Quick routah table box joint jig

[Dave Balderstone]

I put this together over the weekend... building a jewelery box for my daughter for Christmas.

Pics at

djb

[Bob]

Thanks for posting. I love your converted desk top router table. Is that a Lee Valley round baseplate I spy?

bob

[Dave Balderstone]

It is indeed. Bosch router underneath in the fixed base.

I built a fence for the table from an issue of ShopNotes (posted the link a while back). Pics at

djb

[George]

Looks elaborate. More like a tablesaw jig on a router table. Have you ever seen the straddle fence design?

[Dave Balderstone]

I looked at upteen designs before settling on the one I finally built. It's actually fairly straight-forward.

djb

[Dave Eames , Oakhurst CA]

Dave, this is cool, thanks! a few questions:

1) is that a 1/2" bit? 2) how do you make the first cut, do you just hold the stock up against the peg? Dave Eames

[bwx100]

Nice work Dave. It looks to be informed much from various table saw versions. The double sided edge guides is a real nice innovation.

The only addition you might consider is a removable (thus replacable) backer. On the original setup you'll get good backing. However on subsequent uses the backing will wear down a bit and yoiu may need to run the cut up a lytllie higher each time so you don't get breakout, etc.

If you had an insertable backer you could start witha fresh backing plate to avoid tear out and go to smaller cuts or have an easier time during setup, trying different heights until you get it just right, then start the real cuts witha fresh backer.

[Dave Balderstone]

1 - That particular bit is a 3/8", using the 3/8 adapter from Lee Valley in a 1/2" collet. This one, I'm using some cherry that's been resawn and planed to 3/8 so that's what I went with. I think I'll just build more sleds for different bits as I need them, it was easy fast and cheap. 2 - Yes.

[Dave Balderstone]

It's not obvious from the pics, but the backer *is* actually two pieces of 3/4 ply, with the second piece holding the reference pin and held to the first by the spring clamps, thus easily removable.