Usually it's just osb with that laminated counter top stuff like every house had back in the 90s. I forget the word. Then a regular 1x3" frame around it.
Member
Usually it's just osb with that laminated counter top stuff like every house had back in the 90s. I forget the word. Then a regular 1x3" frame around it.
Contributor
Orren, I had four clients today and was not able to post photos yet. So sorry. I’m actually excited to share my work-to-date on this forum. Good news, I guess, is that the day job is roaring right now = $. I’ll get to this soon. Probably Saturday.
Contributor
I used a hollow core door cut down to length. I do not remember if I had to narrow it a little or not. This is also known as a torsion box. The cut end away from the blade with some blocking glued in to hold it from warping.
Bill D
Contributor
I took the original folding legs from my Unisaw extension table, welding them so they're fixed, then bought two additional legs from ebay and welded two adjustable feet to those. My table extension is 7' x 4', with a cast iron BenchDog router table extension. The table is 3/4" cabinet grade plywood that's varnished top and bottom, and attached to the original UniSaw with angle iron. There are oak ribs underneath for stability, glued and screwed. See the following.
IMG_2755.jpgIMG_2756.jpg
[OP]
Member
awesome! good problems to have..being busy! good for you
[OP]
Member
great inspiration. Wonderful setup. Im envious of the room in your shop. Thank you. thats a good way to attached the table. I can deal with a piece of angle iron and drill holes to match table and slot the holes to adjust. Im gonna measure now to see the iron I should buy.
Contributor
Orren, you might have moved on by now, but here are some photos of the table extension I'm making.
router table 1.jpg
router table 2.jpg
The left edge will abut the table saw and the right side is for the router lift. Top is 3/4" Baltic birch, covered with horizontal grade laminate. Case is just 1x3 pine from Home Depot, with the top edges jointed flat after acclimatizing in the house for a week. So far the top is dead flat.
Joinery: I returned to my Kreg jig after maybe 15 years of non-use. It worked out to be very quick and convenient. I Kregged the long boards to the top first, and the the cross members are Kregged to the long boards.
Besides the Kreg holes, you can see the bolt holes running along the long boards. These are placed to fit to the Unisaw's fence rails.
The rectangular area around where the router will go is reinforced to prevent sagging. I'm putting a 14-pound router and an 11-pound router lift into this table, so I didn't want to take any chances with stiffness. One solid-wood member of each side of the rectangle is screwed and glued to the top to reduce vibration. The other (1/2" plywood) members are glued up around the primary member to do three things:
1) Inside members sit under the edge of the router plate to reinforce the birch top that will have about a 15/32" deep ledge routed in for the lift plate. I didn't want to hang the router assembly on a 9/32" plywood ledge! Mine will have a full 2-3/4" of vertical support.
2) The doubled 1x3 on the right of the rectangle (you can see members 4 and 5 if you expand the photos) will sit under the dado for the miter track. This dado needs to be over 1/2" deep, which would cut into the birch ply top way too much. The solid boards on edge below the top will take up the structural load.
3) Outside members fit the primitive but effective dust box I was already using in my older router table. Here's a shot of the dust box (upside down):
dust box.jpg
That's a little door on the right side to run the power cord out of the box. It slides closed to seal around the cord. I made that box probably in 2004; I just didn't have the heart to remake it.
I plan to attach the new top on Wednesday, and then rout the recess for the plate maybe on Friday, and finally the dado for the miter track. Then I plan to get going with my new 0.001" adjustable lift! Fun. It's been a long process, but I should have a beefy and precision tool.
Last edited by Bob Jones 5443; 02-15-2020 at 11:33 PM.
[OP]
Member
Awsome job Bob. I love the dust trap at the bottom of the router box. Nice work. You gave me some good ideas.Originally Posted by Bob Jones 5443
Moderator
Not OSB....which is an exterior sheathing product and not smooth enough to cover with laminate. (horrible material for most things other than it's intended purpose in building structures) MDF or Particle Board is generally what is under the laminate. In some cases, OEM tops are melamine covered particle board.
Last edited by Jim Becker; 02-16-2020 at 9:33 AM.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
[OP]
Member
very clever!. Love the re-purposing of the saw cabinet
[OP]
Member
How do you level the extension table to the saw table?
Use shims or adjusting screws?
This is what I though to do and would welcome your opinions.
First off I would me making the table from 4x8 sheet probably 3/4" with Melamine surface and glue on additional 3/4 MDF for stiffness and stability so 1.5" thick.
Using 1.5" x 1/8" angle iron attach that to end of table using bolts into existing threaded holes, cut out from the end of the table a recess for the angle iron and the mounting bolts.
To level the saw table with the extension a) use shims on top of the angle iron and then attach table through angle iron with lag bolts or 2) add leveling screws to the angle iron similarly as is done with blade inserts to level then secure with lag bolts through the angle iron..
Attached is a sketch if its not already confusing enough.
Thanks for any advise!20200216_123544_resized.jpg
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