Thread: set up 2 routers on 1 table.

Smirk

Sorry to take so long replying guys. had to do a bit of work today around the house.
I had intended to mount the router to a thickish table top because I thought it would be smoother than an insert. always had a bit of trouble with inserts getting them flush with the table top. but welcome any suggestions. will hold off getting the router until I have more information from you guys.
Hey George, that would be a great idea. If you could let me know where you are exactly and make some arrangements. Dont know Brisbane and area much. only been here for 4 years..
You guys are so helpful. I am really appreciative of your advice here and suggestions and will definitely be taking it all on board.
I have always wanted to try dovetail joints but shied away from them. but I tried out the Gifkins jig on the little router table that I have at present,using an old Black and Decker router, the type where the router is in a casing and you can remove it from the casing to change the bits. It also has a knob that turns and adjusts the height of the bit but this is all done under the table. so I wanted to build my own table and fit the router under the table but didnt realize that it is so difficult to get a fixed base router these days.

Originally Posted by munruben

Sorry to take so long replying guys. had to do a bit of work today around the house.
I had intended to mount the router to a thickish table top because I thought it would be smoother than an insert. always had a bit of trouble with inserts getting them flush with the table top. but welcome any suggestions. will hold off getting the router until I have more information from you guys.
Hey George, that would be a great idea. If you could let me know where you are exactly and make some arrangements. Dont know Brisbane and area much. only been here for 4 years..
You guys are so helpful. I am really appreciative of your advice here and suggestions and will definitely be taking it all on board.
I have always wanted to try dovetail joints but shied away from them. but I tried out the Gifkins jig on the little router table that I have at present,using an old Black and Decker router, the type where the router is in a casing and you can remove it from the casing to change the bits. It also has a knob that turns and adjusts the height of the bit but this is all done under the table. so I wanted to build my own table and fit the router under the table but didnt realize that it is so difficult to get a fixed base router these days.

If you have the Gifkins Jig (as I do) then you must also have the instruction book which contains the plan for Roger's Shop made router table. I used the plan and made it wider to accommodate 2 Triton routers as Roger has on his demo table. For a top I used 18mm MDF sandwiched between two sheets of Laminex Lamipanel which I got from Laminex Industries for 5 bucks. (damaged 1800x900 sheet)
Cheers
Mike

Yes I do have the manual with the plans for the table in it but havent really studied it in full. been playing with the jig seems like the feeling here is to use just the one small Triton which is the way I am leaning but will make the table large enough to take a second router when I can afford it. On that thickness table top, how have you mounted the router, with clamps or screws, would be interested to know.

Originally Posted by munruben

Yes I do have the manual with the plans for the table in it but havent really studied it in full. been playing with the jig seems like the feeling here is to use just the one small Triton which is the way I am leaning but will make the table large enough to take a second router when I can afford it. On that thickness table top, how have you mounted the router, with clamps or screws, would be interested to know.

On the underside I routed all the material out to the under-surface of the top sheet of Lamipanel to accommodate the base of the router. I removed the plastic base plate cover and used it as a template to drill matching holes in the top of the table and used the original screws to mount the router. Being careful to locate the screw holes so that the dust extraction port faces to the rear (if that's where you intend having your vacuum/cyclone dust extractor).
Clear as mud I guess but hopefully you get my drift.
Cheers

Yep another for the Triton... either one... I have the whopper and it lives under the table Im still to build a higher table so the bendings less but its one hell of a machine... spend the extra you WONT regret it

Im hoping to get the small one sometime... when the pink pigs stop shatting on me ideas that is but for now the one Ive got is a bobby dazzler

Id like to see this double router mounted table if someone can post a pic it would be much appreciated... I can see that it would be a bonus for doing canoe or boat strips cove one side bead the other all done!! no muckin about changin bits doin one side and then the other... if you have say 70 16ft x 1in x 1/4in strips for a canoe you first put the cove bit in the router then send through all 70 strips one at a time then change the bit and send the whole shamozle through again... 140 strips 140 passes oooh my aching feets... now 70 strips through once would be sheer bliss then think if you build a BIGGER boat say a 20fter IMAGINE the sheer number of strips and passes you have to do to bead and cove them all on one machine?

So if you can can someone post a pic of that double router bench?

Cheers

Thanks Shedhand I understand what you are saying.

Originally Posted by munruben

I had intended to mount the router to a thickish table top because I thought it would be smoother than an insert. always had a bit of trouble with inserts getting them flush with the table top. but welcome any suggestions.

There is a lot to be said for the simplicity of a sheet of MDF without inserts or tracks or the rest of the paraphernalia we use to ‘improve’ our table tops. This was discussed elsewhere on this site. http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...t=47792&page=2

The link to Pat Warners website will probably provide you with some ideas on building an accurate top using 5/8 inch MDF instead of ¾ inch. I have always used the latter as described in one of his earlier books. The engineering skill that this guy puts into his router tops and jigs provides a fresh approach to those of us who ‘over-engineer’ our tool-aids.

One of his articles indicated that the pull strength of a machine screw secured in a drilled and tapped hole in MDF was in the vicinity of 300 lbs. Considering that a toggle clamp attached to an MDF jig with four such screws could sustain over 1,000 lbs opens up some useful avenues.

By getting the tabletop down to 5/8 inch the need for bit extensions may well disappear. The top is braced by strategically placing cross members underneath and supporting with table rails on all four sides. The use of tracks in such a thin top would probably cause undue flexing or sagging as well as creating additional ‘catches’ for the work piece. Fences are therefore held in place with a couple of ‘C’ clamps.

[quote=Red neck;503912]There is a lot to be said for the simplicity of a sheet of MDF without inserts or tracks or the rest of the paraphernalia we use to ‘improve’ our table tops.

The link to Pat Warners website will probably provide you with some ideas on building an accurate top using 5/8 inch MDF

By getting the tabletop down to 5/8 inch the need for bit extensions may well disappear. The top is braced ... [quote]

I'm twixt two concepts...
Redneck above qoutes 5-8th MDF

Wheres Shedhand suggests [quote]On the underside I routed all the material out to the under-surface of the top sheet of Lamipanel to accommodate the base of the router... [quote]
I can evisage both - have neither... but like the idea of the router base attached directly to the lamipanel (since both my GMC's have short plunge distances...
Which method is better...
Thanks

Originally Posted by Jedo_03

I'm twixt two concepts...
Redneck above qoutes 5-8th MDF

Wheres Shedhand suggests ... on the underside I routed all the material out to the under-surface of the top sheet of Lamipanel to accommodate the base of the router....

I can evisage both - have neither... but like the idea of the router base attached directly to the lamipanel (since both my GMC's have short plunge distances...
Which method is better...
Thanks

Jedo_03

That is a difficult one. Shedhand relies on thick panel to provide the support but achieves thin panel at the router bit by wasting. I would suggest that a router screwed to the panel would in itself restore the weakening effect of the wasting. I imagine the Lamipanel would be just a few millimetres thick above the router base.

On the other hand Pat Warner achieves thin panel by structural engineering on the underside. He does have other motives (1) simplicity (2) turning the panel over when one side wears out. It probably means a loss of 15 millimetres in bit capability.

The secret is to achieve minimum loss of bit capability through the panel and avoid dips in the panel that will interfere with accuracy of the cut. A straight edge across the panel and a feeler gauge will highlight any deflection. You would need to try both using the same router to gauge deflection.