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Thread: DIY Router table

  1. #1

    DIY Router table

    Alright i got my roll of formica, got my t-tracks but still kicking around the ideal of using t-tracks for my router fence or end clamps. The base I am going to use a 55 gallon steel drum since I am limited on storage on my tools (I work from my deck) and going to make the router top detachable to where I can store it inside my shed. My top will be 24x32 size. The fence will be made out of some type of hardwood with adjustable faces. Now I am planning on making the top setup where it will be easy for me to beable to adjust the router up and down manually and also provide support to the top it self.

    Now the plywood I got is the 3/4" sanded plywood not birch and it is smooth on both sides it is flat and everything but just wondering if I should go with birch plywood. I am planning on doing 3 layers and 1/4" pinewood as banding material around the sides.

    Waiting on good weather again to work on deck, alot of rain so far.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    NE Ohio
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    Just remember to provide lots of ventilation for the router.
    They heat up real hot and real fast when they are under a table top.
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    Just remember to provide lots of ventilation for the router.
    They heat up real hot and real fast when they are under a table top.
    Why would you run it without dust collection? I've had a lot of issues with the router if I don't have good collection going.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    3 layers of 3/4" is going to be quite heavy, and overkill. 2 will do it. Just make sure you glue the panels together with the convex sides together. )( That will keep it flat.
    Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
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    Winterville, NC (eastern NC)
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    Since you are looking for a portable solution, why not look at one of the table top router cabinets. Bosch has a nice one at the local Lowes store. Even though I have a full size roll-around router cabinet, I have been tempted to get one anyway.

  6. #6
    have any of you found a cheep mounting plate? ive been looking around and cant seem to find one under 50 bucks

  7. #7
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    Blow it out every so often Carlos...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
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    Why would you run it without dust collection?
    That's the same thing as providing ventilation right? As long as there's a bunch of cooling air moving past the router body it doesn't really matter what other function it's doing does it?
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Kansas City
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    For my second table, I used a solid-surface kitchen countertop cut-out from a local cabinet shop for the top. Dead-flat and smooth surface, for $3. The shop guy said he keeps a few around for this purpose. I'd go with t-tracks to hold the fence down. Clamps too easy to bump.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by mike falconer View Post
    have any of you found a cheep mounting plate? ive been looking around and cant seem to find one under 50 bucks
    Yes I have a bosch benchtop router plate that is aluminum. I got mine for 12.99 and its a standard plate maybe a hair smaller

    IMG_20180304_150658851.jpg

  11. #11
    All right seems like I got everything now including a heatgun to help flatten the formica that came in a roll. tuesday is suppose to be starting of some nice weather

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Myk Rian View Post
    3 layers of 3/4" is going to be quite heavy, and overkill. 2 will do it. Just make sure you glue the panels together with the convex sides together. )( That will keep it flat.
    Yea after you mention that and especially being 24"x32" it will be so 2 it will be.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Wilkins View Post
    Since you are looking for a portable solution, why not look at one of the table top router cabinets. Bosch has a nice one at the local Lowes store. Even though I have a full size roll-around router cabinet, I have been tempted to get one anyway.
    I have thought of that but the tables are a little smaller than what I want. Since I am limited on storage space and having to work outside on my small deck I am going to build a router table that will basically do a alot more that then what your standard router table will do.

  14. #14
    WOW My wife went to a estate sale and called me from it and they had a brand new black and decker workmate 225 still in the box for 25 dollors She got it home and everything was still in their packing material and I got it together . I now have a base for my router top and once I get everything together I will take pictures of it. Dont worry I am having the top mounted on the workmate where it can easly be taken off and stored and I can still use the workmate as a workmate

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    14,760
    Marlin,

    That's what I did in the sign shop at CNU. I made a Corian top and fastened a router to the bottom then glued two large blocks to the bottom of the table so I could hold the top in the workmate vise. Make sure the blocks are at least as wide as your router base.

    I edge routed several thousand signs on that old workmate before I made another Corian top that I mounted on shelf brackets on the wall to save space and be able to use both the router and the workmate at the same time. It was a very low budget operation. Later when I got a helper we used the workmate router table when we needed to have either two setups at a time or when both of us were edge routing signs.

    I still have two of my workmates in my shop at home that I use often. They are pretty old so its time to replace the tops so I am planning to make Corian tops and double the thickness at the vise edges. I think this will be a more serviceable table top than MDF or Plywood. I wish someone would make metal clips to hold the legs up when you fold the tables, the plastic ones don't last very long.

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