Les's new router table - built

[lesmeyer]

Hi Guys, just a post to show off my new router table. Until recently I used the Triton router table with the TRA001 mounted.
I achieved some great results and made many a raised panel door on this.
But I decided I wanted something similar to what Norm has made on the NYW and the pics below is the result.
I was not cheap. I could have purchased other router tables but they would not have been much better than the Triton.
What made this one rather expensive was the the hardware - Incra winderfence etc.
Well here are the pics. The handle are temporary until I make some Jarrah handles to match the table trim and as contrast to the Euro beech faces.
Les

[TermiMonster]

Sure looks a lot better than mine.
I think I'm jealous....
TM

[Bosham]

Hi Guys, just a post to show off my new router table. Until recently I used the Triton router table with the TRA001 mounted.
I achieved some great results and made many a raised panel door on this.
But I decided I wanted something similar to what Norm has made on the NYW and the pics below is the result.
I was not cheap. I could have purchased other router tables but they would not have been much better than the Triton.
What made this one rather expensive was the the hardware - Incra winderfence etc.
Well here are the pics. The handle are temporary until I make some Jarrah handles to match the table trim and as contrast to the Euro beech faces.
Les


Absolutely fabulous Les .... I'm very jealous of your skills and patience ... way way above mine.

At present I am still plotting and planning my new table but it will be utilising a lifting lid and sliding bolts to secure the router in and out easily and speedily. I'm getting there. will keep you posted.

David

[Chief Tiff]

I've been looking at doing something similar with my TRA001; how does the Kreg plate go with the router, any problems in use? Mine was going to be open framed but I may just have to demonstrate that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That's almost too good to use!

[lesmeyer]

Hi CT. Fitting the Kreg plate can be tricky, but just making a corner to fit is the trick to it all. By making just one corner and getting it right can then be used as a template for the whole fitting. Once that is done then it is plain sailing with the Kreg plate which can be purchased for the Triton router or as a general plate for any other router fitting by drilling the appropriate holes.
I added extra support in the middle of the long side to hopefully eliminate any sagging over the long run.
This whole build was based on the NYW build and there is a PDF available on the internet that another person posted from his build. I used that as a guide as well as the video of the NYW build.
Regards
Les

[lesmeyer]

Absolutely fabulous Les .... I'm very jealous of your skills and patience ... way way above mine.

At present I am still plotting and planning my new table but it will be utilizing a lifting lid and sliding bolts to secure the router in and out easily and speedily. I'm getting there. will keep you posted.

David
David, the skill level required for this build is not that high. Working from a plan you will be surprised at how easy it is. If you have a router and a power saw or a table saw and a drill then it can be built (assuming you have the general stuff like clamps and a few hand tools).
Regards
Les

[Evanism]

Judging from Photo 3, you could have used a few more drawers :U

[lesmeyer]

Judging from Photo 3, you could have used a few more drawers :U

Ha ha - yes. drawers are like clamps. One can never have enough. The 10 drawers that have a light grey colour was made from office furniture/desks that was thrown out at work.
Les

[artme]

:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[rayintheuk]

Wow, Les, that's very, very classy and is an absolute credit to you - WELL DONE!

Ray

[spokeshave]

Great table Les.

You have inspired me to start on a new table for myself to replace my tired old one.

Plans and new components are in place and on order. Hope you don't mind that i based the basic design on yours. Plenty of storage space.

Steven.

[lesmeyer]

Great table Les.

You have inspired me to start on a new table for myself to replace my tired old one.

Plans and new components are in place and on order. Hope you don't mind that i based the basic design on yours. Plenty of storage space.

Steven.

Steven, look at the link below. I used the free download as a basis for my table build. Just convert from imperial to metric and improvise/adjust as you see fit. Remember you are building it for yourself so you can determine dimensions etc that suits you.
Good luck with the endeavour.
Les

http://www.crestonwood.com/index.php

[I_wanna_Shed]

That is a ripper Les!

I also need to replace my Triton router table, something like this is definitely on the list.

[spokeshave]

First up, thanks Les for the link. I downloaded the plans but for some reason the PDF doesnt want to open on my PC. It either wanted to open in Office Word (and was illegible) and when i tried to open it another way my computer started going mental and i had to reboot it. Not to worry.

Anyway....i have started gathering bits for my new table and wanted to put some questions out there to you or who ever may want to answer.

I plan to fit mine out so it is the only tool running, connected straight to my 2hp dusty using 4" hose and connectors, entering the cabinet from the side (the table lives against a wall in a tight single car garage so a rear outlet is a no-go) with a tee somewhere for a tube to the fence. I want it to enter the router cavity low down to pick up falling chips and dust.

I notice Les, that you have holes cut into the front router access door. I realise that if your sucking air out it has to be replaced so see the need for some sort of intake...even for some cooling of the router.

so...

Q1. Is there some sort of rule of thumb as to how many holes you need to cut?

and..

Q2. Do you even need these holes...will the insert plate hole be enough?

Any other advice regarding this topic will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Steven.

[lesmeyer]

Steven, if you need the PDF send me a PM with you email address.
As I said you will be building it to suit your needs. You can build in the 4" dust collection from the side low down without a problem. To do so you need to sacrifice 1 of the smaller drawers - no biggie. I drilled 5 of the 20mm holes (have the forstner bit) but could be up to 35mm I reckon. I used the number of holes that Norm cut as a guide and the suction is just great. I did not test without the holes so do not know if the insert plate gap is enough. My concern was also to have air flow for the router. Maybe someone else can shed more light on whether the holes are really needed. Norm used a piece of perspex for the door but I just used what I had.
I am using an old WAP vauum cleaner with a dust deputy cyclone for the fence dust collection. I originally planned a t-piece to connect to the 4" outlet, but as I had the other parts, I did not bother. It should work well if you go this way.
I also mounted a Triton switch box, in fact 3 of them. Router, dust collector and vacuum cleaner on the right hand side. Quick to switch on and off.
Hope this helps
Les

[spokeshave]

Thanks Les, pm sent.

Mine will be nothing flash and I will be using 18mm MDF (with melamine on both sides) for most of the construction mostly because it's readily available to me.

I will be recycling alot of things from my current one (castors, power switch, mitre and t-tracks and most of the fence) to keep cost's down.

Regarding the air flow holes, I was thinking about cutting them in the back of the cabinet (I will be using 8mm MDF) and see what the suction is like before cutting anything at the front then take it from there.

Thanks again,

Steven.

[Rod Gilbert]

Hi guy's,
To answer spokeshaves question about the holes in the front I to have built one of these tables and I made red cedar rasied panel doors . While I was making the doors I used the table with a piece of 3mm ply over the router section held there just by the suction of the dust extractor when turned of it dropped away and there was dust and shavings still in the front and corners of the cabinet which does not happen with the doors fitted with holes in the front. I didn't drill holes in my raised panel because I wanted to keep the look of the panel so I cut away a section of the bottom edge of the molded panel and then assembled the door and it draws very well. Hope that makes sense.
Regards Rod.

[Nanigai]

I too three have built this table. Nothing as flash as this though and I haven't got drawer fronts on yet either, so still pretty rough looking. With the dust extraction, as has already been said, enough air has to come in to replace what the dusty takes out.
If you starve the dusty it wont pick up all the dust as efficiently and you could also starve your router of cooling air and burn it out. :oo:

I believe the original idea here was to create a cross flow of air for cooling and dust pick up as well. Personally I think that putting holes for air in the back of the table would be a poor choice for good dust extraction.
Mine will have the air inlet of some sort in the front door.
just my 2c
Cheers, Ian

[yvan]

Hi Les,

I AM jealous !!!

I noticed your dust extraction set up in one of your photos. Can you briefly describe your system which appears perfect for a small w/shop.
Much appreciated!

Yvan

[tdrumnut]

A clear case of effort = results, bloody nice job and a credit to your craftsmanship.

[lesmeyer]

Hi Les,

I AM jealous !!!

I noticed your dust extraction set up in one of your photos. Can you briefly describe your system which appears perfect for a small w/shop.
Much appreciated!

Yvan

Hi Yvan, I will take some more detailed photos of the dust collection system and post. As some other have said, to have good extraction, there needs to be a flow of air. I put the holes in the door because that is what Norm from NYW did and many others have also done. I did not care much about the looks being spoilt by the holes. I am happy with the whole build and because the dust extraction works so well I am more keen to use the table (also the flat top is great and the fence although expensive is really good).
Regards
Les

[yvan]

Hi Les,

I AM jealous !!!

I noticed your dust extraction set up in one of your photos. Can you briefly describe your system which appears perfect for a small w/shop.
Much appreciated!

Yvan

Sorry Les, you already had answered my Q in you earlier post. It obviously pays to read things s l o w l y....http://d1r5wj36adg1sk.cloudfront.net/images/smilies/actions/doh.gif

Yvan

[aldav]

That table is far too pretty Les! :2tsup: Make sure the missus doesn't see it or I can see it becoming re-purposed in the house. :D A beautiful job.

Rod Gilbert - "red cedar raised panel doors". Is that Australian red cedar Rod, on a router table!!! Sacrilege. :oo:

[double.d]

Lovely cabinet Les, well done.

If this is the quality you put into your router table I'd like to see the rest of your furniture.

[Bushmiller]

Lovely job Les. I will get around to my table one day. If it comes up half as well as yours i will be well pleased.

Regards
Paul

[spokeshave]

Hi guy's,
To answer spokeshaves question about the holes in the front I to have built one of these tables and I made red cedar rasied panel doors . While I was making the doors I used the table with a piece of 3mm ply over the router section held there just by the suction of the dust extractor when turned of it dropped away and there was dust and shavings still in the front and corners of the cabinet which does not happen with the doors fitted with holes in the front. I didn't drill holes in my raised panel because I wanted to keep the look of the panel so I cut away a section of the bottom edge of the molded panel and then assembled the door and it draws very well. Hope that makes sense.
Regards Rod.

Hi all.

Well my new router table is coming along nicely. Will post some pics in another thread when it's done.

Just wanted to get back to the topic of the holes in the front of the router access door. I was able to connect the dusty and run some timber over it today and everything that Rod has pointed out in his post (by the way, thanks for your post Rod) is exactly what i experienced with mine as I have yet to drill holes in my door yet.

I had some serious suction happening at the router insert plate hole (depending what size insert ring i had fitted, there was actually quite an annoying whistling sound coming from here) and good suction at the fence and as Rod pointed out, I was unable to open the router door without really reefing it. Compared to my old router table, this is awesome!!!

But i also had quite a few chips left over in the bottom front corners. I was able to pick them up and they were quite easily sucked away down the dust port. So I guess there is some merit in drilling these hole after all!!! I will get round to drilling these holes next up.

My door (and most of my table really) is made from 18mm melamine coated MDF that i was able to source cheaply and then painted so I need to find a neat way of drilling these holes without making a mess of it all. I want a neat clean appearance as the rest of the table has come out pretty well so don't want to spoil it with messy holes in the front. Will have to keep a look out for something to use.

Will post some more details of my new table soon.

Steven

[Rod Gilbert]

I think the best way for you to drill you're doors and get a clean finish to the cut would be with a forstner bit in a drill press or hand held with a steady hand or a spade bit drilled from both sides drill a small hole through the door to locate the centre on both faces to drill from both with sharp spade bit to get the clean faces you are after.
Regards Rod.