pre-made router tables

[Joe Trotter]

Is there a pre-made router table that is worth buying? I got a little Christmas money burning a hole in my pocket.

For example I was looking at one on Rocklers site that was around $160.00. I have also seen a nice Freud one at Lowes for $200.00.

Any thoughts?

(I am going to make a woodshop out of my garage yet!)

Thanks, Joe

[terry hansen]

I ended up making a varation of the one from NYW plans to fit a table top from Mark Summerfield (don't know if he still sells them) didn't take too long and justified buying some tool (I forget which one) to make it. The table has served me well and is much sturdier than many of the premade ones available. If I did the process again I might just put the router in my TS extension to save room.

If you do go pre made be sure to look at stability of fence and ease of adjusting it, along with the stability of the table for those times you need to apply bunch of force - like cutting a lock miter in QS oak.

[Corey Hallagan]

I really like my Benchdog Pro Top Contractors table. Very nice construction.
http://www.benchdog.com/protopcontractor.htm

Corey

[Lori Kleinberg]

I have the full size Bench dog router table/cabinet. I got it with their fence. I really like the size of the table. It came with 2 doors for the cabinet. You can purchase other doors and possibly drawers for it. I plan to add some small drawers around the router (like NYW router table).

[Stan Mijal]

Joe,

I was in the position of wanting a table similar to the NYW table, but needed a router table to build it...typical catch-22 situation.
I found one that works very nicely for me, i fact, so nicely I've put off building my own for the forseeable future.
cant post a link-so just go onto Ebay and search for "router table rt-1000SE"
Price is about $250, but the shipping (from Canada) can up the cost . The cabinets are made from baltic birch, the table is very solid, covered on both sides by laminate to minimize warping. they will give you shipping costs if you email them.

[Greg Koch]

Here's a link to their site...nice table! Shipping is listed below.

http://rt1000.com/_wsn/page3.html

[Joe Trotter]

Thanks for all the comments and links.

Joe

[Ellen Benkin]

I used the Rockler top for years before I made a new one out of solid surface material. The top worked fine and I moved the fence on to the new table. My only complaint was that the material chipped at the edges, but that never affected the way wood slid across it. And the plate Rockler sells is first rate (it also moved to the new table).

[glenn bradley]

Hmmm, you're talking about two different types of tables, I think. Freestanding and bench top. I probably can't speak well for either as mine is built into the extension area of my TS. I took a Rockler table/fence and built a cabinet under it so it is self supporting. It just also happens to bolt to the extension area of my saw.

Consider the size of things you may work on. If you do mostly detail or smaller scale items a good bench top may be the way to go. I add infeed and outfeed support to mine if I can't keep half of the piece being worked in contact with the table but, that's just me.

The Benchdog mentioned by Corey is a very nice unit. I think Bosch sells it with their badge on it or theirs is very similar. Oh, side note; the Rockler has served me very well although I would like a thicker top. That is why I built the floor standing cabinet under it for support. I was surprised (or just naive) that a 12 pound router would put sag in a 7/8 thick top over a span of only 25" (between supports). It now has a grid under it like a battleship and does fine,.

[Mike Heidrick]

I am a fan of the router tables that woodpecker sells. woodpeck dot com to get you there. They sell all sizes of tables and will custom make one as well. If you do not mind a small imperfection they also sell their scratch and dent models. I have one of their S&Ds (32X53) on my RouterStop station. It arrived almost perfect and infact I probably made a bigger scratch installing it than when it was delivered and it saved me $80. Catch these with free shipping by signing up for their online weekly specials. These tables work awesome with their plates and lifts - including my favorite lifte - the PRL. The big offest tables like I bought are predrilled for the Incra fences - works great with the LSPro setup.

The table I had before this I made - pretty simple - two layeres MDF and than Oak edged followed by laminate. Loved that table (sold it with my saw - it was the table saw extension for my Delta).

[Joe Trotter]

Glenn,
I was thinking just the top part when I posted it and after I got a few replies it gave me some ideas. I had no idea that there were so many options. I am glad I forgot to be specific now because everyone has given me many options.

I have been overwhelmed by all the informtion I have received since joining this board. I work with netflows all day long so this is a nice break.

Joe

[John Michaels]

I really like my Benchdog Pro Top Contractors table. Very nice construction.
http://www.benchdog.com/protopcontractor.htm

Corey


I also like my Benchdog Pro Top.

[glenn bradley]

"I work with netflows all day long so this is a nice break."

Joe,

Amen to that.

Enjoy!

[Rick Levine]

I also have the Woodpecker table with the metal legs a PRL and the Incra fence. Great system and very accurate.

[Joe Trotter]

This is the router I inherited from my Dad.

I cant find a HP rating. The motor is a 6.5 amp rating. It turns 25K and has a 1/4" collet.

The base is 6", and the inner dia is 1 5/8" is that standard?

Will it be suitable for use in a table?
Thanks, Joe

[Art Mann]

That router looks just like one I used for 20+ years. I really like the trigger switch in the handle grip. I recently gave it to my son, and it still works fine. At 6.5A, it is probably rated at about 1 hp. That is pretty weak for a table router. With the 1/4" shank, you won't be able to use larger bits. I upgraded to a 3 1/4 hp router for the table a while back and it makes a huge difference in performance. However, I have made a lot of stuff over the years with the little Craftsman. Adjust the fence so that you cut large profiles in 2 or 3 passes and it will work fine.

[glenn bradley]

Oh my gosh!!! I've got one of those. I bought it new 25 or so years ago (my first WWing attempt [short lived]). I use it strictly as a chamfer 'machine' or for other light-light edge duty. I would not recommend it for a router table. In fact I just bought a Bosch Colt to replace the poor old beast for this function. But, it still runs as good as it ever did. Even after being stored up till just a couple years ago.

[Mike Buelow]

I created a router "table" that sits in between the jaws/surface of my Black and Decker workstation folding workbench/vise thingy. 3/4 white melamine, rockler t tracks slide the wooden fence, toggle clamps hold the router into the bottom (recessed a bit). Also added a aluminum mitre gauge track. I created a dust cavity and hooked up a DC port which works super slick. My Hitachi plunge router has a depth adjustment knob attachement that makes precise depth adjustment a twist.

This thing is a great near-term solution. However I do not like bending over that far for extended periods. And while I'm pretty confident in the toggle clamps, some folks will likely say this is dangerous.

Will post photos one of these days.

[Joe Trotter]

My Dad had a little 8X10 shed he did projects in. All the stuff he had including the shed is mine now.

I wish he could see the garage remodel. He helped me build my house and garage when he was 71 years old. It was a great time getting to know him again during that project. I miss him dearly.

I had no idea the router was that old!

[glenn bradley]

None of us are that old Joe. We just sometimes look that way :D .

[Randal Stevenson]

My Dad had a little 8X10 shed he did projects in. All the stuff he had including the shed is mine now.

I wish he could see the garage remodel. He helped me build my house and garage when he was 71 years old. It was a great time getting to know him again during that project. I miss him dearly.

I had no idea the router was that old!


Google the model number. The red top makes me think it's around the 1980 model I just helped someone find the manual for, on another forum. My father has one that is the same design, but different color label, that is from 1970. It was all he ever used, and he had been complaining the last couple of years since I moved up (Skill 1825 for house type projects, leave in the bed of a truck/might get stole, to the PC690 with table (work bonus), to the Bosch 1617). I gave him a Craftsman branded 1617 as it's the same bolt pattern as all his jigs. Now we are building two tables to swap the 6525 I picked up as a both of us, Christmas present..

[Mike Heidrick]

Now we are building two tables to swap the 6525 I picked up as a both of us, Christmas present..

I just had this vision of the father and son team on PBS Router Workshop - one handing the other parts and tools.

[George Sanders]

I have the Porter-Cable table and 2 690 routers. I leave one in the table and use the other for plunge cuts. I built a cabinet for the table to stand on and to store bits and accessories. I also built a coping sled as I was building raised panel doors for an entertainment center. I would like to have a larger work surface and a 3 hp router but this is what I could afford at the time and it got the job done.

[Joe Trotter]

Thanks for the input everyone.

Joe

[Mike Goetzke]

Joe - I know you probably have TMI (my kids short for TooMuchInformation), but, I built a router table with the right extension table that came with my Delta TS. I already milled it for a lift but I had so much trouble aligning this table to the TS and shimming the cabinet I built under it to take a 0.020" dip out of it I'm sure I will eventually replace the top.

Not that all manufactured tables are bad but a member here (I think Mark Rios) had problems with a couple of warped tables form one of the best suppliers. From my research at SMC and other web sites I think when I have some spare time I will build my own top using a torsion box construction you can see at diynetwork dot com and search for torsion box. Probably for less than $50 you can build a high quality table that will stay flat.

Good Luck,

Mike

[Rick Thom]

Joe, too bad you live so far away from me here in Toronto, otherwise I'de just give you the router table that goes with your 'new' router... That is in fact a @'79 Emerson-built Craftsman, and there are/were many accessories available for them. It was an excellent tool in it's day. Mine still works ok but I recently replaced it along with a new router table (pre-fab top/fence system and shop-built base cabinet).
The reason I replaced it is.. underpowered for many applications, 1/4" bits only, difficult to adjust and bit change, no dust collection, oem router table is a PIA, many good routers and tables are available at reasonable cost with much more functionality.
If you plan to do much woodworking with a router, I would invest in a new set-up and perhaps keep the old one around only for light duty routing, not table mount.

[Marcus Carr]

I have the Craftsman router table and hate it. The vibration shakes the screws loose and the alightment is difficult to keep. My next shop project will probably be to build a nice table.

[Jim Facteau]

I have one just like it Joe that I bought back in 1983 I think it was, its a 1HP and for your info the light is a #1004 automotive bulb ! I hold it for freehand work and mostly formica work, kind of light to use in a table with the size of todays bits but still a good little router to hold onto.


My Dad had a little 8X10 shed he did projects in. All the stuff he had including the shed is mine now.

I wish he could see the garage remodel. He helped me build my house and garage when he was 71 years old. It was a great time getting to know him again during that project. I miss him dearly.

I had no idea the router was that old!

[Ron Fritz]

Joe, I have the Craftsman table #26463 and like it. I bought it several years ago for $150 but I just checked the Sears web page and it's up to $200 now. I have a DeWalt 621 router mounted under the table, which works just fine. The table and router have done everything that I have asked it to do. All you need to do is build a cabinet for it. Good luck. Ron