Router tables/ buy or build?

[Geoff P]

Hey people,
I want to procure a Router table. Are there any reasonablly priced units on the market? The only ones I've seen are a CMT ($900) and a $110 unit.
If I build one how do you raise and lower the bits? Do you have to take the unit out of the mounting to achieve this?

Some help would be appreciated.

Geoff

[mat]

Geoff,
Carbatec sell at least a few different models which are quite good. I ended up buidling a table as I wanted a large table area for large work pieces. You can buy phenolic plate inserts, mitre tracks and mitre guages (from Carbatec also)
I raise and lower the bits using the screw on the top of the router used for accurate setting of plunge depth and then set the depth lock. If you do not have this facility on your router then there are attachments such as the rout-r-lift that can be incorporated into a table but these are very expensive.

[DaveInOz]

To build a flash table seems expensive, but you do get the best components, rather than get a set that may not all be up to scratch.
check out - Dizzy's (http://home.pacbell.net/jdismuk/routertable.html)
The router part of the super station (http://www.woodshopdemos.com/menu2.htm)
The new yankee table (http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct3.cgi?0301)

[Wayne Davy]

Build one! You will not be regret it. I built mine based on Dizzy's plan that Dave mentions.

I posted up a pic and some details of mine on the forum a while back (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3866&). I used a Triton Router plate which I bought as a spare part for about $30 from memory.

<img src="attachment.php?s=&postid=20324" border="0" alt="" vspace="8" hspace="4">

<img src="attachment.php?s=&postid=21819" border="0" alt="" vspace="8" hspace="4">

[derekcohen]

.......... and here's a picture of mine built into my saw table. Includes a fence I constructed from aluminium section that is bolted to my saw fence (easy to set accuractely).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Asquared]

I agree with Wayne - Build one. I own an old Triton Mk3 with a router table which I figured was close to useless long ago. The thin metal top flexes and you get uneven depth of cut. Also you get very poor depth of cut because of an air gap between table and router base. So I built my own table one afternoon and It has been one of the most useful things I've ever made. And simple too.

While Wayne's looks very professional and I wish my table looked half as good, it has worked well and done everything I wanted to do .

It consists of no more than a 700 mm square piece of 19mm chipboard which was once part of a cupboard door. In the middle I cut out a round hole through which the router base would easily pass. I cut two "notches" out of each side of that hole for the handles to pass through. Then I attached (with counter sunk screws) a piece of 6mm melamine coated MDF (also from an old door) to the top with a rectangular hole cut a bit larger than the hole in the chip board. I cut an exactly fitting piece of the same MDF to fit the rectangular cutout and then attached this to the base of the router as a replacement base plate. Very similar to the metal plate in Wayne's pic. It has a hole in the middle about 50 mm dia for the bit to pass through.

I set the "table" up whereever it is convenient; normally I sit one end on my bench and the other end is supported on an adjustable stand (one of those roller stands modified to be secure). Other times I have clamped it to a pair of saw horses. I simply drop the router (Hitachi TR12) and base through the top of the table, adjust the height using a depth adjusting screw and away I go. ALso made a very simple fence with cut out for the bit and a dust extraction housng that I clamp to the table - infinitely adjustable. When not in use I hang the board on the wall and it is out of the way.

Safety is an issue and I take a lot of care. I don't have a fancy guard system although the fence provides some protection when I use it. I do a lot of free form shapes with profiled edges (mostly just rounded over) so I use a bearing guided bit sticking up out of the table and work the piece around it from what ever side I want.

Hope this provides some food for thought. I'd draw you a picture or take a photo but I don't know how to get it on to the computer.

[Geoff P]

Thankyou Very much men.
You are all a very talented bunch and need to be congratulated on your efforts.
I only hope that I can acheive somewhere near these examples.

I'll keep you posted.
Now to the drawing board, :)

Geoff P

[Wayne Davy]

Geoff,

No worries mate. Post or email if you need any help/tips.

Asquared,

Thanks for the praise! The table did not actually take that much to make - more thinking/planning than anything.

Cheers all,