Thread: Router table for jointing?

There has already been a discussion on this.
Unfortunately a lot of the photos are now missing from the thread.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/jo...r-table-46409/

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

There has already been a discussion on this.
Unfortunately a lot of the photos are now missing from the thread.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/jo...r-table-46409/

Hello Cliff, thanks for the reply.
Shame his pics are missing, but he had things set up badly anyway, with the timber passing between the fence and the bit - a recipe for kickbacks.
Actually, that thread is more of a discussion on not doing it the way he did, rather than feedback and suggestions for the right method.

I've since done a lot more reading. It appears that as long as I set up well. it should work OK.

The remaining pic in the thread you indicated shows a shim outside the outfeed fence, whereas I'm planning on putting it behind the fence to space it out until the outfeed is in perfect line with the cutting edge of the bit.

I found out this morning that Rockler sell a set of 6 plastic shims totalling 0.1"/2.54mm as an accessory for their router fences, for this very purpose: -
Using a Router Table as a Jointer - Rockler Woodworking and Hardware Blog

The shims themselves are here, (they moved them, the shim link in the above article is dead.): -
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17189

The Rockler shims, at 14", are a good length for the Scheppach bench-top router table, so I'll buy a set at the same time that I buy the router table and give it a shot.
These shims are pre-slotted for the Rockler fence, but I'll soon modify them to fit mine.

I could buy a small table-top jointer and the router table, but both space and $$$ are short, so I'm trying to buy machines that can be multi-purposed to save on both. Already bought a wide drum sander in lieu of a thicknesser. Slower, but works fine.

This is the Scheppach router table. Looks OK for the price. Only a 2HP motor, but as mentioned, I only do very light-weight work.: -
700.jpg

Triton has a method for doing this which when I had mine I did several times quite safely,as I sold my Triton router table I no longer have the manual,I'm sure some one will be able to post how it was done.
It needed you to make a couple of guides,all in the manual.

Originally Posted by nrb

Triton has a method for doing this which when I had mine I did several times quite safely,as I sold my Triton router table I no longer have the manual,I'm sure some one will be able to post how it was done.
It needed you to make a couple of guides,all in the manual.

Hi nrb. Was your router table an RTA-300?
I just downloaded the manual for that model. It uses shims, similar to those that Rockler sells to suit their table(s). The Triton manual describes them as 'planing shims'.

Originally Posted by Triton RTA-300 Manual

The Planing Shims (43 & 44) slide (in pairs) over pins on the fence braces when not in use, as shown in Fig. 10.
When in use they are fitted behind the MDF fence faces. Figs. 25 & 26.
If necessary loosen off the fence springs to accommodate fitting of the shims, then re-tighten to the desired tension.

Looks like I'm on the right track.

The Triton Table I had was adjusted by undoing the hold down bolts and moving one half of the fence with no shims involved.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

The Triton Table I had was adjusted by undoing the hold down bolts and moving one half of the fence with no shims involved.

Thanks for the reply, Chris. That sounds like a better system. Your's was probably a later model - the RTA-300 was an earlier, now superceded model.
For the Scheppach, however, I need to use shims, (I think). I'll buy the shims anyway, when I order the router table, in case I need them. They're also a good length for fine-tuning my (single-ended) wide drum sander. It only came with 2 x 0.010" shims.

Edit: Just looking through the Carbatec catalogue, I noticed that their current model is the RTA-300, and that it includes shims for planing. Maybe only the manual was superceded. Your's must have been an earlier model, I guess.

Looks like this forumite is pretty happy with his table. Unfortunately no mention of the task you wish to perform.
I too had one of the Triton router tables with the adjustable fence that was done by just loosening the screws and moving the outfeed fence. Mine was a MK3.

Originally Posted by Treecycle

Looks like this forumite is pretty happy with his table. Unfortunately no mention of the task you wish to perform.
I too had one of the Triton router tables with the adjustable fence that was done by just loosening the screws and moving the outfeed fence. Mine was a MK3.

Yeah, it was Saisay's comments that helped me decide to buy the Scheppach HF-50. His review was nice and detailed, including the negatives. Not many of those, fortunately.
For the light work that I do - boxes, scale models and guitar building, it's hard to go past it at the price. I don't like the idea of constantly fitting and removing a portable router from a table, so a one-piece unit would be ideal. I'll buy a separate plunge router for inlays etc. Currently getting away with a Dremel plunge router and Dremel router table, but there are very few bits and accessories (like dovetail jigs etc) available.
Incidentally, for anyone considering it, the Dremel router table is a piece of crap and not worth buying.