Router guides...How do I make a straight line?

Question

I'm making this art piece in which I have this piece of wood and I have to rout straight lines into the wood to create 12 equal boxes on this piece of wood. How do I make these lines prefectly straight? Do they make router guides? What else can I use for router guides?

Answer 1

Number one would be to get a router table.  They aren't that expensive.  You can even find free plans online and make one.

Aside from a router table, you'll need some sort of straight edge- either a guide that attaches to the router or a piece of wood or metal clamped in place to serve as a guide fence.

You could also make a jig to map out the cuts you need.  Then you'd just clamp the jig to your piece of wood and rout where the indicated.

Answer 2

Take a look at a clamp-guide, like the ones from E. Emerson.  Rockler has them;  also Woodshred has an article about them, and it talks about using them with a router just as you described.

Answer 3

You can mount your router upside down in a piece of plywood, and make a fence that will set the bit back from the edge to make the cuts.  Another option is to get an edge guide, if it's available for your brand of router.  The most expensive option is to get a router table.  This is pricey, but you will be able to use it for many different tasks in the future.  Good luck.