A router edge guide doesn't need to be complicated. When you need to rout a straight cut parallel to the edge of a workpiece, the guide only needs to do one thing well: keep the router bit a consistent distance from that edge.
This shop-made router guide does exactly that with just two pieces—a hardboard base and a hardwood fence.
It's quick to make from scraps, and because you determine the location of the fence, you can customize the guide for the exact offset you need.
[H2] Start with a Hardboard Router Base
Begin by cutting a piece of hardboard large enough to support the entire router base.
The router should sit securely on the hardboard without hanging over the edges. This gives you a stable platform as you move the router along the workpiece.
Next, make an opening in the hardboard for the router bit. Locate the opening to match the bit's position when the router is sitting on the guide.
Make the hole slightly larger than necessary so there's plenty of clearance around the bit.
[H2] Add the Hardwood Edge Guide
The hardwood fence is what controls the cut.
Attach it to the underside of the hardboard base so it rides against the edge of the workpiece. As you move the router, the fence follows the edge and keeps the bit traveling along a straight, parallel path.
The distance between the fence and router bit determines how far the cut will be from the edge. That's the dimension to get right before putting the guide to work.
Woodsmith Tip: Make a Test Cut. Before routing the actual workpiece, make a test cut on scrap. Measure the distance from the edge to the routed cut and adjust the hardwood fence if necessary. Once the fence is positioned correctly, that offset becomes repeatable every time you use the guide.
Use Double-Sided Tape for Fast Assembly
You don't need screws or complicated hardware to put this guide together.
Double-sided tape can secure both the router to the hardboard base and the hardwood fence to the guide.
The tape works particularly well here because the primary force against the fence is sideways, or in shear, as you keep it pressed against the workpiece edge.
Press the components firmly in place before routing and make sure everything is secure before switching on the router.
Rout a Straight Cut Parallel to an Edge
Using the guide is straightforward.
Position the router on the workpiece with the hardwood fence firmly against the edge. Start the router, then move it along the workpiece while maintaining consistent pressure against the fence.
There's no layout line to follow with the router. The fence establishes the path of the cut.
As long as it stays registered against the edge, the router bit remains the same distance from that edge from one end of the cut to the other.
A Simple Router Jig Worth Keeping
There's not much to this router edge guide—and that's precisely the point.
A scrap of hardboard supports the router. A hardwood strip establishes the offset. And double-sided tape makes it possible to put the guide together quickly without special hardware.
For any routing job that calls for a straight cut parallel to an existing edge, this simple jig provides an easy way to guide the router and maintain consistent spacing.
And if you need a different offset for another project, making another guide takes only a few scraps and a few minutes in the shop.
More Ways to Get Precise Results with a Router
Simple shop-made jigs can make a handheld router much easier to control. Edge guides, mortising jigs, templates, and other accessories help turn the router into a more precise joinery and shaping tool.
EXPLORE MORE ROUTER JIGS & TECHNIQUES → 3 Must-Have Shop-Made Router Bases
