Worth modifying old Craftsman Router table?

[Charles Li]

I bought this old craftsman Router table with a router on Craigslist and foolishly didn't test it

298957

The router doesn't work ugh... So I got another router. Of course, my PC router doesn't fit the table. I want to build my own router table. Is it worth salvaging this table and drilling new holes? It's metal if there's any advantage to that. Or am I better off making my own top opening up more customization? I've never used a router table before so really have no guess which direction to go. Thanks for any insight.

[Kent A Bathurst]

In a word - no.

Table on the small-end of usable size, and is more flimsy than whatever you would build. Your fence will likely be a big improvement as well.

[glenn bradley]

Dad and I wasted enough time trying to make one of those usable as it took to build a decent one. I'd walk away. Although I have built tables before, I have come to the decision that for me, the most effective way to get what you want in a router table is as follows:

- think about dust collection, think about dust collection, think about dust collection, think about dust collection.
- choose the lift you will use (or choose the form factor of the lift you lust after and use an identical plate).
- design and build your cabinet to meet your needs and accept (and most importantly, support) the top design that you want.
- build or buy the top leaving overhang on either side for clamping various things as comes in the course of using a router table.
- build or buy a split fence with adequate depth to handle large bits (my current fence handles this by adding thicker faces to create more depth).

Route your brains out ;-)

[Rick Potter]

Agreed, dump it.

It is very easy to make a simple one that will be much better. Check youtube videos for examples.

[Matt Day]

I left mine at the curb when I moved.
A router mounted to a piece of plywood on sawhorses with a clamp on fence is better.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Wow! Tough crowd! ;).

I have the Ryobi cousin to that Craftsman.
I actually use the heck out of it.
It's easier to just drag it out and stick a 1/4" bit in it than it was to hunt up the 1/4" collet for my Freud 1700 and use that my big router table.

I tend to agree though - those things are real low end & don't have much on them to salvage.

[Stan Calow]

I got one of these at a garage sale. I set it up to more or less permanently mount a straight bit for jointing or rabbets. If the router doesn't work, I'd pitch it.

[lowell holmes]

Here's what I sometimes do. I have a router mounted in a saw table also, but often this is simpler.



299010

[Charles Li]

Wow, well that makes the decision easy lol. They seemed real popular given how frequently I'd see it on the net and just didn't know. I found a PC 892 which has the top depth adjustment option so going to try that. Although I've heard mixed reviews on that mechanism I'll give it a go with a basic top and no lift. Can't wait. For some reason I find routers fascinating despite barely ever using one lol. Thanks!

[Charles Li]

Here's what I sometimes do. I have a router mounted in a saw table also, but often this is simpler.



299010

Now that is clever! Maybe I should build a workbench first :/

[Jim Andrew]

I bought one of those craftsman router tables at a garage sale it had feather boards, but the plastic ones are so weak they really didn't work, and the lock on the collet didn't hold well, so the bit would raise up as I was using it, so just gave the whole thing to my nephew who didn't have one. I built a router table, used a 1/2" thick plastic plate, made the feather boards out of ash, which works very well, put rockler T tracks in the table top for attaching feather boards, and adjusting the fence. Different type bits require different methods of dust collection, grooves are hard to collect from, and the only way that works is to collect from the router base. Edge routing collects easily from the fence. Now that I have a shaper, find I use the router table much less. Thing is, if you buy the heavy duty router, the router lift, inserts and all the attachments, you could have a Grizzly shaper for about the same money.

[Charles Li]

and the lock on the collet didn't hold well, so the bit would raise up as I was using it,

That's exactly what happened to me. The spindle lock was broke so it was very difficult to tighten the bit. The bit moved while routing and quite frankly scared me enough to never plug it back in. Height adjustment was a nightmare too. Eh, maybe it's good the router didn't work!

[Kent A Bathurst]

Wow! Tough crowd! ;).

I have the Ryobi cousin to that Craftsman.
I actually use the heck out of it.


Charles - post it for sale in Classifieds.

Rich will jump on it. :D :D