This project was built and designed by Jodee from Inspire Woodcraft. It’s a straightforward router jig that makes cutting accurate and repeatable dados fast, clean, and easy—perfect for anyone wanting more precision in their shop.
Designed to help streamline shelf and panel installs, this jig solves a common frustration with routing: getting the exact fit without constantly remeasuring. Jodee’s jig is simple to build, adjustable, and incredibly effective for dialing in tight, consistent dados every time.
Watch the full video and subscribe to Jodee’s channel:
Why a Router Jig Matters
If you’ve ever cut dados with a router, you know that repeatability is often the biggest challenge. Even with careful measuring, slight shifts can throw off alignment, especially across multiple parts.
Jodee’s jig addresses this by locking in alignment from the start. Once you build the jig and set it up for your material, you can repeat the same cut across project pieces without resetting measurements or adjusting the fence.
Visualizing the Jig Design
Before any cutting begins, Jodee recommends sketching the jig’s layout to help visualize how it will work. A clear plan makes the process faster and reduces mistakes during assembly.
The jig consists of a flat base and two adjustable guide rails that hold the router in position. The guide width is adjustable depending on your router and the size of the dado you want to cut. This flexibility makes the jig useful for a wide variety of projects.
Materials and Jig Construction
You don’t need anything fancy to build this jig—just flat plywood or MDF for the base and sides, along with a few screws and clamps to hold it together. The materials can be scrap or offcuts as long as they’re square and sturdy enough to support the router.
The base is the most important part. It needs to sit flat on your work surface and allow for firm clamping. Once the base is prepped, the side guides are attached at 90 degrees, with special care to make sure they’re square and parallel.
Jodee uses a square and clamps to lock the pieces in place before driving in the screws. This step is essential to make sure the router follows a straight, predictable path.
Making the Router Guide Channel
The heart of the jig is the router guide channel. This is where the router base rides during each pass. The width is determined by the router’s base and how tight a fit you want during the cut.
Jodee carefully measures and marks the cut line using the actual router and bit as reference. This ensures that the cut lands exactly where it’s needed, and the guide is centered on the workpiece.
Once everything is marked, a test pass helps confirm the alignment. This step ensures the jig performs consistently before you commit to cutting on your project boards.
Using the Jig for Dados
With the jig built, Jodee demonstrates how to cut clean dados using just a few passes. The workpiece is clamped securely under the jig, which holds the router in perfect alignment for the cut.
Start with a shallow first pass to establish the groove. Then, depending on the width needed, shift the router slightly and make additional passes to complete the dado.
This method allows you to cut perfect-fitting dados for plywood or shelving without needing a special bit size. It’s especially helpful when working with undersized plywood or materials that vary slightly in thickness.
Clean Results with Minimal Fuss
One of the big advantages of this jig is how easy it is to set up and reuse. Once built, you can mark stop blocks or reference points for common dado locations, saving even more time on future projects.
The clean edges left by the router also mean less sanding and cleaner glue joints. This makes the jig a great tool not just for hobby projects but for cabinet work or furniture builds where fit and finish matter.
Versatility and Long-Term Use
Because the jig is adjustable, you can swap router bits, change material sizes, or adapt it for other joinery tasks. Jodee’s build strikes a nice balance between simplicity and function, offering a tool you’ll likely use again and again.
Whether you’re making bookcases, shop furniture, or built-ins, having this jig on hand gives you a repeatable way to improve the strength and precision of your builds.
A Simple Jig That Makes a Big Difference
For woodworkers looking to tighten up their joinery, this router jig is an easy upgrade. It reduces setup time, improves consistency, and takes the guesswork out of dado placement.
Jodee walks through every step clearly in his video, making the process approachable no matter your experience level. With just a few pieces of plywood and some thoughtful setup, you can get pro-level results right from your workbench.
Support Jodee by visiting his online store here: https://inspirewoodcraft.com/collections/all.