Router table as TS extension wing

[Victor Robinson]

My shop is cramped, and will be even more so with the addition of the SS table saw.

As I'm waiting for another two months to pull the trigger on that, I turned my attention to making the router more functional with a router table. Mike's Sawstop setup thread as well as the thread about Quality Grinding got me thinking and I'm wondering whether it might be best to spend the money on a cast-iron extension table for the TS rather than half as much for a table/fence. For the time being I could use the RT on a cabinet and once space becomes a premium once the TS arrives, switch it over.

Considering I was going to add the cast-iron wings to the Sawstop CS anyways, maybe this way I can leave the left side as the stock stamped steel and have the right side be the cast iron RT. In that case, the cost of the RT is close to a wash.

So my questions are:

1) What are the downsides to having the router in the table saw extension?

2) Any balance/stability issues with having one wing of the TS be stamped steel and the other being cast iron?

3) Is the only advantage to having the RT extension be cast-iron the weight/stability (for the TS as well)?

4) Any cast-iron RT extension vendors you'd recommend? So far I've looked at MLCS and Peachtree, both of whom have a solution in the $300-$350 range.

[Chip Lindley]

Victor, my space is at a premium too. No RT for me! The PM66 with 50" fence makes a huge footprint as it is. On a mobile stand, my TS has legs under the long end. I routed out the laminate-covered, particle board table for a JessEm lift. No use in all that real estate going to waste. An aux. router fence clamped to my Accu Fence works great.

The stock table that came with my PM66 works great for me. I have never considered a CI ExT. 36x28" would be HUGE anyhow.

If the ExT was opposite a 5hp motor on the bigger models, you may get buy without legs or bracing. Depends on the width of the ExT. But, with the contractor SS, you will definately need legs or diagonal bracing. Consider a home-built ExT to save weight on the lighter CS saw. An MDF/laminate ExT will serve you well.

[glenn bradley]

Cast or not, an RT in the wing makes perfect sense to me. Not so for others but, we are all different.

1) What are the downsides to having the router in the table saw extension?
- I have not found any.

2) Any balance/stability issues with having one wing of the TS be stamped steel and the other being cast iron?
- I advise full sturdy support of both tools whether they share the same body or not. I also replaced the stamped wings of my old saw with well supported MDF. Oh why did I wait so long. My current saw extends both ways in CI now, the exception is that the RT is still not metallic.

3) Is the only advantage to having the RT extension be cast-iron the weight/stability (for the TS as well)?
- I didn't used to think so. I was after a Bench Dog int he worst way a-way back when. Now I am fine with 1-3/8" of well supported MDF.

4) Any cast-iron RT extension vendors you'd recommend? So far I've looked at MLCS and Peachtree, both of whom have a solution in the $300-$350 range.
- I cannot speak to this as I do not have a CI router table but will mention that in other areas I have found that if the followers cost as much as the leader, go with the leader (JMHO don't get excited).

[David Helm]

Grizzly makes a couple of cast iron router table extension wings.

[Brad Westcott]

The only real disadvantage is that certain operations and setups may be interupted and cause one to have redo one's settings. Not a big deal if you don't do a lot of woodwork. Can be a pain and diminish accuracy as a worst case scenario.

[scott spencer]

My shop is small, and having a RT in the TS wing is a great space saver. The downsides are the limits to the overall size, storage space, and DC compared to a stand alone RT. You can actually build DC and storage below. I've worked around the table size too, and really rarely feel that this setup is much of a hindrance for me.

I pulled this setup and installed it on my new saw but don't have good pics yet:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/RT/NRT6-1.jpg

Here's the current fence setup:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/RT/rt003.jpg

[Jon Todd]

I can only think of one thing hat has been a pain to me and its only happened a couple of times. i use the Saw fence to clamp my RT fence on to. I've needed to cut something down on the saw and had to undo the RT fence to do it.

Other than that I like it.