Just getting started - what table router to buy?

[scott vroom]

I'm new to woodworking and in the process of setting up a shop. I need a good router table setup and don't have any interest in making my own at this point. I'm looking for suggestions on the router, router table, lift, fence, jigs, etc. to get me started. I intend to make kitchen cabinets & home furniture, built ins, etc. This is a retirement hobby for me but my son is working with ne on this and it may end up a business for him so I want to get good stuff (within reason!),

Thanks-

[Jeremy Brant]

Best bet for a table router is going to be either the Milwaukee 5125 or the Porter Cable 7518. Woodpecker makes lifts for either of them, as well as a couple others. I bought the 1000XL table from www.rt1000.com (http://www.rt1000.com) and for the limited amount that I've used it, it seems to work well. Most others here will say that it's easy enough, just build it yourself. When I bought it, I decided that I would spend more money trying to do it that way, and not necessarily end up with a better product. I have the milwaukee router, and it's got a pretty good adjustment system that can be adjusted from above the table if desired, so I haven't bought a lift system yet (but probably will at some point). I don't have a dust collector, so I bought another hose for my shopvac and semi-permanantly installed it in the fence. It will still drop some dust/chips down into the cabinet, but it's not bad. The only other thing I added was a pair of Kreg featherboards.

[glenn bradley]

I think Jeremy meant a Milwaukee 5625 which is what I run. If it died I would buy a new one without hesitation. Rockler is having a clearance with free shipping till Sept. 30. Although their older RT technology is middle of the road, I have used their top and fence for years with great success.

You can get a fence (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1383&filter=Rockler%20Outlet) right now for about $30 and the top and stand are listed as well but I don't think they are on sale right now. If you want to go cheap, the wood stand (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2083&filter=Rockler%20Outlet) is easily enclosed. If you want a turnkey cabinet I would do something else. The top and fence are still a great deal. I picked up a spare fence for my DP.

[Cliff Holmes]

I looked at both the Milwaukee 5625 and the PC 7518. For me, too many people commented on failures of the 5625's mechanisms because of plastic parts. The 7518 itself is a fine router, but the height mechanism almost requires you to buy a very pricey lift.

After a lot of comparison shopping, I ended up with a Freud FT3000VCE. Yes, it's more expensive than either of the others, but has metal in all the right places and works very well in a table without a lift. My only gripe is that I wish it had a quick-adjustment, the lift mechanism requires a lot of turning to bring the bit above the table, but that same problem is a blessing when trying to fine-tune the bit height. I've contemplated pulling one of the plunge springs, I think that it would then be easy to push the body up and lock it, albeit from below the table. I'll probably just build a crank or use a drill for rapid changes.

[Scott Pearson]

There are a number of good options, what is the price point you are looking for? That really defines what options you have, also do you have a router already or would you be adding that as well.

Scott

[Jeremy Brant]

I think Jeremy meant a Milwaukee 5625

Yep, you're right, my mistake. Thanks!

[Jeff Monson]

I have a porter cable 7518 router in a bench dog router table with the bench dog lift. I have done alot of raised panels and alot of general routing with this setup, couldnt be happier with the ease of adjustment and the power of the router. Its a very nice combination, but your best bet is to get to a store where you can put your hands on a few different tables and see what you like best.

[Chris Tsutsui]

You know I don't think you can tell the difference in the final product that somebody used a $100 or less benchtop router table, when comparing against a cast iron router table with lift. It probably depends more on the actual router bit, and MAYBE the router's power.

If you spend a lot on a good table, you'll just have an easier tool to work with. A tool that will be faster to setup and have better dust control, etc.

As for me, I am pleased with the Rockler.com components you can mix/match for your own router table. The lift I have says "rockler", but it's by Jess Em.

[ROY DICK]

PC 7518 and a lift to fit.

Roy

[Stephen Edwards]

If you have a large enough shop I bet you'll end up with more than one RT and surely more than one router.

The Bosch 1617-1618 EVS series is also a very good router to begin with, or to stay with for that matter. However, if you're gonna be heavy into raised panel doors for kitchen cabinets and big bits, the larger routers that others have mentioned will better suit your needs.

[Mike Minto]

:o oops, never mind - i'm in the wrong forum! mike

[Scott T Smith]

Personally I'm considering the Jointech Smartlift Digital router lift in their phenolic table top, most likely with the PC 7518.

[Stan Mitchell]

Just bought a Milwaukee 5625 for my new router table.

$253 at Amazon today. Best price I've seen in a while.

[Myk Rian]

I think Jeremy meant a Milwaukee 5625 which is what I run. If it died I would buy a new one without hesitation. Rockler is having a clearance with free shipping till Sept. 30. Although their older RT technology is middle of the road, I have used their top and fence for years with great success.

You can get a fence (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1383&filter=Rockler%20Outlet) right now for about $30 and the top and stand are listed as well but I don't think they are on sale right now. If you want to go cheap, the wood stand (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2083&filter=Rockler%20Outlet) is easily enclosed. If you want a turnkey cabinet I would do something else. The top and fence are still a great deal. I picked up a spare fence for my DP.
I had to laugh at the Rockler fence picture. It's a drawing.
$60 for that base? Nope.

It really doesn't take much to make a table.
2 pieces of 3/4" MDF glued together makes a superb table top. Cover it with furniture paste wax. Make a box for a base, stick the $20 HF insert on it, and you have a router table. Mill a 2x4 nice and straight for a fence, and use clamps to hold it in place. There is no need to spend big bucks to have a nice RT.

[Randal Stevenson]

I'm new to woodworking and in the process of setting up a shop. I need a good router table setup and don't have any interest in making my own at this point. I'm looking for suggestions on the router, router table, lift, fence, jigs, etc. to get me started. I intend to make kitchen cabinets & home furniture, built ins, etc. This is a retirement hobby for me but my son is working with ne on this and it may end up a business for him so I want to get good stuff (within reason!),

Thanks-

You have received a lot of good advice already. Let me point out a few things. Your post really makes you sound at both ends of the scale.
As a retirement hobby, I would recommend a good multibase router, such as a Bosch 1617. Hit your local library, and check out Bill Hylton, and Pat Warner (Pat also has a website). A really basic router table, can be made with the Bosch base, and a piece of plywood with a hole in it.
You might do some searching here on raised panels. People have done them with that router, just more passes and some smaller bits.
If you like the hobby, and you start treating it like a business, then I would have no issue with one of the other two routers. I picked up the Milwaukee 5625 a few years back, on Black Friday, from Heavy Duty tools. That time of year is coming up. I also have read (no experience) very good things about the mentioned RT1000 router table, and it is similar to the Norm or American Woodworker one.
I haven't had time to build mine (a project), so I spent $40 on a metal stand on Ebay for mine. I picked up the top and fence via the classifieds here (Woodpeckers table and homebuilt fence), then recently (bunch overtime), bought the Woodpeckers PRL-V2 lift for it.

I could easily get by with the Bosch 1617 (I have) or the DeWalt 618 series. Why I bought bigger/better/more commercial? I plan on keeping this as a hobby for a long time (still young enough) and while I could afford them I did. I would say start with the Bosch, and if your son starts to like it/do it commercially, then spring for one of the others, and a second table. You can find posts here about two and three, router, tables, one for use with rail, one for stile bits, and another for the raised panel bit.

It is easy to go overboard on tools, then not have money for materials.

[scott spencer]

My Milwaukee 5625 is a powerhouse for sure, but my Freud FT1700 13 amp router spends most of the time in the router table because it has convenient one handed above table bit changes....something to consider if that's important to you. They make a larger 15 amp FT3000 with the same above table features.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Budget?

If it's going to be a business, try the Incra site. Their router table is awesome. You can make repeatable cuts day after day. I think they the only ones who can claim that. It will also drain your check book. You could start with the table and add the fence and gadgets slowly. Oh yeah, you'll need lots of room. The fence is long and wide. They also make a dedicated lift for the PC router. Check it out..... It will be a one time investment.

[Rod Sheridan]

I'll be the odd one out here.

You stated that you were going to make kitchen cabinets, some furniture, and maybe start a business.

That's a wide scope of objectives, and requirements.

After 30 some years of this as a hobby, I don't own a router (except for a laminate trimmer and an E.C. Emmerich plane).

I do however own a shaper with power feeder.

I looked at router tables, routers, etc and came to the conclusion that for stationary use, a shaper was far better because;

- they're flat, no "my router table is sagging" stories here

- they have enough power to run large cutters

- large cutters last far longer, and cut much cleaner than router bits

- HSS knives are available at about $20 to $30 a pair for cutter heads, and produce a flawless finish in solid wood

- HSS knives can be custom ground by the supplier to duplicate an unusual profile

- they are suitable for use with a power feeder

- spindle rotation is reversible so you can set up a cut the way you want, or the wood grain requires

- with a power feeder you can climb cut for the times when the wood tears out otherwise.

- they're far quieter than a router

- they're available in sliding table versions

- cutters can be stacked to produce different profiles

- in this market a good used shaper will show up in the used machinery listings

I'm not suggesting that people aren't happy with a router table, however I am suggesting that a shaper makes a far more competent and capable machine than a router table.

I don't know anyone who traded down from a shaper to a router table, however I know several who went the other way.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. Go to the Felder USA site, register and look at the videos. There's one video, which is about an hour in length showing a desk being made using a CF741 combination machine, watch the entire video. It has some great footage of a shaper being used for different tasks, which will give you an idea of a fraction of the capabilities of a shaper.