Advice on mounting “dust bucket” to cast iron router table

[Keith Pitman]

I have a cast iron router table that has served me well. I would like to mount a Rockler Dust Right “dust bucket” underneath to improve dust collection. The underside of the cast iron table does not have points where I can mount the dust bucket. I’m thinking I may be able to adhere some wood blocks to the underside of the table and then bolt the dust bucket to those blocks. Is there an adhesive that will adhere to the cast iron and the wood? If so, what—epoxy (and what kind), construction adhesive, etc.? Also, it appears that the cast iron has been painted in the area where I would need to adhere the mounting blocks. Does the paint make a difference? A picture is included to show the site.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Thickened epoxy should work. I would consider drilling small holes in the stiffeners for wire or to tap and use bolts or screws. You also have those key holes in the blue sheet metal that could be helpful ?

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[Rich Engelhardt]

Are there any parts of the cast iron you can drill and tap?

I found out how easy it is to drill and tap cast iron when I stuck some side rails/supports on my table saw for an outfeed support.

Slow speed and a drop of (optional) oil & a nice sharp new bit & it drilled out almost like wood. The Harbor Freight tap I used also went real easy.

[George Kasten]

I've got an older Bench Dog cast iron router top that is an extension wing for a table saw. There are a number of threaded holes in the underside of the cast iron, but they do not align with the flanges on the dust bucket. I used those holes to attach a piece of plywood to the bottom of the cast iron. Then screw the dust bucket onto that plywood.

If your router table has any threaded holes in it already, that should work for you. If not, as others have suggested, you'll need to drill and tap your table. I don't think I'd want or trust an epoxy there.

[Jim Becker]

Cast iron is very easy to drill, so I'd likely do that and use countersunk fasteners through the table with spacers (plastic or metal tubing of the appropriate length) to keep the edges of the "dust bucket" from bending as you crank down the nuts. Use nylon lined nuts so you can keep things simpler than using lock washers.

[james manutes]

Plus 1 on drill and tap . It's easy and epoxy may fail over time .

[Charles Coolidge]

Drill and tap, no brainer. Use a quality tap and tapping fluid.

[Keith Pitman]

Thanks for the comments guys. There are no tapped holes under this table. I didn’t want to drill through the table top for concern of creating something a workpiece might catch on. But, I’ll reevaluate drilling through the table. The table is about 1/4” thick—probably enough to tap and keep the end of the bolt clear of the top.

[Tom M King]

I use dark cutting oil when tapping cast iron. You can buy it in the plumbing aisles of Lowes or Home Depot. It has extra sulfur in it. I used to not believe there was any difference, but after using it tapping some large holes in a tractor engine block, I'm a convert. It makes it cut like butter.

No need to drill through it, especially if you can catch some of the webs. You can get used sets of three taps off ebay pretty cheap in all sizes. You need all three to cut threads to the bottom of a stopped hole.

[james manutes]

Is there any "ribs" or thicker points in the casting on the underside ? That is where it's safest to drill .

[Jim Becker]

For those suggesting drilling into ribs and other thicker features, the photo that the OP provided shows there isn't anything in the requires areas. Any holes, tapped or through, have to go into the table top for the OP's situation.

[Tom M King]

Make pieces that the box can fasten to that go over the ribs, or maybe just spacers like it sits over those ribs. It looks like the ribs are holding it out of full contact anyway. If not, JB Weld would hold fasteners for a dust collection box. Maybe stick some T-nuts under there, but the bond would need to be to bare metal.

[Jack Frederick]

Perhaps a piece of 1” or so AL angle iron run below the table on each side of the dust box and attach the angle to the lower parts of your fence rails. If you can do this you can use foam tape to seal up the box seam. If you slot one end you can lay the slotted end of the angle iron onto the screw and use wing nuts to tighten it up. That way you can remove it working from one side.

[Curt Harms]

I have a cast iron router table that has served me well. I would like to mount a Rockler Dust Right “dust bucket” underneath to improve dust collection. The underside of the cast iron table does not have points where I can mount the dust bucket. I’m thinking I may be able to adhere some wood blocks to the underside of the table and then bolt the dust bucket to those blocks. Is there an adhesive that will adhere to the cast iron and the wood? If so, what—epoxy (and what kind), construction adhesive, etc.? Also, it appears that the cast iron has been painted in the area where I would need to adhere the mounting blocks. Does the paint make a difference? A picture is included to show the site.

Thistothat.com recommends LePage's Metal Epoxy, J-B Weld or Fasteel Epoxy Putty. This doesn't seem like a situation where bond failure is going to be either a risk of injury or expensive material loss. Personally I'd try the adhesive route first. If it works I don't have to poke any holes in the router table top. If it doesn't I'll have to clean the bottom of the table before drilling and tapping.

[Jim Becker]

If one is opting for adhesives, do weigh the Dust Bucket first as part of your decision process. It's made of steel and not exactly lightweight at almost 15 lbs "clean".

One alternative to even physically fastening the product to the cast iron top is to put a shelf in the cabinet below that holds the Dust Bucket at exactly the height required so that it's in contact with the bottom of the cast iron table when it's placed on top of the cabinet. A little weather stripping around the flange on the Dust Bucket would keep a seal.

[James Baldwin]

You might take a look a some of 3M's double sided tapes. A friend of mine used some to attach his solar panels to the top of his camper and they're pretty much permanent. He's logged a several thousand miles with them with no problems. Jim

[Jim Becker]

You might take a look a some of 3M's double sided tapes. A friend of mine used some to attach his solar panels to the top of his camper and they're pretty much permanent. He's logged a several thousand miles with them with no problems. Jim
That's a good product, although in this case, there's nothing to put the tape on without doing a "double" stick with a piece of some material between them bottom of the cast iron table and the flange of the Dust Bucket, based on the OP's photo.

[Alex Zeller]

Have you thought about rare earth magnets?

[Keith Pitman]

Mounted the bucket today with through bolts into the cast iron router table top. Feels bomber. The wood blocks are to support the flanges on the sides of the bucket so they don’t deflect. Will reinstall the router table as part of the table saw tomorrow. Thanks for the help.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Looks good! Now I see

[Curt Harms]

Have you thought about rare earth magnets?

Kinda OT since Keith has his problem solved but if anyone has access to old 3.5" PC hard drives -- the older the better -- disassemble them and harvest the magnets, usually kidney shaped and on the arm. Those are GOOD magnets. The trick is how to mount them but there's usually a way.

[Jim Becker]

That worked out really well, Keith.

[Keith Pitman]

Got the router table reinstalled and made a test cut today. Previously I used a shop vac for dust collection and it always left a mess on the table and the floor. The bucket is hooked up to my dust collector for both above the table and below table collection. I made the test cut in a piece of MDF and there was almost no dust anywhere. This will be a great upgrade.

PS: I forgot to mention that ribs under the cast iron table fit the top of dust bucket perfectly making for a good seal.