Which Router Table

[Nathalee Jones]

Okay I am down to 3 choices - I have the Festool 1400 Plunge router, tracks, parallel guide, and other accessories. I have 2 Craftsman routers and accessories. I have all of Sommerfeld accessories, bits, feather guard, easy set jig, hinge boring jig, easy mark and I have the tall 4" bit with pro cabinetmaking bit set. Here are the choices.
1. $1400 - Festool table set CMS-GE (P00111) - use my festool router
2. $1273 - Sommerfeld Table top/Fence & 3 1/4 hp (799) Triton router and RT-1000 table base(255+179shipping)
3. $777 - RT1000 table and fence comination (349+179 shipping) and Triton 3 1/4 Router (249 Sommerfeld)

My priority is satisfaction. I want to be COMPLETELY satisfied with my purchase hands down - $$ not a consideration..

I am making custom cabinets for my entire house - I am female so I'm controlling the purse strings, if I'll be happier with the cheaper purchase - that's what I want. I currently own the Festool plunge saw, a shop fox table saw with extension a Rigid compound miter saw and still will need to think about dust extraction after this - I currently have a cheap Rigid, but can't decide on dust extraction (that will be the next question). Please help - the only reason I'd consider the Sommerfeld Router Table top and fence is because of the fence and the ability to use taller router bits without having to make a sacrifice fence.

Thanks,
Nat

[George Bokros]

Two to consider. Woodpeckers http://woodpeck.com or Jessem http://jessem.com . I do not have either but they are the two I am considering for replacing my current router table.

There is also Kreg http://kregtool.com what I don't like about that one is that one end of the fence runs in a slot in the table top.

With any of these you will want their lift and a router to fit the lift.

George

[scott vroom]

When I outfitted my shop 5 years ago I opted for a router table over a shaper, a decision I eventually regretted. I build primarily cabinets and raised panel doors and have experienced inconsistent results particularly when feeding longer stock resulting is time consuming rework. You can try adapting a power feeder to a router table but if you're going that route why not just get a shaper with a baby power feeder? A Grizzly 3HP is about $1,200 delivered, and a power feeder is $400+. You said money is no object and I think it's worth considering. The Grizzly will accept 1/2" shank router bits; I discussed this with Mark Sommerfeld and he said that his raised panel profiling bits should work fine at 10,000 RPM, the typical max speed for a shaper. Worth investigating anyway.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/3-HP-Shaper/G1026

[johnny means]

After 15 years and several router tables, I would definitely start with the best top possible. Of course, cast iron is the gold standard. I recommend a shop built cabinet or stand, nothing commercially available is going to fit your needs better. I've also come to the conclusion that any router with built in above the table adjustment is a compromise. None of them comes remotely close to the performance of a good lift. Finally, the Porter Cable 7518 is the best router motor ever made, period.

Now these three thing together without a base are probably going to run well north of a grand before we even mention a fence or stand. But, IMO, any no compromise table starts here.
Mines is still waiting on the lift and 7518 motor, but the top always feels right.
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[Prashun Patel]

I have the Incra setup: router table + MastRLiftII + LS Positioner and wonderfence.

I really like my set up because the lift allows above-the-table changes and super precise setup. The Incra has magnetic insert rings, so swapping them out is easy. They are also nice and durable.

But the real magic with the Incra set up is the LS positioner. Unlike most other fences, it uses a deep carriage that makes setting and micro-adjusting depth extremely precise. I did two entertainment cabinets with this set up. Dialing in the rails and stiles was super easy.

The Wonderfence has a split face with wedges behind each half. This makes shimming them very easy. When i had to joint 1/64" off the bottoms or sides of the cabinets so they'd fit, it was a joy.

[Paul Wunder]

The Rt-1000 table and fence is based upon Norm Abrams' (New Yankee Workshop) design and many woodworkers have built his table over the years. I am currently building a modified Abrams table, but i am using a Jessem table top and fence.

I strongly considered the RT-1000 instead of building my own because it appeared to be well made and would have actually cost me less to buy than building my own. If I didn't already have the fence and table top I would have bought the Rt-1000. Among the choices you listed I think it gives you the best bang for the buck and will certainly be up to the task.

[Keith Hankins]

Build your own! You can take the features of all of them you like and encorporate it. You will find that a dedicated router is the best for a table. Get a big one. My setup is 10+ years old and still going strong. I have the PC7518 and its a beast and the standard all others are judged by. Get a good fence or build one. I have the Woodpecker LS120 fence because i wanted micro adjust. It's come in handy more times than I can count. I also can reccomend woodpecker lifts strong and will stand the test of time. For the money you listed you could build extra storage get the lift router and still have money left.

routertable.jpg

[Prashun Patel]

This debate arises every time a 'which router table' question is asked. Keith's table is beautiful, and I'm not discounting how excellent and rewarding a self-built table can be. However, a couple myths should be dispelled:

1) It is not necessarily cheaper to build vs. buy. The router, plate, insert, and possibly fence would still require purchasing.
2) A built solution is not necessarily going to function better than a bought one. Mass and flatness and straightness are things you might arguably do better and more economically than a store-bought solution, but as important to these things is repeatability, adjustability, and set up and change convenience. These are not as easily engineered in the shop.
3) A lot of the router table builds give equal focus to the storage cabinet as the table. This may or may not be important to you.

At its essence, a router table is just a flat top with a hole in it. You can do a lot with a piece of scrap plywood and some sawhorses. This makes it seem like $1000 on a cadillac routing solution is extravagant. But the savings in frustration and set up time made it very much worth it for me; you can sneak up on things and tweak. This control has been priceless to me.

<steps down from soapbox>

[Ralph Okonieski]

I built my own router table because I wanted to. I have no experience with a purchased table so I can not help there.

I have the Pc 7518 router with Woodpecker top and PRL lift. I made several fences; they are pretty easy. I am very happy with the combination of all components and would do it again without hesitation.

Good luck with your decision.

[Clay Fails]

Take a look at the General International setup with cast iron top, fence and lift. I have a PC 7518 in that table and am very pleased with it.

[Don Welch]

Cast iron is the best table to consider, any non-metal type is going to have deflection / stability issues at some point. We have a Benchdog cast iron top w/ what may have been the last remote speed control Milwaukee router in Canada [found none in the US] with a Jessem lift and fence. Remote control is nice, biut the same large format router is available w/o the remote. As much as i like this for a router set-up, starting over I'd probably shop for a lightweight used shaper. Some of the older small Minimax ones are out there, perhaps an older Powermatic of Delta even - look for those over the new Asian stuff.

[Rick Potter]

I have both a Jessem and a Woodpecker lift, both with 7518 routers. While I would recommend either one, my nod goes to the Woodpecker lift, it is built like a tank.

Rick P

[Nathalee Jones]

How big is your top? I work with a lot of 4x8, so support would be great. I could build extensions. I love that your table looks bigger, but I can't see your top? Woodpecker fence? I really love this idea - but REALLY wanted it ready to go like next week, which is why I wanted to just pay for it to get it over with? The bottom almost looks like the RT-1000? Where did you get your plans... This might be the way I go, especially if I can get an extended top out of it.

Thanks

[Paul McGaha]

I think we're fortunate to have several good manufactures of router table tops, lifts and fences. Woodpecker, Jessum, Incra, Benchdog just to name some of them.

My router table consists of a Woodpecker lift and top. My fence was gifted to me by a creeker and it's made by Benchdog (Howdy Don if you're reading this). The router is a Milwaukee 5625.

I agree with the other creekers who suggested to make sure you get a good lift.

I'd plan on the router to be mounted permanently in the table.

I agree with your buy once, cry once attitude on this purchase.

Maybe a packaged set like this from Woodpeckers:

http://www.woodpeck.com/prp2.html

Good luck with it.

PHM

[Nathalee Jones]

Okay,

Which cast iron top do you recommend?
1. General Cast Iron top 24x32
2. Bench Dog Pro Cast Iron top

I purchased the

NEW JessEm Mast-R-Lift II 02120...

for $289.99 complete.
I'm going to build the table as many of you suggested with about 2ft extension on either side. This should support my larger boards. The table will end up being about the size of the Shop Fox I own.

I'm still concerned about the fence. I'm leaning towards Sommerfeld's fence because it will take that 4" architectural bit- more like 3 5/8" tall. I believe many of you recommend Wonderfence or Woodpecker's - but which is the best? I'll be using the featherboards from Sommerfeld - I purchased 2 one for fenc and one for the table.

Any suggestions since I'm now going a new route?

Nathalee