Advice Wanted: SawStop and Router Lift

[Dave Hale]

Good news! Work treated me well this year and SWMBO has cleared the purchase of the SawStop. :D (future gloat)

It will be without the fence since I loved the Incra Fence on my old saw and plan to get another one (32"). I also plan on getting the HTC mobile base.

My dilemma is as follows:
I currently have had a router lift (WoodPeckers) on the old TS on the left side. Since the SS has such nice table extensions, I was thinking about getting a right side router extension. I'd like to continue using the Incra fence (with Joinery system) because I loved the results of box/dovetail joints.

My concerns are:
1. Usability of a right side router extension. I'm used to being able to 'circle' the table on 3 sides with the left side table while using it, especially when flush bit routing. Will the lack of mobility/access drive me nuts?
2. Conflict/Blockage of the right side TS door. How far away does the right door open? How tall is it?
3. Am I totally destroying my capability of mounting a tool cabinet on the HTC base because of the door and router hanging down?

I know most will say, 'Separate router table', but space is limited at this time. I can always take the extension off later and build a standalone router table later and get another Incra 'shorty' fence.

Would appreciate thoughts and advice.

[Jim Becker]

Congrats on the new saw, Dave...'glad the year end perk worked out!

Plenty of folks put a router station in the right-side extension on a table saw. As long as you can work out the machine placement, than it sound like a good solution for you. The other option would be on the right, but I think that the SS table/wings are "deeper" than other saws, so something like the Bench Dog cast iron setup might not fit...check the dimensions. The one advantage to the left side is that you don't have to flip the Incra fence when routing.

[David Giles]

Dave, you are wrestling with the same issue I had when upgrading to the Sawstop. I had a Jointech router lift and phenolic table on the right side of the previous saw and a 32" Incra system on the new saw.'

The Sawstop right side door sticks out a long ways. 10-12" as a guess. I can measure it if you want. Any router would need to be removed to open the door. Not that one opens the door very often. If the router is placed to miss the door, there is very limited movement between the fence and the router bit which will limit the maximum board width.

In the end, the old Jointech table and router lift replaced the left side extension wing. To make it fit, the table was turned 90 degrees and trimmed to fit inside the Incra rails. The router lift ended up off center. It is located toward the back of the saw which gives more space on the inlet side. So far, installing the Incra Wonderfence offcenter doesn't seem to have any negative impact. And I've become a fan of using the router in this position vs sliding it from the end.

One of the next projects is a cabinet on casters that fits under the right side of the saw. The top will be 6-8" below the table so that the fence will slide over the Grippers. It's also a good place for a trashcan.

[Cary Swoveland]

This is a complicated issue because there are so many options to consider. I just bought a Sawstop, a Jessem Mast-R-Fence, and parts to convert my Jointech router system to a "Sawtrain" (similar to the Incra tablesaw fence). The Sawtrain, with 72" front and back rails, will allow a maximum rip of about 48".

Were it not for my decision to install the Jessem slider (which takes the place of the left extension wing), I would have put the router on the left of the saw. I think that's generally the best place for it when using an Incra-type fence. Mind you, if you put it there and then later lust for a slider....

That big access door on the right of the saw does eat up a lot of space. The door will bump into your router if it's within 32"-33" of the plane of the blade. (Initially I was puzzled by the size of the access door housing, since it contained nothing but air! I then twigged to the fact that when the left-tilt arbor is leaned over 45 degrees, the housing is chock full of motor.)

If you absolutely need the swing space the door takes up, you could replace door's hinges with a lift-off do-dad, in which case you'd also have to reposition the contact switch.

Until I read David Giles post, I had not considered the option of positioning the router close to the closed saw door, and removing it whenever I wanted to open the door. Considering I will need to open the door only infrequently, that makes good sense to me. It actually will be a bit more complicated, as my router is enclosed in a dust collection box. I'll have to have a quick release for the box as well. That will buy me an extra 10" or so of maximum distance between the router bit and fence (18" versus 8"). Of course one can increase this distance by flipping the (Jointech or Incra) fence 180 degrees and using the router from the other side of the table. In allowing for that option, one needs to consider the placement of an external on-off switch for the router (a switch on a pivot arm or a three-way switch on each side?) and access to the dust collection hood from both sides of the table.

I don't think my solution is ideal, but gaining the floor space now occupied by my 30"x48" stand-alone router table makes it worthwhile.

Cary

[David Giles]

"Mind you, if you put it there and then later lust for a slider...."

And I do. At which point, there will be a separate router table. Maybe it will roll under the right side wing.

[Dave Hale]

Thanks for the advice. Looks like I'll go with left side Router extension. Looks like I can put both TS extensions to the right to fill in some of the dead space under the Incra. Woodpecker can make a table that fits and I liked the extra support on the left. When I move down to Delaware, I'll be putting up a barn like Rick Cabot's and I'll have plenty of room for a separate RT. (Rick, what was the price for the plans again???) :)

Jim,
Thanks. Wish the timing on your Jet would've worked out, but you sold easily and I'm getting my 'wish' fulfilled.

Pic Police,
Yes there'll be pictures......

[Dave Hale]

Ok. No-go on 2 extensions on the right. The saw door on the right is rather large and other than 'reversing' the Incra fence, I don't see the right side working. The fit and finish of the SS is so nice (flat & seamless) that I don't want to give up the left extension either and I'm sure not extending the left another 20 some inches. Looks like a separate router table is needed. My problem is, after having Incra Joinery system on the previous setup, I don't want a regular (read 'normal') router table. All I've been able to find for Incra is the Woodpecker setup (http://www.woodpeck.com/lsrspk3.html) and Big Leroy's setup on eBay (Incra LS Positioner Router Table Combo #3).

Does anyone have any comments/experience on the stability or 'solidness' of the WP steel rails and top?
Big Leroy's setup looks very similar to the Incra.biz site's examples, but I haven't found anyone else selling the Incra example. any experience with the Incra solution?
Also, I have to have moveable since I'm sharing the space with the wife's vehicle and this will make it a little tight. :D