Router table thickness?

[Jay Yoder]

I have been researching different router table plans and have come across numerous designs (including the NYWS) which use 1 piece of 1/2" thick MDF and 1 piece of 3/4" thick MDF. My question is why not use two 3/4" thick pieces? I have the 3/4" MDF already and it would require the purchase of a 1/2" sheet. I would figure that thicker would be better, but just wanted others' opinions...

[David Christopher]

Jay, I would use the 3/4 doubled...unlike Norm I have to pay for the material that I use

[Chuck Isaacson]

Mine is out of 2 sheets of 3/4". It works just fine.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Mine is out of a single sheet of 3/4... :D

Works just fine.. Yeah.. I know it's thin.. But really, if I ditch the factory rails (which I'm really considering) and go with a 7' Shop Fox, I'll just have to build it all over again.. :)

Dual sheets of 3/4 is really the way to go though.. There's no reason not to if you already have the material.. Won't hurt it being thicker, that is. Plus your edge band will be a nice even 1.5".. :D

[glenn bradley]

Had 3/4" and it sagged. I was able to recover with additional supports from below. New top is 1-1/4" MDF but I still use a gridwork of ribs for support.

[Thomas Canfield]

One reason to use the 1/2" is that it is the thickness of some of the T-tracks and you can make straight cuts and not dados for track. I agree that additional support helps with any thickness.

[Glen Butler]

Mine is 2 sheets of 3/4". But I recently purchased a sheet of 1 1/4" to make the new and improved router table. The 1 1/4" will also serve to make the router fence as well as other jigs. Using thicker stock for the fence is nice for dadoing in the t tracks, as well as a taller cross section for ensuring the fence is perpendicular to the table top.

[Van Huskey]

One reason to use the 1/2" is that it is the thickness of some of the T-tracks and you can make straight cuts and not dados for track. I agree that additional support helps with any thickness.

You posted exactly what I was going to say. I also don't see any need for more than 1 1/4" unless you had a very large unsupported area. Tae alook at commercial router tables, a lot of them just support around the edge and aren't close to 5/4 thick!