Cutting straight lines with a router is not easy.

You place a guide on your workpiece where you want to cut the groove, you start cutting, the router bit grips, the router goes in every direction except the line you wanted, and your straight line is gone.

Your piece can be put in the scrap bin and you can start over.

Recognizable???

With this simple DIY router guide, this is a thing of the past!

P.S. This DIY router guide is made for my Makita 3709 but can be made for any other router.

This jig is an extension of the DIY circular saw track saw guide that I made a while ago.

Be sure to visit the blog where you can also download free plans and see step by step how to make this track saw guide.

Why you should make this DIY router guide!

The biggest reason will be that you make this DIY router guide to make perfectly straight lines.
But the benefits of this DIY router guide go further than just straight lines.

• The DIY router guide is safer to work with because the router is clamped in this jig.
• Dust extraction can be connected so that released dust is removed directly behind the router.
• Maximum depth control of the router bit because the router slides directly over the workpiece.

Watch the video here

Watch the video below on how I made my version of the DIY router guide.

After that, you can continue following the step-by-step instructions to build this DIY router guide yourself.

In this blog are also free plans that you can download.
You can use this as a basis for building your DIY router guide.

Building this DIY router guide step by step

Step 1 | Preparation

In order for the router to fit perfectly into the jig, you need 2 pieces for the base that are exactly the same width as your router.

To transfer the size perfectly, I used my router to clamp a stop block onto my crosscut sled.

Place the router on the crosscut sled and let it kiss the saw blade. On the other side of the router, you clamp a stop block onto the fence of the crosscut sled.

Now you can cut your piece of wood. Use the dimensions on the free plans as a guide.

After that, you can cut all other pieces needed to make this DIY router guide.

Step 2 | Making the base of this woodworking jig

You can make the bottom of this t-track router jig by gluing and clamping all parts together.

Start with this step so that the glue can dry while you continue to work on other parts of this DIY router guide.

I recently wrote an interesting blog that contains everything you need to know about wood glue.
Don’t miss this one! There is a lot of valuable information in that blog.

Maybe your router will look different, but if you also use or wish to purchase the Makita 3709, you will notice that a piece of the router protrudes from the back.

That’s why I had to make a notch in this part as you can see in the picture.

To do this, set the saw blade of the table saw at the same height as the piece protruding and remove the wood by moving the crosscut carriage back and forth in several passes over the saw blade.

Step 3 | Dust collection

To be able to collect the dust while working with the router, I fitted this DIY router guide with a connection for the dust extraction.

This dust extraction is at an angle of 45 degrees, which is the best angle to collect and remove flying dust.

For this, you need two pieces of wood in the shape of a triangle. These will serve as the basis for the dust extraction system.

To make these triangular pieces safe I used my hold-down clamps. My crosscut sled is equipped with two t-tracks in which I can place these hold down clamps.

First, make a square piece of wood and place it at a 45-degree angle on the truncation slide.

Now cut the piece in half and you have 2 identical triangles.

P.S. If these pieces are not perfectly identical, touch them up with a sanding belt or sander.

The next step is to make an opening in which the dust extraction nozzle fits.

Take a piece of wood (I used 6 mm MDF), and determine the center of the workpiece. Now you can drill a hole equal to the diameter of the dust extractor.

The piece of wood can be longer. In a next step you can trim this part.

Now mount the piece of wood with the hole in it on the two triangular pieces.
Use wood glue and clamp or use brad nails to connect those pieces.

I prefer brad nails because it improves the speed of the work. I do not have to wait every time for the wood glue to dry.

When all parts are attached to each other, you can trim the excess wood.

I personally like this way of working because it ensures that you always have neatly finished edges.

Step 4 | Assembling the T-Track router jig

All parts are now ready so this woodworking jig can be mounted.

The dust extraction connection can be attached with wood glue and brad nails to the bottom of this DIY router guide.

To fit this jig on the circular track saw guide, one side must be raised.

Here too I worked with the technique to make my workpiece slightly larger and to trim it when it is assembled.

In order for the DIY router guide to slide over the track saw guide, there is a slot needed that fits perfectly over the edge of the guide.

To make this slot, place the jig next to the guide and place a piece of wood in the guide at the same height.

You can now apply wood glue to both the piece of wood and the edge of the jig.

Connect these two parts with a piece of wood.
To be able to work quickly again, I also use brad nails here.

Step 5 | Finishing

Now finish this DIY router guide by sawing off any excess wood.
Now that the DIY router guide is made, you can sand the wood and touch up the edges.

For this, I used sandpaper with grit 120.

How to use the DIY router guide

Working with this DIY router guide is actually self-explanatory.

Hook the DIY router guide over the edge of the circular saw track saw guide and place the router in the opening of the DIY router guide.

Determine where the groove should be cut and clamp the guide onto your workpiece or workbench.

Do not forget to connect the dust extraction before you start working.

I wish you a lot of fun with this woodworking jig.

This jig is an extension of the DIY circular saw track saw guide that I made a while ago.
Be sure to visit the blog where you can also download free plans and see step by step how to make this track saw guide.