Long arm lends hand when routing edges

You can't rout assembled box or drawer edges very well with a hand-held router, especially inside edges. The narrow edge doesn't support the router properly, so you end up with a poor cut. A table-mounted router does the job, but what if you don't have one, or if the work is too cumbersome to handle on a table?

Build an extended base for your router from ¹⁄₄ " plywood and ³⁄₄ " hardwood, as shown. The plywood width should equal your router-base diameter. Make it long enough to span your project. Round one end using the router base as a template, and mark the mounting holes and router-bit opening. Then, drill the opening for the router bit. Drill and countersink the mounting-screw holes. Cut the hardwood stiffening spine, and then glue and screw it into place. Mount the router to your new extended base, and you're ready to tackle those outside or inside edges with ease.

—Ken Seals, Edenton, N.C.