Stay on track with a handheld router

Guiding a router steadily along a straightedge can be a tricky task when the router wants to wander away. Eliminate that source of error by guiding the router along a tracksaw guide.

To build the jig, first rout into the base a groove that fits snugly over the raised rail on the guide. Make the connector plate by gluing two end blocks to a strip of plywood as long as the base. Attach the router to the connector plate with bolts or all-thread rod that fits the edge-guide mounting holes in your router base. Two bolts hold the connector-plate assembly to the base, allowing you to make custom connector plates for different routers and use them on the same base.
—Dan Martin, Galena, Ohio