Hinging router table

[Alan East]

Currently I'm working on Norm's router table to house a Bosch 1617 router. Two questions, what about hinging the top ((Benchdog Pro Top)? What type hinge? I'm thinking I'll add a 3/4 x 1-1/2 along the back and use a continuous hinge but if there is a better way...
Since this is my only router til i can afford another I may want to take it out and use it somewhere else or with the plunge frame.

Second Question: HD has double locking casters in 2, 3 or 4" size. How does one determine the size to use? I'm thinking two locking casters on front with fixed in back set on blocks but if there is some better way....

Thanks for your advise.

[Larry Cooke]

Alan,

Can't speak from experience for the hinges, though I'd probably use door hinges.

As for castors, generally you would use the smallest diameter to keep the height as low as possible - prevents easy tipping when moving it around. You need to know the load capacity rating though. Most 2" castors aren't rated for too much of a load. Generally, I would use a castor that is rated for twice the load it expects to see, or reasonbly close.

So, if your table weighs 300 pounds and you're using four castors, I would shoot for the smallest diameter castor that would support 150 pounds. Doing it this way will give you a cabinet that's easy to roll around and the castors will stay together longer.

My .02 worth anyway...

Larry

[Steve Clardy]

Working on my second dual router table today trying to get it finished up.

I used a heavy 1.5x1.5 full length [8', cut down to 4'] hinge I got some time ago for another project.

[John Kain]

Currently I'm working on Norm's router table to house a Bosch 1617 router. Two questions, what about hinging the top ((Benchdog Pro Top)? What type hinge? I'm thinking I'll add a 3/4 x 1-1/2 along the back and use a continuous hinge but if there is a better way...
Since this is my only router til i can afford another I may want to take it out and use it somewhere else or with the plunge frame.

Second Question: HD has double locking casters in 2, 3 or 4" size. How does one determine the size to use? I'm thinking two locking casters on front with fixed in back set on blocks but if there is some better way....

Thanks for your advise.
I used 2 normal door hinges on my top.

Works very well.

[Allen Bookout]

I have 4" double locking casters on my table and it is solid. No particular reason for the 4" ones except that I had four of them left over that I had ordered from Grizzly for a good price (the gray ones). The ones from Hartville Tool are good also. I have one unit on HD locking casters but they are no better than the Grizzly's or Hartville's and cost a lot more. The larger the caster the easier it is to roll around but a router table is not very heavy anyway so I do not suppose that it really matters.

You were planning on using only two locking and two fixed but I have four double locking casters on all of my moveable stuff. I like it that way because it is very easy to rotate the tables in a small space and is solid when they are locked. I even have my Delta floor model drill press bolted to a plywood base with four double locking casters and it is also very stable, believe it or not.

In this post is a little bit of information about the castors and a picture of some of my stuff on four double locking casters:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=31489&highlight=casters

[Norman Hitt]

Alan, you can see the Hinges I installed on the RT I built for my Buddy at
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=21335 I did it this way so the top would be easily removeable when desired. The slots at the ends of the hinges are to allow the hinge pins to be removed easily to remove the top.

I guess everyone has their own preferences, but I won't use ANY castors smaller than 4", because the smaller wheels just won't roll over anything that accidentally gets in the way on the floor, (like a small wood chip, screws, uneven spot/crack in the floor, etc), and sometimes I wish I had 6" wheels.:D (of course, rolling a tool around is usually how I find another tool, nail, screw, etc that I have misplaced or dropped and couldn't find):D

[John Kain]

I used a very easy set up for my table. I only bought 2 three inchers and a hook in the front of the table. I only have to move mine away from the wall.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=35230&d=1143679446