router table question

[Stephen Edwards]

I'm building a new router table top. It's going to be 56 inches long and 30 inches deep, front to back. The miter track will run parallel with the 56 inch direction. Two questions?

1. How far from the front of the table's edge to the center of miter track?

2. How far from the front of table's edge to center of router plate?

This will be my first really nice router table. I'd appreciate opinions and suggestions. Thanks!

[Chris Padilla]

What kind of a fence or fence system do you plan to employ?

My 27" x 43" table has the miter channel 7" from the edge and the router bit opening 13" from the edge. I have the Incra Twin Linear Router Fence system.

The 27" width is what my fence runs across although many times I wish it were much, much wider like you are planning with your table.

[Greg Hines, MD]

It probably does not matter how far in front of your router plate the miter track runs. Mine is right in front of plate, and it works fine. As to where you place your router plate, you have a couple of options. I would suggest making it offset, so that you have more room front or back, since most of the time, you do not need much room for routing a moulding, for example.

One thing to consider is whether you ever intend to get a positioner, such as an Incra or Jointech. If you do, then offsetting the router to the front of your table makes a lot more sense. Or, you can offset it to one end or the other.

When I made my router table, I centered the router plate. Now that I got an Incra jig, I am eventually going to replace the top, offsetting the router to one end to allow me to use the jig easier.

Doc

[glenn bradley]

The relationship is usually miter track to bit vs. using the front of the table as a reference point. So my answer (and I hope others chime in with their views because we are all different) to question one is "depends where the bit will be". Not very helpful. I put my miter track 'about' the same distance from the bit as my table saw miter track is from the blade. That way I can make jigs that will work on both machines, share featherboards and so forth.

My answer to question 2 would be "as far back as is comfortable". I like a good amount of table surface to support my work as I guide it past the bit. This needs to be tempered with how far you are comfortable reaching while guiding your work. My bit is about 14" back from the front of my table.

I have a question of my own ;-) Why is the table going to be so wide? This is not a bad thing, I'm just curious.

[Stephen Edwards]

What kind of a fence or fence system do you plan to employ?

Chris,

For starters, I'm going to use the Rockler closeout fence on sale now. I already got the fence. The plate will be more toward the right end of the table as you're facing the table...positioned from the right end as if it were a standard 32-36 inch table. In other words, the outfeed side will be longer than the infeed side. I have other plans for the left end of the table, eventually.

[Stephen Edwards]

I have a question of my own ;-) Why is the table going to be so wide? This is not a bad thing, I'm just curious.


On the left side, the outfeed side, I'm going to incorporate a pin router that I'm building using a RAS arm to support the router. When not in use, that will simply swing out of the way and the pin comes out of the table. So, really it's going to be a two router table, one standard under the table router and one over arm router.

[Stephen Edwards]

It probably does not matter how far in front of your router plate the miter track runs. Mine is right in front of plate, and it works fine. As to where you place your router plate, you have a couple of options. I would suggest making it offset, so that you have more room front or back, since most of the time, you do not need much room for routing a moulding, for example.

One thing to consider is whether you ever intend to get a positioner, such as an Incra or Jointech. If you do, then offsetting the router to the front of your table makes a lot more sense. Or, you can offset it to one end or the other.

When I made my router table, I centered the router plate. Now that I got an Incra jig, I am eventually going to replace the top, offsetting the router to one end to allow me to use the jig easier.

Doc

Doc, I hadn't thought about the possibility of an incra type fence. However, with this configuration that I'm planning. i suppose that could work also from the left end of the table. The table will be mobile.

Are the incra jigs and fences easy to take on and off? Or, are the more or less a permanent mount once you have one on the table. I know nothing about them at all, other than having seen pics of them.

[Chris Padilla]

Incra fences are CAKE to remove if one is so inclined. One simply has 4 threaded inserts that accept 4 machine bolts that hold the Incra base. These are obviously set just below the surface and so aren't in the way if the system is removed. In your case, with such a large top, you could put in a couple different locations if you found the need.