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Thread: Solid Oak Router Table Cabinet Build

  1. #16
    I also built a solid oak router table cabinet. The top is 2 layers of solid ash, finished all surfaces. Showed it to my wife, and she thought i should move it into the house.

  2. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Andrew View Post
    I also built a solid oak router table cabinet. The top is 2 layers of solid ash, finished all surfaces. Showed it to my wife, and she thought i should move it into the house.
    Hi Jim,Did she tell you to take it out after you turned on the router and started running through 100ft of tongue and groove ? Haha. Cheers, Dom

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Michigan
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    Will you connect the D/C to the left or right side? Will you switch it when you rearrange the shop someday? Easy to plan for that now.

  4. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Bender View Post
    Will you connect the D/C to the left or right side? Will you switch it when you rearrange the shop someday? Easy to plan for that now.
    Hi Tom,Yes very good point. I was going to run out the left side to suit my foreseable placement, but I guess it's possible that the right side may suit more in tbe future. Perhaps I should go both sides and cap the unused side. I'll think on it.Thanks for bringing it up.I was going to run 6" into the cabinet box and then run a 4" hose out the back, ported into the router 'box', to the fence (stepping down to the 2.5" fence port). Cheers, Dom

  5. #20
    It didn't go in the house.

  6. #21
    Late update on this build.

    I had a bit of a break due to the finger, but then got stuck back in.

    First up I decided I would indeed run dust collection intake ports on both sides of the router cabinet just in case I ever needed to change my layout. Rather than run ducting to both sides permanently using a 90 degree T, which would reduce airflow efficiency, I went with a gentle 90 degree bend using 6 1/2" flex hose to one side and I can always change that around in a couple of minutes if I need to (which is unlikely and will only need to be done if I re-organize my shop).

    I cut the 6 1/2" holes for the ducting using a shop made jig I made for my Festool router. It works really well and utilizes the Festool micro-adjuster.

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    Glued up the sides and then the rest of the case. The whole thing was also given a coat of OSMO Polyx Hardwax Oil.

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    I then made the main bell-mouth intake port at the bottom of the router table "box". I installed this and the walls to create the rest of the box. There is a 4" port coming out the back that will serve to direct airflow from the fence.

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    More to follow.

    Cheers,

    Dom

  7. #22
    Ok, so next I fitted some BORA castors as well as some adjustable leveling feet so that I could level the table at the correct height if I decide to use it as an out-feed for my table saw (the original idea). I will of course need to remove the fence when I'm doing this. I used some threaded inserts which worked out really well and were easy to install. I've never used these before.

    Then I couldn't resist putting the cast iron top and Jessem bits and pieces on to see if they fit and how they would look. Surprisingly the Jessem Fence rails aligned with holes in the cast iron top from a different supplier so I didn't need to do any modifications that I expected to have to do. I did have to remove some cast iron to allow me to secure the lift using corner bolts but this was easily achieved in 20min with a round file.

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    At this point I have to say that I'm really impressed with the Jessem hardware. It's expensive, but there don't appear to be any short-cuts or cost-savings made. All the knobs or adjustors are machined stainless steel or aluminium, everything has great fit and finish and moves smoothly etc. Places I would have expected to see plastic used on cheaper priced products are still stainless or aluminium. I've pleasantly surprised.

    More to follow.

    Cheers,

    Dom

  8. #23
    That is by far the nicest router table I have ever seen.

  9. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Walsh View Post
    That is by far the nicest router table I have ever seen.
    Thanks Pat!

  10. #25
    Also, I'm after a bit of advice please. I have the opportunity to buy a 1/4 hp power feeder with 3 rollers and 4 speeds at clearance from $999- to $399- at the moment and thought it might be a good match for this router table. I want to make some doors soon and will be using large cutters . I though that it might also allow for climb cutting to reduce tearout on interlocked grain woods like Sapele and some of our Australian natives. Good idea? Power feeders too aggresive for a router table? Would a larger 1/2 or 3/4 horse actually be better?

    The feeder has a range of speeds from 17ft/min to about 33ft / min. The motor i'm using is the ubiquitous 2 1/2 hp round body 240v motor.

    Cheers, Dom

  11. #26
    The next step was to make a door to seal up the dust collection box.

    I figured I'd give the hand tools and skills a bit of a workout/practice on the door so cut all of the joinery by hand. I used Tasmanian Blackwood for the door and will use the same timber for the drawers.


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    Very happy with the fit of the mortise and tenon joinery - here's a little clip if you have Instagram (also please let me know if linking to this is not allowed - I couldn't see anything about it in the forum rules). You'll have to swipe across to the video.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B7eouSDA...on_share_sheet



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    Used some nice quality brass hinges from Gerner Hinges - nice and smooth, no slop. Very happy. Haven't decided on draw / door pull design yet.

    Cheers,

    Dom
    Last edited by Dominik Dudkiewicz; 01-31-2020 at 8:43 PM.

  12. #27
    To bring this thread completely up to speed I also made a modified dust shroud for the Jessem fence so that I didn't have to step down the 4" dust hose to 2 1/4" and to hopefully get a little more airflow in the process.

    I used some acrylic I had left over from another project - the stuff is so easy to work with.

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    It seems to work great! Plenty of airflow and on the first test I didn't get any dust escaping at all. Again, link to a 20s clip showing a test cut with the DC on.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B71nWJbA...=101kyi472umah

    Cheers, Dom

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Collegeville PA (30 min west of Philly)
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    Wow, really great work and write up! Can you tell me more about working with the acrylic?
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

  14. #29
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Highland MI
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    That is one sweet router table. Furniture grade work there Dom.
    NOW you tell me...

  15. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by Dominik Dudkiewicz View Post
    Haha. To be honest I started out thinking quick, robust and simple. Being familiar and happy with mortise and tenon construction I immediately go to solid timber... then here we are. I am also using this as a learning opportunity for some new techniques for me - so I don't have to worry if things go awry. Also, to be honest, I am not good at tailoring effort to be commensurate with the required outcome. I find I often spend effort in the wrong areas - both within a build and between builds. So i'll spend a heap of time getting a detail right that isn't seen for example and then skimp on something easy that would make a big impact. Just broken that way I guess.Cheers, Dom
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Riefer View Post
    Wow, really great work and write up! Can you tell me more about working with the acrylic?
    Thanks Bob,

    Not to much to say about the acrylic. It cuts easily with bandsaw, table saw, jig saw or fret saw. Edges sand easily on a belt sander. You can heat it and bend it easily - a few minutes in the oven at about 160deg C works well. It also glues really well with the correct glue - sets extremely strong but tacks quickly so you only need to hold it together briefly with a little pressure. Very handy for this sort of thing.

    Cheers, Dom

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