Reverse Routing Plate ~ Luthiery Laboratories

Reverse Routing Plate

The plate is an old piece of phenolic I had lying around - very stiff stuff. The 'legs' are pine scrap, in whatever width works.

The Reverse Routing Jig holds a router above the workpiece, which is secured to a flat smooth surface below. I use an old piece of countertop, not a carpet, as in the picture. By sliding the router over the workpiece, you can mill the face of the piece. Height is adjustable by changing the legs. This jig is very useful for milling Fender-style headstocks. It is also possible to cut angled headstocks by blocking-up the workpiece and using the longer legs. This jig is basically an upside-down router table, with one great advantage - you can see what you are doing.

This is such a versatile jig that StewMac actually copied it. I had my original version posted online well over a year before they came out with theirs. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Routing & Shaping

I have several jigs I made to fit my full-sized DeWalt router. That machine is a beast for building furniture and stuff, but it is clumsy overkill for routing neck pockets and truss rods. So I got the idea to make a base plate that will adapt the little router to the jigs I made. Simple - just a 6" square; there it is on the left. The material is a piece of 1/4" phenolic that I had laying around for years. Phenolic resin is a plastic that is so hard and stiff it is more like metal. It is perfect for router bases and other fixtures, but somewhat hard to work. To drill the big hole in the center, I had to shift the drill press to its lowest gear, and cool the bit with water.

More: Routing & Shaping ...

Comments on Reverse Routing Plate

Questions or Inquiries?

Just want to say Hello? Sign the .

Submit a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Double-Acting Truss Rod

This is a spoke nut version, for use at the neck heel.

Here is a variation intended to adjust at the headstock rather than the heel, although it would work fine there too. I substituted a 1-1/2" 10-32 SS cap-head bolt for my usual spoke nut and threaded shaft. It is captured the same way, in a drilled-out coupling nut with a ground-down hex nut. The rod itself is 48" 3/16 rod steel, bent back on itself. Both coupling nuts are grooved on the attaching surface to hold the round rod. This greatly simplifies alignment and assembly, and the cap-head bolt eliminates one solder joint. All parts from my favorite luthiery supply shop, Home Depot.

More: Double-Acting Truss Rod ...