I developed the fence shown above to shape the edges of round rings, such as clock bezels, on the router table. The fence can shape both outside and inside edges of circular blanks. When shaping the outside edge, some part of the profile must remain uncut to provide a bearing surface against the fence, otherwise the disc would just keep spiraling smaller. The fence is made by laminating 2-in. wide, 1/2-in. thick plywood strips into two arms that fit together in a finger joint that pivots on a 1/4-in. bolt. The other ends of the fence arms fasten to the router table with wing nuts. Slots in both sides of the router-table top and in one arm of the fence allow adjustment for different size circles and different width rings.

The dimensions of the fence don’t really matter, but I’ve found that the angle between arms cannot be less than 90¡ for safety and should not be more than 135¡. At angles greater than 135¡, the workpiece rolls away from the router bit. These two extremes, therefore, dictate the spread between the two slots in the router table and the length of the adjustment slot in the fence arm. With the setup shown here, the work should be rotated counterclockwise, into the bit’s rotation.

Robert Warren, Camarillo, Calif.

Fine Woodworking Magazine, August 1983 No. 41

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