Thread: Router Fence Design

If your using box section, then you should have your "blocked end" right beside the opening in your fence for the cutter, or, leave the end open all together to allow extra air into the box section so that the section doesnt fill up with shavings, due to swirling and cavitation of the air entering near the cutter only...

What are you draughting it with vac or dusty?

Good thoughts - I have the far end designed blocked off, but with holes drilled to allow airflow through to prevent the 'dead' end filling up. I prefer your idea Mick of having that seal much closer to the mid-section of the fence. I chose the right end to be the dead end, as the cutter would (i'm guessing) tend to throw shavings toward the right inside the fence, given the direction of rotation.

See - already a simple, but valuable contribution / modification of the design!


Harry - thinking of using vac (coupled to my cyclone), rather than the shop's 4" dusty. Reason for this is 2 fold - firstly, the added difficulty in converting the square section to 4" round (although not that hard, the smaller tube is easier), and secondly, I don't want the weight of the dust extraction tube having any chance to pull the fence out of position. Thoughts?

He's a rough pic of my flow through fence with a 4" dusty connected, i've never had any trouble with it moving when i didnt want it to, and never had trouble with it not getting rid of waste properly. Is simply a few PVC fittings that i'm sure you can identify.

Stu

After seeing Zed's Carbatec router table, and getting all envious and accquisitive, you might think to add a sliding tenon cutting jig to the fence.

I know its a bit of relatively complex engineering, but that would probably give you an extra choice (bringing the total into double figures) in how you cut tenons.

Boy can't have too many toys.

Hi

Harry - thinking of using vac (coupled to my cyclone), rather than the shop's 4" dusty. Reason for this is 2 fold - firstly, the added difficulty in converting the square section to 4" round

WHat about those rectangle downpipe to round pipe adaptors? They are about that size.

Originally Posted by Bodgy

Stu

After seeing Zed's Carbatec router table, and getting all envious and accquisitive, you might think to add a sliding tenon cutting jig to the fence.

I know its a bit of relatively complex engineering, but that would probably give you an extra choice (bringing the total into double figures) in how you cut tenons.

Boy can't have too many toys.

Zed has that one Ive got? thats wider than it is long? bloody pain in the ass in my view... and you cant fit one of those risers in either by the way... unless Zed has figured something out that I havent cause none that Carbatec had would slot in!... main problem I have is the back part of the thing I mean youve almost got two tables in one with that major winder setup bloody takes up too much room... gotta make a router table soon

Just a thought on the zero clearance insert. You probably need a bit of room, otherwise your bit may end up cutting the shaving/chips a second time if they get between the bit and insert. More likely on the way back out from the rear of the fence, if the shavings aren't thrown clear.

Thanks for that Brian - was thinking something along the same lines - was concerned about getting chip-out from the insert as the bit passed back through, so was thinking of leaving about 1mm clearance all round. Still, that gives a very good "zero clearance" benefit cf normal fences, even those with movable in and out feed.

Didn't get a chance to start on the fence last weekend - decided to start with the router table instead. It is going to be functional rather than beautiful, so don't expect any works of art!

Few photos:

The current router table - currently supported by a couple of Triton Multistands. A very temporary fence so I can make the proper one.

The back of the fence - showing the Incra positioner that will be used on the new fence

The base for the new table - a Jet Universal Roller Stand. Not sure whether it will be the long term base or not. At some stage it may be moved to the bandsaw, and more permanent wheels added to the router table, but at this stage, it is convenient.

The start of the table - using melamine that I got free from NidekFurniture that he offered on here last friday (thanks Nick).

It is very (very) loosely based on the NYW table, but obviously I have a different requirement because of the orientation of the table. It will be coupled up to both the 4" dust system, and the 1" cyclone systems in the workshop, with the 1" collecting dust directly from the Triton router's dust port, and the 4" from the fence, and from the table, as per the NYW design.

eerr have I gone blind?? :eek: IM BLIND!!! AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! :eek:

note to self stop runnin around like a chook with its head cut off yer galah! Stuart has just had a momentary old phart moment and forgotten to post the pics

mmmm Stuart?? oooohhh Stuart mate could you kindly post the pics you refer to ol son ... cheers mate

Pics are there for me to see - anyone else not see them?


Great. Something's gone wrong with the post - the HTML shows the images there, but now the links are not working. I hate computers Have added the images as attachments - at least that should work.

Thanks for the heads-up Dingo - appreciated.

Just on the draughting, I had a bit of a play around yonks ago in positioning the intake and found it was better to have the intake directly behind the bit, having it draughting from the side added an extra bend for the flow to go around.(well thats what im putting it down too...)
I made a fancy box section with side a intake to go behind my fence, but it still let most chips/dust to fall too the floor
so I just put the vac hose behind the fence close to the bit without any box section and found it performed way better.
So now its just got a slapped together bits of scrap box with the infeed facing towards the bit.

Dust and chips still fall to the floor, the only way is to box the router in as well and draught it with big air flow.
My up and coming RT(one day...)will have both top and bottom draughted by the dusty, as running both vac and dusty is silly.

Im thinking along the lines for my new fence is to use a box section like you, but it will sit up high apon another two box sections with a 100mm cutter gap between them and with 50mm "C" section separating them from the top box section... I like a high fence because it allows for 2 T tracks for feather boards and stops to have 2 fixing points... rock solid!

My current fence was made to have ZCI's but have never used it, Im looking for another face material other than melimine as it has expanded on the outfeed side PITA!
I thinking some sort of plastic, but I've spent way to much now($1k+) so im looking for something cheaper than phenlonic/UHMW ?

So you are saying I'm being silly by running a vac and 4" system then?

Think I will still try it and make my own decision on that one. Given the Triton router is designed with a vacuum collection directly from the shrouding of the base, that will be reasonably effective. Combined with an overall 4" collection below the table, and also from the fence, I don't see why it won't be pretty effective.