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A compact fence makes a small router table more useful without taking much shop space. This plan uses a straight plywood face, a simple hardwood or plywood fence body, and two clamps. It suits a benchtop table with a flat top and a router mounted securely underneath. The fence is adjustable rather than permanently fixed, so you can move it for different bits and workpieces.
Contents
Size and design
The dimensions below suit a table about 18 inches wide by 24 inches deep. Make the fence face 18 inches long and 3½ inches high; keep it shorter than the table’s width so the ends do not interfere with clamps or supports. Build the body from two pieces of ¾-inch plywood: a base 4 inches wide by 18 inches long, and a rear upright 3 inches high by 18 inches long. The face bolts to the upright and can be replaced when damaged.
Check your table before cutting. The base needs enough room for clamps at both ends, and the fence must sit square to the router slot or table edge you use as a reference. If your table is smaller, shorten the fence rather than letting it overhang. A shorter fence is less supportive for long stock, but is easier to clamp securely.
Materials and tools
Use flat, stable ¾-inch plywood for the base and upright. Baltic birch is a good choice, but ordinary cabinet-grade plywood is adequate if its faces are smooth and the plies are not separating. For the fence face, use ½- or ¾-inch plywood. Avoid warped construction scraps: a fence that bows will pinch the work or let it drift away from the bit.
You will also need four machine screws, washers and wing nuts or knobs, wood glue, and two clamps. A drill, square, tape measure, saw, and a drill bit sized for the screws are enough to build it. A pair of compact bar clamps is convenient, though clamps you already own are fine if they reach the table edges without blocking the work.
Choose a fence face
The face should be flat, smooth, and replaceable. A split face gives you adjustable clearance around the bit; a solid face is quicker to make and works for many general cuts. Choose based on the cuts you expect to make, not on the fanciest feature you can add.
| Face style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Single solid face | Basic edging and straight cuts | Simple, but the opening cannot close around a small bit |
| Two sliding faces | Different bit diameters and better workpiece support | Takes more layout time and needs accurately drilled adjustment holes |
For a split face, make two 9-inch-long pieces from ¾-inch plywood. For a simple face, use one 18-inch piece. A replaceable plywood face is cheaper and easier to repair than building the whole fence from hardwood.
Cut and assemble the body
Cut the base and upright to length, then check that their edges are straight and the upright is square to the base. Spread a thin, even layer of glue along the base’s rear edge. Position the upright on that edge, clamp it, and confirm a 90-degree angle at both ends before driving screws from below. Use screws long enough to hold firmly without breaking through the upright; test on an offcut if you are unsure.
Let the glue cure according to its label before removing the clamps. Check the assembled fence on a flat surface. If it rocks, find and correct the high spot before adding the face. A small gap under the base can make the fence tilt when clamped, so do not rely on clamp pressure to flatten a twisted assembly.
Attach the face
For a solid face, center it on the upright and drill four clearance holes through the face and upright, spaced roughly 2 inches in from each end and evenly between them. Fit machine screws from the front, with washers and wing nuts or knobs behind the upright. This lets you replace a face chewed up by a bit. Keep the screw heads flush or slightly recessed so stock will not catch on them.
For a split face, leave a narrow gap between the two pieces and fasten each piece with two screws through horizontal slots. Cut slots about ¾ inch long, or drill a row of overlapping holes and clean them up with a file. The slots let you move the faces inward or outward. Before routing, set the opening only slightly wider than the bit; too wide an opening leaves the work unsupported, while contact with a spinning bit can pull the work or damage the face.
Set up and test
Place the fence on the table and clamp it at both ends. Measure from the fence face to the bit at the left and right sides of the cutter. Adjust until both measurements match; a difference of more than about 1/32 inch across the bit can cause a workpiece to bind or change the cut. If your table has a miter slot, use a straightedge or square to compare the fence face to the slot.
Make a test cut on scrap of the same thickness as your project stock. Check that the cut is even from end to end and that the piece stays against the fence. If it binds, stop and inspect fence alignment, face flatness, and bit clearance rather than forcing the stock through. Use a push block for narrow pieces and keep your hands clear of the cutter. A router-table featherboard can help hold stock against the fence for repeatable cuts, but it is not a substitute for a stable fence or safe hand placement.
Common problems and fixes
If the fence shifts under pressure, use larger clamps or clamp closer to the ends; small spring clamps are usually too weak for routing forces. If the face is not square to the table, check for debris under the base and verify the body with a square. If a split face opens too far around the bit, add a thin auxiliary face or move the pieces closer, leaving enough clearance to avoid cutter contact.
Keep the fence dry and store it flat. Plywood edges can swell if left in a damp shop, and a face can bow if leaned against a wall. When the workpiece starts catching or the cut quality deteriorates, inspect the face for a worn groove, loose hardware, or a change in alignment before making another pass.