1st Router Table

[Greg Dykes]

The main reason for this post is to see if I have figured out how to resize my pictures for posting on here.

I took on the project of remodeling my Dad's kitchen with nothing more than a circular saw, miter saw, biscuit joiner and a few nail guns. NOW I am hooked. I have bought more stuff than I know how to use..LOL!

I decided to build the raised panel doors myself but did not have a router table. Instead of buying one I jumped off the deep end and built it based on what I have seen you guys posting.

The table dimn. are 42" wide x 48" long. My intention is to mount a router at each end. Currently I only have one installed in these pictures. I am using a PC892 and have drilled holes through my router plate so I can raise and lower it without having to use a router lift. I didn't buy one of those PC fancy adjustment wrenches that sell for about $30.00. Instead, I drilled the holes in the base plate approx. 1/16" larger and use a common nut driver that sells for about $2.00

The top is 2 pcs. of 3/4 mdf covered top and bottom with plastic laminate. The cabinet is birch ply with popular face. The fence is oak. I didn't get to fancy with this one. I am sure I end up making something different after I use this one awhile and find out the like's and dislike's. After I finish with the kitchen I will add drawers and doors to this thing.

One other thing that I did not show in the pictures is the DC arrangement. I have a 4" line comming into the box. It reduces down to 3" for the cabinet and I have a 2" line that goes up to the fence. This way I have it covered from both ends.

[Jim O'Dell]

Very serviceable, Greg! I like the idea of the tool caddy. Thanks for sharing! Jim.

[Greg Dykes]

This is my expensive router lift.

[Greg Dykes]

A few additional pictures. On the 4" closet flange located on the outside of the cabinet I have installed a 4" x 4" x 2" tee. The 2" line goes to the DC port on the fence. When I have it set up, the 2" line will be moved from fence to fence.

[Don Bullock]

Greg, that table looks great. You came up with some very interesting ideas to make it very functional. That router lift in guaranteed for a lifetime.;) :D

[Keith Beck]

Greg,

That's one sweet router table. Me likey! :D

Keith

[scott spencer]

That'd be a pretty nice RT for a 3rd or 4th attempt...it's outstanding for a first crack! Nice job!

[Grant Davis]

Lots of nice pics Greg. I like the expensive router lift that you have.

[Greg Dykes]

Thanks guys for not being too critical......LOL.

[Kyle Stiefel]

Greg,

That is a great router table. I especially like when you can do something like you did with the router lift "special tool" and save some coin.

[Brent Norrod]

Really nice Job!

Hi all, I just found this great forum ! I am currently building a new router table as my wife bought me a Jessem MasterLift. I found this forum looking for router table design ideas, and I found plenty!

Thanks !

[Bill Huber]

Very nice looking table, the fence is what caught my eye.

Great looking fence, I love the tools slots in it.

[Bill Huber]

Really nice Job!

Hi all, I just found this great forum ! I am currently building a new router table as my wife bought me a Jessem MasterLift. I found this forum looking for router table design ideas, and I found plenty!

Thanks !

Welcome to the Creek, I am new aroung here myself and as you have found out there is a weath of information here. The people here are also really great, I have yet to ask a question that I did not get and answer to.

I just got the Jessem FX lift and really love it. I also got their top and fence, the fence is really a great fence, built like a battleship.

You may want to take a look at this thread on my dust collection. It is working very well.
http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=65058

[Greg Dykes]

Thanks again for all the nice comments. Not having any plans and trying to decide on buying a table vs. building one, it makes me feel good to know I might have gotten something right.

Just like everything else, there are so many opinions on what a router table should be like. Never having used anything more than a raftsman POC and havinfg never seen one except for pictures on the web I was a bit hesitant to build one. I am glad I decided to now. It makes a world of difference to have a stable platform.

Some of my friends have commented that it is to big. I have now found many other uses for the large top. I have mounted my table top DP to a board and use the T-tracks in the table to secure it. I have also done the same with my dovetail jig.

Thanks for looking. Greg

[Grant Morris]

Thank you for posting this. Would you be so kind as to tell us where we can purchase all those cool pieces you used like the DC shroud, the feather boards/channels and router plate please?

[Warren Clemans]

T-tracks look Rocklerish to me...
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5325&cs=1

[Phil Thien]

That'd be a pretty nice RT for a 3rd or 4th attempt...it's outstanding for a first crack! Nice job!

My thoughts exactly. I think he's a natural.

[Greg Dykes]

Grant, Warren is right. I used Rockler's T-tracks, DC connection and featherboards. The miter track came from MLCS. Rockler had a sale on the T-track kit last week for about $11.00 per 4' w/ bolts and 8 knobs.

You might also look at http://www.ttrackusa.com/ They seem to have decent prices.

I am about to put this thing to the test starting tomorrow. I have about 2/3's of my door panels glued up and I am going to make some doors. I have to build a coping jig first but that shouldn't take very long.

Most of you guys cope first before you route the profile the rails, right? I have read that this should help prevent some of the tear-out.

[Curt Harms]

Most of you guys cope first before you route the profile the rails, right? I have read that this should help prevent some of the tear-out.

Hi Greg

Nice job on the router table. Re cope cuts I haven't tried this yet but it seems like a good idea. Rather than ripping the rails then coping the ends, cut the rail stock to length, cope the ends, rip the rails and finish the routing. Sure seems like that'd yield cleaner cope cuts. I use quite a bit of oak which can be a real pain with tear out.

HTH


Curt