different twist on router table in ts extension wing

[Nathan Callender]

So, I'm working on a ts/router workstation combo design, and normally when people put a router table to the right side of their table saw, they orient the faceplate and fence to be parallel to the table saw fence and run stock from the back of the saw to the front. Has anyone oriented their faceplate and fence to be perpendicular to the table saw fence? I can see several advantages: you get a lot of more infeed and outfeed support, you can stand in front of the saw instead of by the side, and you could then run an overarm blade guard attached to the right side of the workstation. This was the main reason I started thinking about this. What do you all think? Good idea or am I missing something?

[brett gallmeyer]

the only problem i see is that you wouldnt b able to use your tablesaw fence.

[Prashun Patel]

I thought about the same thing.

There are 2 reasons to do it the 'conventional way'

1) You don't have to remove the saw fence to use the router or vice versa.

2) Both devices have their infeed and outfeed oriented in the same direction, so you only need a lot of clearance in front and behind the saw. In your config, you'd need to have adequate clearance on the side of the saw as well (for the infeed to the router). For the space constrained shop (which'd be the main motivation for comboing these 2 tools) this cld be a problem.

[John Gregory]

Seems to me that David Marks (Woodworks) fed the saw table wing router from the front of the saw table. I feed it from the back.

[Josiah Bartlett]

I made a fence overlay that lets me feed from either direction, depending on which side of the router bit I put the fence.

[glenn bradley]

I chose the "correct" way . . . just kidding, this is what worked for me. I put the RT on the left. I have consistent feed direction, use a common outfeed table, increased worksurface for both tools and can keep my saw close to the right wall as the right side is restricted by my overarm, cyclone plumbing and so forth anyway (YMMV).

The router bit spins so you can feed at any angle and take advantage of your larger work surface. I run a seperate fance and so don't normally do this but can (and have) as required.

The configuration I find curious is the table on the right of the saw, the fence to the right of the bit and leaning over the saw to run your stock through(???). That would not work for me (again, YMMV). Have fun, you can always change it if you don't like it.

[Dan Karachio]

I'm sorry, but I think the idea of a consistent feed direction is pointless. I mean, really, so what? What does it buy you other than entertaining esoteric theories that the amount of chaos in the unversie will be reduced .000000000000000002? with your router and TS feeding in the same direction. Outfeed? Again, so what. If you have a normal router table you have zero outfeed. Who needs it? Where you stand when routing? Again, so what - you route from the end no matter what side it is on. Left or right does nothing, absolutely nothing, to impact efficiency or convenience.

I'll tell you one advantage being on the right. You have more room under the router table so you can build more storage and DC.

[Brian D Anderson]

1) You don't have to remove the saw fence to use the router or vice versa.



This would be the biggest annoyance for me. I like being able to leave both fences on. I had a nice little setup going when I made cove molding for some stairs I made. I ran the molding on the router table . . . kept walking in a circle right to the table saw . . . cut off the piece . . . kept walking around the table saw and back to the router. Rinse and repeat about 14 times and I had the molding done in a few minutes.

If you can make an outfeed table really wide, you'll have an infeed table for the router. :D

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=148665&d=1271762992

-Brian

[Bill LaPointe]

This has worked well for me.

[glenn bradley]

I'm sorry, but I think the idea of a consistent feed direction is pointless. I mean, really, so what? What does it buy you other than entertaining esoteric theories that the amount of chaos in the unversie will be reduced .000000000000000002?

A perfect example of how people are different. Things that are important to one person may be of little consequence to another. We are all together in the "universie" (sic).


with your router and TS feeding in the same direction. Outfeed? Again, so what. If you have a normal router table you have zero outfeed. I must route longer stuff than you. Wait, there's that difference again :).


Who needs it? Where you stand when routing? Again, so what - you route from the end no matter what side it is on. Left or right does nothing, absolutely nothing, to impact efficiency or convenience.I stand to the right of the bit, feed past it and end up on the left unless I am working on small parts and then I just stand there ;).


I'll tell you one advantage being on the right. You have more room under the router table so you can build more storage and DC.Actually my motor cover is on the right. There is much more room on the left of my saw. Ah, there's that difference amongst us all showing up once again :D:D:D

P.s. Less coffee ;)

[James Malcolm]

I decided to have my cake and eat it to. I have both. Mini gloat here :) I started with a Woodpecker's 27" x 43" router table

http://www.woodpeck.com/rt2743.html

Their pictures are incorrect. It now has their combo track: miter and t-slot, which caused me issues. I mounted a track parallel to the existing and a pair perpendicular. If it's a single track, you can double miter the ends of the tracks and it will be great in both directions. Since it came with combo track, I had to make compromises. There's a 2.5" deadspot in adjustment parallel to the TS fence starting where the image is and extending 2.5" further out. I'll make a plate with offset clamp down holes that the fence bolts down to if I ever need to. Nice thing about having the fence parallel to the TS fence is that I now have 6+' of cut capacity on my TS.

156944

[Bruce Wrenn]

My vote goes for using left wing of TS. Most of the time, the right side isn't easily accessed, as it's up against the wall,or a column. When profiling an edge and ripping it off to make molding, you can add a router table fence. Drill and tap a couple of holes in the top of your table saw for fence. Don't worry about resale value, as you widow will probably get a heck of a lot less than what you paid. Besides, IT"S YOURS! Enjoy it. ShopNotes did a left side router table in a recent article on TS work station.

[Prashun Patel]

I'm sorry, but I think the idea of a consistent feed direction is pointless. .

It's not for cosmological satisfaction. My shop is narrow. So I have my saw oriented so the infeed / outfeed are in the long direction of the shop; the right side is up against the wall.

If I had a perpendicularly oriented router fence, then I wouldn't have enough room on the infeed or outfeed side of the router fence.

Does that make sense? If a shop has a lot of space all around the saw, then I agree, that 2nd point is moot.

[Van Huskey]

I am a do what works for you kinda guy, sometimes the shop and/or machines force you do do it different than your ideal. Case in point I prefer the RT to the left of the TS however my PM2000 has the motor cover on the left and thus I have to run it on the right. Shawn nailed the two big reasons I see against going perpendicular to the TS blade.

[Dan Karachio]

This would be the biggest annoyance for me. I like being able to leave both fences on. I had a nice little setup going when I made cove molding for some stairs I made. I ran the molding on the router table . . . kept walking in a circle right to the table saw . . . cut off the piece . . . kept walking around the table saw and back to the router. Rinse and repeat about 14 times and I had the molding done in a few minutes.

If you can make an outfeed table really wide, you'll have an infeed table for the router. :D

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=148665&d=1271762992

-Brian

Brian, that is the prettiest set up I have ever seen. It is fantastic! If someone has a better looking left side set up, then I will retract my silly arguments, but I doubt anyone can show you up on either side! Hey, why is there no dust in your shop! :)

[Dan Karachio]

It's not for cosmological satisfaction. My shop is narrow. So I have my saw oriented so the infeed / outfeed are in the long direction of the shop; the right side is up against the wall.

If I had a perpendicularly oriented router fence, then I wouldn't have enough room on the infeed or outfeed side of the router fence.

Does that make sense? If a shop has a lot of space all around the saw, then I agree, that 2nd point is moot.

That makes perfect sense, but you say yourself feed direction being better on one side or the other is not the issue - it is space. What I am arguing against is the often stated ascertain that left is superior to right, minus any other factor, is just plain silly and groundless. By golly, I have taken it on as my mission in life to debunk this statement! :-) Of course mounting on the right is more complicated, because it is often mounted to an existing wing and therefore needs support, but that doesn't make it better or worse from a use stand point.

[Jeff Hamilton Jr.]

Brian, that is the prettiest set up I have ever seen. It is fantastic!


No doubt! Very, very cool. :cool:

[Nathan Callender]

Thanks for the feedback. Really, the main question I have is how do you do an overarm blade guard with a router table on the right side? For shop reasons, I can't really put the table on the left side, so if I have an overarm guard which mounts on the far right, how would I get a router table in there as well, without having to feed it like I feed the table saw (I know some people do it that way, but I just don't feel safe - I've tried it)? Or maybe I just need to give up on the idea of an overarm guard. :-)

[Brian D Anderson]

Thanks for the feedback. Really, the main question I have is how do you do an overarm blade guard with a router table on the right side? For shop reasons, I can't really put the table on the left side, so if I have an overarm guard which mounts on the far right, how would I get a router table in there as well, without having to feed it like I feed the table saw (I know some people do it that way, but I just don't feel safe - I've tried it)? Or maybe I just need to give up on the idea of an overarm guard. :-)

You could always go the Sharkguard or something similar route. No left or right mounting. I think there are some guards that can be mounted to the ceiling as well.

-Brian