Chris Tsutsui
04-08-2009, 4:44 AM
I've only had a garage wood shop for less than a year so this is my first shot at a router table.
I originally didn't want to copy the benchdog promax model though my table ended up with similar proportions after I designed it to fit my routers in the bottom, and bit storage for the left and right. The enclosed PC 7518 gets MUCH quieter which the cabinet door is closed, I am very happy with that.
Table Top Dimensions 32" WIDE x 24" DEEP
Height from floor to table top = 37.5"
The top is made of two layers of 1.5" thick MDF. The second layer is glued to the top layer and fits INSIDE the cabinet base. I used 3 coats of boiled linseed oil on the MDF and then burnished it with 0000 fine steel wool between coats and waxed it with a dry silicone free lubricant. BTW, I treated both the top and bottom of the table top with the BLO.
The router lift is a Jessem Mast R Lift with top height adjustment, and the fence and hardware is all by rockler. (Well except for the benchdog fingerboard)
The cabinet and doors are 3/4" MDF construction, I used 1.5" brads, drywall screws, and yellow glue for construction. I primed the cabinet with Kilz and used a semi-gloss interior paint I had left over from use on my kitchen. Yeah this table is heavy, but the casters make it a breeze to move around.
The hinges are Blum Euro hinges.
Router is a Porter Cable PC7518, 3-1/4HP soft start, variable speed.
I attached a heavy duty light switch for on/off duty and put it in a stamped steel box.
The handles are made of solid beech and the hooks on the sides of the router table were $0.25 for a package of 2 on clearance at Ikea.
There is a rockler 2.5" dust port in the fence.
The Harbor Freight Stuff:
$2 Casters with locks (Made in india)
My 89 cent Push Stick (which I will make a better one soon)
Benchtop Brush
Rear Dust Collector Port 4" (from the HF DC accessory package)
Also pictured is my Hitachi KM12VC router I got as an unused/display unit from Lowes for $71 - $10 coupon. The 4th Pic is my proof. :)
Then I've got my misc router bits storage on the sides in their cases.
http://www.flex-innovations.com/RT1_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/RT1.jpg)
http://www.flex-innovations.com/RT2_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/RT2.jpg)
http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt3_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt3.jpg)
http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt4_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt4.jpg)
http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt5_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt5.jpg)
My Conclusions:
Next time I might make my own fingerboards. The ones I have were given to me free so I use the plastic ones. Also, if I had done it again, I would use a melamine or formica top, rather than the MDF.
Rather than use 2 locking swivel casters + 2 straight casters. I would implement fixed leveling rubber feet of some sort. Or a mobile base.
There may be some revisions i make to this table as time goes on...
Also, the inside cabinet where the router goes, I would pitch the floor towards the dust collector port. Or if you want to get elaborate, angle the walls too towards the port.
So far I give a thumbs up to this table though I only used it once on a test piece making a 3/4" dado... :D
I originally didn't want to copy the benchdog promax model though my table ended up with similar proportions after I designed it to fit my routers in the bottom, and bit storage for the left and right. The enclosed PC 7518 gets MUCH quieter which the cabinet door is closed, I am very happy with that.
Table Top Dimensions 32" WIDE x 24" DEEP
Height from floor to table top = 37.5"
The top is made of two layers of 1.5" thick MDF. The second layer is glued to the top layer and fits INSIDE the cabinet base. I used 3 coats of boiled linseed oil on the MDF and then burnished it with 0000 fine steel wool between coats and waxed it with a dry silicone free lubricant. BTW, I treated both the top and bottom of the table top with the BLO.
The router lift is a Jessem Mast R Lift with top height adjustment, and the fence and hardware is all by rockler. (Well except for the benchdog fingerboard)
The cabinet and doors are 3/4" MDF construction, I used 1.5" brads, drywall screws, and yellow glue for construction. I primed the cabinet with Kilz and used a semi-gloss interior paint I had left over from use on my kitchen. Yeah this table is heavy, but the casters make it a breeze to move around.
The hinges are Blum Euro hinges.
Router is a Porter Cable PC7518, 3-1/4HP soft start, variable speed.
I attached a heavy duty light switch for on/off duty and put it in a stamped steel box.
The handles are made of solid beech and the hooks on the sides of the router table were $0.25 for a package of 2 on clearance at Ikea.
There is a rockler 2.5" dust port in the fence.
The Harbor Freight Stuff:
$2 Casters with locks (Made in india)
My 89 cent Push Stick (which I will make a better one soon)
Benchtop Brush
Rear Dust Collector Port 4" (from the HF DC accessory package)
Also pictured is my Hitachi KM12VC router I got as an unused/display unit from Lowes for $71 - $10 coupon. The 4th Pic is my proof. :)
Then I've got my misc router bits storage on the sides in their cases.
http://www.flex-innovations.com/RT1_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/RT1.jpg)
http://www.flex-innovations.com/RT2_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/RT2.jpg)
http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt3_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt3.jpg)
http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt4_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt4.jpg)
http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt5_small.jpg (http://www.flex-innovations.com/rt5.jpg)
My Conclusions:
Next time I might make my own fingerboards. The ones I have were given to me free so I use the plastic ones. Also, if I had done it again, I would use a melamine or formica top, rather than the MDF.
Rather than use 2 locking swivel casters + 2 straight casters. I would implement fixed leveling rubber feet of some sort. Or a mobile base.
There may be some revisions i make to this table as time goes on...
Also, the inside cabinet where the router goes, I would pitch the floor towards the dust collector port. Or if you want to get elaborate, angle the walls too towards the port.
So far I give a thumbs up to this table though I only used it once on a test piece making a 3/4" dado... :D