Affordable cast iron router tops????

[Shawn Honeychurch]

Hey all;

I would love to get the bench dog cast iron top, but $450 :eek: is out of my league. Does anyone know of any other cast iron router tops that might be more affordable?

Thanks
Shawn

[duke bryant]

Hey all;

I would love to get the bench dog cast iron top, but $450 :eek: is out of my league. Does anyone know of any other cast iron router tops that might be more affordable?

Thanks
Shawn

If getting it today is not crucial, you can download the manual from harbor frieght for their CI router table, and call their parts ordering folks, and order just the CI top. That should get you in for less than $100 if their price for that part hasn't gone up to much.

Good luck
Duke

[Jim Becker]

Keep in mind that part of your decision is to be sure that the CI top you choose will also work with any intended insert or lift...you really cannot "modify" the opening yourself with this format of table.

[Keith Campbell]

I picked up my CI router extension from Peachtree. $219 For the basic extension and $329 for the CI extension and their supreme fence (which I purchased). Very happy with both. I have it mounted in my Rigid 3650 and it fits great. I think they have it listed on their homepage.

[Wade Lippman]

I have been using corian. Does everything I could ask for in a router table top. And if you are resourceful, it is free.

[Rick Hubbard]

Hey all;

I would love to get the bench dog cast iron top, but $450 :eek: is out of my league. Does anyone know of any other cast iron router tops that might be more affordable?

Thanks
Shawn

Hi Shawn-

I'm not sure where you saw the $450 price, but Amazon currently has the BD top for $329 with free shipping.

Rick

[Jeff Miller]

Table saw top 10 bucks at local salvage yard ,works super and also serves as an extension:)


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f32/woodfarmer/OWWM/owwm011.jpg


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f32/woodfarmer/OWWM/owwm029.jpg



JEFF:D

[Prashun Patel]

I know you're looking for Cast iron, but Rockler has the Benchdog 1 1/8" mdf table and fence on clearance for $200. Comes with insert. Looks nice.

[Dennis Lopeman]

Table saw top 10 bucks at local salvage yard ,works super and also serves as an extension:)

JEFF:D

YOu found a Table saw top at a Salvage yard? Cool -

I like you zero clearance thing!

I've decided to build my router table into my TS as well... would be cool to use cast iron!!

[Shawn Honeychurch]

Table saw top 10 bucks at local salvage yard ,works super and also serves as an extension:)

JEFF:D

Well heck, that is pure freaking genius :D, and I was just offered a TS with a dead motor for free. Jeff, you just made my day.

Woo Hoo!

Shawn

[Shawn Honeychurch]

Hi Shawn-

I'm not sure where you saw the $450 price, but Amazon currently has the BD top for $329 with free shipping.

Rick

The $450 price is up here in Canada at House of Tools. Shipping for such a heavy item over the border would cost a lot.

[Jack Clay]

I had a Craftsman table saw give to me that I took just for the top. I took it to a friend with a CNC mill and he milled it to fit a Dewalt 3 hp plunge router. We them mill an aluminum plate to fit the saw opening with the cut out for the router bit. This will also double the size of your table saw top. Good Luck.

[Jack Briggs]

I have a table-mounted router (Hitachi TR12) that serves some important needs, but I have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to spend the time or money to build or buy a router table out of cast iron when a 3/4" spindle shaper will do so much more, much more accurately and easily than the router table. My Grizzly G1035 cost me $500, weighs 200lbs., takes a 1/2" router bit spindle (if needed) and has a 3" spindle travel on a heavy cast iron handwheel with adjustment that trumps any router-lifter-raizer-thing on the market.

Am I alone in thinking this or is there something about a table-mounted universal motor-powered device that I'm missing?

[Rod Sheridan]

Hello Jack, I also rejected the router table approach in favour of a shaper.

I rarely use router bits in mine however, unless you have a Felder with a high speed spindle, they just don't spin fast enough for small bits.

For large bits such as a panel raising bit, they work just fine, although of course a shaper cutter works much better.

Shapers also have reversible spindle rotation enabling you to flip cutters over so that grain direction isn't an issue.

I have an insert head that takes HSS knives, providing a superior finish in solid wood. The knives are less than $20 per pair, available in over 100 standard profiles, or blanks can be custom ground to any profile.

Once you have a shaper with a flat cast iron table, good fences, a power feeder and shaper cutters, you'll never go back to an upside down blender in a table.

As you mentioned, a low end 3 HP shaper isn't more money than a good router, and a commercially produced high end router table. Of course, I don't think that many wives/children/girl friends walk out of stores on Fathers Day with a shaper under their arm, however a lot of routers get sold for that day.

Regards, Rod.

[Jerome Hanby]

They wont have them until October, but Peachtree is going to have a cast iron router table extension that's machined to hold the Digital SmartLift!

The current model is $219, so I would assume the new one will be priced similarly. Best part, they charge shipping based on the dollar amount! For $300 that amounts to about $15 to ship you a big chunk of cast iron!

[julie Graf]

just marking this thread for future reference....

[Douglas Brummett]

Hey all;

I would love to get the bench dog cast iron top, but $450 :eek: is out of my league. Does anyone know of any other cast iron router tops that might be more affordable?

Thanks
Shawn

If you shop around you can do better than $450. How much better is up to you. I just ordered one of the BD units off e-bay. With a 10% coupon and cheap shipping option from the seller I was out the door for $285 shipped with insurance. Not cheap, but justifiable since it does include the fence and the router mounting plate. I was shopping around for plates, most end up closer to $60-80 once template, template router bit, levelers, and insert rings are considered. Fences are easy to make, but count your man hours versus buying one for $120. Figure those 2 items at market value and the BD kit starts to look like a good deal since the CI plate is included for under $300.

I will probably upgrade to an aluminum insert after a while, but for now the stock one will do.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for DIY. Sometimes the cost benefit isn't there. Unless you are lucky like the user with the 2nd tablesaw top you are not really going to save money. In the end I usually find when I try to piece stuff like that together it is only marginally cheaper (sometimes more expensive) and I have spent countless hours scanning the net, planning, and then fudging something together. When it works well there is pride in DIY. When it doesn't work as planned I feel a bit sheepish and remorseful. $.02 for free :)

[Keith Outten]

Click on the Quality Grinding & Machine banner at the bottom of this page and vist their web site. They make custom router extensions and a whole lot more.

They made me a steel extension for my table saw with a built-in router lift and it is by far superior to cast iron.

.

[Jerome Hanby]

Do you recall the cost of your extension? I assume I could supply the dimensions of my current extension and the plate opening info for the Smartlift and they could construct accordingly. If it was close to the same cost as Peachtree, that would seem the route (pun intended) to take.


Click on the Quality Grinding & Machine banner at the bottom of this page and vist their web site. They make custom router extensions and a whole lot more.

They made me a steel extension for my table saw with a built-in router lift and it is by far superior to cast iron.

.

[John Sanford]

Ah yes, the eternal Router in Table vs. Shaper smoke war. (nobody's really passionate enough about it to get the flames going, but a wee bit of smoke, yup!)

Jack wonders why anyone would want to buy/build a fancy schmancy {I'm paraphrasing here ;) } router table setup when they could just get a 3hp shaper for the same money?

Hmmm, maybe because the $200,000 dollars for the accessory HOUSE with 220-240v power might not be in the budget?

Hmmm, maybe because dropping 25-50k on a new workshop that will have enough space for the shaper isn't in the budget?

Hmmm, maybe because relocating SWMBO's car to the driveway to make space for the shaper isn't in the budget?

etc, etc...

In short, there are real reasons why a shaper may not be the best solution for some folks, just as for some it's the best thing since sliced bread.

[Neal Clayton]

the wiring i can fix, the car in the driveway i deal with, the rest is pretty much it, yup ;).

my shop was made for a horse and cart and servant's quarters, not tools. i fit what tools i can, and another table in the middle of the floor just can't happen. my only option for a router/shaper is a table saw extension.

[Shawn Honeychurch]

Click on the Quality Grinding & Machine banner at the bottom of this page and vist their web site. They make custom router extensions and a whole lot more.

They made me a steel extension for my table saw with a built-in router lift and it is by far superior to cast iron.

.

No banner at bottom of page. :(

[Keith Outten]

Do you recall the cost of your extension? I assume I could supply the dimensions of my current extension and the plate opening info for the Smartlift and they could construct accordingly. If it was close to the same cost as Peachtree, that would seem the route (pun intended) to take.

Check out this thread for information and pictures on my new extension wing.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=87932

The price of the wing with the machining for my new Jessum Router lift was $350.00, make sure to tell Chris Brown you are a SawMill Creek Member because he is offering everyone here a discount. they can definitely build you a custom wing to fit both your model table saw and any router lift you own.

If Quality Grinding builds you an extension wing it will probably be more precise than your table saw top and it will stay that way...they are just awesome.

http://www.qualitygrinding.com/

.

[Jerome Hanby]

Thanks Keith. That's one nice looking extension!

[Tony Bilello]

Harbor has a Shaper for a fairly good price. It looks like it is well built, however, I have always had problems with Harbor Freight stuff. Anyone own their shaper?

Tony B

[Rod Sheridan]

Ah yes, the eternal Router in Table vs. Shaper smoke war. (nobody's really passionate enough about it to get the flames going, but a wee bit of smoke, yup!)

Jack wonders why anyone would want to buy/build a fancy schmancy {I'm paraphrasing here ;) } router table setup when they could just get a 3hp shaper for the same money?

Hmmm, maybe because the $200,000 dollars for the accessory HOUSE with 220-240v power might not be in the budget?

Hmmm, maybe because dropping 25-50k on a new workshop that will have enough space for the shaper isn't in the budget?

Hmmm, maybe because relocating SWMBO's car to the driveway to make space for the shaper isn't in the budget?

etc, etc...

In short, there are real reasons why a shaper may not be the best solution for some folks, just as for some it's the best thing since sliced bread.

John, that's great, your post made my day!

The only other item required with the shaper is the Oneida Cyclone that would then kick the riding lawn mower out into the rain.

Regards, Rod.

[Peter Quadarella]

I just think that all the hobby bits and accessories make a router more attractive to us. But a router table is not much smaller than a smaller shaper really. And for woodworkers without 220v power - we are not really talking about much money to put it in - I did my whole garage with new lights, a new subpanel, and outlets all over the place for ~$800 with the help of a friendly retired electrician.

I'd love for some company to come up with a complete, no assembly required, router table, complete with storage space and router. I might really consider it.

[Dennis Lopeman]

Table saw top 10 bucks at local salvage yard ,works super and also serves as an extension:)


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f32/woodfarmer/OWWM/owwm011.jpg


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f32/woodfarmer/OWWM/owwm029.jpg



JEFF:D


JEFF - I still can't find a table top like this!!!! I think you were just lucky! And for $10 - ten - not $100, right!?!?! That's just awesome.

[Jerome Hanby]

I bet you could cheat and find some cheap table saw that has a cast iron top in the want-ads...


JEFF - I still can't find a table top like this!!!! I think you were just lucky! And for $10 - ten - not $100, right!?!?! That's just awesome.

[Dennis Lopeman]

I thought of that... and they are upwards around $100 sometimes...

and knowing that someone got it for 10 makes me want to find a comparable deal!! I'm crazy like that...

[Jerome Hanby]

You could get on FreeCycle for your area and post that you are looking for an old table saw for parts. You might pick one up for the cost of the gas to go pick it up.

Hmmm, cost of gas...Maybe that $100 wouldn't be so bad :D

I thought of that... and they are upwards around $100 sometimes...

and knowing that someone got it for 10 makes me want to find a comparable deal!! I'm crazy like that...

[Kevin Arceneaux]

This has some great ideas. I think I will have to go to my cousin when I am home next time and see what he can do.

http://www.begno.com/default.aspx

[Douglas Brummett]

No banner at bottom of page. :(


http://www.qualitygrinding.com

FWIW that option will run you up and out of the budget realm. $350 for just the extension, no insert and no fence. Kind of out of place in the affordable thread, but I suppose that is relative to your income and situation.

I received my BenchDog last week. It is a fantastic piece of equipment. The top itself was flatter than my cast iron top on my contractor saw. Install was pretty easy. What surprised me most was the fence. No wimpy aluminum angle here. Darn thing weighed in at over 4lb without the sub-fence faces on it. Very solid. If you can shop it out I don't think there is a better kit in the under $300 price range. :D