SawStop Side Table as a Router Table

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I built a router table that I installed into my Ridgid table saw, and I really liked it. I am in the process of assembling my new SawStop with a 36" fence. The fence comes with a table top that inserts between the fence rails to the right of the blade. The table is 6" longer my home built router table, so I guess that the SawStop has smaller cast iron wings and/or top than my ridged saw.

I am considering:



Build a new top. It would fit well, be well built, but take more time than I care to use.
Install the old router top and step between the rails a few inches to use the router.
Modify the side table to be my router table.


I am considering option 3, but I don't know what is under that shiny black surface and I would need to reinforce the bottom to prevent sagging. I measured things late last night, and I believe that top is probably 3/4" thick material. Will probably enforce the entire center section between the existing support beams, but I might simply add some more support beams so that the supports are directly under the area that would support the router lift. I am a bit concerned as to what the hard shiny material is and how it will route. I hope that the laminate trimmer bits and pattern bits that I have should be able to cut it smoothly, it worked well for laminate on my shop made router table.

My current router top does NOT have track, which is probably good, because track would not work in the SawStop (because heavy steel angle brackets are used for the fence, and it goes almost to the top of table.... and I don't really want to cut a path like they did for the saw tracks).

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

[Alan Lightstone]

I have a project and blog on another woodworking site that details how I made a router table on the right wing of my 52" SawStop. I used a cast iron router table top and a 3 HP router, so support under the wing was key (it actually lifted the saw into the air and scared the daylights out of me while building it). I don't think I'm able to post the link here, but google is your friend. Just google "Sawstop and Router Cabinet / Infeed Table / Outfeed Table Project" and you'll find it. The blog gives running details of the construction, the project shows completed pictures.

[Brian Tymchak]

Andrew,

I'm not familiar with SS rails, but when I put my Incra rails on my TS I replaced the left wing with a router table. I shifted the rails over to align better with the router table as the rails are the main support for the router table. Can you do #2 and shift the rails to the left? Not sure that if that would help you or create a different issue to deal with.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Andrew,

I'm not familiar with SS rails, but when I put my Incra rails on my TS I replaced the left wing with a router table. I shifted the rails over to align better with the router table as the rails are the main support for the router table. Can you do #2 and shift the rails to the left? Not sure that if that would help you or create a different issue to deal with.
Pretty sure that the SS rails will not shift. They screw directly into the center table, and on the left I do not have good access to where the router table would be. Considered scraping everything, however, and building a router / table outfeed table :-)

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I have a project and blog on another woodworking site that details how I made a router table on the right wing of my 52" SawStop. I used a cast iron router table top and a 3 HP router, so support under the wing was key (it actually lifted the saw into the air and scared the daylights out of me while building it). I don't think I'm able to post the link here, but google is your friend. Just google "Sawstop and Router Cabinet / Infeed Table / Outfeed Table Project" and you'll find it. The blog gives running details of the construction, the project shows completed pictures.
Found it, and oh my goodness, now that is very nice. I am totally impressed. I will give that a good read tonight.

[Victor Robinson]

Don't worry about the black material - it's just glossy laminate and routs fine. *Underneath is MDF.

[Alan Lightstone]

In particular, read the part of the blog where I used the adjustable feet on the router box to level the table with the table saw table. I thought that method worked out particularly well, and was easy to fine tune to being perfectly level.

[Peter Aeschliman]

Alan, your tablesaw/router table setup is impressive!

Does your incra fence come off easily, or do you just not use the wider rip capacity of your tablesaw?

[Don Jarvie]

Does Sawstop sell the extension table with the router opening already cut? It may be worth trying to get it if its available. Just have to put it together and drip the router in.

[Brad Gobble]

cutting the hole isn't a big deal - I made a template and routed it out. build a box under the table for dust collection and to hold the switch. I've since made a few mods (changed switches to the nifty push type, made bottom slanted) but you get the idea.

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/gobradgo/IMAG0194.jpg
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/gobradgo/IMAG0193.jpg
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/gobradgo/IMAG0192.jpg

[Mike Delyster]

The black laminate is very easy to use a router on, I never used any special bits and the cuts turned out very smooth.

[Alan Lightstone]

Alan, your tablesaw/router table setup is impressive!

Does your incra fence come off easily, or do you just not use the wider rip capacity of your tablesaw?
I have the incra fence attached with 6 screws and captive T-nuts mounted in the bottom of the table. It only takes a few minutes to remove the fence. It is a minor annoyance, but I can use the entire 52" capacity when I need to. You can see the screws on the mounting plate in this photo.
228972

Here's a few pictures of the completed system:
228973228974228975

You can see the intentional gap in the router door to allow air to flow for the dust collection.

I didn't feel comfortable allowing the router to freely hang in an unsupported box. With the heavy 3-1/4 HP router I have, sagging would have been only a matter of time for the table. Once I chose the cast iron table, there really wasn't another option. I was far happier supporting the box and making the table perfectly level.

Here's a close up of the adjustable legs. I just dialed in level and locked them down:
228976

[Ken Seiler]

I just completed setup of the SawStop contractor w/36" fence. After seeing the above pics, I had to go check my table. I am planning on replacing the sheetmetal extension & extension with a new router table. My extension table is about 5/8" thick and I didn't think that it would support my Ryobie RE-600 router. Then again, maybe it will since it looks like others have done it.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I just completed setup of the SawStop contractor w/36" fence. After seeing the above pics, I had to go check my table. I am planning on replacing the sheetmetal extension & extension with a new router table. My extension table is about 5/8" thick and I didn't think that it would support my Ryobie RE-600 router. Then again, maybe it will since it looks like others have done it.

I gave my old table to the guy that purchased my previous saw.... It was far more robust (I used 1" MDF and oak for support underneath).

I went ahead and used the existing table and cut the hole. I still need to adjust the depth, it is a bit high on one end, but, I added a few extra supports that fall almost directly under the rabbits where the router plate sits. I figure that the MDF cannot sag much if it is properly supported.

[Kelly Colin Mark]

I have a project and blog on another woodworking site that details how I made a router table on the right wing of my 52" SawStop. I used a cast iron router table top and a 3 HP router, so support under the wing was key (it actually lifted the saw into the air and scared the daylights out of me while building it). I don't think I'm able to post the link here, but google is your friend. Just google "Sawstop and Router Cabinet / Infeed Table / Outfeed Table Project" and you'll find it. The blog gives running details of the construction, the project shows completed pictures.
Alan, I know I am more than a year too late to this thread, but your build (and Ted's) were inspiring. They're the most beautiful projects of their ilk I've ever seen, and ingenious,in so many ways,to boot.

It's something that would be incredibly useful to me, who is almost certainly even more space challenged than you. I entertained doing something similar until I got honest with myself and admitted I don't have a small fraction of the skill needed. If you sold plans or had measurements I would probably be foolish enough to try.

Thanks for the inspiration. Maybe one day I'll be good enough.

[Kelly Colin Mark]

Has anyone built a router table into their *left* extension wing ? With the way my space is arranged, a table on the right side would be completely unusable - there's no room to even get around there. One in the left wing would be still be tight, but would be still be useful. I have the contractors model.

[Mark Andrew]

I cut a hole in my PCS top and installed a Rockler router plate and PC7518 router. I wish I hadn't. The top sagged. In fact, you can see this in Brad's second picture. The reflection of the light strip is ever so slightly arced. If I hadn't ruined the top, I'd have a nice top for a tool cart or similar.

The solution was a bit nuclear, but works. I got the Benchdog cast iron router wing, and Benchdog cast iron lift. I had to cut the rails to let the tracks work, but that was a simple task with drill, jigsaw, files and a small can of black gloss enamel. I'm in the middle of building the cabinet under the wing.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Couple of comments.

First, regarding the right side of the contractor's model. If I remember correctly, the right hand side is thin metal. Can you remove that metal and replace it entirely with a new top that you make yourself? If so, you could take some MDF, laminate both sides, embed it in say an oak frame, and use that as the left hand side. Bonus that you do not modify your existing top.

Second, where do you live? Perhaps someone who lives close by could give you hand; for example, do you live near Columbus Ohio? If so, we can throw one together for you. I probably have most of the stuff you would need just sitting around (like the MDF and the laminate). :D

[Kent Cartwright]

I have the router table to the left of the Sawstop, but not cut into the TS wing. I extended to the left, as this also gave me a larger tabletop to help support sheet goods. I then installed an Incra fence that serves both the tablesaw and the router table. I am in a basement shop so space is at a premium. Changeover from TS to router is pretty quick - loosen four large wing-nuts, slide the fence over, tighten wing-nuts, slide on the split router-table fence. Takes about a minute or so. Same amount of time to reverse. I wish I had the space for a stand-alone router table with a dedicated fence, but this is the next best thing.

[Sean Ramsay]

Hey Kelly, I was looking at this option for adding router table to left side of a sawstop.
Same parts that just received good reviews in FWW article.
http://www.general.ca/products/2_excalibur/40-070.html

[Michael Mahan]

so the wing on a SawStop are not cast iron ?
interesting ,

[Earl Rumans]

The standard wings on the SawStop Contractors saw are stamped. You have to pay for the upgraded cast iron wings. By the time you pay to add the cast iron wings and the better fence you are almost at the cost of the 1.75 hp PCS saw.

[Eric Schubert]

On the contractor, the wings are not cast iron, unless you upgrade them. Only the table is cast iron. On the PCS, the main wings are cast iron, but the table extension for the extra width (36" or 52") is not cast iron. it's laminate, which means it could be cut to insert a router plate. After hearing how it might sag, I'd be hesitant to do that, though. At least with heavier routers, or without extra support underneath.