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View Full Version : Dedicated M&T Router Station



Devon Hubbard
07-28-2016, 9:19 AM
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/013_zpst1ueenii.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/013_zpst1ueenii.jpg.html)


I've been playing with this for a while and have used it to build one set of cabinets. It consists of three stations. One to cut the mortise and two to cut the tenons. I used a 1/4" spiral upcut bit in the mortise station. The 2X4 push block rides along the front of the bed and helps to keep the tenon board square to the fence.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/014_zpsioub2fbv.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/014_zpsioub2fbv.jpg.html)

The second station is used to cut the face & both sides of the tenon.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/015_zpsoudiwgq9.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/015_zpsoudiwgq9.jpg.html)

The third station makes the back cut on the tenon. Face down on all three stations.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/016_zpsu5q79fz0.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/016_zpsu5q79fz0.jpg.html)

Initially, I made all four cuts on the tenon on the second station. However, if the stock is not perfectly uniform in thickness the tenon will be thick or thin and the face will not be flush. By adding the third station, the faces are always flush regardless of stock thickness irregularities. Tenons are always tight as well.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/017_zpssxpnjade.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/017_zpssxpnjade.jpg.html)

The bed is made from 3/16" X 3" angle and the fence is made from 3/16" X 5" strap. The routers are el-cheapo harbor freight 1/4" palm routers. They are roughly $28 with the widely available 20% discount coupons. The routers are hose clamped to 1 1/2 angle iron that is welded to the fence. The fence pivots on a bolt that is located on one end of the angle-iron bed and is height adjusted on the other end. Raising the fence raises the bit. Pretty simple.

I put a dab of glue on the tenon & use a 5/8" 23 gauge pin nailer and shoot it from the backside.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/018_zpsjqq1f5xw.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/018_zpsjqq1f5xw.jpg.html)

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/019_zpsapcz8dm7.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/019_zpsapcz8dm7.jpg.html)

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/020_zpsbsfyzeth.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/020_zpsbsfyzeth.jpg.html)

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/021_zpsiz3hjxhq.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/021_zpsiz3hjxhq.jpg.html)

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/022_zpsbmrjwblw.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/022_zpsbmrjwblw.jpg.html)

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/023_zpse4u94xwv.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/023_zpse4u94xwv.jpg.html)

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/devonhubb/024_zpsbwaszasf.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/devonhubb/media/024_zpsbwaszasf.jpg.html)

Larry Frank
07-28-2016, 10:34 AM
Very good idea and well built. The pictures are good and show how it is built and how adjustments are made. You will have to let us know how the HF routers work out and how good the collets hold.

Robin Frierson
07-28-2016, 10:35 AM
That is a very cool looking MT station. Very sold too, made out of all metal. Can you adjust it for different stock thickness.

Devon Hubbard
07-28-2016, 1:02 PM
Larry, the collets are wimpy. I had one that did loosen up on me. I degreased the collet, roughed up the shank with sandpaper & it is holding (so far). It it gives me anymore grief, I will apply loctite to the shank & nut & lock-it-for-life. These are cheap disposable routers anyway, so if one has to be replaced, it is no great loss. The bit may be a greater loss than the router.

Robin, no problem adjusting for thinner stock. However, I feel that 3/4" stock is probably approaching the limit for the router capability. Thicker stock would likely require better routers & probably a beefier fence to accommodate the heavier router.

Frederick Skelly
07-28-2016, 9:13 PM
That's darn clever Devon!

Chris Barrett
08-24-2016, 11:40 PM
Really like this idea!

Bill Neely
08-25-2016, 12:32 AM
Ingenious, nice work - I like that kind of thing. Thanks for sharing.