Michael O'Sullivan
03-06-2009, 8:05 PM
My Bench Dog portable router table seems to have a bit of an engineering flaw. There is no support for the router plate along the back (long) side between the corners. As a result, it bows down a little under the weight of a Milwaukee 5625, and I cannot figure a way to level it.
So I bought a Woodpecker router lift with a nice thick aluminum plate. Unfortunately, it is too big to fit in the opening on the B-D table.
So .... I have decided to build a new router table, or at least to adapt the B-D.
One thing I would like is a lot more surface area, so I am thinking of replacing the B-D top with a 3/4" thick 2'x4' piece of melamine laminate particle board, and I have a couple of questions before I begin cutting.
First, will the surface sag without additional support? -- there will be about 1' sticking out over each side. I was considering screwing and gluing a straight 1x2 along the back side for additional rigidity -- would that be enough?
Second, will the 3/8" or so of particle board that will remain after I rabbet out the support groove be enough to support the router lift and router? If not can I just screw and glue some wood supports beneath the thin parts?
I am trying to avoid adding so much weight that the whole thing would become top-heavy and unwieldy (the B-D itself it is sitting on a low cabinet that is mounted on casters).
So I bought a Woodpecker router lift with a nice thick aluminum plate. Unfortunately, it is too big to fit in the opening on the B-D table.
So .... I have decided to build a new router table, or at least to adapt the B-D.
One thing I would like is a lot more surface area, so I am thinking of replacing the B-D top with a 3/4" thick 2'x4' piece of melamine laminate particle board, and I have a couple of questions before I begin cutting.
First, will the surface sag without additional support? -- there will be about 1' sticking out over each side. I was considering screwing and gluing a straight 1x2 along the back side for additional rigidity -- would that be enough?
Second, will the 3/8" or so of particle board that will remain after I rabbet out the support groove be enough to support the router lift and router? If not can I just screw and glue some wood supports beneath the thin parts?
I am trying to avoid adding so much weight that the whole thing would become top-heavy and unwieldy (the B-D itself it is sitting on a low cabinet that is mounted on casters).