Outrigger adds stability when slotting miters

I enjoyed the batch of biscuit joiner tips in WOOD magazine issue 205 (July 2011), especially the one about taping on an auxiliary fence to the joiner when slotting miters. However, I've always found it difficult to hold the biscuit joiner steady at 45° and plunge it at the same time, so I made my auxiliary fence longer. This "outrigger," shown left, gives me additional leverage to counterbalance the weight of the joiner.

If you make one for your biscuit joiner, be sure to countersink the screw holes so the heads sit flush or slightly below the surface. And, like me, you may need to cut an opening at the blade end so you can see the layout line on your workpiece.
—Erv Roberts, Windsor Heights, Iowa