Thread: Creating a Practical Simple, Low Cost Router Table

I liked reading this post, it was like sitting down with a mate of mine and talking about tools and projects and tiring to get awa with spending's. O that's right I am single I win every time

Originally Posted by Opelblues2

I liked reading this post, it was like sitting down with a mate of mine and talking about tools and projects and tiring to get awa with spending's. O that's right I am single I win every time

Gee thanks for this Opelblues2 ..... shucks, there are editing and gramatical errors ... but I enjoyed writing it down, it helps too.

I didn't mention that there is considerable cleaning up to be done, glue marks and such and I suppose I am 50% through. The fence is basically thought out its just a couple of decisions need to be made before I start cutting and boy do I hate cutting anything in the way of a nice piece of material...... it sure slows production down!

Shopped around for an on off/ emergency stop switch this afternoon (after having done more "dutiful errands" for SWMBO and brownie points) .... not very successful here in Westport and the Carbatec phone in Auckland was u/s (par for the course with Aucklanders, think they have only just stopped using smoke signals .... because of the Greenies up there spouting Global Warming? ) so had to revert to e-mailing them to see about a Triton switch all same they use in their router table.

David

Bolted the Hitachi M12V in this afternoon to test opening and shutting the table top, ease of adjusting router height, clearance and positioning of cupboard sides and any faults I had over looked.

Had to drill the bolt holes first ....Measured up the plate for the bolts, centre punched the holes, put the drill in the big solid restored Tanner drill press and started her up .... just pulling for the first drilling and ...out went all the lights!! We are not averse to the odd car nudging a power pole here and there ...tree branches falling on power lines along with lightning zapping the supply... any of those events panics me and SWMBO into switching of the computers before the surge comes and blasts hell out of them. Duly did that, after a 30 metre sprint indoors from 'The Shed'. Tried a light switch to find the power on..... back to 'The Shed' flicked the power supply back on as the RCD had tripped, lights on ok ... switch on the Tanner ... out went all the lights
Then it twigged ..... steeeyewpid boy!! the belt drive wheel at the rear of the tanner is unprotected ... one of those rainy day jobs!! The wheel had chafed through a dangling wire ...oh well at least it proved the worth of RCD's and has prioritised the adding of a hinged cover for the belt drive.

With the Hitachi secured in position all seems ok .... changing bits is easy as its all accessible, fine adjustment is right to hand.

Selected the best position for the side partions to the Hitachi, tomorrow I will router the slots for them and secure them in place.

The best way of holding the table top open, after all my bright ideas comes down to a simple prop all same as a car bonnet. Safe and secure ...its either open wide or shut so I will now proceed with that .... KISS

Having searched all the fancy Electrical provenders in town for safety stop switches yesterday and arrived at around $100 and not the best ideas I got an e-mail back from Carbatec in Auckland and they had one from the older Triton Power Saw bench at $55 and exactly what I wanted so thats on its way down.

Took a couple of photos .... thats it for now.

Looking good David. Is that black knob on the right in the first photo for adjusting the depth or something else?

David, that older Triton switch is better than the new ones. Not in quality, but due to that the new ones have the green 'ON" button light up when power is connected to the switch. Just a waste of electrons imho. I have both the older and newer ones and prefer the older ones.
A great table you have going there. One thing that has me curious, is the fixed fence. Would that not get in the way for some operations?
Les

Originally Posted by Treecycle

Looking good David. Is that black knob on the right in the first photo for adjusting the depth or something else?

Morning Dallas ... I will take a close up photo and describe properly what the little black knob does later in the day if thats ok? You are on the right track anyway.
David

Originally Posted by lesmeyer

David, that older Triton switch is better than the new ones. Not in quality, but due to that the new ones have the green 'ON" button light up when power is connected to the switch. Just a waste of electrons imho. I have both the older and newer ones and prefer the older ones.
A great table you have going there. One thing that has me curious, is the fixed fence. Would that not get in the way for some operations?
Les

From one bloke in "The West" to another bloke in "The West" ...G'dday. Here, on the West Coast of the South Island we are variously called 'Feral' and 'Inbred' by a certain ex Prime Ministers but we like the term 'Coasters' ... no doubt you will be familiar with the problem? Thanks for your kind comments, my table does npot and will not have the beautiful finish of yours but, I'm enjoying myself which is part of the game as I am sure most will agree.

Glad you tell me the switch is fine as its been bought sight unseen but with the experience of the Triton Router table which I thought was pretty good.

The fence is just a piece of powder coated alloy angle which will become the fence Les, just placed for the photo. I'll put a couple of adjustable wood facings on it, cut some slots for bolts to slide in or maybe not and just use clamps on either side of the table as it seems a lot of chaps do.....work in progress in a space in my head where the brain is supposed to be.....comments on the pro's and con's welcome.

David

Looking good.

Just a thought, the strut holding the top open, sooner or later the strut will get knocked, I would notch the bottom with a "V" cutout to make it more secure.

You could use one of the toy box struts which cam over straight to have a form of locking strut should you be that way inclined ie lift with one hand, reach and cam the strut with the other, I have also seen a type which has a sliding ring which slips over the centre pivot point which is even more secure.

[QUOTE=Bob38S;1858512]Looking good.

Just a thought, the strut holding the top open, sooner or later the strut will get knocked, I would notch the bottom with a "V" cutout to make it more secure.

Thanks Bob ... that strut is just a handy bit of alloy of the right length 'just to hand'. It is not what I will eventually use But you have given me a thought .... we used to have a Chandlery shop full of all sorts of items you could use for uses they were never dreamt of for.... still got a few items and you have jogged my memory so I'll go out and have a look. A length of nice s/s pole/rod sliding in and out of a ring through which I can drill and use an "R" clip, the other end will utise a canopy fitting to hinge on....summat like that anyway.

Good idea Bob ... watch for a photo.

David

Originally Posted by Treecycle

Looking good David. Is that black knob on the right in the first photo for adjusting the depth or something else?

OK Dallas ....attached is a close up photo of the depth setting Gizmo on the Hitachi M12V.

I think you can work it out without me having to describe. Plung the router with the bit in down to touch the workpiece and let the depth stick down to the turret stop so you have a zero. Wind the knob up the amount you want to cut and lock it. Plunge away.

Still collecting Brownie points most of the day (got to pay for the safety switch!) but have found the perfect prop to hold the table top up. ... needs only a little bit of work. A length of s/s pipe with a Canopy fitting on the end which will be screwed to the underside of the table. The Pipe slides neatly inside a yachting handrail fitting which needs a s/s bolt to attach it to the base of the table allowing it to swivel as the table top is lifted. In the 'Up' position I will slip an 'R' clip through a drilled hole.

Photo tomorrow.

David

Originally Posted by Bob38S

Just a thought, the strut holding the top open, sooner or later the strut will get knocked, ....................... I have also seen a type which has a sliding ring which slips over the centre pivot point which is even more secure.

OK Bob ... here is what I have dug up from all our store of 'goodies' to make a 'prop for the table top when hinged upwards.... thanks to you jigging my thoughts.

Nice length of s/s tube which will eventually be cropped to the length required to prop the table top very near vertical. It has a Canopy fitting at the lid end, to hinge on. I found a 'handrail' fitting which allows a nice sliding fit for the tube to locate in. The base I will drill and tab to take a suitable s/s bolt which will be located in the side to allow the action and clearance needed. In the open position there will be a 'R'' clip to slide in a drilled hole and thus prop everything up.

Hope you can figure it out from the photo????

David

You are welcome.

The proof will be in how it works out.

Originally Posted by Bob38S

You are welcome.

The proof will be in how it works out.

I have drilled and tapped the sleeve which the s/s tube slides in and offered the prop up. The sleeve will rotate on the bolt to accept the angle as the table top is lifted. Problem is the length of the tube. Could be it will be too short to hold the top up at the angle I want it to be.

I will also look at the same arrangement as a car bonnet prop. By folding the prop so it stows across the 3 compartments I get a decent length. I can easily put a chock with a socket for the prop to sit in .... simple and easy.

Took yet another photo ....

Length of he tube....like a bonnet prop - I thought "hiding" the length could be a problem.

Going back to the box / hatch stay idea, they are compact as when closed they are folded in half, only extending to full length when open, either cramming over centre or the sliding ring to lock the open. Running on memory here, some of the older English cars had this idea as a bonnet stay.

For some other ideas check out the suppliers of toy box lid stays or a yacht chandlery for hatch stays.