[template tom]

Obviously there is a great demand to see what is the best router table (Reading the number of postings on the use of the router table) How many have tried the use of the router used in the plunge mode and with the aid of the template guides/
Is there any project that You have constructed with the router in the plunge mode and using template guides to complete the said project????
Tom

 

[kp91]

Couple of examples

When doing production type work, templates are a great help and time saver. The two bookcases are almost identical in case construction, but trim details change them dramatically. I used templates for the window and door cut outs, and for the crenallations on the castle towers.

Another shortcut (kind of a template) I used when cutting out the dados in the sides were spacer blocks. I had cut scrap MDF the lengths the dados were to be from the bottom edge, and would cut the dados, slide the fence over until the block fit, plow the next dados, etc. This way I never had to measure but once, and the subsequent bookcases were exactly the same as the originals.

The castle was painted with "fleckstone" paint, and detail painted by my daughter's favorite babysitter. The pastel colors on the doll house were all from the "oops" bin at HD, and were picked up for $1 a quart. The projects are all 3/4 in MDF and 1/4 in birch ply. Plans were based on a WOOD magazine article.