Router Solutions....

[Michael McAllister]

Hey Guys,

Be easy on me as i am new to woodworking forums and a relatively new wood hobbyist. I enjoy building things and one day in the future hope to build furniture and cabinets out of my shop. With that said i am in the market for a router and table. I have read many consumer reviews on several different variations and models, but am still weary, i only want to purchase this once, i have many tools already and understand the importance of quality tools,especially when it comes to woodworking. I have been looking at systems like the Jessum master lift,festool cmc and so on, i don't necessarily have to have something that extravagent but am lucky enough in my life right now where i could have.. Is all that stuff necessary in order to build quality furniture? Like i said i only want to buy it once,at least for the forseeable future anyways. just looking for a quality product and who would know better right? Any help will be appreciated.

-Mike

[Prashun Patel]

A router lift is not necessary for fine furniture. However, having used one for the past 6 months - after not having one for 5 years, I can tell you it makes life a lot easier.

If you are an 'advanced beginner' then a good project might be to build yourself a solid router table and cabinet. This will save you some $$ and give you a chance to develop some skills. It's a straightforward and valuable project.

Then you can buy a good lift and router, pop it in the table and be good to go for a good long while.

Personally, I'd start with a good 1.75hp router like the Porter Cable or Bosch. The PC is the Toyota Camry of routers. It's a safe bet. Eventually, you might like a 3hp router, or a trim router, but these can come later. Just make sure your lift is not uniquely sized to the router you choose; the newer models are universal.

As for the fence, I recommend you purchase that too. Some fences like my Incra LS Positioner have microadjustability, sliding cheeks, slots for all kinds of jigs/stops/featherboards to go in. You can build all that, but I doubt you'd save much $$.

[pat warner]

". Is all that stuff necessary in order to build quality furniture?"
**************************************
No, but plenty of homework is. Start simple, don't spend.
Tools, problems, skills will avail themselves, homework counts. Reading & study is important but this is a DO study, unless, like the rest of your luck right now, you're talented.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Like Prashan said, you don't need a nice router table to do what you are thinking. I actually have never had one. My router tables have always been whatever hunk of scrap I can rig up for a specific job, then it gets tossed when done. This was always because of lack of room for a decent router table and laziness. Now I have an easy to use and set up shaper that serves this role, but having it makes me think, I sure wish I would have done something like this years ago. Personally, I'd go shaper, not router table, but both work fine.

[Ole Anderson]

While you can get by with a router table that uses a versatle, removable 2 hp plunge router, you might quickly find out that a permanently mounted 3.25 hp VS router is the ticket, especially if you plan on spinning big panel raising bits. But that means a second router for other work. And if it fits your budget, a small trim router dedicated for roundovers and laminate work is another good addition. (Somebody stop me...) And, yes, a shop built router table is a great project. Personally, I recommend the Freud fence system, simple and very good rear fence dust collection and doesn't take up a lot of room. This table was built from plans in the November 1998 Wood magazine. It has excellent dust collection. The Freud system is a bit over $100 and comes with a micro adjuster and a split MDF fence, but it is easy to make a custom fence with a ZCI, or a tall fence. I really like the see through guard which also functions as a work piece hold down. I went with the older Hitachi M12V router, very popular 8 years ago and the Woodpecker lift built for that router.

http://www.casa.com/p/freud-sh-5-professional-micro-adjustable-router-table-fence-236805?site=CA&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_C&utm_term=HYV-2516&utm_campaign=GoogleAW&CAWELAID=1309083810&utm_content=pla&adtype=pla&cagpspn=pla

[glenn bradley]

Pat said it best. Many of us have nice tools that we "had" to have only to find out that our specific interests don't require that tool at all (I've got a compound miter saw and stand that gets used about once every 2 years :(). I use a router table on practically every project but, I did fine for years with a well supported piece of MDF and a Rockler fence (they're old style, no longer available but, still in use). I am glad I started this way as I got to find out what features were important to how I worked as opposed to what features make a "neat-o" router table. My current setup is more refined but fundamentally the same.

I did buy the trade rag's "darling" of the time as a motor, Milwaukee's 5625. This beast and his brother are still cranking away and have never even hiccuped. You will still see this router recommended by folks when you ask about router tables. The Porter-Cable 7518 is favored by many and also gets a lot of recommendations for this task.

Most importantly, do some work and let your direction evolve before you go throw a lot of money at things you are not well experienced with. Read everything. Listen to others here and on the other well moderated forum. You can pick up specific router targeted magazine collections and several woodworking magazines are available online with trial periods if you aren't sure which you might like to subscribe to long term.

Learning about your draft while you learn your craft is a wonderful ride. Enjoy the journey.

[Carl Beckett]

Michael,

Where are you? ( the reason I ask is that decent router setups come up from time to time on CL....)

The router was one of the first tools I used when I started building furniture. I sometimes mounted one in a makeshift table. And then I had different table versions over the years (a Delta router/shaper table -which later I modified with a large PC router), a CMT, and finally one I built myself. In hindsight I wish I would have just sucked it up from the start and built a table (or purchased one if I could find it).

Norms router table is a great choice. Or the one mentioned above. The home built ones are all pretty similar. Something like the CMT or rockler, or incra is next (just a standard table with fixed router plate - you have to reach under to change the bit height but thats easy enough. I just sold a router top with an Incra fence attached for $165. Add a plate and a router and you are pretty far along. I bet you can find something similar in your area and be up and running soon. (Im a fan of your first few projects being end projects, NOT building shop/equipment. I just think its more motivating to see something come out the other end for the first few items).

[Michael McAllister]

Thank you guy for your input,i will consider all of it. still doing homework and shopping around!Usually i just jump into buying something i am trying to avoid that this time!! I even went to a Rockler store today just to get a hands on feel of some products. I fear i am still a ways away from a decision.....

and Carl i am just outside the twin cities in MN. just relocated here back in Nov. Serious about making this more than just a hobby. So all your input is appreciated! and i will check out CL.

-Mike

[Michael McAllister]

Also guys i was looking today at a bench dog steel top. VERY heavy duty feeling and the kind of weight and size i am looking for in a top. I can easily build a cabinet for it.My only concern is that if i invest the money in the top are most router lifts,fences,miter slides usually interchangable? if i decide to go with the jessum lift or something similar are they likely to fit into the BD top?

[Dan Phalen]

Michael, I understand your interest in buying, but how about building? I've had nearly 6,000 downloads of my router table plans (http://www.crestonwood.com/plans.php) (FREE) from guys just like you. My motto is "You Can Do It" and a lot of people have found that to be true.

I also have a photo gallery to prove it can be done. It's all straight cuts, rectangular pieces, only a few 45's on some of the lighter pieces making the dust chute. If you're interested in the how-to, drop in (http://www.crestonwood.com/router.php) and see for yourself. Lots of pics.

Whichever way you go, I wish you all the best.

[John M Wilson]

There are multiple approaches to the idea of "buy my last [fill in the blank] tool", but sometimes you end up spending a lot of money on something that may not be the vital tool you thought it would be.

Here's a different approach: buy the second-to-last [fill in the blank] tool that you will ever need. It should be good enough to get you started, but might not be the top-of-the-line (and top of the price range).

This especially applies to router tables: a very nice portable router table can be purchased, used, and re-sold for a large fraction of its purchase price. This table will fit the mid-range hand-held routers that you will need anyway. As a plus, it can be used to build your very own custom router table with all of the bells and whistles. So you have something that will get you started along with a nice skill-building project, and you don't have to spend weeks in agony wondering if you have made the ultimate investment in the ultimate tool.

[Danny Thompson]

. . . if i decide to go with the jessum lift or something similar are they likely to fit into the BD top?

The BD has a cutout that is a different size (8 1/4 x 11 3/4) than many other tables, plates, and lifts. Still, Rockler sells a version of the Jessem Mast-R-Lift II for the Bench Dog; it is called the "Incra Master Lift II Designed for Rockler Tables". They also sell the Bench Dog brand lift called the ProLift Router Adjustment System.

I went with a Triton router, which has a built-in lift, but I hear great things about the Mast-R-Lift II and very good things about the ProLift.