Replies

1. 
   charliedickens | Jan 07, 2006 04:56am | #1

   $50 is a lot.  I make temporary router tables all the time.  Take a 2'x2'  (or whatever suits your needs) piece of 3/4" plywood, drill a hole smaller than your router bit off center on one axis, screw your router to the underside.  Clamp the plywood to a convenient surface like a workbench or between sawhorses, fire up the router and feed the bit through the plywood.  You now have a router table with a zero clearance opening.  A straight piece of  1" x 3" stock on edge serves as a fence.  Screw down one end and clamp the other.  About $5.00 worth of scrap and you have a good router table that will equal the performance of the $300 toys in the catalogs.

   If you are making moldings make the table long and narrow.  If you are raising panels then make it wide for good support.  Featherboards and support blocks can be screwed and glued to the top without guilt or remorse.  Old laminate-covered kitchen countertops are a good source of table tops and often available for free from kitchen remodelers. 

   Do what you have to do to do the job.  It's the results that count.  Your fellow woodworkers may be impressed by a $700 hardwood trimmed router table a'la Norm Abrams but clients don't care how a piece of trim was made as long as it looks right.  When it comes to tools the only limit is your imagination. 

1. 
   notDusty | Jan 09, 2006 06:23pm | #2

   charlie ,

                   I totally agree with your thoughts about router tables . Your statement that the clients won't know the difference of which router table was used is true , also the wood will not know the difference , nor will the results be different.

              I made a router table temporarily about 28 years ago about the same size as you use but put some plywood sides like feet to hold it up about 12" or so . I'll bet I have run literally miles of stock over this inexpensive but vital addition to any wood shop .

             I now have 5 spindle shapers set up in the shop but rarely a job goes by that I don't use the router table . I routed out the bottom to leave about 1/4" or so like the thickness of the original base , then laid out the base hole patterns and use screws through the top to attach a router base that is dedicated to this temporary table ,lol .

              A zero clearance in the table has never been needed , the fence can have one if desired for certain cuts .

                         dusty

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 09, 2006 07:05pm | #3

   "A zero clearance in the table has never been needed"  I bow to your 5 spindle shapers, for sure ND, but when routing very narrow stock, a tight-fitting area around the bit certainly adds support, doesn't it?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   notDusty | Jan 09, 2006 11:18pm | #4

   forestgirl ,

               Imo the fence clearance is more important for the quality of the cut . My old temporary router table has a hole about 1-1/2" diameter in the top . I have never had a problem with stock dropping or dipping down . I don't run many if any really short pieces usually .I guess there is some snipe on the ends now and then. 

              Depending on the cut or profile , often times I use a piece of 1/4" as sacrificial zero clearance face against the fence .

                                             dusty

    

                                  

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 10, 2006 07:17am | #5

   "Imo the fence clearance is more important for the quality of the cut ."  Absolutely.  I was just pointing out that the bit clearance in the table isn't a totally unimportant thing.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   notDusty | Jan 10, 2006 08:30am | #6

   Hi forestgirl ,

                        Yeah but !  True you wouldn't want like a 4" table hole , but honestly the average router bit may be something like 1" in diameter so with an 1-1/2" hole there is only no more than a 1/4" of space outside of the cutter so really it won't cause any problems to my knowledge . Think about it . typically the cutting action is on the side of the bit .

             Just like the guy guiding the cars forward on the Ferry's , Trust me .  

                                dusty

3. 
   forestgirl | Jan 10, 2006 09:02pm | #7

   "Just like the guy guiding the cars forward on the Ferry's , Trust me ."  ROFL!!!  Inside humor, I love it!  Question is, do we trust the Captain?

   OK, I promise I'll think about it....... forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   gj13 | Jan 12, 2006 11:59pm | #8

   You know what?  I'm gonna try this! 

    

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 14, 2006 09:14pm | #10

   "Clamp the plywood to a convenient surface like a workbench or between sawhorses..."  If you want to make a Deluxe Model, you can put it on a trash can -- Voila! dust collection.  Well, almost anyway.  Have fun.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Midnight | Jan 15, 2006 05:05am | #11

   If you want to make a Deluxe Model, you can put it on a trash can -- Voila! dust collection.

   can't think of a better place to put a couple of my routers..... coulda saved a ton of heartache if I'd done that years ago...Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 16, 2006 04:07am | #12

   I recycled my old free standing router table top (27" x 33"), made of MDO and fastened some 1" x 2 1/2" birch hardwood sides for attachment to my Biesemeyer fence rails, and mounted into the right side (not the left) of my 10" Delta contractors saw.  I then made an auxillary router fence that straddles Biesemeyer fence and is attached w/clamps.

   I like the big size of the table, it also helps support wide stock for the TS, and the fence works flawlessly, very accurate as well.  I also have a trash can under the table!

   Bob

    

2. 
   muleboy | Jan 17, 2006 05:43am | #13

   You guys are right on the money.   I have router tables on both sides of my Jet contractor saw.   Underneath the table... made from 1 1/2" thick MDF (scrap) and attached to my table saw with hardware store bolts.  I have a Rubbermaid trash can with a 4" drain fitting cut into the bottom.   4" flex hose and DC attaches to this.   The whole setup is less than $50.

   Believe it.   A trash can really can equal dust collection.  I collect at least 95% of dust and chips from below the table.

    

   Muleboy.

3. 
   DougU | Jan 13, 2006 08:03am | #9

   Charlie

   I'm glad to see others who dont think you have to have some expensive cabinet to have a router table.

   I've done what you have for 20 plus years, never had a problem producing fine trim, raised panels or any other thing that can be run on a router table.

   Doug

2. 
   SimplyShaker | Jan 17, 2006 11:16pm | #14

   The biggest benefit that I experienced in moving from using my tablesaw extension table as a router table to an enclosed cabinet router table is dust collection. Routing doesn't make a huge mess out of the shop any longer and I don't need to setup and tear-down the tablesaw for routing operations.

1. 
   John_D | Jan 17, 2006 11:47pm | #15

   My TS extension table holds my router, but DC is quite good.  I built a box with an angled bottom and a dust port and a door, so I can adjust router speed without pulling the router lift plate.  The whole thing is screwed to the extension table's cross braces.  There's a wye connector and two blast gates, and the two power cords (TS and router) run together with the common DC feed, so the entire assembly moves easily on the mobile base.  Love the steady, sturdy, precise Bies as the foundation for my shopmade router fence.

   If I ever feel I need a second router workstation, I'll get a beefier router (in the TS it's a 2 1/4) and lift and make a dedicated cabinet, leaving the TS setup for the rare instances it's convenient to have two router setups intact.  That'll be nice, because I won't have to get the 2 1/4 out of the table to use it freehand.My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 18, 2006 10:02am | #16

   Pictures?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   John_D | Jan 18, 2006 11:14am | #17

   Seriously?  It's just a slant-bottomed box with a door and port...My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

1. 
   muleboy | Jan 19, 2006 05:14am | #18

   sounds like you have the improved version of my garbage can...   My only complaint about mine is that I can't change speed on the router without pulling ot the router.

   Perhaps when I have a little time on my hands I will do that version.  

    

   Very Cool!

   Muleboy.

2. 
   John_D | Jan 19, 2006 06:06am | #19

   Only other feature is the power switch.  Took me about two hours to design and build.  I'm sure a fast worker could do it in half the time.My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

3. 
   Biscardi | Jan 20, 2006 06:27am | #20

   Folks,

   I was frustrated with my router fence so last week I made a new one. I used a piece of heavy angle iron ( 4"x 2.5"x 3/8). I burned a hole in the center with an oxy acetylene torch and cleaned the hole with a file. The angle was then sanded down to 100 grit ,primed and painted. I drilled screw holes in it to attach it to a wooden face;  a pretty piece of 6" cherry scrap with a hole for the dust collector. On the back face I fabricated a little box around the dust port and added a connector for the dust collector on one face. I drilled holes in the face for a feather board. The fence is as wide as the table (32 inches) and is held in place with small bar clamps. I shellaced the cherry out of vanity. 

   This fence  cost a lot less then the 150-180$ they wanted for one in the catalogues and it certainly isn't made of MDF. It weighs about 8 to  10lbs.

   I was tickled at how it came out.

   Frank

4. 
   lamadriver | Jan 21, 2006 11:17am | #21

   Like minds think alike. I saw several entries using the extensions of the table saw to clamp the router table. My use also. In a small shop with limited space [I have a nice two car garage but Mama insists on her half for the 4 x 4 for the winters in Alaska]. I have the table saw on a roller frame with DC self contained [knew I'd find a use for that old shopmate vac]. With the router table quick clamped to the extensions all that is necessary is to move the DC from saw to router fence. Switch box runs all 3  and router table stands on end between wall and bandsaw when needing saw for bigger cuts. Enjoyed the posts

   "If there's no woodworking in Heaven, I ain't goin"

    

5. 
   forestgirl | Jan 21, 2006 10:26pm | #22

   I had a similar thought the other day, when I ran across a nicely-sized piece of angle iron in my junk pile.  Though evaporated when I checked it with a square and found it was way off the perfect 90° needed for a fence.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

6. 
   Biscardi | Jan 22, 2006 02:35am | #23

   FG,

   It may be off square, but you can compensate for that by putting on a wooden face that is jointed to make up for the error in the angle.

   Regards,

   Frank

7. 
   forestgirl | Jan 22, 2006 03:48am | #24

   Yeah, I know, but what I was tring to make at that particular moment was a tall, tall fence for the upright part of routing with a drawer lock corner bit (or whatever it's called).  The "fence" is taller than my jointer is wide, and it's made of plywood.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)