Benchtop router table stand

[Chuck Lenz]

I'm trying to put together a custom router table and don't have the room for a floor model, so I decided on building a benchtop metal stand instead of a heavy wood cabinet that would be heavy to move around. I liked the Kreg design so thats what I went after. The funny thing about Kreg is they will sell you a table insert, levelers, a top, and a fence all seperatly but wouldn't just sell me just the stand. So I ran across a guy on the local internet that had just the stand for a radial arm saw, so I bought it and used the legs after cutting them down. The rail material I had made at my local sheet metal shop with a 85 degree bend from 16 gauge. Then I cut the rail material to length and bolted it all together, it seems to be very sturdy. The top is from a desk in a office cubicle that is 1 1/4" MDF laminated on both sides and rubber edged. I still need to paint the stand, add some rubber feet to the legs, router out the top for the Woodpeckers 3/8" thick aluminum plate, cut a groove out for the Woodpeckers miter track, and install mounting hardware for a Freud router fence. I bought a new PC 890 router last spring that is still in the case, never been used, to use in this table but I'm not sure that it's going to be a durable router after hearing some complaints about circuitry failure. Maybe I'll get lucky, time will tell. http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c89/Woodchuck_/RouterStand.jpg http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c89/Woodchuck_/RouterStandTop.jpg

[Mike Cutler]

I'd like to see a pic of it Chuck, even "in the rough". I use routers quite a bit, and am always open to new ideas/solutions.

I have the PC890, and I think it's too small for dedicated use in a router table. I have one of my PC8529's set up in a table. You really need a router with some "butt" in a table.
The 890 is a very nice hand held router though. It does tend to get a little hot though. At least mine does.

[Chuck Lenz]

I'd like to see a pic of it Chuck, even "in the rough". I use routers quite a bit, and am always open to new ideas/solutions.

I have the PC890, and I think it's too small for dedicated use in a router table. I have one of my PC8529's set up in a table. You really need a router with some "butt" in a table.
The 890 is a very nice hand held router though. It does tend to get a little hot though. At least mine does.
Hi Mike, I have a DeWalt 625 plunge router I could put in the table, but I don't know if the table insert is drilled for it. I'll have to look. I don't do alot of heavy cuts on the table. My old setup is a Craftsman 1 1/2 hp and never had a problem with power with that, but I don't do heavy cuting like raised panels and it didn't accept 1/2" bits either. Decisions.

[Jim Becker]

Great idea for a sturdy and portable setup, Chuck. This kind of thing is something that I think many of us could use even when we have a full-size router table setup as a second station for convenience or "intimate" work that the bench-top positioning could enhance.

[Mike Cutler]

Thank you Chuck. That looks like it will make a nice rugged benchtop router table.
I like it.

[Chuck Lenz]

Well I found out the router plate I have won't fit the DeWalt 625, but it will fit a 618 that I don't have, so I will take my chances on the Porter-Cable 890. Now comes routering out the top. I'd be lieing if I'd say I wasn't nervous. I did get the Woodpeckers template so that will help, but still it's allways nice to get it all right the first time.

[Chuck Lenz]

I finally got it all together tonight. I still need to paint the stand, that will probably have to wait till spring. So I have some time to decide if I want to put a shelf on the leg braces. It may not look heavy, but it's getin there for a guy with a wornout back. http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c89/Woodchuck_/FreukersRT.jpg http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c89/Woodchuck_/FreuckersTop3.jpg

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Great job! It looks so good, I'd have guessed you bought it rather than made it.

So where'd you get that switch?

Paul

[Chuck Lenz]

Thankyou Paul. I salvaged the switch from the old table, it's a Craftsman router table switch.

[Ted Baca]

Kinda looks like a Kreg and Frued truck ran into each other. Great result of and minds eye at work there. I bought the Kreg but like the Frued fence.
You made it a realization. Thanks for sharing.

[Chuck Lenz]

Kreudeckers ? :)

[Leigh Betsch]

She's looking good Chuck. Do you have plans to dust collection?

[Anthony Whitesell]

If you don't have a dedicated dust collector, might I suggest wrapping the legs with a covering that would keep the chips from flying all over and minimize your cleanup. I was thinking you could modify a snap on collector bag for a table saw to catch the chips.

[Gary Warren]

I also would like to know where you found the desk top to use. I would love to try this as it is so neat and compact.

[Chuck Lenz]

I'm not sure if I'm going to go with dust collection from undernieth or not, I'm still pondering on how I'd want to do it.. I do have a 2 hp dust collector. If I do go with dust collection, it will probably be made from something lite like sheet metal, as I said before, this thing is starting to get heavy, any add ons now and I'll have to choose the materials to make them wisely. The desktop material I stumbled on in the local internet classifieds, I wish I would have got more now. You could try a office furniture supplier, they may know of someone replaceing office cubicles. I'd like to add that after cutting out for the router mounting plate and the miter track I put 2 coats of poly on the exposed MDF to seal it up from moisture.