While the Micro Fence Edge-Guide has been improving router functionality for 30 years, I only discovered it a year ago. The Edge-Guide is precise and impeccably machined. You specify your router model when ordering, so the appropriate pins and mounting bar come in the box for a perfect fit. It brings accuracy to nearly all hand-routing operations, especially joinery.
I use it mostly to rout mortises. Mark the center of the mortise and butt the provided fence against the workpiece. Roughly center the bit over the mortise, and lock the lead screw. Dial in dead center by turning the adjusting knob (clockwise pulls the bit toward the fence; counterclockwise pushes it away), and then lock the lead screw. The Edge-Guide also excels at cutting dadoes for shelves in a cabinet, say. Measure your shelf stock with a caliper, rout the dado using the Edge-Guide and an undersized bit, and then measure the dado. Subtract the difference and adjust by the thousandths with the micrometer dial. It’s reliably accurate, repeatable, and a joy to use.
—Chad McClung
When I teach turning classes, one of the questions that comes up a lot is: “How do you make things look right proportionally?” For example, where should the dividing cut go when turning a lidded box? One good way to determine this is to use the “golden mean,” a ratio of 1:1.618 that is found frequently in nature. It’s also the basis of a number of mathematical constructs, including the Fibonacci sequence. But short of breaking out a calculator, figuring out what these measurements actually are when you’re standing at the lathe is a bit tricky. To make this a lot easier, I use this special set of calipers. Made in three sizes by New Zealand craftsman Nick Taylor, these delightful measuring instruments have three legs that move in unison. Set the outer two to the overall length of your piece, and the inner leg divides the space in between using the golden mean. Very clever, Mr. Taylor. If you struggle with proportions when designing, these calipers may help you to produce better-looking work.
—Ken Burton
