Grizzly Router Table

[Nate Rogers]

Hello All!
My name is Nate Rogers, I have been lurking in the shadows admiring all the fine work here. Now I have a question, I am looking at upgrading my router table. I have several projects coming up that will require extensive router table duty. I am intrigued by this table that grizzly sells, it has a sliding table and really looks nice. I am curious is anyone out there has used it?
http://images.grizzly.com/grizzlycom/pics/jpeg500/G/G0528.jpg

P.S. I promise to upload some pics of my work when time allows, thanks!

Nate

[Keith Outten]

Welcome Nate,

When I saw the same router table in the Grizzly catalog I was interested in the slider, seems to me a nice feature for a router table. I started a new thread concerninig the router table and at that time there wasn't anyone who had the table. I hope you get a response from someone who has purchased this table and is willing to share their comments.

[Chris Barton]

I have not used one or even seen one but, it was reviewed along with a variety of other router tables by the "Shops & Tools" annaul edition of FWW. They said it was difficult to move a router in and out of this particular router table but, that it was also the only one with a sliding table. I personally prefer my home-made router station loosely based upon Norm's NYW "improved router station." While the sliding mechanism is handy for a limited number of functions, I don't necessarily think it lends itself to an overall great machine situation. I have 2 Incra Ultras and use them a great deal and I doubt it would be very easy to mount or use a precission fence system on this particular type of table. Attached is a picture of my set up.

[Aaron Kline]

I had the grizzly router table and sold it. Truthfuly, I didn't like it too much. As was said, it was very hard to attach the router, the fence was short, the sliding table was nice though. If I were you, I'd get a sheet of melamine, some t-track and make your own for 50 bucks. And give it a miter guage too. But that is just my 2cents. Or just get a shaper and put a collet adapter on and use router bits in it.

[CPeter James]

Take a look at these. I have seen them and a friend of mine has one and they are quite will built. The price is most reasonable. Sometimes he is making a trip down the east coast and will deliver for little or nothing.

http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/abarb/RT-1000se.html

CPeter

[Dev Emch]

Its not a bad idea but I still have to question why one would pursue a router table that acts like, looks like and sorta behaves like a shaper. By the time you add up all the costs of fence parts, incra items, jessem items, and of course, router lifts, its not hard to sink $1K or more into one of these. You may wish to consider looking at a full size shaper. You can find some even by grizzly that have sliding tables and interchangeable spindles. The delta HD has been around for years and its an excellent medium duty shaper for woodworking. Furthermore, delta also has a nice coping sled that rides the mitre slot.

Having used both router tables and shapers, I have to tell you that many operations on a router table actually scare the heck out of me. They are just downright dangerous and some of the router bit makers should include a coupon for stitches in the emergency room.

My current solution is my shaper which is my most important stationary shop tool. Even more so than a table saw or jointer. I could not live without this beast. Here is an older SMC post URL that I posted showing my shaper.

<edit smc="" url="" here="">http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=19608&highlight=belated+gloat

As for using router bits on shapers versus tables. Well, that is the topic for hearty debate. But lets look at the facts. Given a set of Viper frame and rail bits; these are rated for use at 10,000 RPM. In this example, I designed and machined an MK-4 taper spindle incorporating a 12 mm ER-20 Rego Fix collet. This was adapted to one of my old shapers, a general SS-32. The test cuts were run at 9000 RPM which was the top end for this shaper. Here is a posting I submitted shortly before I sold this shaper after ordering my current shaper.

<edit woodweb="" post="" url="" here="">http://www.woodcentral.com/shots/shot466.shtml

What I found was that the behavior of these bits was not pleasant. You have to take several tiny bird cuts and inch up on your final finishing cut. In a standard shaper, I can plow the entire cut in one pass and merely pulverize the waste as I go leaving a very smooth surface behind. The burn issues are significantly reduced. And the work item does not have the tendency to draw your hands into the bit nor does it have the tendency to grab the work item and wing across the shop.

Dont get me wrong, I do like routers and use them. As of now, I own FIVE routers. But they have their place and I just dont like using them with large fancy, heavy mass bits in tablels. They are trying to be something that they simply are not. And the bearings were not designed for this torture. So it possible, you may wish to consider moving into a shaper if that is possible. This is esp. true if you can find a used delta HD. There were many made and parts are readily available. And these have been selling for nice entry level prices lately.

Best of luck...</edit></edit>

[Bob Johnson2]

Dev
Out of curiosity what makes a shaper safer then the router table. I just made some doors and such that a friend cut on his shaper to save me from buying bits for the router. He did it in a couple passes and it did come out very nice, but the thing did look pretty scary, which is why I passed on doing it myself. Is it a speed thing?

[Rich Bay]

I've had one of these tables for about a year. In this time I have mounted three different routers in the table. The first time I was very unhappy with the mounting system. After working with it I don't find it to be any problem at all to add or remove a router. Currently I am using a Milwaukee 3 1/2 HP router in the table.

The sliding table is nice for some jobs.

The fence is a pain. More often than not I either use a simple fence clamped right to the table or I attach an auxillary fence to the split sections of the supplied fence. The split sections are hard to adjust for exact dimension and to get them in the same plane. This is just as likely "Operator Error" as it is a design error but for me it's a problem. When I use my simple little home brew fench the job is easy and comes out fine.

The hinged table is only an advantage for me when I initially install the router. After the base of the Milwaukee is installed I simply remove the motor to change bits and turn the depth adjustment knob to set bit height.

All in all I am happy to have this piece of equipment.

[Dev Emch]

Bob...

That is an extremely difficult question to answer in a few words. Please check out some of my other posts including the latest one on the Meatcutter giveth and the meatcutter taketh away.

The short answer is a bit more humorous but equally applicable......

Did you see Tony Sinclair's avertisement for Tangeray Gin for the Derby? He parts with the quote..."You wouldnt enter a donkey in the Kuntucky Derby would you?"....


Same thing....;)

[Jeffrey Schronce]

http://www.wilkemachinery.com/productgraphics/256/1543-MS-R.JPG

Hmmm. Looks identical to the one I saw at Wilkes Machinary under their Bridgewood name. They had them on sale for $349 at the local York, PA store. I don't see how the router could be hard to change in this thing as the entire table top will tilt forward > 45 degrees giving you full access to the router. I was looking at the the other threads on "meat cutters" and I got to tell ya this sliding bed thing was making sense. The table slide was very smooth and quite solid. It came with a all the hold down and quasi featherboards in the photo. It was making a lot of sense to me. Additionally, they had a complete Bench Dog table beside of it. Top, fence, drawers, rollers, etc for $599 for this floor unit. While I did not test either table for flatness, etc the Bridgewood seemed so much more durable. Of course cast iron versus MDF has a tendency to do that! ;)