Two-Part Hold-Down Makes Routing Safer
May 27, 2009
This versatile two-part fixture uses sections of PVC pipe to hold the workpiece against the router table and the fence to reduce the chance of kickback and to make a cleaner, more consistent cut.
To make the fixture, cut two pieces of 3/4-in.-thick plywood 4-1/2 in. wide and as long as your router table. On the vertical hold-down piece, rout two 3/8-in. adjustment slots. Now, use a drill press and Forstner bit to make four 1-7/8-in.-dia. through-holes, aligning the bit so that it will overlap the edge by about 7/16 in. Drill three holes in the horizontal hold-in piece, centering them between the holes in the vertical hold-down.
Cut the 5/8-in.-wide rings on the tablesaw from a 1-1/2-in.-dia. schedule 40 PVC pipe. The rings should be slightly thinner than the plywood; otherwise, their freedom of action will be impaired when the hold-down is clamped in place. Next, use a bandsaw to remove a 1-1/4-in. section from each ring. Insert the rings with all the openings facing the same direction. Holding a Phillips-head screwdriver in the opening at about 45° to the bottom edge, rotate the PVC ring to pinch the screwdriver shaft (see drawing) and mark the inside where the tip touches the PVC. Drill a 5/32-in.-dia. hole through the PVC only and then attach it to the plywood with a 1-in. self-piercing lath screw.
The pressure the rings exert on the workpiece helps keep it against the table and the fence, and will prevent the stock from kicking back. Use moderate feed pressure, and be sure to use a push stick at the end of the cut.To use the fixture, place the stock flat on the router table under the rings of the hold-down. Push the hold-down onto the workpiece so that the rings deflect slightly, roughly 1/32 in. Do the same for the hold-in.
Drawings by Jim Richey
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