What's the widest piece of stock you would run through a router table??

[Duane Bledsoe]

Generally speaking, unless you've made a super sized table for a router, then most of them are in the 2' x 3' area in size, right?? What's the widest piece of stock that you might run through on a table that size before going to a freehand router?? I'm figuring a 1x12 would be about as wide as I'd run on the table, and then if it were anything larger than this I'd just route it freehand.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I think for general profile routing, I would be inclined to go freehand more quickly. For more 'complicated' cuts, such as stopped rabbets/dados or mortises, or for cuts that need to be repeatable and consistent, I would try to use the table as much as I could even for larger pieces, as long as I felt I could control it. Also - length matters. I would use the table for a 1x12 without hesitation, unless it was really long.

[Lloyd Kerry]

I always freehand with wide boards (>6"). For me, stability is key. It the board's narrow, you get stability from the router table. If the board's wide, there's your stability.

[Mike Cutler]

55"x 29", 4/4 panels. "Freehanded" on edge. I've also done the T&G edge joint on 10' long jatoba boards that were all 12" + width, 4/4- 8/4. thick.
My router table isn't pretty. It's big, heavy, and flat.

[Todd Burch]

I have run very large panels on my cmt (orange) router table. I was raising the panels with a large cove, so freehanding was not an option. IIRC, the walnut panels were 28+" wide and close to 5' long.

Definitely should have had a sliding table shaper on that job.

[mreza Salav]

I've done 2'x4' on a router table; I think free-hand routing not only depends on the size of the piece but also the router bit you are using.
I'd never use some router bits in free-hand routing (e.g. a panel raiser).

[Matt Meiser]

I'd go bigger than 12". Not sure how big but half a dining table is too big for comfort. Worst case you might tip the stock out of the cut with most profiles and could just rerun it. I'd choose the router table when I could for the reduced mess.

[glenn bradley]

It has more to do with the operation than the size for me. Any size that can be properly supported throughout the operation is fine. Roller stands, outfeed tables, etc. allow most anything to be run but, does it make sense? I wouldn't go through the trouble setting up the table and supports to put a simple/small profile around a table top, that operation can be done quickly and reliably with a free hand routing operation. Spinning a large fingernail bit is a little hairy freehand as deviations can be damaging to the piece as well as dangerous to the operator. Drawer lock bits are not very elegant for freehand use and panels being joined this way would well exceed 12". So, I sort of judge the operation and try for the method that seems to make sense. Size of the piece being milled can be a factor but certainly not a rule for me ;-)

[Jim Becker]

No question in my mind that regardless of the size of a workpiece, if a big cutter is being employed, the router table is the only way I'll do the operation. For general edge treatments, it depends on the specific piece and if it's a one-shot or a repeated process over multiple workpieces.

[keith micinski]

I will use the router table exclusively no matter the size because I have a terrible problem with the stability of a hand held router. I even bought an offset plate for my hand held router and I still don't feel comfortable with it. I guess if I was doing a whole table top then I would hand held it but barring that I always go table.

[Neil Brooks]

Interesting question.

Whenever I can use the table, I do.

I've had to use three-sides of support, before, with infeed/outfeed rollers, and ... if I had to do it again ... would want (omnidirectional) "roller" stands, instead of the bi-directional cylinder type.

I haven't yet really found a need to work a BIG sheet, though, to get a profile. In a few cases, I've simply put the profile on smaller strips and glued them up TO the larger panel. If it's unwieldy ... I'd usually try to figure out how to make THIS work, rather than slinging around large panels -- even IF they're well supported.