Good quality router table
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I’m interested in adding a good quality router table and fence system with ability to adjust height of cut from the top. Suggestions?
Replies
Build your own and get exactly what you want. Art
The thing about building your own router table, at least a table that's worth using, is that you pretty much need a router table to build a router table.
I think you have it right in wanting to buy a table top for your first and build the cabinet underneath. What you can do is mount the top to just a basic plywood box, have some fun and get started on learning about your new tool while making your cabinet. After a few years if you realize you can do better by making your own top, perfect. Use your first table for set up routing and your shop built newer improved table for final cuts, or sell it to a new WW.
Incra (Woodpeckers.com)and Jointech are just two places to start looking for very good commercialy made router table tops. I'm sure you will get several other recomendations, check them all out and good luck.
Santa Barbara,CA
Terry,You are exactly right. I've recently retired and I'm opening a small professional shop. I'm purchasing all new/different equipment since our move to Hendersonville, NC from Hawaii.By the way on our trip back East one of our most enjoyable overnights was in Santa Barbara at the Chesire Cat Inn. Loved SB, but also dearly delight in the Blue Ridge mountains of Western NC. Thanks for your thoughtful reply.George
FWW # 181, Winter 2005/2006 Tools & Shops Annual Issue has a review of router tables.
You can read the intro here:
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/fw_181_036.asp
I built my own table several years ago and fitted it with the JessEm insert plate, fence and Mite-R-Slide -- pricey stuff, but worth it in my opinion.
Edited 5/5/2006 5:55 am ET by Mike_B
Thanks for your response. I've been unable to find the FWW issue #181 because of our recent move from Hawaii. We're still digging!
Well I'am one of those who built his own, 3' X 4'. The router is centered right to left and 1' off the face and 2' off the rear. Did this so I can reverse the fence and rout large panels. Also installed a miter track so I can use my sliding shaper sled to cope the ends of the rails for stile/rail doors. I did overkill the top by using two layers of 3/4 MDF with torsion box type support underneath, but it's flat and will stay that way. Covered top and bottom with formica and sealed edges and cutout for router with 2lb cut shellac and capped with Walnut. I installed a DW625 3HP plunge with a crank handle, so height adj. is done down under, but that OK because I'am usually on my knees with a 6" rule to measure.
Making your fence is the critical part. STRAIGHT AND PLUMB, My fence is laminated up from hard maple, grains opposing to help stabilize. Fence face is Cherry with T slots front and back so infeed and outfeed fences can slide R/L. The front T slot is for featherboards, also miter track on table is used for featherboards. The left end of the fence is pivoted on a 3/8" carriage bolt that can be tightened with a hand knob, the right side is secured with a handscrew clamp.
Built a "Norm" style cabinet three drawers each side for bits and accessories.
Funding was an issue at the time, but now I wish I had a JessEm router table, The Rolls Royce of router table systems.
Build or Buy that is the ? I still love my home brew!!
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Bruce it sounds like a not only a well engineered but beautifully done piece of equipment. Would love to see a picture sometime.You mentioned "shaper." One of the debates I'm having with myself is shaper vs. router table. How would you delienate the different uses?Thanks for your reply.
George
Your question wasn't really to me, but I'll throw in my 2 cents. My thinking is that a router table will do just about anything a shaper will do (except reverse motor rotation), but it's just not as robust a machine as the shaper. If you're making doors all day, everyday, then perhaps a shaper makes sense. If you're going to be putting the occasional profile on furniture parts etc., a router table will probably serve your needs. AND, shaper cutters generally cost more than router bits. Just my opinion.
Sorry ! But I have to dissagree on Routerbit/Shaper cutter prices, Check out http://WWW.eagleamerica.com A 3wing panel raiser (shaper) is about $30 less than a 3wing panel raiser (router). Unfortunately We don't carry as many Shaper profiles as We do Router bit profiles. If I had a production shop I would absolutely have a Shaper, But my needs are well meet with a Router table, plus the added advantage of so many bit profiles to choose from.
Another advantage I like is My large table size, Shapers are usually on the smaller size but generally used in conjuction with a power feeder so that helps make up the differance.
To me the greatest advantage of the shaper is that it's reversable, and thats a big bonus when your putting a profile on both edges, You can run downhill on the grain either way.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
It's good to learn there is a source for low-cost shaper cutters. It's been my experience over the years however, that router bits cost considerably less than shaper cutters. Either way, both tools are capable of getting the job done. It mostly depends on the type and volume of work you do. For me, the router table does the job, but if I had the space and extra cash, I'd have both.
If I had the space and extra cash, I'd have both(shaper and router table.)
Why would you have both. Does each have its own advantages?
The times that I really need a shaper are few and far between, but occasionally I need to profile thick stock or do a high volume run of whatever. In those situations I feel like I'm really beating on the router, which would not be the case with a shaper -- in my opinion a much more heavy duty tool. And the ability to reverse motor rotation on the shaper provides options not available on a router table. I know guys that have both in their shops, and each tool gets a fair amount of use. In a perfect world where space and cost were not factors, I'd want to have both, but for the number of times I really need a shaper, I can't justify the investment.
I picked up an old cheapie Tool Kraft (sp) shaper some years ago. It turns at twenty thousand or so rpm. I would be afraid to put a large bit on it. It turns in only one direction. I haven't spent much time around real shapers but I get the idea this one was meant for a toy. My plans are to have a sale to get rid of a lot of this junk, but I am questioning whether to replace it with a real shaper or a router and table. Seems that, all told, the price isn't all that much difference.
Edited 5/7/2006 8:28 pm ET by tinkerer2
You're right about that. It seems the price of a quality router table with all the bells and whistles is getting right up there. Add in the cost of a good 3 HP router, and you're spending some serious money.
Just a thought about the shaper running both ways. Could you make your fence on the router table work on both sides of the bit so you could in efect have the bit cut in the direction you want.Troy
Sorry thats not possible, You allways want to run the lumber right to left on a router table, otherwise you'll be climb cutting ( not a SAFE practice). I reverse the fence so I have a larger work space on the table. Also never run the lumber between the bit and the fence, Ugly things can happen. The reason that you can run in reverse on the shaper is that you can invert the cutter on the spindle, but then you run the lumber left to right. Lumber feed should allways be against bit or cutter rotation.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Bruce,
You are 99% correct about climb cutting on a router table. However, it is a good (and safe) move to make a final pass the wrong way, if your router table fence can be moved in increments of just a few thou.
A climb cut is cleaner than a "right way" cut and if you are taking off only a tiny amount, the work will not be snatched, as it would be with anything other than those few thou.
I do this with any cut that is making molding, on a Lee Valley router table. Their fence micrometer gauge allows the required tiny fence movements. If you get their promotional video, it contains a sequence that demonstrates the technique.
It does save a lot of sanding or scraping of that molding.
Lataxe
Lataxe, I agree with you, And a few of us do climb cut on rare occasions. Like the step ledge on a dovetail jig. But I sort of wanted to put climb cutting down for the safety of the nubeesWork Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Gee it just came to me, your from the UK, That explains it !! I'll bet you have a Wood Rat. I saw one demonstrated and there is a lot of climb cutting with it, Correct?? Pretty neat set-up, Wish I had a few extra coins.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Bruce,
Yes, I am an unashed UK Rat-lover. And you're right, climb cuts feature a lot as they are safe with the rat, everything being held down or controlled by the rat's levers, vices and so forth. Those super-clean, crisp-cornered tenons are a joy to make.
When I first saw and tried the Lee Valley "tiny increment" climb cuts with the router table, it was a very nervous Lataxe that approached the howling machine. When I first got a router, I did make the newby error of trying to route freehand the wrong way round. A biting, leaping router in your mits is a salutary experience!
Lataxe
Got it thanks.Troy
See the RT link for some ideas.
Thanks for the link. I'm sure I'll be in touch. Nice work.George
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Pat
I always ment to ask you:
What type of lift did you use in your table?
Jeff
Made one with a bench dog & 7518 but now using a 5625, no lift with that.
Casting bolted directly to the top.
Routers
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