Thread: Router table insert

Phenolic seems the best choice. Engineering plastics like this are stiffer and more scratch resistant than perspex. They also have a low friction coefficient, rapidly decreasing the time it takes for your fingertips to reach the cutter when moulding small items

I finished the top of my table in it and could not be happier with the results.

If you do a search using google.com for "router table inserts" you'll come up with a fair bit of info.

tx Eastie

I'm not convinced about using an insert at all - needs to be very resitant to bending, and unless it's inserted perfectly or adjustable, you're going to wind up with a step up or down to the insert to deal with.

I built a router table top out of MDF, cut a hole only just big enough for the router base, laid hardboard over the top with a hole the same size as the hole in the base of the router, countersunk bolts into it from the top to hold the router & then epoxied those in place, then laminated the whole top in one piece.

Because there is essentially zero gap between the edge of the router base and the supporting MDF, the chance for the hardboard & laminate to bend is minimised - so I got a seamless, one piece, slippery top.

You could do the same kind of thing with the right type of high density plastic - use a single piece as the top and support it underneath right up to the edge of the router base. You can't effectively glue any of the high density plastics, but you could use contact cement and then screw it down.

With the plastics - go to a speciality supplier, and look for a type with a slightly rippled finish on one side - slippery as hell

Hi,
I used 6mm perspex for my table insert. The insert is about 200mm square and when bolted to the table and the router it does not flex. As for setting-up the insert, the recess in the table is fairly easy to cut the right depth. However the insert can be "shimmed up" using engineering shim stock if the recess is cut too deep.
The rest of my router table top is made of 32mm MDF painted with spray enamel and finally polished with auto wax.

Glen

I used 6mm alumimumn and inset the screws from the top then epoxied them in place. I then inset this into some "armour" ply aprox 600 x 300 x 20 mm and covered the whole top with laminate.
I find that this eliminates any joints that always seem to be in the wrong place.

The strength of the aluminum allows for a thiner mount than is possible with plastic and there is very little loss in the effective length of the router cutters.

I have very little room in my workshop and I can mount this in my bench mate when I need.