Building a router work station. Advice?

[Randy Redding]

I'm working on a router work station and could use some advice on the working features and subtle details that other's find important in a router table. I hope to make this thing good enough to still want it around 20 years from now so want to do it right the first time. I want it to be general purpose for most any table-mounted router operation. I'll probably make it big enough to be able to temporarily mount other jigs to it such as a dovetail jig.

I currently have a router table mounted to the extention table of my table saw. I forget the brand but I hate it. It has orange and grey plastic inserts that have always been warped and similar ridges show up in the wood I run through it :(.... I've been living with that one for years.

I plan to use a jessem lift and I have a Jessem miter on my table saw that I think I'll also use on the router table (minor gloat). I have a 3.5HP PC router to move from the hated table to this new one.

Sorry for the long-winded question. Any advice you can give is very much appreciated!

[Jason Beam]

Long winded question? Nah!! Here's a long winded answer! :P

Usually my advice is to slap a router to some plywood and use that until you determine features that YOU want to have. But since you've already got one, you have a pretty good idea of the basics as it is.

Here's a link to pics of my table:

http://sacramentoareawoodworkers.com/album/thumbnails.php?album=8

I have since upgraded the top to be 28x48 - it could use another 6" of length to better accomodate the Incra jig, but it's working well as-is for now.

This is my 3rd table total. The first was a crappy store-bought one that had a horrible fence and was way too small and lightweight. The second one was my attempt to build it. The top was made well, but it was built poorly underneath and didn't have enough space for all the equipment that comes with a router and Incra fence.

When it came time to build this current table, I decided it was time to have something nice in the shop. It also made for great practice making dovetailed drawers and other construction techniques. There were quite a few firsts for me on this project. It wasn't cheap, but it was meant to last me a good long while. That was 2 years ago, and so far I still absolutely love it.

Some things that I had to consider:

1. Mobility - my space is teeny and it needs to be easily moved. I solved this by integrating casters into the base. It actually sits up on a 2x4 frame with the caster's mounted to that. The casters came from a mobile base that I got from a friend.

2. Stability - That last table rocked and shifted around when I put any little bit of feed pressure or put anything heavy through it. I resolved to make this table without concern for weight. The top is 2 layers of 3/4" MDF with formica on both sides and the base is all 3/4" baltic birch. I have never tried to lift it, but it's got to weigh 200+ pounds when empty.

3. Dust Control - One of the biggest problems I'd had up to that point with any router table was dust problems. The first table was wide open, no hope of "collection" there. The 2nd table had a better enclosure, but it was actually too small and the router got really warm in there, plus it was tough to change bits inside there. The new table was designed with DC as a high priority. There's a 4" port in the back with a baffle that shapes the airflow into a flat stream on the floor of the enclosure. The intention was to make it "rake" the dust in, i'd seen it before. It works well, but I want to pull off the baffle to see if it could be improved a bit. There's also a 2" port on the Incra fence. That's a HUGE improvement. You'll never get it all, though. The physics of it makes dust come flying off the bit at all sorts of wild directions and trapping it would be a constant adjustment of a mobile port or something. So, underneath and at the fence are the LEAST I would do.

4. Storage - The Incra templates were one thing I needed to have organized. But that wasn't all. The router bits and the lift accessories and the handheld base and fence accessories and push sticks/shoes and all the other router miscellany needed somewhere to go. So it was designed to hold all that stuff. I designed each drawer's size to accomodate the stuff I had to put in it at the time, plus a little more so it can expand if need be. I have LOTS of bit storage space in the 3 middle-sized drawers. I haven't even filled one, yet.

Those were the biggest things for me when building mine. It also had to look nice - it was going to be the 2nd best looking thing in the shop (unless i'm not there... LOL!)

Hope that helps :)

[Bert Johansen]

Randy, one of the things you might consider is whether you ultimately want to add a precision fence system, such as the Incra or JoinTech. (I have the JoinTech and love it.) If you think you might want one of these fine additions, they have standard widths for their fences and feather boards. For example, the JoinTech has a 24" fence and feather board. Both systems also have at least three different options for the length of the fence carriage. This could affect the dimensions of your table top.

Also, be sure you build in adequate chip collection. The JoinTech has a collection system built into the fence, but it is inadequate for collecting debris below the router. Your PC 7518 will make mucho chipos, as you already know!

Also, consider whether you will need to move the table around, or if it will be stationary. A configuration of two fixed and two swivel casters works well if you place the swivel casters at the far side of the table that is perpendicular to the fence.

Finally, lots of storage space. I suggest drawers with full extension slides.

You can see what I built in this thread:

Request For Router Table Sizing Help

[Tim Dorcas]

I built a router table not that long ago. I largely followed the steps in the Kreg Router DVD. I also used the Jessem setup (table, lift, ect.).

http://www.responsetolight.com/?p=70

There were a few measurements that they neglected to mention but overall it wasn't that hard to build. It's very solid and more importantly easy to use.

If you have more specific questions I would be happy to respond.

Good luck!

Tim

[Jim O'Dell]

Jason, very interesting. I had also decided I wanted a larger than the normal size table because of the 25" Incra LS Positioner unit I bought a couple years ago. I think my early plans called for a 54" deep table, but I'm doing that from memory. Interesting that that coincides what you are wishing for on yours. Thanks for the link to your pictures. Very nice table! Jim.

back to our regularly scheduled thread......

[Bill Wyko]

Thats one sharp Router Table! I too have an incra system. I really like the way you organize the different strips. Does it have a drawer for Router Bits Too? The only thing I don't like is the fact that I don't have one just like it. Very nice job. Do you have blueprints?:)

[Jason Beam]

Bill,

Thanks! The bit drawers are the 3 drawers below the template one. Currently, there are only bits in the uppermost one. The other two have random air compressor stuff in 'em (because i have yet to organize that stuff!).

The only plans I came up with was for the rough outer dimensions to provide the right width drawers for the templates as they were the only aspect that I had any idea about. The rest was built along the way - the heights of the drawers were decided based upon the size of my biggest router bit at the time. The bottom storage area was based on the height of my craftsman plunge router that now never sees the light of day.

Sorry to have hijacked the orignal thread, Randy!!! Hope you got some good ideas, at least :)

[Bryan Rocker]

Great looking cabinets. I have looked store bought cabinets and I would lean towards making my own. I am torn between the woodpecker and jessem lift sets. I hope mines comes out looking that good!:)

[Grant Davis]

You can see what I built in this thread:

Request For Router Table Sizing Help

Bert,
Your attached thread seems to be dead. Care to post it again?

[Jason Beam]

Bryan, my lift is a Rousseau made by JessEm and I absolutely love it. I can't say enough good things about it. Very solid, durable and quite well made.

[Randy Redding]

I'm loaded for bear and ready to make a table now. I also looked at some other related threads, all helpful.

Tim - Great table. The bit drawers look very functional. I like the chip collector setup too.

Jason - Nice looking table. I'm sure to pilfer an idea or two!

All - Thanks for the ideas. I was concentrating on the table top with chip collection as an afterthought.

I'll post some pics. when I've made some progress.

[Corey Hallagan]

This is the one I just finished last weekend. I previously had a Bench Dog Pro Top contractor and it was just didn't have the size of top that I wanted. I recently bought the original Incra Positioner from Rockler and it required more table top and I also use the Oak Park box joint jigs, and I wanted more room to use my Gifkin dove tail jig ( router table top jig) so I went with the Oak Park table top and built a rolling base cabinet and the router table cabinet with some drawers. I can get most of my routing supplies in this cabinet along with the Incra jig and fence, Gifkin jig, clamps, push blocks, inserts and guides, Oak Park fences etc. I am very happy with it and I can even store my little mini router table on the bottom. The mini router table uses a Bosch Colt palm router mounted in a Oak Park 7 inch plate and is in this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=58732

Corey

[Bob Feeser]

Long winded question? Nah!! Here's a long winded answer! :P

Here's a link to pics of my table:

http://sacramentoareawoodworkers.com/album/thumbnails.php?album=8

Hope that helps :)

Jason,
Great looking table. Did you use a Rousseau insert? Anyhow, I placed adjusting screws, that have flat heads, all the way around the insert, from the bottom up, so I could fine tune/adjust the evenness of the insert with the table top. Between the corner screws holding it down, and the multiple flat headed screws, I was able to get the insert perfectly, and I mean perfectly flat. Sometimes I tweak them a little bit for seasonal changes.
If you want to know more about this, I can dig up some pics, and provide the information about the flat headed screws, that are specially designed for this type of purpose. The shaft is even and not tapered, like standard screws. So inserting them, and adjusting them does not change their strength.
They are easy to add after, because you just remove the insert from the corners, and drill holes where the outer lip sits, and insert the screws from underneath. Picking the right drill bit so the screws fit snugly is key.
Maybe you came up with a method that perfectly routs the inlay area for the insert, a tough thing to do, since it covers such a wide area, and is almost ridiculously exact in its requirments.
Your router table is impressive, I just build tables with inserts, and fences. The drawers, doors, etc. for storage take it to the next level.
Bob

[Jason Beam]

Thanks, Bob! :)

I'm pretty proud of it, myself. Probably why I mention it so much :P

My insert is the rousseau lift made by jessem. I hadn't even bothered to try getting the depth of the rabbet perfect because I knew that it'd change with the seasons anyway. My scheme for levelling it, though, was a little bit lower tech. I just laid masking tape on each side until it lifted things up enough to level it. So far, I haven't needed to adjust it (but i skipped a winter, and was busy drywalling this past one, so maybe it'll need it this year).

My first insert used set screws in tapped holes for leveling, similar to the way many inserts work on a table saw. I found that the router vibrates so dang much that without some loctite, they would eventually rattle out of position. This is the reason I use the masking tape for my levelling. It can't vibrate loose and it works great for me. Many folks have no problem with the screws ... I may have just had some sensitive threads or something :)

Thanks again for your comments :)

[Bartee Lamar]

Here is the link to my router table album.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bartee/RouterTable

This is a Norm design. I purchased the plans. It is 3" deeper to accomodate the micro adjuster.

I really like it because it is:

1. Heavy. I like tools that feel good.
2. Very useful. I did not realize what an asset it would be in the shop.
3. I used an Hitachi MV12 router. This is excellent for a router table
4. The micro adjuster really does work and is very handy when getting an exact measurement.
5. The storage is really good.

[Bob Feeser]

Thanks, Bob! :)

I'm pretty proud of it, myself. Probably why I mention it so much :P

My insert is the rousseau lift made by jessem. I hadn't even bothered to try getting the depth of the rabbet perfect because I knew that it'd change with the seasons anyway. My scheme for levelling it, though, was a little bit lower tech. I just laid masking tape on each side until it lifted things up enough to level it. So far, I haven't needed to adjust it (but i skipped a winter, and was busy drywalling this past one, so maybe it'll need it this year).

My first insert used set screws in tapped holes for leveling, similar to the way many inserts work on a table saw. I found that the router vibrates so dang much that without some loctite, they would eventually rattle out of position. This is the reason I use the masking tape for my levelling. It can't vibrate loose and it works great for me. Many folks have no problem with the screws ... I may have just had some sensitive threads or something :)

Thanks again for your comments :)

Jason,
Thank you for the follow up. The following pic shows you the type of screws I was talking about.
http://inlinethumb14.webshots.com/5325/2218059950100733997S600x600Q85.jpg

You can see that they are even in their width, like a pencil, rather than being tapered which would create all kinds of problems.
They also have a flat head on them.
Due to the fact that I undersized the pilot hole, these things are in really tight. The threads are coarse and deep. So no problem with fine threads stripping after a while.
Unfortunately this is not an original design on my part. It is the factory set up for the Bench Dog router table extension for table saws.
It took some looking to find the screws. Finally I found them in box quantity at McFeeleys. http://www.mcfeelys.com/ If anyone is interested I can dig out the box, and get the numbers, and description off of it.
The beauty of this set up, as you can see how many I put in, you can really fine tune the evenness of the insert to "perfectly" match the insert to the table surface.
Jason, you have simplified things, whereas the masking tape gives you tweaking capabilities as well.

Just for the heck of it, I included a top side pic of this set up coming from the other end, with a close up of the Bench Dog extension. Altogether their are 3 routers in one table saw station. All with removable fences, creating a flat deck for the saw, etc.
http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/5024/2295197180100733997S600x600Q85.jpg

[Henry Cavanaugh]

I Built the NYW (Norms) table and added a larger phonlic (sp?) table top to put a router lift,joint tech smart fence on. If I were to make one again I would make it deeper to better accept top.I now use brackets to add support. I built the cabinet before I realized that I wanted the Joint tech. Less bit drawers and more storage drawers which I will redo. I do like the dust shoot design and enclosing the motor lessens the sound from the 3.25HP PC Router.

[Greg Hines, MD]

It sounds like you have a good idea of what you want. My current router table will last me for years, but when I do upgrade it, I will want a lift, probably from Incra (I really like their mag-lock inserts), along with an Incra or Join-tech fence, and a big enough table to make it work.

You will need to have on-board bit storage, and build in extra space than you need. My current storage can hold about 60 1/2" shank bits, and about 30 1/4" bits. That is way more than I have now, but not more than I plan to get someday.

Dust collection needs to come off the router, the cabinet, and the fence. The dust collection also helps with ventilation with that big router that is enclosed in the cabinet.

I also have mine on a mobile base, so that it can be moved out onto the driveway when I need it to out there. Mine is a Shop-Fox base, heavy duty and very stable.

Doc

[glenn bradley]

One thing I failed to do that I will not do next time . . . have the table overhang the cabinet enough to clamp to on each side. I was so busy making mine fit 'nice' that I left no overhang except for the front. It is the only thing I am unhappy with about the design.