Routing technique difficulcty

Might have been caused by the router bit not being in the exact center of the router baseplate. This is common. Try this. Put a marker (sticky dot works fine; so does a pencil or grease pen) somewhere on the edge of the router baseplate. After plunging into the waste, approach the edge obliquely in the appropriate direction -- counterclockwise -- and make sure the marked point on the baseplate contacts the template. As you cut, always keep the mark on the template. This means you'll be rotating the router. If this is too clumsy for you (it is not natural or easy), then at least make sure that the marked point is back on the template as you approach the spot where the router first contacted with the template.

Cheers!

Jim

The router collet may not be perfectly centered with respect to your router base. (I'm assuming your router has a round base from your description) If that's the case you can try keeping the router oriented the same all the way around the cut or, or you may be able to adjust the difference out, depending on hopw your router base mounts.

Thank you all very much -the collet was indeed slightly off-center wrt the base plate. Your suggestions cured the problem.

Thank you all again!

Rod