An edge guide is the most basic of router accessories and Festool has incorporated a lot of nice features and functionality into its version that I will elaborate on below.
The edge guide itself is packaged in a cardboard box and is wrapped with plastic to hold it securely.
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It is important to note that it does not include the guide connecting rods (product number 495247) and you would need to buy the rods in addition to the edge guide. However, if you order one of the accessory kits that Festool offers for the OF2200 (the base accessory kit is product number 495248 for the Metric kit or 495249 for the Imperial kit), the guide rods and one edge guide are included.
Festool’s edge guide is made out of cast aluminum and it is very well machined. The fence is comprised of two plastic faces that can be adjusted in and out to reduce clearance around the bit by loosening four screws – this is a nice feature if you are routing an edge as the fence can be adjusted to fully support the fence throughout the cut. There are two plastic thumb screws that secure the edge guide to the connecting rods. The router edge guide also incorporates a micro-adjusting mechanism that allows the user to fine tune a set-up. The fine depth adjusting knob allows for very precise adjustments in increments of 1/10mm. After you set your coarse setting, you simply loosen the large knob on top of the edge guide and dial in your precise setting with the fine depth adjuster. It is fast and easy to do and there is no more struggling with moving the entire router on the guide rods to get the machine into position as I have had to do with other routers.
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I bought this additional edge guide to supplement the accessory kit for my OF2200. The reason I want two edge guides (since one is included with the accessory kit) is to be able to rout mortises and grooves on stock that is too thin to use the Plexiglas template. I find that securing the stock between two edge guides makes it more secure in certain operations and I avoid any tipping that can spoil a work piece. Using two edge guides gives a lot of the same functionality as the Plexiglas template, but as I said, it allows you to use thinner stock (such as 8/4 for a table leg). The two edge guide method is not as convenient to setup as it is with the Plexiglas template, but it does work surprisingly well and it is a good alternative for someone who does not want to spend the money for the template. A recent edition of Sysnotes has some additional information on this technique.
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One other thing I would like to point out is that there is room in the OF2200 router’s Systainer for the edge guide. It fits perfectly in the bottom of the Systainer and the router is stored right over the top. It is nice to have a place for all of the extra accessories and the flexibility to keep everything with the tool.
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This accessory is a solid edge guide and it works well by itself or with a twin for those occasions when two edge guides are required.
The edge guide itself is packaged in a cardboard box and is wrapped with plastic to hold it securely.
[attachthumb=#]
It is important to note that it does not include the guide connecting rods (product number 495247) and you would need to buy the rods in addition to the edge guide. However, if you order one of the accessory kits that Festool offers for the OF2200 (the base accessory kit is product number 495248 for the Metric kit or 495249 for the Imperial kit), the guide rods and one edge guide are included.
Festool’s edge guide is made out of cast aluminum and it is very well machined. The fence is comprised of two plastic faces that can be adjusted in and out to reduce clearance around the bit by loosening four screws – this is a nice feature if you are routing an edge as the fence can be adjusted to fully support the fence throughout the cut. There are two plastic thumb screws that secure the edge guide to the connecting rods. The router edge guide also incorporates a micro-adjusting mechanism that allows the user to fine tune a set-up. The fine depth adjusting knob allows for very precise adjustments in increments of 1/10mm. After you set your coarse setting, you simply loosen the large knob on top of the edge guide and dial in your precise setting with the fine depth adjuster. It is fast and easy to do and there is no more struggling with moving the entire router on the guide rods to get the machine into position as I have had to do with other routers.
[attachthumb=#]
[attachthumb=#]
I bought this additional edge guide to supplement the accessory kit for my OF2200. The reason I want two edge guides (since one is included with the accessory kit) is to be able to rout mortises and grooves on stock that is too thin to use the Plexiglas template. I find that securing the stock between two edge guides makes it more secure in certain operations and I avoid any tipping that can spoil a work piece. Using two edge guides gives a lot of the same functionality as the Plexiglas template, but as I said, it allows you to use thinner stock (such as 8/4 for a table leg). The two edge guide method is not as convenient to setup as it is with the Plexiglas template, but it does work surprisingly well and it is a good alternative for someone who does not want to spend the money for the template. A recent edition of Sysnotes has some additional information on this technique.
[attachthumb=#]
One other thing I would like to point out is that there is room in the OF2200 router’s Systainer for the edge guide. It fits perfectly in the bottom of the Systainer and the router is stored right over the top. It is nice to have a place for all of the extra accessories and the flexibility to keep everything with the tool.
[attachthumb=#]
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This accessory is a solid edge guide and it works well by itself or with a twin for those occasions when two edge guides are required.
