router cabinet progress - nearly complete

[Leo Zick]

Thought id share this in case anyone is interested in building something similar.. it was my first project as fully complex as this, with drawers, etc.

Its taken longer than expected since I dont have a table saw, but its just about complete now, except for one large door on the right side, and a small false door above it with a compartment to house wiring to a switch. im looking for an on/off switch that i can tie my vac to.

I need to make a plexi door for the middle. i have a piano hinge but want to find something that i can slide in and out so the door is inside the cabinet when open. will have to look for this type of hinge.

dont think ill need dust collection below the router. if below the router does get messy, its contained and only takes a sec to vacuum. most cuts seem to blow behind where the dust collector is, or when dadoing, through the groove and across the room. (lol). im going to try to make a side dust collection port of some kind.

most wood is 3/4" birch ply. some is 1/2". face is red oak - frame is 1/2" cuts and two 1" pieces. ill use 1" for the center frame for the plexiglass too. cabinet is joined with pocket screws.

I rabbeted the small drawers (can see in the router bit pic), and put false fronts on (still need to fix the middle drawer). these drawers are on wood sliders.

I used a full dovetail on the big drawer. i messed up and cut the dovetail full through, but it actually made it easier to slide the side pieces down from the top. odd how dovetails seem to slide in easier one way over the other. the joints are so tight i didnt need glue! this drawer is on full extension metal slides.

routed the top left and right of the face frame edges to be flush with table top in the front, with a bevel into square. front and back are nearly flush, sides have ~1" overhang for additional clamping if needed. (ive been using when i need to set fence in positions outside the slotted areas. couldnt get the face frame assembled prior to putting on the cabinet because i couldnt join the 1/2" material. i just set nails in the back, cut the heads, and tapped the frame into the cabinet in pieces. then, the magic of putty helped :p

wheels are 2 1/2" locking. i dont like them, they jam. (home depot) may get taller wheels with a smoother roll and easier lock.

i made the table top removable by setting anchors in the bottom of the top and bolting it through cross members of the cabinet. works well.

also stapled plastic lining across the two outer cabinet areas so dust doesnt go through the fence slots and into the drawers. works well too. :)

i added a kreg t-slot piece into the miter slot along with a tape measure. part of the tape tucks under the top so i can adjust zero point as needed. doubt ill need the t-slot, ruler or the miter slot, but nice to add on.

ive already seen limitations in the table top. when its broke or im fed up, ill make one with t-slots all over so the fence isnt limited. also laminate chips, no matter how careful. oh well.

finally, need to finish the front. not sure if ill wax, oil, or poly..

ill make custom labels for all the router bits once i have time to download pics.. :)

[Tony Cox]

Looks great. I am getting ready to start a cabinet for my router table. I have a rockler table also. So far it has been a fine table for me. Maybe later I will see some downfalls it has. I enjoy seeing other router cabinets so I can get ideas.

Thanks for sharing,
Tony

[J. Z. Guest]

Looks awesome! I like the french dovetail. I think it is an elegant way to join a drawer front, and simpler than traditional dovetails. As for having routed it all the way through, it is better to have done this on shop furniture than "fine" furniture, right? It is a less you won't forget, since you'll have to look at it forever and ever, hehehe.

Personally, I'd keep it in mind, and when you find the right size scrap at some point in the future, redo it. Otherwise, it'll probably drive you nuts.

When you do, I'd glue it with thin CA glue. It will wick right in the cracks and hold super-tight.

[Jim Becker]

Looking good, Leo!

[John Thompson]

Very nice Leo and without a TS. That requires some effort so you get an A+ there. :)

Regards...

Sarge..

[Gary Lange]

I went over and picked up some materials to start a Route Table myself. Should be a fun project and I may learn what not to do building it so I won't make a mistake building something else.

[Norman Pyles]

Very :cool::cool::cool: router table. Thanks for the pics, I have to get started on one real soon.