I thought I had a simple idea for a centering jig that might be useful when using a handheld router to cut a pocket in the middle of a gun blank or other similar shape. Not a new idea, it would seem.
It's certainly not a substitute for a solid router table, but it would let you do things "right side up" where you can see what's going on. Just something to file away in your mental bag of tricks.
I need this but really don't understand how it works.
See the two brass pins that stick down from the clear base? There is one pin on each side of the wood. You rotate the router until one pin contacts each side of the board, and this automatically centers the router bit in the middle of the wood.
Does it get attached to the router? Do you have to sorta keep pressure on it in a turning fashion for it to stay centered?
Isn't this a more secure way?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ygBmNrQkN4&feature=&p=03CDCEC194E83E75&index=0&playnext=1
Right, the clear plate is attached to the base of the router. And yes, you would have to apply a bit of torque to make sure that the pins stay against the stock as you move the router.
When I was building my first gun I built, and tried using a jig like that, only with skateboard roller bearings bolted to the base instead of the brass pins. The only limiting factor is that the distance from pin to the router bit will determine how close to the end of the gun blank you can set your trigger pocket before it rolls of the end and screws everything up (ask me how I learned this the hard way <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x"> ).
I came across this one (and built it) from and old issue of Shop Notes and it works really well, even for cutting the open or enclosed track slots all the way to the end of the blank. Once you get the two side fences adjusted so that the bit is centered and the jig is able to slide freely up and down the blank, you can pretty much make all your centerline cuts by only changing the router bit for each operation. I still like to use the router table for most of the cuts, but sometimes it's just more comfortable to work from overhead and be able to see what it is I'm cutting.
Rich - No doubt that your jig and the one Dan posted are more secure. I was mainly intrigued by the simplicity of the Rockler jig, the way that it automatically centers itself, and the fact that you could easily build one quickly if need be.
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