Thread: My Cheap DIY Router Table with Picture Links

I built a small basic router table a couple of years ago for a Bosch POF 1200 that I got at Masters during their closing down sale and after seeing all the fine tables on here and watching many YouTube videos I came up with a plan.

My new router table had to have the following features:

1. Height adjustment through the top of the the table.

2. A sliding fence mechanism.

3. A right angle sliding fence.

4. Feather boards

5. Power switch.

6. Cost less than $100.00

I found a blog from someone that had the same router and modified it to have height adjustment (see link below), it was very easy and I just bought a stainless steel M6 x 140mm hex headed bolt and drilled a hole in the base of the router, fitted an upside down M6 wing nut and voila its done. I made a crank handle out of a 10mm socket, M6 threaded rod, some aluminium tube, and one of those star type knobs off ebay.

Bosch POF1200 Router - Base Adjustment Conversion - Twenty2a

For the sliding fence I bought some 16mm x 16mm aluminium channel and put two pieces in parallel slots routed at right angles, I then got some hardwood and made two 80 mm long blocks the width and slightly shallower than the channel and put the fence in place and screwed the fence to the blocks so it slides back and forth. I have two slots on the outside with those star knobs that lock it in place. I then used some more M6 threaded rod, a ball bearing, M6 insert nut etc with a handle the same as the crank handle to be able to slide it back and forth. It's surprisingly accurate and keeps square.

I put another piece of channel parallel to the fence for the sliding right angle fence and it is square and has no play at all.

I made some feather boards out of MDF with slots and use some more star knobs and insert nuts with some M6 bolts to lock them in place.

I mounted a power point under the table so I can turn it on and off since I have to use a zip tie to keep the power button engaged.

I made the frame out of 42 x 42 square pine uprights and 42 x 19 rails, with supports going across. The top is a piece of 600 x 600 12mm MDF with 16mm MDF glued underneath, I have a cut out the size of the router base plate so the depth there is only 12mm, the router is attached with 3 x M6 stainless steel countersunk screws and nuts.

I hope to find some Laminex for the top but haven't had any luck, they don't seem to sell it anymore, might try Gumtree. And I am going to get one of those emergency stop buttons and fit it to the front. As well as a sawdust vacuum extraction port fitted to the back of the fence.

To test it out I tried a Huhao 8mm shank lock mitre bit I got from AliExpress, after all the horror stories about lock mitre bits and buying them from China I kept out of the way and turned it on from the wall and let it run for a while to make sure it didn't fly apart. It's been fine and very sharp, you can see my first attempt at doing a lock mitre, with a clamp it fits together nicely. I watched a great YouTube video where the guy gets the height right at the start by flipping one piece over till they fit together perfectly. Then you have to adjust the fence and having a winder on the fence made this part fairly easy. I had the router set to just under 4 on the speed dial and did it in 3 approx 6mm passes, and it cut without a problem. Another bonus besides the cost of the Huhao bits is that the shanks are longer than the Bosch ones I have so you have no trouble getting full height through the router table top. I have bought a few more 8mm shank bits, which have a lot more strength than 1/4" ones, and have edge faced metre after metre of MDF and the straight bit I use is still as sharp as a razor.

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