Router table fence adjustable range?

[Todd Franks]

I'm in the process of designing a right side table saw router wing and am trying to figure out where to place the router insert to clear the tilt handle/access door but yet still have enough adjustable distance for the router fence.

So my question is how much usable distance do you need between the center of the router collet and face of the fence. I've never used a router table before but I'm guessing most of the time the fence will only +/- 1" from the collet centerline. A lot of commercial tables I see are centered on a 24" deep table so I'm guessing the maximum distance the fence could be from the bit is around 8".

[Myk Rian]

You may want to rout dados, so that will need room between the bit and fence.
You need more room in front of the bit than you do behind it. That's so there is room to twist and turn stock as you rout it.
If the door is hinged in the back, then mount the router to the left. It does not have to be centered in the wing.
So, mount it as far back as you can, without it being in the way of the door.

[pat warner]

This one (http://patwarner.com/images/rtf_opener.jpg) has an inch of micro-adjust travel and 2" of rough travel, total, in one setting = 3".
Now then, in my case, I have 3 sets of tee-nuts (on 2" centers) under the top, so the fence can reach to 6" from the cutter + the 1" for the micro.
Do I need that much? Indeed I do.

[Neal Clayton]

I'm in the process of designing a right side table saw router wing and am trying to figure out where to place the router insert to clear the tilt handle/access door but yet still have enough adjustable distance for the router fence.

So my question is how much usable distance do you need between the center of the router collet and face of the fence. I've never used a router table before but I'm guessing most of the time the fence will only +/- 1" from the collet centerline. A lot of commercial tables I see are centered on a 24" deep table so I'm guessing the maximum distance the fence could be from the bit is around 8".


how much distance? same as the table saw ;)

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=951786&postcount=5

reasoning:

a) table saw fence is stronger than any router table fence, and is always square, whereas removable router table fences will need to be re-squared every time they're moved

b) table saw fence is easily adjustable as a stop for long tenons, most router table fences won't go back that far or if they do, again, have to be resquared after moving them

c) one less fence laying around, i can unbolt the aluminum faces and then i have a (albeit slightly heavier) table saw fence again

[Wayne Cannon]

The greatest clearance I've needed from bit to fence was about 6" for routing long tenons for a gate (using Freud's Interior & Exterior Door Router Bit Set). Axl mentioned routing dados.

[Wayne Cannon]

Just a note that, generally, router fences do not need to be at all square with the table.

[Neal Clayton]

Just a note that, generally, router fences do not need to be at all square with the table.

they do if you're cutting tenons with your rail/stile bits, assuming you use the fence as a stop.