Solid durface router table top

[Andrew Nemeth]

Has anyone used Corian or other solid surface material for a router table top or as face material for a fence? Pros/Cons? Any thoughts or opinions welcome.

[glenn bradley]

The only concern I initially see is the availability of machine flat corian. I know my tool tables need to be a lot flatter than my kitchen counter. I suppose a machine shop could do it for you or there may be a source that I am just not aware of (very possible). You've probably seen the Steel City tools with tops and fences made of marble instead of cast iron, eh?

[Clyde McKinney]

I installed half inch corian over three quarter plywood on the top of my router
table over three years ago and it has worked wonderfully well. I also surfaced
the fence with corian and I wouldn't trade the corian for anything else that I
know of.

[Dick Rowe]

Clyde,

How did you cut the router plate opening?

[Keith Outten]

I built a simple Corian router table that I use at CNU to edge prep plaques and signs. I used a large piece of Corian, glued two pieces to the bottom that I can grab with the vise feature of a B&D Workmate. The table was polished and then paste wax applied, it is so smooth it works really well.

I didn't use a drop in style router setup. I mounted the router under the table centered on a 2" diameter hole.

.

[Wade Lippman]

I built one out of 1/2" corian, mounted on an oak frame mounted to the fence rails. Worked fine. I never measured the flatness, but never noticed a problem.
I used a jigsaw to cut a rough opening, and then a router with a commercial template to make the insert opening.

On my first try I didn't use an insert but attached the router directly to the corian. I suppose it worked, but wasn't happy with it.

I threw the first one out and sold the second one along with the table saw it was mounted in. I am about to start version 3. This one will have a 3/4" thick top with a miter slot routed in it. I haven't decided whether to simply rout the slot in corian and use it, or rout a 1/2" deep slot and put in an aluminum insert.