MicroJig MatchFit Grid Router Guide Review
Dovetail tracks are a versatile way to add adjustable clamping and workholding options to a woodworking project. Instead of installing aluminum T-track, you can rout dovetail-shaped grooves directly into a workpiece and use compatible clamps and accessories.
The MicroJig MatchFit system takes advantage of this approach, using specially designed dovetail tracks to create flexible workholding setups for router jigs, table saw accessories, and assembly surfaces.
But there's one challenge: Before you can use the clamps, you need to cut the dovetail tracks.
That's where the MicroJig MatchFit Grid Router Guide comes in.
This router accessory makes it easier to create a series of evenly spaced dovetail tracks across a board. With a pair of router bits and a straightforward two-step process, you can turn a sheet of MDF into a versatile clamping surface or replaceable spoilboard.
Here's how the guide works and why it's a useful addition to the MatchFit system.
What Is the MicroJig MatchFit Grid Router Guide?
The MatchFit Grid Router Guide is designed to help woodworkers rout evenly spaced slots that can be converted into dovetail tracks.
The guide attaches to a router base that accepts Porter-Cable-style guide bushings.
A cleat on the underside of the guide serves as the reference for positioning each cut.
For the first pass, the cleat rides along the edge of the workpiece.
After that, it registers in the previously routed slot, automatically establishing the spacing for the next cut.
This eliminates the need to measure and mark the position of every groove individually.
The result is a consistent series of parallel slots that can be repeated in the opposite direction to create a grid.
How to Use the MicroJig Grid Router Guide
Making a dovetail-track grid involves two main operations.
First, a straight relief bit removes most of the waste and establishes the grid pattern.
Then, a dovetail router bit enlarges the slots into the profile required for MatchFit clamps and accessories.
This two-step approach makes the routing process more manageable and helps produce cleaner dovetail tracks.
Step 1: Rout the Relief Slots
Start by installing the relief bit in your router and attaching the router to the Grid Router Guide.
The relief bit cuts a straight slot that serves two purposes.
First, it removes most of the material that would otherwise need to be cut by the dovetail bit.
Second, it creates a groove for the guide's cleat to follow on subsequent passes.
Position the guide so the cleat registers against the edge of the workpiece.
Make the first cut along the board.
Then reposition the router so the cleat fits into the slot you just routed.
This establishes the spacing for the next cut.
Continue across the workpiece, using each new slot to guide the next pass.
Once you've completed the parallel slots in one direction, rotate the workpiece and repeat the process.
You'll end up with a grid of straight relief slots.
Woodsmith Tip: Make sure the workpiece is securely supported and clamped before routing. Keep the router base flat on the surface and maintain steady contact between the guide cleat and its reference edge or slot.
Step 2: Rout the Dovetail Tracks
After completing the relief grid, the next step is to convert the straight slots into dovetail tracks.
With the router unplugged, remove it from the guide as necessary and replace the relief bit with the appropriate MatchFit dovetail bit.
Reattach the router and verify the setup according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Now you're ready to rout the dovetail profile.
However, there's one important difference from the first operation.
You need to rout the dovetail tracks in the reverse order from the relief slots.
Why the Routing Order Matters
The dovetail bit cuts a wider profile than the relief bit.
As it enlarges each straight slot, the upper portion of the groove is altered.
That matters because the guide's cleat is designed to register in the original relief slot.
If you follow the same sequence used to create the relief slots, the cleat may ride in a slot that's already been enlarged by the dovetail bit.
This can affect the guide's position and produce inconsistent spacing.
By working in reverse order, the cleat continues to reference an unmodified relief slot while the dovetail bit cuts the next track.
This maintains the correct relationship between the guide and the cutter.
Once all the slots have been routed, you'll have a completed dovetail-track grid ready for compatible MatchFit workholding accessories.
Why Cut Relief Slots Before Routing Dovetails?
You might wonder why the process requires two different router bits.
Why not simply rout the dovetail tracks in one operation?
The answer comes down to material removal and cutting quality.
A dovetail bit has to remove material along the sides of the groove as well as at its base.
Trying to remove all that material at once can place additional load on the bit and router.
By cutting a straight relief slot first, most of the waste is removed before the dovetail bit makes its pass.
This reduces the amount of material the dovetail bit needs to cut.
It also establishes the reference grooves that make the guide's indexing system work.
The two-step process is an important part of the Grid Router Guide's design.
Make a Dovetail-Track Worksurface or Spoilboard
One of the most useful applications for the Grid Router Guide is creating a work surface with integrated clamping tracks.
A sheet of MDF makes a practical starting point.
It's relatively inexpensive, easy to machine, and provides a smooth surface for woodworking operations.
By routing a grid of MatchFit dovetail tracks into the MDF, you can create a versatile platform for securing workpieces with compatible clamps.
This can be useful for handheld routing, assembly work, and other shop operations where adjustable clamping positions are beneficial.
An Easily Replaceable Worksurface
Another advantage of using MDF is that the work surface can be replaced when it becomes worn or damaged.
Instead of permanently installing metal tracks into a workbench or jig, you can rout a new grid into another sheet.
The Grid Router Guide makes this process repeatable without requiring extensive layout work.
For woodworkers who frequently use MatchFit clamps, this can be a convenient way to create dedicated workholding surfaces for different tasks.
What I Like About the MicroJig Grid Router Guide
The most appealing feature of this accessory is its simplicity.
The guide uses the edge of the workpiece and the previously routed slots to establish consistent spacing.
That means you don't need to measure and mark every track location.
The two-step routing process also makes sense.
Removing the bulk of the waste with a relief bit before cutting the dovetail profile helps keep the operation manageable.
And because the guide can be used to create a grid across an entire sheet, it's well suited to making larger workholding surfaces.
For woodworkers who already use MatchFit clamps and accessories, the Grid Router Guide offers a convenient way to expand the system.
Is the MicroJig MatchFit Grid Router Guide Worth It?
If you regularly use MatchFit dovetail clamps, the Grid Router Guide is a useful accessory.
It simplifies the process of cutting evenly spaced tracks and makes it easier to create custom workholding surfaces from MDF or other suitable materials.
The guide is especially appealing for making replaceable spoilboards, router jigs, and assembly fixtures.
However, it's a specialized accessory.
If you only need an occasional dovetail track, you may be able to accomplish the task with a conventional router guide and careful layout.
The Grid Router Guide becomes more valuable when you're creating multiple tracks or an entire grid.
For my shop, it's a welcome addition to the MatchFit system. Being able to turn a sheet of MDF into a versatile clamping surface with a repeatable routing process makes it a practical tool for building jigs and improving workholding around the shop.
