Thread: Benchtop Router Table

Fence t slots fitted and NRV mounted to the underside of table.


20231219_142920.jpg


For the front T Slot : Is there a preferred type? Ive seen a couple of instances of it being 2 diferent T Slots in one strip. Handy or superfuous?
The Fence T slots are just the 19mm T SLot from Carbatec.




OT: I'm have been having trouble posting pictures, for the lost few days. I resize them so they are very close to 100kb, but it seems that it is a crap shoot as to whether they upload.
Case in point. The first pic in this post is 110 kb and uploaded ok. The second was 108kb and I gave up after 3 goes......Had to 'attach' it.

It used to go without a problem....now it seems flakey....Anyone else have the sme problem?


Steve

I only have the standard 3/4" track in my table. Not sure what you would use the multi track extrusion for. I have it mounted far enough in front of the router bit so that I can run my mitre gauge across the front of the bit.
I haven't tried posting any pictures recently but sometimes there seems to be a glitch for a while and then it comes good again. I don't bother compressing photos down to 100kb anymore as they seem to work fine at higher resolution up to 1mb. I don't know if the 100kb was some rule when the internet was a lot more restricted.

I've done some googling and it appears that the Combination T Slot is so one can use a featherboard OR a Mitre Gauge ( OR Coping Sled as DJ mentioned )
so it looks like it would be useful.

Combination T Slot.jpg

I don't have any featherboards atm, so I'll use the mitre gauge to locate the T Slot.
Maybe I'll order one at the same time.

Originally Posted by DJ’s Timber

Coping sled, featherboards for starters

Thanks DJ.
I have been researching Featherboards and I'll buy 2 when I order the t track.

The Hedgehog type seem to be the most useful. What do others think? I've seen a few viseos on them.
I don't want to have to keep buying different ones until I find a 'good' design.


I've had another development. I found ( I think ) a 89mm ( 3.5" ) diameter Router on Marketplace, cheap.
I will see if I can aquire it, in case I need more power , later on ,and/or the Trimmer craps out.
It will slip straight in my Router Lift.
Can't hurt, can it?....lol


Steve

I finished the Fence today ( except for the dado for the t slot track. )

Fence (1).jpg Fence (2).jpg


B&D Router was a bust....too big.


Steve

My order from Timbercon arrived today.

I just have to cut the dado's for the T Slots and its done.
The featherboards ( set of 4 ) I bought, fit the Mitre slot on the Combination T Slot.
I wan't expecting that. I thought they would fit the T Track and the Mitre track would fit the mitre....
Does this make the T slot on the combination track redundant?

I bought a mitre slider as well.

20240108_114211.jpg 20240108_114240.jpg

So much for being a bench top router table.....It has gained so much weight that I may have to look at an alternative solution...lol

Steve

You can buy replacement bolts that will fit directly into the T-slots

I use two sets of these; they come with multiple fasteners so either slot can be used and they can be stacked two high for greater vertical support.

I usually use all four at the same time where possible; two on the table and two on the fence giving pressure on both the infeed and the outfeed.

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

You can buy replacement bolts that will fit directly into the T-slots

I use two sets of these; they come with multiple fasteners so either slot can be used and they can be stacked two high for greater vertical support.

I usually use all four at the same time where possible; two on the table and two on the fence giving pressure on both the infeed and the outfeed.

Thanks, I'll look into changing the bolts. I should be able to stack mine as well, so thats good.

I finished it off today. Thank goodness as I was getting tired of working on it....
Hopefully it will do what I want it to do, when I want it to do something....

Its very heavy, so its not going to be as mobile as intended. I guess adding the lift has caused that.
No matter. Will have to find a way to move it.

Steve

Finished (1).jpg Finished (2).jpg

That's come up looking really good. I'm sure you will find many uses for it now you have it. I tend to use my router table 90% of the time compared to the hand held router as it's always set up ready to go.
Do you have the draws full of router bits yet which add to the weight or is that going to add more weight to it when you do?

Originally Posted by Treecycle

That's come up looking really good. I'm sure you will find many uses for it now you have it. I tend to use my router table 90% of the time compared to the hand held router as it's always set up ready to go.
Do you have the draws full of router bits yet which add to the weight or is that going to add more weight to it when you do?

Thanks.
I've wanted a router table for years and never got around to making one. I started down the Triton route originally but I found it wasn't what I wanted/needed.

I am using one of the draws for router bits. The others will hold the insert plates, and bit change tools.
20240114_095122.jpg

Two small tidibts to report......

I had a job for the router table today, so its vindicated it construction now....lol

I finally picked up the cheap B&D Router today and I measured the diameter and its actually 89mm, so it will fit straight into the Lift.
The guy must have measured it wrong, as he told me it was 105mm.

It is larger diameter than the Trimmer Router I'm using presently, but its still only rated at 750W. Oh well. ( I can't find the power spec for the Makita trimmer at this time.)
That will have to do for now.

Steve

Easy mistake to make, 89 - 105 pretty close🤣😂