Anyone have the Veritas router table top?

[Brian Hale]

The latest project justifies a router table and I'm considering this top with the fence and sliding arm. Anyone have one?

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=42932&cat=1,43053,43885

Item "C"

Brian :)

[Howard Rosenberg]

The clamping mechanism is sensational, the inserts are cheap, the thing is FLAT and the centre marks are great for positioning your fence.

Having said all that, I'll probably be switching over to a TS-mounted RT in the next few weeks and will be using an insert...

HTH
Howard

P.S. - their fence and related accessories strike me as well-concieved, well- engineered and versatile. I've always felt they were pricy for my projects and have typically used straight MDF sticks for fences as I needed them.

[Ralph Dobbertin]

I have one as well and use it all the time. Am very happy with it. I will likely add a home made sliding fence. You do need to occasionaly check to make sure that the clamps stay tight. That being said, the system is very user friendly.

[Jim Bills]

Brian, I have had my Veritas top and fence at least 4 years. I can change bits from above the top without a router lift. The top has remained totally flat for all these years with the Hitachi MV 12 hanging from it. I do have to tighten the clamp screws annually. I built a router table around the top. I'll try to attach a photo.

Jim

[Adam Grills]

I have had mine for 5 years now and have used it a lot! I find that it is a well designed piece of equipment for the price. I do find the 90 degree sled to be a bit finniky at times. I have a Freud 3 1/4hp hanging on it and it has never dished. It is acually crowned slightly at the center so remember to keep down pressure at the bit. I do find the top to be slightly small at times. I like the base built above- I think that what I will do. When I first got it I was short on cash and ended up making my own base out of cheep spruce straping. I still have it on that and it works fine, just very ugly!
The only router table system that I have used that has proven to be better is the Jessem. Now that is a very nice router table but much more money. Depending on your budget. If you have the money then go with the Jessem. It has bearings etc. A totally better system all round. Veritas top compared to many others is like upgrading your0 table saw from a contractors to small cabinet and the Jessem is like the General 350. Hope this helps.
Adam

[Reg Mitchell]

Brian might wanna look at this too....cheeper
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=45470
I have the top and will put it in my tablesaw.......another project on back burner
Reg

[larry fredric]

Brian, I mostly lurk to learn, but i looked at all possibilities for a router table.MDF was used and cussed and gave up as to heavy and SaaaG that always snuck in.I do a lot of Incra dovetail and the sag is not tolerated. The Veritas is steel which is "coined" and no sag after 4 plus years. The attachment of the router underneath if you follow the directions has given me no trouble,except at first you will have a tendency to overtighten. It is very easy to remove(DeWalt 625) the 3/16th thickness offers more router bit length and accessiblity. I also built my own stand,I have had it in the right side of table saw and now I have it in the middle of a larger table.I can also move it easier than "mdf".Grip tite magnetic feather boards work also. Do you think I'm sold on it?
Larry

[Jim Becker]

The only downside to the Lee Valley setup is the small size, but you can use it like an extra large insert in a larger table setup. (I like my router table surface to be about 24" x 36", personally)

[Rick Williams]

Would agree with Jim Becker in that the plates are on the small size. One of my next projects will be to take one and drop it into a larger table more along the lines of a David Marks sized table. With that said, I have two of the plates, the fence and sled and the bit jack. I have a DW 625 in one and the Milwaukee 5625 in the other for doing raised panels. I really like the system. It provides dead on accuracy, the plates don't dish and the components work well together plus you have the benefit of Lee Valley's excellent customer service.

[Terry Flowers]

Reg, how does the router mount? Have you checked how flat it is? Of course, that doesn't mean the next one will be. I like the idea of the cast iron table top if it is really flat and if it has a secure mounting method.

Thanks,
Terry

[Neil Bosdet]

I agree with everyone here. I have the Lee Valley set up and another table set up on the wing of my TS (Excalibur). I use the LV table for 99.9% of my routing. I love it and recommend it highly. The only negative is for some projects, the table size is a little small. I'm thinking I will sell the Excalibur set up and have no router system on my TS. If I do this I will purchase the JessEm system and use the LV for a portable table for work. I believe this will work out great for me.

[Reg Mitchell]

Reg, how does the router mount? Have you checked how flat it is? Of course, that doesn't mean the next one will be. I like the idea of the cast iron table top if it is really flat and if it has a secure mounting method.

Thanks,
Terry
Terry it has T-slots under the bottom and ajustable locking screws fit into the slides. makes it easy to take it in and out. It is very flat and there are 2 inserts for it as well. I just got the table and use it on a temp stand until I get it mounted into my tablesaw. There is one guy here that already did that and he showed pics. Just a matter of makeing new rails but I will be putting a besi fence on it so it should work fine. Its almost as big length ways as the castiron extention so it will give me enough to split a sheet of ply long ways
reg

[Brian Hale]

Good Input Guys, Thanks!!

I was a bit concerned about the size and figured i could build a table around it if needed. The biggest draw to this table is Lee Valley. Always quality products, soild engineering and build quality and great customer service.

Brian :)

[Jesse Cloud]

Hey Brian,
I have one and I love it. The steel table is great. I can use my mag feather boards on it!! Be sure and get the magnetic dust collection option - its so cool I got one for my bandsaw and drill press too:D

Just to get up and running, I built a cheap table out of pine per the included plans. As they say, everything is temporary, but that cheap table has served well for two years and the replacement table keeps dropping down the list of priorities.:rolleyes:

[Brian Penning]

I've had my LV table for close to 3 years now. I bought the top and the stand. Very happy with it. Bought it after quite a bit of research checking for reviews and comments. Almost all reviews were excellant.
One point regarding some of the previous comments -it's not perfectly flat and has a slight crown in the middle as per it's design.

[Art Mulder]

...
Having said all that, I'll probably be switching over to a TS-mounted RT in the next few weeks and will be using an insert...


Let us know when you are selling it... :D

[Lewis Farr]

Check it out.:D
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,43053&p=50264