# Depth gauge jig



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

I did a fair amount of handheld routing today cutting dadoes and rabbits in some oak plywood that will eventually become two benches with three cubbies each.

One thing that bugs the heck out of me is setting the depth stop on my plunge router. For some reason, I wrestle with it every time and it wins most of the time. Maybe I am just a wimp, but I have a hard time getting the depth just right while working against the springs.

So, come tomorrow, I plan to do some jig building and create a board with some of my favorite depth settings. That way I should be able to just sit the router over the appropriate dept and plunge it until it bottoms out. If I was after 3/8 inch, it should be right on the mark. Of course my jig will only be as good as my accuracy setting it up. I will figure that out when the time comes. May have to use a forstner bit and carefully drill each depth setting.

I will post up my handiwork.
Mike


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

MT Stringer said:


> I did a fair amount of handheld routing today cutting dadoes and rabbits in some oak plywood that will eventually become two benches with three cubbies each.
> 
> One thing that bugs the heck out of me is setting the depth stop on my plunge router. For some reason, I wrestle with it every time and it wins most of the time. Maybe I am just a wimp, but I have a hard time getting the depth just right while working against the springs.
> 
> ...


Hi Mike - not sure what kind of problem you're having. "working against the springs". I just loosen the plunge rod and plunge mine down to the top of the work surface and lock it. I then just put a spacer equal to the depth I want between the plunge rod and turret and lock the stop rod in that position.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Mike, after watching one of Bob Rosendahl's live router demos 17 or 18 years ago, I went out the same day and bought a set of brass setup bars. They can't be beat for accurate standard size(1/8, 3/16, 1/4,3/8,1/2) setups or any combination of those sizes stacked! Most plywood dados I do are either 1/4" or 3/8" so makes it very easy to do as John suggested. I am still using that same set of setup bars today!


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

Those little brass bars and playing cards are my preferred set up tools as well. I use my fingers to see.


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## cagenuts (May 8, 2010)

Or just bottom the bit out on a flat surface, then zero out the depth guide and adjust accordingly.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

i m going to harbor freight today for a couple more clamps. i'm going to pick up a set of these too


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## Ben I (May 21, 2010)

By all means get a set of brass set-up bars. In the meantime use the thickness of your drill bits to set the plunge depth. If necessary use playing cards for fine adjustments.

Ben


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Well, where has my head been? I will give that a shot. DUH!
Thanks for the tips.
Mike


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

Mike; 
42 years of woodworking experience?
Just asking...


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

giltic said:


> Mike;
> 42 years of woodworking experience?
> Just asking...


Yep...about 40 of those was off and on using 2x4's! 

Never too late to learn something new.


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

I usually use drill bits to adjust the depth of the cut. First I just plunge the router and lock it, when the router bit touches the working piece. This is the zero point. Then I put the drill bit between the depth rod and the turret and this defines how deep the router bit will cut.
I hope I'm making sence with my English 
Regards


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

@giltic - Thanks for the pics.

The real problem is until a few months ago, I had never used a plunge router. The router is having a hard time with my head!  But I am getting there.

I already have drill bits in 64th's and some set up blocks. Using either of those to set up the depth gauge never crossed my mind.

I am building a pair of benches with cubbies to set under a window for a customer. So far, all is looking great.

Next challenge is mixing up the black Transtint dye and test it to see how that works. She wants black, so...onward and upwards.

Thanks for your replies.
Mike


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

well damnit. HF didn't have them. either that or i and the staff there are blind, because we couldn't find them


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

You're welcome Mike.
I'm glad I could help.
Regards


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

By the way Mike; with all your pro lenses and bodies you could post some high-end photos of your work.
I bet all the forum members would be more then happy to see them.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

giltic said:


> By the way Mike; with all your pro lenses and bodies you could post some high-end photos of your work.
> I bet all the forum members would be more then happy to see them.


Thanks. I shot high school sports for almost five years before deciding that since I was retired, there were other things I wanted to do like get more serious with my woodworking and get in some fishing with my wife since she has also retired.

There are a lot of photos posted on my website of various types of activities. I like the drag races also and try to get out there when they come to Houston.

Michael Henderson Photography

And more of the high school games I shot are posted on Max Preps.com


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## PRDarnell (Mar 21, 2012)

Lee Valley Tools in Canada and the US has set-up block sets accurate to 0.002". The basic and expansion set sometimes go on sale before Christmas. "Makes a great gift!", as Ron Popiel used to say.

They also have had an inexpensive digital tool-setting gauge but that sold out in days.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Chris Curl said:


> well damnit. HF didn't have them. either that or i and the staff there are blind, because we couldn't find them


Hi Chris - I don't believe I've ever seen them at HF, or even in their catalog. This is about the best deal I've found on them.
Amazon.com: Whiteside 5 Piece Brass Set-up Gauges, 4": Home Improvement

That's an Amazon link but sold and shipped by Hartville tool so there is free shipping. Strange, but I couldn't find them on the Hartville site:blink:

They also have a $10 set that is only 2½" long, you could cut the 4" in half and have two sets if you want.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

thanks john. i stopped at a local true value on the way home and they had what they called "key stock" in different sizes. they are 2" long, but essentially the same thing, in zinc or stainless (not sure).

i walked out with 6 different sizes ranging from 1/8" to 1/2" for $11.

also, when i was at HF, i finally bought a 6" caliper with .001" granularity. it actually seems like a nice piece, with a lifetime warranty, and was on sale for $17.

i haven't measured the key stock yet for accuracy, but you can be sure i'll be playing with the caliper to see how close the stock is to its advertized size.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Chris

The Zinc-Plated Steel—is Oversize the norm..the plating will make it oversize..ACE hardware should have the Brass key stock also..BUT it's not a big deal the steel type is fine for the router, but it's hard and may chip the router bits .it's just not great for key stock...

McMaster-Carr

http://www.routerforums.com/bargain-bin/29324-brass-set-bars.html

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Chris Curl said:


> thanks john. i stopped at a local true value on the way home and they had what they called "key stock" in different sizes. they are 2" long, but essentially the same thing, in zinc or stainless (not sure).
> 
> i walked out with 6 different sizes ranging from 1/8" to 1/2" for $11.
> 
> ...


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

hi bob. the 1/4" one is dead on. the 1/2" one is .004 small. i played with the others, but i need to make myself a little table to convert from fractions to decimals for the ones like 5/16, and i haven't done that yet, so i don't know about them. oh no, here is harry's opening  i know, i know, no table would be needed if it was metric.

i'll check ace. i'd also like ones that are a little longer.

as to process, it is better to have 2 and straddle the bit with a flat piece over it and then lift the bit till it touches, or just lay it next to the bit and use your finger to feel if the bit is too high or low?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

ACE should the key stock in 12" long parts and you can cut them down easy,I like to use two or more on the router table to set the bit..ACE will not have the 5/16" or the 7/16" but Carr// will have..

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Chris Curl said:


> hi bob. the 1/4" one is dead on. the 1/2" one is .004 small. i played with the others, but i need to make myself a little table to convert from fractions to decimals for the ones like 5/16, and i haven't done that yet, so i don't know about them. oh no, here is harry's opening  i know, i know, no table would be needed if it was metric.
> 
> i'll check ace. i'd also like ones that are a little longer.
> 
> as to process, it is better to have 2 and straddle the bit with a flat piece over it and then lift the bit till it touches, or just lay it next to the bit and use your finger to feel if the bit is too high or low?


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

> i need to make myself a little table to convert from fractions to decimals for the ones like 5/16, and i haven't done that yet, so i don't know about them


Will this help ya? Sorry about the dang formatting.
Mike

Inches Decimal
15/16 0.938
14/16 0.875
13/16 0.813
12/16 0.750
11/16 0.688
10/16 0.625
9/16 0.563
8/16 0.500
7/16 0.438
6/16 0.375
5/16 0.313
4/16 0.250
3/16 0.188
2/16 0.125
1/16 0.063


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

thanks mike. i plan to make an excel spreadsheet that lists the widths and have a column for me to put the measurements of the ones i have.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Chris Curl said:


> thanks mike. i plan to make an excel spreadsheet that lists the widths and have a column for me to put the measurements of the ones i have.


That's what I did but lost the formatting when I pasted it into the post.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

i went to the local woodowrking shop and they had a 5 piece brass set in 4" long made by whiteside. they don't have that set anymore, i have it now.


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## almost there (Apr 12, 2011)

I have some kreg depth gauges that I use on my router table, table saw and for my plunge router. The Kreg bars are more expensive than standard brass bars, and they are not brass, unless brass can be blue and silver in color (Ha). The shape of the kreg bars is the key I am sure you can get a close look at them on one of woodworking stores web sites. The narrow part is what I use to set the depth for my plunge router


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Kreg PRS3400 Precision Router Table Set Up Bars,Set of 7 - Amazon.com

==


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## me5269 (Jun 2, 2011)

Here's a spreadsheet I use that converts drill bits (numbers and letters) to fractions to decimals to metric. I printed it double sided, laminated it and tack it on a wall.
Mike
Not sure if the file will attch, this is a first. I think i have to convert it to pdf.
Yup, had to convert it.


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## cagenuts (May 8, 2010)

me5269 said:


> Here's a spreadsheet I use that converts drill bits (numbers and letters) to fractions to decimals to metric.


Excuse my ignorance but what do the drill numbers and/or letters refer to please? I don't have imperial bits so this may explain things.


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## me5269 (Jun 2, 2011)

I have a Harbor Freight 115pc bit set. the bits are labeled 1-60, A-Z and 1/16"-1/2" It makes it easy to find an odd sized bit when I needed one.


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