cut to chase..router table designs/advice

[Steve Sedeski]

looking build router table to mount a Milwaukee 5625...new to SMC...I like many of the posted photos for ideas...just want to avoid design regrets...

concerns:
does the above table lift desgn for this router base perform just as well as the aftermarket lifts like for example: the one piece by jointech?...or would a aluminum plate from rockler be fine?

I have seen the many different versions of fences folks have come up with or purchased and attached to they're tables....this needs to be determined early in the design ie. slotted hold down grooves vs edge clamping. I'd really like to avoid a regret in this dept.

Seems everyone is using MDF and some reinforcing with ribbing. My dumb question is. What is the difference between formica and melamine?

[Steve Cox]

Plastic laminate (Formica is a brand name) is a layer of plastic bonded to several layers of resin impregnated paper. Melamine is the same plastic layer fused directly to a wood products substrate (usually particle board in my experience). Plastic laminate is more durable but is quite a bit more expensive than melamine.

Everyone keeps buying phenolic plates or aluminum plates to mount the routers to but I wonder why we don't just hollow the underside of the table somewhat and mount the router directly to that? You can make your own inserts out of lexan for different sized bits and then there would be no leveling problems like for aftermarket plates.

The question is not "does the Milwaukee's mechanism work as well as the aftermaket ones". The question should be "does the Milwaukee mechanism work well enough?" That I think is a definte yes.

[Ron Robinson]

Steve,

I have the Porter-Cable above the table adjustment on my router table and have been pleased so far. I have never used an aftermarket system but have seen them at shows and at stores. IMHO the aftermarket systems are probaby "better" (smoother, more accurate, beefier) but the OE system I have does everything I want it to do at the price point I was comfortable with.

Just my 0.02

Ron

[Cecil Arnold]

I won't comment on lifts, since I have a woodpeck and am happy with it, as to tables and fences, I think a number of folks here are happy with the NYW design, along with the fence or their variation of it. I used three pieces of 1/2" baltic sandwiched between formica for a table and have not had a problem with flex or dips. I'm using a Freud 3 1/4 hp dedicated router in the table.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I'm not sure ANYBODY has ever been happy with their first router table. Or second. Or third. A router table that works just fine for Sam might not be right for Joe. We all work differently.

I built several router tables and tops over the years. Some with miterslots, some without. One with a store bought fence (BenchDog...good fence, BTW), most with homemade fences or just a straight piece of wood for a guide. None of them was ever 'perfect'...and I think I've realized that none of them is EVER going to be perfect. If one were come close, I think it would be the Jess'em setup with the base/top/lift and sliding fence attachment.

Last summer I quit fiddling around trying to build my own and bought two Jointech table stands, two phenolic tops, two RouterLiftPros, two PC7518s to go in them, two SmartFences, and one Clincher positioning thingy. If I was doing it over, I might go with the Jess'em...or maybe one of each. But I'll NEVER make another top...phenolic is the way to go.

KC