Upgrade for Router Table

[LeftyTom]

I noted in a separate post how my Craftsman router had cinched up its height adjust. After fiddling with it over the weeks, I conclude it was toast. The Sears router table has served me well for my light duty use, but it is over 10 yrs old.

So what are your thoughts on an better router table/router? I am not doing heavy duty routing, mind you. I do have a fixed base for my Milwaukee router, but that is offset by the convenience of having a dedicated router for the table. :dontknow:

I would prefer a mobile table, so I can take my noise outside. I see Sears has another router & table combo for $130, but I think that will be a last resort.

 

[Canuck]

Tom,

You could easily build your own table (couple of pieces of 3/4" melamine laminated together and edge banded). Get yourself an insert from MLCS or Rockler. (I even have a Rockler router table fence laying around here somewhere.)

For the router. Contact Milwaukee or a reseller and get yourself another fixed base to mount permanently in your new table and you'll be all set. (Probably cost you way less than the Craftsman and be of better quality.)

Heck. Place the new top on a cabinet and you will have a great router workstation. Lots of examples and plans out there for the do-it-yourselfer!:icon_thum

HTH

Wayne

 

[SteveHall]

Wow, are 1/4" aluminum plate inserts expensive! Anyone ever build their own? Where did you get the material? I think it would be pretty easy to cut to size and route for several sizes of insert plates and maybe tap for levelers and guide pins.

I have a sheet of both 3/8" and 1/2" thick polycarbinate (Lexan) saved for this purpose but am concerned about the flex. (Or routing it thin and thus having too much flex.) Is it worth going aluminum?

 

[McRabbet]

I agree that you need to build a router table -- there are lots of plans available and for dust collecting fences, too. I built one several years ago and used an old piece of 1-1/2" thick counter top (double layers of MDF and laminate on each side). It has a rubberized tee strip around the edges, but 1/4" thick hardwood would also work. I used a Rosseau phenolic insert plate (~$40) and I have a Milwaukee 5625-20 3-1/2 HP variable speed router mounted in it (used the fixed base and rely on the height adjuster for setting bit heights). I use a JoinTech Cabinetmakers incremental fence and I do not have a miter slot. As suggested, get a second base from Amazon.com or other tool suppliers.

 

[JackLeg]

Tom: Probably will be severely "castigated" by the "build your own" guys, BUT, when I need something, and I see a ready made solution, I often take that option.

Point in case: I have a Bosch router table that I bought at Lowes I think. It was reasonable in price, came with a decent (for me) fence and dust port, built in switch and an aluminum plate with inserts. I still use it, and I like it. It's easily moved, can be clamped to a table top, (although I built a cheap, and I mean CHEAP stand for it) and can be stowed under a bench if needed.

Building your own can certainly be satisfying, but I've found that many times the material cost, and accessories come out to be more than the "ready made solution." Guess it's a matter of personal preference.

Good luck whichever way you go.
:wsmile:

 

[merrill77]

If you're looking for something cheap and effective, I built my second router table in an afternoon from a laminated MDF shelf from the hardware store. Mine sits on a B&D Workmate most of the time - it's very portable. When I built it, it was a temporary solution until I could build a he-man router table. But it works so well, I never seem to find the time to build a better one :> The design was from Carol Reeds Router Joinery Workshop book.

http://christophermerrill.net/ww/shop/SimpleRouterTable.html

 

[Gojoe]

This might be out of your range in price, or even need...but ya asked...so. Last year I got a Sommerfeld router table with a Triton 3 1/4 HP router and you can do anything with this table with EASE. You lay down a chunk of change up front, but you won't ever need another table again. The 3 1/4HP trition router is really good. We have another 2.1/4 HP router for hand router work. There isn't anything you can do with this setup. We got this at the Charlotte wood working show and got a deal on it on the last day of the show so he wouldn't have to haul it back home with him, so we saved a few bucks but it has been a great tool. He has a little video on it also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYZg0CfMArI

 

[ScottM]

Tom: Probably will be severely "castigated" by the "build your own" guys, BUT, when I need something, and I see a ready made solution, I often take that option.

Point in case: I have a Bosch router table that I bought at Lowes I think. It was reasonable in price, came with a decent (for me) fence and dust port, built in switch and an aluminum plate with inserts. I still use it, and I like it. It's easily moved, can be clamped to a table top, (although I built a cheap, and I mean CHEAP stand for it) and can be stowed under a bench if needed.

Building your own can certainly be satisfying, but I've found that many times the material cost, and accessories come out to be more than the "ready made solution." Guess it's a matter of personal preference.

Good luck whichever way you go.
:wsmile:

I think you are safe from abuse :gar-Bi.

I would stay away from a cheapo table. As to build or buy there are plus and minus on both sides. To me is boils down money and time. In other words do I have the money for a decent pre made versus to have time to make one.

 

[merrill77]

I would stay away from a cheapo table.

This statement is probably worth clarification.

FWIW, my table could be considered cheapo, since it was shop-built for a total cost of <$20. I don't want to put words in Scott's mouth, but I'm guessing he is referring to the lower-end router table products (Home Depot, Sears, etc)...rather than cost effective shop-built ones. Before I knew better, I bought a Craftsman router table - it was similar to what they now sell for $70. Having used both, my shop-made table is FAR superior...and my shop-made table is about as simple as you can get. So I'll echo my interpretation of Scott's comment: many (most?) of the cheap commercial products are not worth the cost.

 

[ScottM]

This statement is probably worth clarification.

I don't want to put words in Scott's mouth, but I'm guessing he is referring to the lower-end router table products (Home Depot, Sears, etc)...rather than cost effective shop-built ones.

Chris you nailed it. TY

 

[SteveHall]

I'll echo the sentiment on buying cheap router tables. I bought a used benchtop Rocker one that is too small and fence is too wobbly to use. Fortunately it had a PC 691 stuck in the middle so that made up for the purchase. I was also given the Sears benchtop unit, also with a Sears router stuck in it. Same results... I'll probably sell both once I build a table myself.

 

[gordonmt]

I took the inexpensive route for many years and felt as some do that it was enough for my needs. After a shop crawl, I decided to pull the trigger and build a proper router table with drawers. I got the plans from the new yankee workshop, (then my dog ate the plans and Jeremy let me use his) and now I wonder how I ever did without it. Routing is so much easier, efficient, and of better quality than I ever had before. My two cents is goes to building a better moustrap and make the router table.

 

[JOAT]

I'm a bit late on this one, but I say build your own. Mine is about my fourth or fifth version, and I've probably got about $5 in it. No fence, I don't need one as 99.99% of what I rout is with a flush trim bit from masters. The insert is made of 1/2" plywood, the top is three pieces of 1/2" plywood (very well braced underneath) not including the insert. Got a Craftsman router in it, have used it for years for no problems. The router does not 'self-adjust', I think mainly because I don't adjust the height just leave as is. I've got five routers, and five inserts. The only reason I can see in the foreseeable future for making another is if I decided to go with a larger one.

View image in gallery​

 

[LeftyTom]

Hopefully, I will have pics of the completed table this weekend. The WW fairy dropped of the router table top and fence I ordered from Hartville Tool today.


:dontknow:I dunno, all the parts look to be there, but they put in a 2007-2008 catalog in the box! :eusa_doh: I will have to check those prices versus their online prices. :tool:

 

[LeftyTom]

Well, the top itself has come together without a hitch. :icon_thum

The fence has some gremlins. I follow instructions, and square the fence to the table before tightening the bracket to the fence. When I attach the bracket to the right side of the fence (as viewed from the front of the table), and tighten it to the fence (finger tight) it pulls the other end of the bracket off the table. I have checked the brackets w/machinist square, and they look OK. I have swapped the 2 fence brackets, but the same thing happens. The brackets are the same height, and the holes in each bracket line up. :eusa_thin

I cannot see any twist in the aluminum fence. Sitting on the table, the bottom of the fence rises in an arc perhaps 1/16" off the table at the center.

I just took the brackets apart, and will have another go at is tomorrow. :XXfridge:

 

[JOAT]

I don't use a fence for what I do. If I ever did need a fence, not likely, I'd just use a chunk of 2X4 with a C-clamp at each end. The only 'squaring' I'd be concerned with would be getting it the proper distance from the bit. K.I.S.S. is always good.

That's "Keep It Simple Stupid", for the uninformed peoples. ccasion1

 

[golfdad]

Definetly agree with the group...build your own......I use mine on every project.......I have the big Triton router in mine......best thing I ever did........I do have aluminum plate but it seems to scratch the pieces going thru so I use the phenolic plate most times......storage an dustcollection all in one is the way ccasion1to go

 

[LeftyTom]

Tried again, with the same end of the fence coming out of square when I square the other end. Laid the fence on its back on some oak I had planed, and I saw the bottom of the left side of the fence (as you view the fence from the front of the table) has about a gap between the fence and the wood.

I pulled out the trusty caliper and found that from side to side the fence arcs up .026" at the router bit opening. On its back, the left side of the fence has a gap of .060" between it and the oak. I repeated the measurements using the router table top, and confirmed that the fence is the culprit.

Customer service is only Monday-Friday 8a-5p Eastern time. I emailed Hartville Tool from their website. The fence has a price of $89.99.

Tune in next time for your action-packed installment of my build-my-own adventure.

 

[JOAT]

The fence has a price of $89.99.

Tune in next time for your action-packed installment of my build-my-own adventure.

I dunno, buying the pieces readymade doesn't sound much like build-your-own to me.

 

[merrill77]

Insert plate does not a router table make.