jig for using your router hand held? Alan in Md.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

This rear pic shows the adjustable limiters you use to determine the mortise length. They lock down with thumbscrews that may be hard to see in this pic. When I move the router back and forth the router fence bumps into these thus determining the mortise length.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

with a couple of small clamps just to be sure they don't move.

[Jim Becker]

My favorite is the MicroFence system; albeit it's not inexpensive. And I bought it from Bill Hylton, strangely enough, as he was working the shows for MicroFence. I have done a few of his jigs from the book and in general, find them very useful and economical.

[Dominic Greco]

Alan,
I have a very dog-eared copy of "Woodworking with the Router" that I use as a shop reference. I've built the circle templates, the offset base, the flush trimming base(s), the surface planning base, the plesiosaur and featherboard hold downs, the router bit cabinets,....you get the idea.

I also built the horizontal router table from this book, and the deluxe router table from Bill's newer "Router Magic" also one of my favorites. I also built the router baseplate with replaceable zero clearance inserts, and split fence from "Router Magic".

Seemed like the first year I had my shop was spent making jigs from these books. It sured helped me out a lot when it came time for a "real" project.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

My favorite is the MicroFence system; albeit it's not inexpensive. And I bought it from Bill Hylton, strangely enough, as he was working the shows for MicroFence. I have done a few of his jigs from the book and in general, find them very useful and economical.

Jim, I've been thinking of getting the MicroFence as my Bosch fence is very crude compared to the Micro. Although the more I get into doing inlay work I am frustrated by my fence so..... Does the spending ever stop!!! :)

Alan in Md.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Alan,
I have a very dog-eared copy of "Woodworking with the Router" that I use as a shop reference. I've built the circle templates, the offset base, the flush trimming base(s), the surface planning base, the plesiosaur and featherboard hold downs, the router bit cabinets,....you get the idea.

I also built the horizontal router table from this book, and the deluxe router table from Bill's newer "Router Magic" also one of my favorites. I also built the router baseplate with replaceable zero clearance inserts, and split fence from "Router Magic".

Seemed like the first year I had my shop was spent making jigs from these books. It sured helped me out a lot when it came time for a "real" project.


Hi Dom,

Man you really got your money's worth out of that book. I have to start making some more of those jigs to catch up to you. Oh, forget it I never will. :)

Did you use plexiglass for the offset base? I'm going to make one of those first as it seems like it will make the router a lot steadier when edge routing.

Which jigs do you seem to get the most use out of and which ones are collecting dust?

Alan in Md.

[Robert Ducharme]

You know of course that used and unused ones will both collect dust. Used ones collect saw dust and unused ones collect recycled dust. :D

[Wayne Swindlehurst]

I hardly ever use my router as a hand held, I bought an INCRA system several years ago and do almost everything with it. Of course lately I have only been doing small things like music boxs, jewelery boxs, picture frames and now I'm making pens. I have INCRA products on my table saw and drill press also, its really nice to go from one to the next and have everything match up perfectly.
Wayne Swindlehurst

[Chris Padilla]

Hey Wayne,

I have the exact same set-up:

Incra TS-3a
Incra/Woodpeck DP table
Incra/Woodpeck Router Table/Twin Linear

Luv it, luv it, luv it....

[Ray Thompson]

I never make dado cuts on the table saw anymore. I can have dadoes cut before I can get the dado set out of the box. Takes maybe two minutes to be setup and cutting, and, the dadoes fit exactly regardless of the material going into it. No measuring needed. Ray

[Dominic Greco]

Did you use plexiglass for the offset base? I'm going to make one of those first as it seems like it will make the router a lot steadier when edge routing.

Which jigs do you seem to get the most use out of and which ones are collecting dust?

I used 1/2" plywood, 3/8"& 1/4" phenolic, and 1/4" lexan for the offset bases I made. Plexiglas is too flexible. It will wobble

As as to the most used, it depends on which projects I'm working on. but I have to say that the tear drop shaped offset base is the most used.

[Todd Burch]

My favorite jig(s) are ones that I make myself for routing butt hinge mortises. They are quick to make for any hinge, and I've even taken them onsite. I've even used the same concept for a piano hinge. Here are a few pictures...

[Jim Becker]

Todd, that wedge method for keeping the jig on the workpiece is very clever. I've been using clamps, but your method really makes a lot of sense! Thanks for sharing it...

[Mark Singer]

Alan,
This is a great thread! There are some very good ideas posted. My favorite is the chair leg jig I made based on Tage Frid's book 3 " Furniture Making". It is a sandwich where 2 legs are held in the jig and the bit is guided by the edge of the jig. In one position the front face of one leg is trimmed and the back of the second leg....then the jig is opened and the legs are switched. "T" bolts and sandpaper hold it secure. You must band saw the legs to an 1/8" over size first. It is a consistent way of allowing multiple legs to be made precisely the same. After the routerwork they are hand shapped with spokeshaves and rasps. It is similar to Sam Maloofs technique.

[Tyler Howell]

You know of course that used and unused ones will both collect dust. Used ones collect saw dust and unused ones collect recycled dust. :D
Robert, Not at Terry's shop! Where is that guy?? Haven't heard him chime in lately!!

[Hal Flynt]

Ok,

My favorite router jig is my Jointech Clincher Cabinet maker system with the optional tall fence. I can zip through raised panels using a verticle bit and sneak up on a final fit without too much stress. Coping and sticking are pretty straight forward and I usually cut them with about 1/16" proud of the bearing on the first run, then move the fence with the thumb wheel to dead even with the bearing for the final pass eliminationg any need to sand and reducing the possibility of blow out.

Second favorite is a set of T-squares that have an 1/8" ply base that I use with a specific 1/2" and 3/4" straight bits to cut dados or trim to a line. (In other words the ply is trimed with the specific bit so that it matches the offset.)

[Shawn Battagler]

Hylton's box joint jig (from Woodworking with the Router). I don't use it that often, but it was one of the first jigs I ever made, and I thought it was a brilliant idea.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Mark, I really enjoyed all the posts too. Man you guys are very imaginative and I've learned a lot from all the great ideas. Alan in Md.

[John Petsche]

nice butt joint router jig, love the wedge idea. Thanks.

[frank shic]

here are my two favorites lately:

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w316/frank_shic/a6e6e5f6.jpg

the top one is a butt mortise jig but i wasn't as clever as todd to use wedges to clamp the edge although given my recent misfortunes, i don't think i'll try it... the lower one is the mouse hole jig for the control arm. both of these were used for three plantation shutters that i built and sprayed. too bad there's no easy jig for trimming them to fit in the window openings! hmmm.... maybe four wooden arms that connect with some kind of adjustable screw?

[Rick Potter]

Hinge butt jig also. Not quite a jig, but still a favorite of mine is a very small 12" X 12" router table with simple fence. Big enough to use for roundovers and the like, when the big table is set up for other things.

Rick Potter

[Phil Thien]

Boy am I glad this thread got bumped.

I was unaware of the Bill Hylton book on router tables. The sliding fence idea is genius. I was so impressed with that idea I ordered a copy of the book!

[Alan Schaffter]

Well since the thread is still going, I would be remiss if I missed the opportunity to post my favorite router jig, and oh yes, it works on a table saw too! :D :D

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/2404/medium/IMG_4147.JPG

Reports from new owners are starting to come in- it works great, as advertised!! I just used it on a project, too. No wood filler needed on this joint!!:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/2404/medium/IMG_4146.JPG

[Prashun Patel]

It's funny you mention this, Mark. FWW has a new(?) video workshop going on right now to build an Asian inspired hall table with curved legs. The show how to make a jig that sounds just like what yr talking about.

Haven't seen recent work from you... :(

[Carl Beckett]

1) Incra on the router table
2) Dado
3) Hinge mortising