Router guide for festool track.

**Rorschach** · Dec 21, 2018, 02:56 AM

Since I have been fiddling around a new mini router I decided I would have a go at a jig to allow use of the router on the tracksaw track. I know you can buy these but they seemed expensive for what they are and I wanted one with more adjustability than I had seen.

I already had all the parts and it took me less than an hour to put together. I now just need to make some stops to slide in the t-slots on the track to complete the build.

The guide block is a piece of Oak. I cut the slot on the table saw and purposely made it just a touch over size (less than 0.5mm). I then cut another kerf to the side of the slot and made what is essentially a gib strip. Two screws allow me to adjust the width of slot so I can get either a nice snug fit for doing something like shelf pin holes, or an easy sliding fit for doing long slots or edge trimming. It also allows me to take up any wear in the slot or seasonal movement.

The guide has two 8mm rods that fit into the plunge router base, they are simply a press fit, no glue in case I want to change them for shorter or longer rods in the future. The plunge base will have a shim piece added to keep it level. I can adjust the base in an out from the track edge either for doing parallel cuts or to make use of the splinter strip.

As I say it took me less than an hour of work and would have been less if I wasn't making it up as I went along. The guide block was made from a larger piece which was then cut down so I can either make another guide block if I break this one or use it for another track based project.

My next job, after I finish my tool post grinder, is to take a 1/4" drill bit and grind it down to 5mm at the tip so I can fit it into my router collet. Then I need to come up with a way to index the shelf pin holes.

**RobTakami** · Dec 21, 2018, 03:54 PM

Looks great - I like the gib strip - that's a clever addition. As for drilling your track with indexing holes if you go that route - I've tried to drill accurately spaced holes in aluminium bar a few times and always failed due to either poor marking or wander. If I were to try it again I'd make every mark off multiple references before I drilled a single hole to ensure the spacing stays consistent and parallel to the edge. Else I'd find someone that can do it with a CNC.
This bar can be seen as an indexing system in one of my other jigs that I made for making box joints - here's the vid link if you are interested -

**Rorschach** · Dec 21, 2018, 04:02 PM

Thanks. I am really glad I went with the gib strip idea. A couple of days after making this I went to try it out for fit with the shim for the router base, the guide was too tight on the track and needed a bit of adjustment. So in just a few days the moisture content in the wood had changed enough to make a difference. Having made this in winter, I bet in summer it would be unusable without the adjustment feature.

As to the hole spacing. If I were to drill my festool track I would make myself an indexing jig on the drill press. I don't think having the holes at a perfect 32mm is too critical but the spacing in between each hole is important as you need both sides to line up. I reckon if you drilled two holes in a piece of scrap fixed to the drill press table, and then used a pin to index it, very similar to your recent shelf pin jig in fact, then you could get very consistent spacing.

**RobTakami** · Dec 21, 2018, 04:16 PM

I have a similar problem with my cross cut sled with the weather and the seasons - one season it won't fit and 6 months later it barely touches the sides of the t-slot.
For the shelves - yeah I agree that the spacing is not that critical as long as both sides line up. I'd quite like to drill my track but it would make me nervous - my drill press is such a piece of crap too which doesn't help one bit, but the scrap with holes and a pin should do the trick I think.

**Rorschach** · Dec 22, 2018, 01:39 AM

Yeah I am also nervous! lol.

I do not have any need to drill shelf pin holes at the moment, I have some cabinets planned but there is no panic to make them and several other jobs would need to be done first anyway. Plenty of time to think of a solution.
I am hoping I can come up with a way that does not require drilling the track, some kind of additional jig would be better, maybe even modify a commercial jig which are very cheap.