Top Accessories for Your Router Setup

Get more from your router and router table with these fantastic accessories.

A router may be one of the most versatile tools in the shop. As a hand tool nut, that hurts me a little bit to say, but it’s true. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate how versatile these screaming, dust-creating, whirling tools can be. They slice, they dice, they julienne. But, just like everything else, routers are tools, and to unlock their full potential, there are countless accessories that you can add to your router cabinet that will help you get more out of them. Here are some of my favorites.

Auxiliary Bases

Auxiliary bases are a mainstay in my shop. Half of my routers (yes, I have multiples) have some form of a jerry-rigged base for specific tasks. However, my absolute favorite of all my router bases is the one you see in the photo above—the Multi-Function Router Base from Woodpeckers. This base is designed to fit nearly any router, as it uses guide rods through the router’s base to secure it. As you can see, I keep my small trim router on this base. The base is basically a Swiss Army knife, but unlike one, it performs all of the functions well (seriously, have you ever tried to use those scissors?). The base has attachments that allow you to cut mortises, a compass arm for cutting arcs and circles (as you see above), and various mounting holes for adding your own fences. In my opinion, one of the best features is the ability to use a micro-adjust knob to shift the router slightly in relation to the base. The photo you see below is from the “Outdoor Kitchen” project back from the April 2022 issue. My trim router is the most used router in my shop, and this base has been attached to it ever since that project.

Tool:Multi-Function Router Base Shop Now 

Manufacturer: Woodpeckers

MSRP: $269.99

The Ultimate Bit Kit

Router bits are a sneaky thing. After purchasing just a handful, you’ll probably have more money wrapped up in router bits than in your actual router. So, in my mind,  you should probably take care of them. Most router bits use a bearing to guide the bit along the workpiece — either on the top or on the shank. After a router bit is used extensively, you’ll find that the bearings have a tendency to either wear out and start sticking or to gum up enough that they need to be soaked in a cleaner to free them up again.

Having a set of spare bearings on hand can help you keep on working while your bearings are relaxing at the (Pinesol) spa. Many bit manufacturers offer replacement bearings, but I find it handy to have a variety of sizes available. For example, the 33-piece emergency kit from Infinity Tools, has everything that I’d need to fix a router bit. It has several sizes of bearings (both inside and outside diameter), and it includes additional hex-bolts, stop collars, and wrenches for commonly used bearing bolts.

Tool: 33-Pc. Router Bit Bearing Emergency Kit Shop Now 

Manufacturer: Infinity Tools

MSRP: $142.90

Not only is this great for replacing a worn-out bearing, but you can also adjust the bearing size on something like a rabbet bit (below). While you’re on the Infinity website, do yourself a favor and grab one of their router bit vises. This nifty little vise holds bit shanks so you can loosen and tighten the bearing bolts. From one face, it keeps the shaft from spinning while you loosen the bolt and the opposite face as you tighten it. Trust me; you don’t want to put a router bit in your vise and gouge up the shank—ask me how I know that.

Tool: Router Bit Vise Shop Now 

Manufacturer: Infinity Tools

MSRP: $39.90

Diamond Hone

As with any cutting tool, router bits get dull as you use them. The use of carbide in cutting edges has greatly prolonged the life of these cutters, but they still get dull. So if you have a bit that’s starting to burn your workpiece more often than not, it’s time to address it. The first task is to give it a good cleaning and make sure that there’s no pitch built up on the bit. If the bit is good and clean but still leaves burn marks, it might be time to send it to be sharpened. Or is it?

Just as the use of carbide has increased the life of cutters, the use of diamond in sharpening stones has increased the number of tools that can be sharpened—even carbide router bits. The small credit card diamond stone you see in the photo above is perfect for touching up the edges of router bits and getting a little more life out of them before they need re-ground. The stone here is thin enough to get between the router bit cutters and is stiff enough not to flex as you hone the bit. Of course, the most important thing is to lubricate the diamond stone with lapping fluid, and to make the same amount of passes on each cutter, as to not unbalance them.

Tool:Diamond Credit Card Sharpening Stone Shop Now 

MSRP: $32.45

Oneida Router Hood

As great as routers are in the shop, they’re every bit as good at making dust. And they make so much dust that most manufacturers don’t try to include any form of dust collection with their routers. Wrangling that dust is hard. However, the Oneida Dust-Free Router Hood collects nearly all of the dust the router creates.

The key feature of the Dust Free Router Hood is the clear plastic base that attaches to your router’s base. A collection hose is positioned right near the bit which pulls the chips and dust up and out of the cut. When you’re routing with an exposed bit (such as routing an edge profile on a workpiece), there’s a bit shield that snaps into place and shields the outside of the bit. Because everything’s made from clear plastic, your view of your bit and workpieces isn’t obstructed. The combination of all of these pieces working together give you dust-free routing. In my mind, it’s a great value in the shop.

Tool: Dust-Free Router Hood Shop Now 

Manufacturer: Oneida

MSRP: $34.95

Quick Change Collet

Here’s one accessory I didn’t know I needed until I had it. As you probably know, routers hold a bit by tightening a collet against the router spindle. Using a pair of wrenches, you can tighten and loosen the collet against the router, allowing you to change bits. You can also bash your knuckles up trying to change out a bit that you accidentally snugged down too tight.

This quick change collet is available to purchase from Chipsfly.com and replaces the standard collet that comes on a router (you’ll have to order one for your particular router brand). Once the collet is snugged down in the router, you use a long, t-handle Allen wrench to loosen and tighten a hex head bolt that holds the bit in place. I’ve replaced my router table collet with one of these, and it’s been one of my favorite upgrades for my router table.

Tool: Quick Change Chuck Shop Now 

Manufacturer: Chipsfly

MSRP: $60

MicroJig Grr-Ripper

Finally, this isn’t what I would consider an exclusive routing accessory rather than a shop accessory. Push blocks and push pads live everywhere I have a power tool. Over the last several years, I’ve transitioned almost all of them to the push pad you see here—the Grr-Ripper from Microjig.

The thing I like about these push pads are that they have small flip-down toggles on each side of them (you can see them on the front edge of the workpiece). These “hook” the edges of the workpiece and get you a much better grip as you’re working at whichever tool you’re at—I don’t feel as though I have to put my weight on the push pad to keep it from slipping. If you don’t want the hooks down, pushing them firmly with your finger will snap them up and out of the way.

As much as I love to hate on routers, they sure are a handy tool to have in the shop. These are a few of the accessories that I like to have on hand that make me hate routers a little less. And, of course, I’d love to hear from you if you have particular accessories that you consider necessary while working with a router in your shop.

Tool: GRR-RIP BLOCK Smart Pushblock Shop Now 

Manufacturer: Microjig

MSRP: $34.99

---