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Woodworking Jigs–How To Make Router Jigs?

Designing and inventing router jigs and fixtures is somewhat of a passion of mine. Over the years I’ve made numerous devices-many very crude-to simplify, speed up, or facilitate seemingly impossible routing tasks. These jigs have made my cabinetmaking, relief carving, sign work, and just about every other area of wood cutting much easier and more economical. If you took away my router and my special jigs and fixtures, I would be almost helpless in the workshop.

Jig-making can be easy or complex, simple or refined. The need dictates what you build and how you build it. A few years ago I made a simple but very effective router able and fence with a couple of dollars’ worth of material. Just recently, I invested $33 constructing a new router table capable of duplicating the cutting action and operations offered only by a $1500 production routing machine.

Many features of new routers, such as speed choices and easy dept-of-cut controls, can be exploited for better and safer jig-making. Plunging capability is great for some jigs, but for many I still prefer to use the motor unit without the base. Both types can be built into router tables. I’ve also mounted router motors horizontally on movable sleds with a template follower to make duplicate turnings. You can also mount a router at various angles to the work table. This system allows you to create a variety of profiles from just one bit. For example, a round nose can be used to raise panels and cut European-style finger pull stock for doors and drawers.

Designing jigs gets easier the more often you do it. An idea that inspires one jig will invariably resurface in some form to help solve a different problem. Before building a jig, I visualize the bit making the desired cut. Then I figure out how to attach the router to the jig and move one or the other to make the cut. With more complex jigs, I need to put together one or more mock-ups before constructing the first working model. I make good use of large hose clamps and bandsawn cradles, or V clamping blocks, to hold routers.

I’ve made scores of jigs to simplify fairly routine woodworking jobs like spacing dadoes, cutting mortises and tenons, making various miters, and scarfing joints; I’ve even used the plunge router to cut dowel holes. Still, there are a lot of ideas I haven’t yet tested, and a lot of jobs that can be made better and easier with just the right jig.

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