Replies

1. 
   JeffKurtz | Jun 02, 2003 11:40pm | #1

   Mike,

   I'll jump in here with a question.  You're a skilled person.  Why pay big $$ for an over-priced accessory you can easily build yourself?  These boards have a number of very good plans waiting for you to construct!

   Jeff

2. 
   Ricky_Yu | Jun 03, 2003 11:34am | #2

   I have no experience with the Jessem but I do have the Porter-Cable 698 router table. As I do very little router table work and this was a gift from my brother-in-law, I have no reason to complain, but I will anyway for your benefit. Mine came as a package with the table, the 691 D-handle router, a plunge base, and an undermount base for the table. The undermount base lacks an indexing ring, so height adjustment is by eye, a ruler, or test cuts (or a combination thereof). The fence, since it is split into two pieces, is difficult to adjust in line with each other. The dust shield is clumsy and awkward to remove. There is considerable slop between the miter gauge and slot. And the insert rings are about 1/32" lower than the table surface. The last two problems I manage to fix by shimming with tape. The table retails for about $150 and while that is on the low end of router tables, I don't think it is a good value because of the problems I mentioned. The Jessem is about four times the price but whether it is four times the table I cannot say.

   
   

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   Edited 6/4/2003 2:29:49 AM ET by RICKY

3. 
   forestgirl | Jun 03, 2003 08:19pm | #3

   Mike, Ricky laid out all of the reasons (and more) that I, personally, would stay away from the PC table.  In the early days of router table hunting, I passed by several designs for similar reasons (especially split fences with no rigid connection). 

   I have the 690 in a Veritas router table top.  The 690 has an indexing ring to help with height adjustment.  If you're trying to make do with limited $$ resources, and still get a very good router and table set-up, I'd suggest the Veritas Router Table Top and the router of your choice.  Since PC has introduced the 690LR (lever release), the original 690 is available at lower prices if you can find it, but even the LR isn't all that expensive.

   The Veritas table is an unusual design, but one that I love.  It's perfectly flat, sturdy, easy to use and affordable (including the add-ons).  It is a flat steel plate, 3/16" thick, 16"x24", with a rock-steady universal clamping system underneath that will fit any router.  The top includes plans for a home-made portable base that you can throw together with scrapwood, or you can go all out and build a router cabinet for it.

   The table top alone is $149.  You can easily make a fence for it, or order the top/fence combo at $245.  With this top (or the set) you'd be able to go to bigger routers down the road (a little panel raising with a 3+ HP plunge router, for instance!) and never have to worry about changing out the table.

   Here are links to the Veritas site:

   • The table top
   • The various sets
   • My Veritas set-up (not fancy, but very functional; it has made routering a joy)

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

   
   

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   Edited 6/3/2003 1:20:33 PM ET by forestgirl