Router Table Opinions Wanted

[Steve Siwek]

Hi Everyone,
I recently picked up my first router, it's a plunge router and came with a fixed base. I'm going to build a router table and saw a plan for a router countertop. I have a couple of workbenches in my garage and that got me to thinking of turning one of them into a router table/workbench. The bench is 19" deep and about 8 feet long. Has anyone else done this or have reservations as to why this wouldn't be a good idea?

Thanks!
Steve

[Ted Reischl]

It should work for you unless you try to route long boards that have a bow in them. And if you are a slob and park stuff all over that 8 foot bench you will get sick of having to clean it up before you can route anything.

Here is a tip, no matter what kind of table you build. Get an electrical switch and a socket. Wire them up so you plug the router into the socket and the switch controls the socket. Mount the switch in a convenient place so you can turn it off easily. If you do it right, it will give you an extra outlet that you can use for other stuff. Very, very cheap to do. I just did one for a drill press that had no on/off switch and it cost about $15 IIRC. Maybe less.

Gonna take some planning for your fence too. I would add some T track so I could mount the fence and remove it when required.

[Jay Aubuchon]

Sometimes it is convenient to be able shut off the router without removing your hands from the work piece. A paddle switch allows you to do this with a nudge of your thigh.

[Tom Bender]

Be careful to locate the on switch so you won't accidentally switch on while changing bits.

[glenn bradley]

Be careful to locate the on switch so you won't accidentally switch on while changing bits.

No problem there. All of us know not to trust our fingers to a switch. We all unplug our machines before changing cutters, right?

To the OP; a router table can be as simple as a router mounted to a piece of scrap and as complex as you can imagine. I use a router table quite a bit so some of the things that are important to me may be less important to you. Things that make my router table more friendly are:

• A hip switch for safety.
• A starter pin for bearing guided routing (also a safety feature).
• Changeable throat rings to control the opening for safety, support and dust collection.
• An easily adjustable fence with adjustable split faces and a dust port (again for safety, support and dust collection).
• T-slots for feather boards and stop blocks on the fence.
• A miter slot and / or t-slots for table mounted feather boards and other jigs.

With these things I can do most of my router table work. I agree that a dedicated space is easier to keep clean and ready for work than a shared space but, we do what we have to do. Additional featuers (like a lift) will only make things better. Forge ahead. You will find what is important to you. All the planning in the world is a good start but, until you work at the router table for awhile, the finer points that are important to you will not be that obvious.

[Jim Dwight]

I've built several. You can learn a lot looking at what others have done but nothing beats actual experience. Mine is shaped like Norm's (New Yankee Workshop) but has a built in lift that is based upon plans in an old American Woodworker. Fence clamps in place with mini pipe clamps. Top hinges up for bit changes. Top is a sink cutout backed with 3/4 plywood and edged with maple. It is at the same height as my workbench so it is easy to have outfeed support.

[Jim Becker]

There are advantages and disadvantages to a "built in" router workstation...you have to determine if it will match your workflow/material handling needs as well as your personal habits within the shop. I have mine built onto my sliding table saw...a "poor man's" saw/shaper combo. Most of the time, it's just great, but there are some times when it can interfere with workflow on some projects where circumstances require both routing/shaping and cutting but the material is sized such to create interference between those functions. The same can happen with a fixed bench solution.

[Prashun Patel]

"router table/workbench."

I had mine like this.

Pros: Lots of infeed and outfeed support on longer operations.
Cons: You have to remove the fence when you want to use it as a workbench. This was a pain for me. I ultimately went for a roll-away router table. Also, if you have to remove the bit when in workbench mode.

It all depends on how often you use the router table. Mine is a sometimes-tool; I prefer workbench realestate over the table.