anyone re-purpose a CI table saw top to router table top?

[Michael Weber]

Seems like I've seen this talked about but can't find any related threads. The one's I seem to recall reference the difficulty of mounting a router to the ribbed bottom of the table saw top but I want to install a plate the router would be attached to. Assuming one could get the milling done to adapt a router plate what other things would have to be overcome to do the above?

[Thomas Hotchkin]

Michael
I didn't use a CI table saw top, but a shaper table top works great. You do not have ribs to mill away on the shaper CI top. On the Powermatic 26 top I used, I had about .125 machined away for my router to bolt to. See here. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?192909-Have-you-seen-my-no-sag-router-table-top!&highlight= Tom

[Jim Rimmer]

I converted one on a C'man that burned up the motor. I have a friend that had a machine shop at home and he milled the area for the plate for me. The issue with the ribs is that you don't have support around 100% of the plate. I have had it about 3 years now an have had no problems. I'm a hobbyist and don't use it every day but i do use it quite a bit.

The only other thing i had to do was remove some of the sheet metal from the stand so I could access the router. I added a paddle switch for easy on/off control.

[Ruperto Mendiones]

Cost of milling a CI table might approach a new Bench dog CI router table.

[Jim Rimmer]

Cost of milling a CI table might approach a new Bench dog CI router table.
I was able to do it because a friend did it for free. I think if I had to pay, I wouldn't have a CI router table.

[Michael W. Clark]

If the ribs are in the way, why not grind/cut them away with a grinder and cut off wheel?

Personally, I prefer a solution without the router plate on the top surface. I like the setup above with the insert rings and using the router's lift mechanism for height adjustment. I am working on (dreaming up) a lift mechanism that fastens to the cabinet instead of the top. The used table saw may be the ticket. If I could convert the lift mechanism in there to linear instead of an arc, then might could have a tilting spindle setup as well. Would be completely home brew, but cool if it worked! You can get an old Delta cast iron contractors saw for less than $100 around here, saw some for $75 and under. For the top alone, that may be cheaper than the MDF/Laminate sandwich that most do.

[Bill Space]

I did not covert a second cast iron table into a router table, but what I did do (that I am happy with) is use a second cast iron saw table to extend my table to the right, to match the 52" capacity of my Unifence. I made a router table from some 1/2 inch micarta sheet that I had, which is positioned between my table saw table and the extra table that someone gave me.

Works well for me. The micarta sheet is probably 18" wide...I am pretty happy with the result, which I made to use with a Craftsman contractors saw and which I adapted for use with my Grizzly G1023RLWX cabinet saw.

Just another idea that might be an option, depending on the amount of table you want to the right of your saw blade...

The ribs under the extra cast iron table, along with the risk of the table warping if the ribs were disturbed, was concern enough for me to eliminate the desire to alter the extra cast iron table.

[Kevin Jenness]

I had a machinist mill away the ribs, bore for a spindle and bore/countersink for bolts to mount a router on the left wing of my Unisaw.When I added an Excalibur crosscut table I took the surplus wing and bolted it on the back of my shaper so I can use the powerfeed and dust collection on either one.

[Jim Rimmer]

If the ribs are in the way, why not grind/cut them away with a grinder and cut off wheel?
It's not that they are in the way; there is not solid cast iron you can mill away like you would a wooden table top so you don't don't have full support on the entire perimeter of the plate.