When I began thinking about a router table, it soon became apparent that finding a home for a large, occasionally used table would be a problem in my crowded basement shop. Finally, it occurred to me while looking at the rip fence bars extending from my tablesaw that here was an ideal support system for the router table. In addition, I am able to use the saw’s fence and miter gauge for certain operations on the router table.

I cut a piece of 3/4-in. plywood, 16 in. wide and long enough to fit over the bars. Into this, I routed a ledge to accept an acrylic router subbase. I attached wooden cleats to the bottom of the plywood tightly between the bars to prevent front to back movement of the table. A second set of cleats along with bolts and wing nuts clamps the table to the bars.

Although the router-table top extends above the saw-table top, limiting the fence travel to the extreme right of the saw table, the saw can still be used for quite a bit of work with the table in place. When necessary, it takes only a minute to remove the table and hang it against the wall.

Martin Gingrich, Palmyra, Pa.

Fine Woodworking Magazine, August 1993 No. 101

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