Any advantage to not building a router table?

[Bobby O'Neal]

I have been throwing around the idea of router table set ups. I think building one will be the way to go for me but I want to throw out the pros and cons. I have a gap between the fence rails on my table saw that would be a good place to build a router table extension I think.

So aside from the obvious issues of saving time by buying one and paying more money for it than doing it yourself (i think), are there any reasons that building a router table wouldn't be better than buying one?

[Neil Brooks]

Not that I know of.

I think it's a classic "buy vs. build" decision.

When I have more time, I'm almost certain to replace my (perfectly adequate) Kreg PRS2000 with a shop-built deal, similar to Norm's classic:

http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct.php?0301

[Tom Walz]

I sell Woodpeckers router tables and I still say go ahead and build one. If it doesn't work out stick a flower pot in the middle and call it a planter.

I don't know how much money I save and I do know that I can buy stuff much better than I make myself. However there is an intensely pleasant feeling every time I use something I made.

When Dad passed away everything went to Mom, which is right and proper, except that he left $500 to each of us kids. I had been thinking about a new porch railing for a while so I used that money to buy lumber, more clamps and build the railing. Now I sit out there with a cold beverage and my feet on the rail and it is pretty cool. Dad built things like this and he liked cold beverages and old dogs so, when I sit on the porch with a cold beverage and an old dog, it sort of feels right.

I could talk long and hard about the advantages of the router tables I sell and I would be honest and correct. However nothing I can ever sell you will give you the pride and satisfaction of something you build yourself.

Tom

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Lots of advantages to NOT building a router table....

It is finished when you buy it (we hope) with the pieces and parts fitting together in a nice way. When time is money, you can get something nice and move on.

So, why am I building my own, and what are my problems:



I am new at this, so, everything is a learning experience. Which advice is good and which is not?
I want to attach this thing to my table saw. I purchased a cobalt drill bit to drill holes in the side of the top so that I can attach the table. I learned to make my own coolant so that the bit did not over-heat (it really worked). I had to figure out how to drill a perpendicular to the slim side of the table while it was still in the table.
I purchased a sheet of laminate ($50) for the top and bottom.
I purchased 1" MDF ($25)
Now, I need to cut the MDF to fit exactly, then, learn to apply and work with laminate.
I learned how to tap MDF and strengthen the threads so that I can screw a portion of the base to the MDF.
I learned how to use pocket holes to attach MDF to the oak sides (and exactly how much pressure to use before the MDF goes boom).
I now know how to identify an SAE 8 bolt and why and if I care.


I have still not totally decided on how I will attach the sides to the table saw since the final top will be roughly 1 1/8" thick and the bolts will be roughly 3/4" from the top. Thinking about screwing through the oak frame and then doing something similar to a pocket hole into the MDF base to allow me to place the bolt. Still pondering that, and I must perform a few experiments first.

As a busy hobbiest with little time, it will literally take me a few weeks to work these things out and I will still not have a fence (other than using my table saw fence) or similar. I will, however, have learned much in the process. Would have saved time and probably money if I had simply purchased something.

[Rod Sheridan]

Any advantage to not building a router table?

Sure there is, if you don't build it it won't be taking up shop space.;)

Actually, I don't own a router table and don't want one, however if I did I would probably build one.

Learning experience, developing new skills, pride in ownership...........Oh who am I kidding?

I'd buy the JessEm table because the red and black anodizing has such bling factor:D.

Regards, Rod.

[Brian Kent]

Try Pat Warner's website for interesting ideas on a simple router table.

[John TenEyck]

I always build what I can, and a router table is something easily built, from simple to sophisticated, whatever tickles your fancy. I had a Woodsmith design one I built around 20 years ago and it worked just fine until I needed the floor space for something else. So now I have one that I built to replace one wing on my table saw, just like you're planning. Pretty simple affair. Two layers of MDF skinned with laminate, a space routed for the router plate, and a few bolts to attach it to the table saw and fences. I also built a fence that attaches to my ripfence, but find it's faster to use by just clamping it to the table. It has a vacuum pickup that works great and some T-slots in it for hold downs and other things. Having the router as part of the table saw allows you to slide big pieces past the router when needed with good support and little effort. Very nice if you build large stuff, as I often do.

[glenn bradley]

Mine is attached to the saw and has a cabinet. This was an evolution that began as an extension-style router table. The top is a Rockler factory top that I picked up cheap when they changed styles. Otherwise I would have built the new table when I added the lift.

[keith micinski]

"I have still not totally decided on how I will attach the sides to the table saw since the final top will be roughly 1 1/8" thick and the bolts will be roughly 3/4" from the top. Thinking about screwing through the oak frame and then doing something similar to a pocket hole into the MDF base to allow me to place the bolt. Still pondering that, and I must perform a few experiments first."

I had this same problem so I ended up buying three small c-clamps as a temporary setup and it ended up being a really nice permanent setup. It holds the tops together really well while being easy to get adjusted dead nuts on right away. It is also easy to remove if for some reason I need to.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I had this same problem so I ended up buying three small c-clamps as a temporary setup and it ended up being a really nice permanent setup. It holds the tops together really well while being easy to get adjusted dead nuts on right away. It is also easy to remove if for some reason I need to.

Brilliant.........

My latest thought was that I might simply put a large screw through and into the oak. A C-clamp is a great idea....

May still need to do something to keep things in place with respect to the saw fence rails, but, it is the initial table saw attachment that is the biggest problem. The others I may do something as stupid simple as drilling a hole at the correct height and shoving in my square headed bolts

[Bobby O'Neal]

Mine is attached to the saw and has a cabinet. This was an evolution that began as an extension-style router table. The top is a Rockler factory top that I picked up cheap when they changed styles. Otherwise I would have built the new table when I added the lift.



I like that cabinet setup, Glenn. On an unrelated note, how do you like your Craftsman cabinet saw? I haven't seen alot of them around.

[Chip Lindley]

Incorporating a router table into the tablesaw is a natural! Saves space, utilizing the same space twice. Any floor space that might be filled with a router table is occupied by a spindle shaper in my shop.

[Dewayne Reding]

As stated, space would be a consideration. I built Norms router station. As far as price savings, it depends on what you want. You need to buy a pretty nice table to have the adjustability, storage, and precision of Norms design. What most impressed me with mine is that dust collection. Even when I only hook up a shopvac to it, dust collection is superior to most of my mid level, store bought tools using my Delta DC. Most of the time I regret trying to make a tool I can buy, the router station was an exception.

[Steve LaFara]

Built mine and have probably only used a hand held less than a dozen times since. I personaly think it's one of the top 3-4 pieces of equipment in the shop. All depends on what you plan on making as to whether it's worth the extra floor space.

Made mine from an old kitchen sink cabinet with double doors and a section of small drawers. 24" x 48"

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I routed a hole in my table saw extension wing and dropped in a router plate. Yeah dust collection is not great, but as mentioned it's "free" space. Use the TS fence. I bought a fence buddy clamp and butchered a shopvac floor sweep into a rudimentary above table dust collector. No DC under. But it works and its cheap.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I have a shop made table and also a cheap Ryobi table/router combo I bought for $99.00 at Home Depot.
I bought the Ryobi first and later built my own.
I'd originally thought I'd just sell the Ryobi and build something better (for a portable job site table) using my PC690.
The cheap Ryobi however, has proved to be too usefull to get rid of.
BTW - @ some point I probably will buy a Milwaukee fixed/plunge combo to replace the Ryobi.

I guess what I'm getting at here is that there isn't a one size fits all answer to the question.



However nothing I can ever sell you will give you the pride and satisfaction of something you build yourself.



There is a downside to that also...
I don't despise the table I built,,,,but,,,I really don't like it either.
It wasn't until it was all put together and finished & I could see and feel the way it is that I concluded it wasn't for me.
A huge advantage to store-bought is that you can see, touch , pretend to work on it, taste it smell it - whatever...plus what you see is what you get..

I made a huge mistake w/mine that just irritates me every time I look at it. I decided to give Minwax water based stain a try. I simply can't stand the "muddy" look it has.
It irritates me so bad that at some point I'm thinking I'm going to just paint the thing. IIRC, I have a piscture of it uploaded here.

Yeah here it is:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=105252&d=1230722265

Uuuuuglyyyy!!!

[Chris Jackson]

To your original question of advantages to "Buy v/s Build" let me say this...as with every decision in regard to shop tool builds or purchases it most definately depends on your work style and preferences. I would consider myself a middle of the road half hand tool, half power tool sort of worker and I try to limit my router use to as little as possible. The noise, dust, and general distaste for the router makes me shy away from it when there are hand tool options.

That said, I still own two routers...and 3 bases, and a router table. When I do end up with work which must be done with the router I try to perform the task outside of my router table. This is because I enjoy my OF 1010 Festool units dust collection capability and its rater quiet comparison to my 2HP monster Craftsman in the table.

When it came time for a table, and there most definately are tasks that it excells at, I went with an inexpensive Bosch premade unit from the Borg and mounted it to a rolling cart which also holds my hollow chisel mortiser. Advantages to this setup for me are pretty straight forward:

Space savings- The premade unit I bought is a table top model and approximately 24" x 18". This really saves some room in an already cramped shop.

Convenience- Mounted atop a rolling cart chasis makes this very convenient. I keep all my bits in a drawer below, have an integrated power switch for dust collection and collets, etc are close at hand.

Cost Savings- Knowing my tendancy to seriously overbuild shop jigs and tools, I would easily have spent 4 to 6 times as much money on a unit I built for myself.

Simplicity of Method- Having only a simple table top style box with nothing but a fence and some basic dust collection, keeps me honest to the method of work that I enjoy which is as much hand tool work or at least free hand machine work as possible since my router table is not the most fancy beautiful tool, I tend to use it only when required, which keeps my work more honest and simple.

Hope that helps....

Regards,
Chris