Routing stopped grooves is one of those woodworking tasks that sounds simple until you need to make a bunch of them exactly the same. A single stopped groove isn’t difficult, but when several parts need matching grooves that all begin and end in the same place, accuracy and repeatability become much more important.
That was the situation Phil ran into while building a sideboard with eight drawers. The drawers ride on solid wood runners, and those runners fit into grooves routed in mating parts. Instead of measuring and marking the start and stop points for every groove, Phil came up with a simple hardboard template that makes the setup much faster and more reliable.
Make the Template Do the Measuring
The template is made from 1/4" hardboard and contains all the information needed to set up the cut. Rather than thinking of it as just a pattern, it works almost like a simple program for the router table.
The template establishes the position of the groove and shows exactly where the cut needs to start and stop. With that information built into one piece, there’s no need to repeat the same layout work on every project part.
That becomes especially useful when you’re working with a group of matching pieces. One careful setup can take the place of a lot of individual measuring and marking.
Setting Up the Router Table
Phil uses the template to position the router table fence and set the router bit in the correct location. Once the groove is aligned with the bit, stop blocks can be positioned to control the beginning and end of the cut.
The stop blocks are what make the stopped grooves repeatable. Instead of trying to watch layout lines while moving the workpiece across the router table, the blocks physically limit the travel of the part.
Once everything is set, each piece can be routed using the same setup. That helps keep the grooves consistent in both position and length.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
This technique is a good example of how a simple shop-made template can save time while actually improving accuracy.
Any time I’m faced with a repetitive operation, I try to think about whether I can move the measuring and layout work into a jig or template. Spending a few extra minutes making a hardboard template can save a surprising amount of time later, especially on a furniture project with a lot of matching parts.
The same basic approach can be used for more than drawer runners. It works anywhere you need repeatable stopped grooves or dadoes for shelves, cabinet parts, dividers, hardware, or other joinery.
Watch the Video
In the video above, Phil walks through the entire setup and shows how he uses the hardboard template to position the fence, router bit, and stop blocks. You’ll see how a relatively simple setup can make a repetitive routing job quicker, easier, and much more consistent.
If you’d like to get even more out of your router table, Phil also covers a wide range of techniques in the Woodsmith Magazine Router Table Basics course. The course focuses on practical ways to work more safely, accurately, and efficiently at the router table.
Learn more about Router Table Basics: https://woodsmith.mykajabi.com/router-table-basics
