Thread: Router table decision time

I've got a laminated top, with an aluminium woodpeckers plate dropped in. Top was from PWS and I think it was worth the investment as the plate is a perfect fit. No munching around trying to get a perfect hole. I've never had an issue with flatness or warping etc.

As for fences, I've got a fairly dodgy fence but I reckon router fences are overrated anyway. I ruled out the incra because you can't have the table up against the wall because the mechanism needs room to move. If I was to start again, I would probably just make a simple fence. Tables already have t-track in place for the fence, so it is pretty simple to make something that works well. I've got an incra for my saw and I don't think that the router generally needs the same level of precision or repeatability. Others may disagree.

Overall, I'm happy with my arrangement. I like shiny toys more than the next bloke, but $1500 seems like overkill. Lots of my work uses a bit with a bearing, so the fence isn't even installed half the time. My advice would be to get a decent table and plate, use it for a while, then work out if you really need the precision of a incra fence.

Trav

Great advice Trav,

I guess I was just looking at the fact that a Gifkins or Leigh Dovetail jig is $600, for $150 more I can get the Incra super system with wonder fence and it does dovetails.

The fence need not be very complicated at all and if it is pivoted at one and adjusted from the other you can do some very precise adjustment when needed, a fairly simple fine adjuster can also be incorporated if needed later on. The real advantage of the Incra is the repeatability that is built in, the number of patterns it produces in the metric system are far less in number and Evanism has gone into that in another thread.

Also looking at this

https://www.carbatec.com.au/routing-...nce-kr-prs1045

It's half the price of the 2 Timbecon packages which leaves me enough to get my drill press and disc/belt sander.

I received one of Kreg's router motor lifts today and it is very well made, I hope the motor arrives tomorrow to put in it. Now I need to figure out the rest.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I received one of Kreg's router motor lifts today and it is very well made, I hope the motor arrives tomorrow to put in it. Now I need to figure out the rest.

Hey Chris,

Where did you get the Kreg lift and motor?

How much?

Motor discussion here Router Motor

the lift here Kreg PRS3000 Precision Router Table Lift | eBay

I notice the freight has been bumped up on the lift since I bought mine but I was quoted $165 USD from elsewhere. It is a re-branded Woodpeckers lift to suit a Porter Cable router motor.

What made you go with the Kreg over something locally available, say the ones from woodworksupplies.com.au ??

The cost of the lift and motor was significantly less than what was available in Oz.

Hey Chris, how did you get on with the 110v to 240v?

I have pulled back from as I have placed an order for a 240V router motor from Professional Woodwork Supplies. They are some time away from being here but I am sometime away from being ready for it. If that doesn't pan out for any reason I will go back to Plan B and 110V. It is the same motor that I had originally planned to import from the UK.

I went through this agony a few years back when upgrading my homebuilt router cabinet. I kept my old monster Triton 3 1/4hp router as the dedicated machine (and its still going). After much cross-comparing i decided to go simple rather than complex and was more focussed on managing the waste and ensuring ease of use. I could not find an acceptable router-lift assembly for the Triton (I did find a couple that required quite a bit of tinkering with the router assembly - but the risk of problems/failure outweighed any benefit).

So in the end decided to just buy the PWS router table top (30mm MDF with a laminate top and insert channels), the Woodpecker fence (plus pair of variable pressure featherboards) and a Woodpecker Triton Aluminium insert with a full set of ring sizes. The tabletop is dead-flat and the insert absolutely flush. I adjust the cutter height manually from below the table and use a Wixey digital height gauge for precision. I thought this would be a hassle but in fact setting the cutter at eye-level to the tabletop is perfect. The fence is fine, and the 2" dust port on the rear is a useful auxiliary to the 4" port that goes into the cabinet box. I also bought the router table free hand guard from PWS as it takes the same 2" dust hose and screws into the Woodpecker insert. I use this with the fence off when doing template work using a tabletop jig. I'm very happy with this simple and flexible system and consistently get dead-on results. When my Triton dies I'll probably buy one of the new combined motor-lift kits rather than undermount a new router. I did have a close look at the Incra LS system but decided it was all to cumbersome, complex and expensive, as I make one-off pieces rather than production runs, so set up time seemed excessive for a small number of specific cuts.

So my 2 bobs worth is (1) keep your system simple and flexible and (2) build a sturdy cabinet that manages the waste efficiently.

Charlie

Originally Posted by CharlieZ

So my 2 bobs worth is (1) keep your system simple and flexible ...

There it is in a nutshell! Don't waste money on complicated fence systems, they will not improve your skill, or your experience. A simple fence can and will cope, allowing the workpiece to be run past the cutter at a set distance and - provided that it is finely adjustable and able to be locked in place solidly - just about anything will do.

My fence is made from MDF with laminated (Formica) facings that adjust in both planes. It includes dust extraction (plenum box) and was made from scraps I had left from other projects. It is robustly held down to my table with bolts, but - provided you consider the design - clamps will do just as well.

The table I use is a re-inforced sheet of ply, hinged to my shop wall and supported by two softwood legs when open. I've inserted a Rousseau plate, drilled for my Tritons and I've made some very accurate and pleasing projects with the set-up. Why anyone would consider the need for a router lift for use with a Triton is beyond me, especially the later models with their above-the-table winder.

Ray