Routing table

[BarryBurgess]

I started out with a RTA300 router table that I was going to use in my workcentre, but I bought a RSA300 very quickly as it was a pain in the ** to remove the saw from the WC and install the router table. Some time later I walked into B&Q (our Bunnings) to discover that they had box 2 of the WC on sale for £29.98 so I got the 4 legs and the cross members of the WC and the fence. I bought the both ends and then had a WC for the router table ( more room and easier to get to the router). I added a dust extraction point between the router table and the end of the stand which stood me in good sted when trenching. I have tried both 100mm and the standard dust extraction above and below the table but still end up with more saw dust on the floor than I would like so I am considering making a router table along the lines of "Norm". I was looking for ideas from this group to guide me in the right direction or is the cold weather just getting to me ???
I was looking to make the unit 1200mm long by 600mm deep and about 900mm high(on castors) with a central dust collection cupboard and full extension pullout drawers and drawers for all the router bits. I was trying to allow for the inner rail from the maxi extension table to be fitted to the new bench as it is very useful with big pieces in the router table.
IDEAS PLEASE?? - or do I just need warm weather??

[doug the slug]

Barry, that sounds like a worthwhile project, theonly problem i see is from the way i read your description, the router will be sitting in the middle of the below table dust collection box and will be breathing in its own dust. that would not be a good thing. conversely, making allowance to attach the maxi extension table would be excellenthttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif

[Groggy]

Barry, think about a perfectly flat top, easy access to change bits, dust collection, split fence - did I mention dust collection? - and mobile base.

Try a few of these for ideas:

http://www.am-wood.com/march98/router.html
http://www.benchdog.com/
http://home.pacbell.net/jdismuk/routertable.html
http://www.gtcreations.com/routertable/index.html
http://dai.butt.tripod.com/magicframeset.html
http://www.wood-worker.com/plans/router/index.htm
http://www.patwarner.com/
http://www.routerworkshop.com/rickstips1.html?list=tp02
http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/etip040700wb.html

[TritonJapan]

Barry,

Agree with Doug. I have to service, repair or inform owners of the reason their router died due to use in home made cabinets.

Take the idea from the dust bag and incorporate a sleeve for the Router air intake from the outside world.

Also make sure that you have plenty of air coming out of the cabinet otherwise you will end up with positive pressure inside, forcing dust out the top and any other gaps. Suggest you will need 100mm dusty for this.

Steve

[BarryBurgess]

Thanks for all the ideas and the concern about the air supply for the router. I was planning for ait inlets in the door but like the idea of using a similar idea to the dust bag on the WC.
A number of designs do not allow for the fence to be removed which would present me with a problem as I often trench large pieces ( the maxi table is grat with this)
I will have to do more reading before starting and alot more thinking to consider any more drawbacks