A router may be one of the most versatile tools in the shop. As a hand tool nut, that hurts me a little bit to say, but it’s true. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate how versatile these screaming, dust-creating, whirling tools can be. They slice, they dice, they julienne. But, just like everything else, routers are tools, and to unlock their full potential, there are countless accessories that you can add to your router cabinet that will help you get more out of them. Here are some of my favorites.
AUXILIARY BASES
Auxiliary bases are a mainstay in my shop. Half of my routers (yes, I have multiples) have some form of a jerry-rigged base for specific tasks. However, my absolute favorite of all my router bases is the one you see in the photo. This base is designed to fit nearly any router, as it uses guide rods through the router’s base to secure it. As you can see, I keep my small trim router on this base. The base is basically a Swiss Army knife, but unlike one, it performs all of the functions well (seriously, have you ever tried to use those scissors?). The base has attachments that allow you to cut mortises, a compass arm for cutting arcs and circles (as you see above), and various mounting holes for adding your own fences. In my opinion, one of the best features is the ability to use a micro-adjust knob to shift the router slightly in relation to the base. The photo you see above is from the “Outdoor Kitchen” project back from the April 2022 issue. My trim router is the most used router in my shop, and this base has been attached to it ever since that project.
