Can anyone recommend a router table ?

[Steve Tanski]

Hi folks,

Can anyone recommend a good router table for $300 or less? I have an old black and decker router. If I needed to buy a newer model I would i just don't know how compatible these things are.

I did look around a little but could not find any old threads on the subject.

Thank you,

[Greg Hines, MD]

Welcome to the creek.

I built my own for a lot less than $300. The most expensive part would be an insert plate, which I would definitely recommend, but you can get away with just a board with the router screwed to the bottom of it, across a pair of sawhorses.

You do not mention what you will be using it for. If all you want to be able to do is mould an edge, you can use any table. If you are wanting to use an Incra or Jointech fence, you will need something much more sophisticated.

Doc

[Marlin Williams]

I recently got a shaper to do what I needed. But when I looked at router tables I would just build my own and buy the table insert with lift. The prices of a router table IMO are way to high for what you get.

You can build it top of the line like Norms router table or go for a basic one. Its up to you.

[Chris Holder]

Hi Steve,

There are probably as many opinions on this topic as there are people in the forum. If you are looking to buy, Rocker is a good source, as are Woodpeck, Incra, and Benchdog. Most will offer packages with a router plate that is pre-drilled for most standard routers on the market. If you cannot find a plate available for your router, you can always buy a plate and drill the mounting holes yourself. If you buy, you will spend (at a minimum) most of your $300 budget on an entry level table, and another $150-300 on a router for it (unless you really love that Black and Decker, I would suggest upgrading). FWIW, I think building a table is great project, and a good learning opportunity. You get the build experience, it will cost you the same or less money than if you bought a table, and you can design your own features, storage, fence system, etc. There are numerous sources for plans including the New Yankee Workshop (with video), virtually every major woodworking magazine has designed one, and the web.

[Bill White]

Build it yourself and pocket the money.
Bill

[Steve Tanski]

thanks everyone. The lightening quick responses are great. I did look around and saw a couple i could build. seems like the best idea.

thanks again,

[Ed Powers]

Take a look at this one:

http://rt1000.com/

It's the New Yankee router table made by a fellow in Canada.

I bought one a few weeks ago (the "magazine special") and was very pleased with the quality and price. It doesn't cost much more than it would to build it yourself.

[tom tangie]

I got the Rockler table saw add on section about 5 years ago. It came with plate of choice, adjustable fence, dust hood, protection cover over bit, T-tracks, melamine table and fence. Its been a workhorse for me. I mounted to a Powermatic contractor saw with 2x4s angled to the saw legs and the table has a sturdy oak frame that can be drilled and mounted to the edge of the saws cast iron table. It also adds a nice table extension for the saw itself. I have a 3.25 Hitachi plung router mouted to it. I have subsequently added dust collection box below around the router thats plumbed into my DC system through a a blast gate and door'ed on the front for access. Does an exceptional job of capturing the saw dust. I paid $89 but I think they got wise and up'd the price considerably since then

[alex grams]

Your biggest concern on building one will be to maintain a flat table top. a couple of sheets of mdf with laminate on each side is a good start, though there are a lot of ways to go about it. If you are looking for a lift for your top also, maybe consider getting a benchdog cast iron top with a lift.

You could also look at getting a custom made steel top though quality grinding, they were competitively priced when I looked at them (in the vendor forum) and you could get it made to the size you want, and they can machine the slot for the lift into the top.

[Marlin Williams]

Take a look at this one:

http://rt1000.com/

It's the New Yankee router table made by a fellow in Canada.

I bought one a few weeks ago (the "magazine special") and was very pleased with the quality and price. It doesn't cost much more than it would to build it yourself.

Yep they also have some stuff on eBay I think.
If you don;t build then they have a good looking table for a good price.

[glenn bradley]

Hi folks,

Can anyone recommend a good router table for $300 or less? I have an old black and decker router. If I needed to buy a newer model I would i just don't know how compatible these things are.

I did look around a little but could not find any old threads on the subject.

Thank you,

Rockler has changed their router table offerings. If there is a store nearby, I got the old model top, plate, fence and guard for $60. It will replace my old Rockler TS extension top that has slowly mutated into this (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=54205&d=1167872143).

[John Browne]

Lots of good advice here. I am on my 4th router table--all shop built. First was a piece of scrap plywood and a 2x4 for a fence--screwed my Crapsman router upside down to the plywood. Worked ok. Next I bought a Woodpecker's insert plate and template, made one out of a sheet of plywood--I laid it across a couple of sawhorses or clamped it to a bench to use it. Made a new fence. Now I've got two MDF tops--one with the insert that fits one router, the other without an insert for a Freud I picked up on clearance from Lowes. Better fence, still no base.

Point is, I still haven't invested anywhere near the $$ a cheap Rockler table would have cost, I've learned a lot in the process about what I like and don't like. I was going to make a Norm RT but reading Pat Warner's books makes me think I'll make one of his designs first. I think if I had waited to make the Ultimate Router Table or be able to buy one (with the insert, lift, fence, base, etc) I still wouldn't have one.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

Rockler has changed their router table offerings. If there is a store nearby, I got the old model top, plate, fence and guard for $60.
What Glenn said.
I got the Rockler #1 for $99.99 a couple of months ago. - marked down from $129.00.
It looks like they keep dropping the price.

For $60, you'd be very hard pressed to be able to buy the fixings that go into one. The plate alone is something like $59.00

[John Eaton]

Apparently Rockler now owns Bench Dog so they standardized on a router plate size (compare the backs of the plates from both companies and they even now share the same artwork/images/text). All the old plates are now on sale at about half the cost of the new plates. I own what I think is a first generation Bench Dog table (laminate top with offset opening (metal is on the short end), acrylic insert) and have been thinking about upgrading the insert so I took a look when they went on sale last week.

-- John

[John Grossi]

Steve, The rt1000 that Ed mentioned is an outstanding router table. I was ready to order one, then one popped up on Craigs list and I got it. Check ebay. John

[Michael Stanley]

Lee Valley/Veritas has a nice steel top. I've been using one for several years now.

[Prashun Patel]

Building one can be fun, but personally, I'd just buy a top from Rockler and make my own base.

[Mark Ball]

I also have the rt1000 and really like it. For the price, I couldn't have saved much by building my own.

[Steve Tanski]

thank you very much everyone. i really appreciate it.

[Bill White]

Your biggest concern on building one will be to maintain a flat table top. a couple of sheets of mdf with laminate on each side is a good start, though there are a lot of ways to go about it. If you are looking for a lift for your top also, maybe consider getting a benchdog cast iron top with a lift.

You could also look at getting a custom made steel top though quality grinding, they were competitively priced when I looked at them (in the vendor forum) and you could get it made to the size you want, and they can machine the slot for the lift into the top.


I used two laminate countertop sink cutouts as the table. Routed for miter gauge inserts and fence channels, made the fence from mdf (with dust collection). I think it cost me about $40.00. Mounted it on an open base that I had left over.
Use it all the time.
Oh! I forgot the Lee Valley table insert for my PC 690. Follow the directions and it will install dead on.
Bill

[Steven DeMars]

Your biggest concern on building one will be to maintain a flat table top. a couple of sheets of mdf with laminate on each side is a good start, though there are a lot of ways to go about it. If you are looking for a lift for your top also, maybe consider getting a benchdog cast iron top with a lift.

You could also look at getting a custom made steel top though quality grinding, they were competitively priced when I looked at them (in the vendor forum) and you could get it made to the size you want, and they can machine the slot for the lift into the top.

If someone were to go that route, does Quality Grinding have a pattern for location of miter slots, tracks for the fence & the mounting plates . . ?

Steve

[Bob Genovesi]

You can go from mild to wild and everything in between. I've been toying with making or buying a nice cabinet for mine bit it'll end up costing me close to $500 by the time I'm through.

I was at Woodcraft the other day and was really impressed with Kreg's Precision Router Table. While it's open underneath I really liked the top and the fence functioned just like the one on my tablesaw.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/BobbyG53/Woodworking/KregPrecisionRouterTable.jpg

Price? You guessed it; $500....

[Chris Ricker]

If you're not into building one I suggest the rt1000, great product at a good price.

[Brian Penning]

Lee Valley/Veritas has a nice steel top. I've been using one for several years now.

I 2nd the LV top. I bought mine with the base and screwed it to an old microwave cart.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f193/Bri68/Miscilaneous/main-3.jpg