Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
The greatest addition to the router wasn't in the router itself, but in the bearings added to its bits. This allowed for faster, more precise routing of horizontal stock. However, to fully take advantage of these bearings...and to use bits without them...you need a solid fence to place your stock against, especially for vertical cuts.
The truth is, any board can be used on its edge as a makeshift fence, after being clamped to the table top, but there are three features that a board on its own misses: dust collection, the ability to attach featherboard and stop blocks, and a method to control the gap around the bits themselves.
But we can make a simple fence out of a few strips of plywood. By building a box, we can create a simple frame that makes clamping easy, as well as allowing a dust port to be added. We can then add a fence that rides on a t-track that we can lock after trapping our router bit. This same fence can also use t-tracks for featherboard and stop block support.
For more precise, repeatable setups, we can add a replaceable insert to the fence using inexpensive hardboard.
Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
William L McNally
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Mike Lornitis
Les N.
Gary G.
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
Doug F.
make things
#MTbitesize
The greatest addition to the router wasn't in the router itself, but in the bearings added to its bits. This allowed for faster, more precise routing of horizontal stock. However, to fully take advantage of these bearings...and to use bits without them...you need a solid fence to place your stock against, especially for vertical cuts.
The truth is, any board can be used on its edge as a makeshift fence, after being clamped to the table top, but there are three features that a board on its own misses: dust collection, the ability to attach featherboard and stop blocks, and a method to control the gap around the bits themselves.
But we can make a simple fence out of a few strips of plywood. By building a box, we can create a simple frame that makes clamping easy, as well as allowing a dust port to be added. We can then add a fence that rides on a t-track that we can lock after trapping our router bit. This same fence can also use t-tracks for featherboard and stop block support.
For more precise, repeatable setups, we can add a replaceable insert to the fence using inexpensive hardboard.
Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
William L McNally
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Mike Lornitis
Les N.
Gary G.
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
Doug F.
make things
#MTbitesize
