The Router Table Project

**DemetersRest** · 16th December 2011, 10:59 PM

I recently discovered a 2nd hand building materials place and dropped by today with a view to try and find something that may be suitable for the top of my router table. Came across this piece - looks like the top of an old govt. desk or something - approximately 20 x 745 x 1500 for $16.50!

If you can manage to see past the mess... The surface is (is like?) laminex, nice and smooth no chips and perfectly flat/level. I bought one just to have a test and play. It's quite solid but still wondering whether I should consider laminating two of them together - the underside is unsealed.

Figured I could give the bases a rough sand up and laminate them together - giving me laminate on both the top and bottom (good for keeping moisture out). I was also toying with the idea of trimming the edges off (it's got a plastic/rubber strip around the full edge) and putting a nice timber border.

I've got an Incra LS 25 Super System on order along with one of their Magnalock aluminium plates to install in the table. Would 40mm be overkill in terms of depth - perhaps making bit-changes too fiddly? My router is a Hitachi M12V2.

I'm still planning out the overall design of the base unit but I was thinking of doing just enough to make the table functional and stable and then once it's up and running I can starting putting the super system to good use and practice my cabinet making skills including some dovetails - I would really like to do some double dovetails with purpleheart as the feature, have not yet decided on the main timber yet - would ash be alright for that?

The other skill I want to master is raised panel doors. What better to practice on than my router table... if it's a bit rough, nothing much lost and it may just give me the motivation to practice even more!

Sorry for the long-winded post - kind of thinking out loud. I guess my main question is regarding the top. I'm worried that 1 sheet may have a tendency to sag over time (the router will be in there permanently) but two sheets may be too thick and make changes difficult.

Thanks in advance for advice and or suggestions.

**NCArcher** · 17th December 2011, 07:57 AM

20 is too thin and will sag over time without some form of support. I would make it double thickness and put a timber edge on.
Nice score by the way.

**Superbunny** · 17th December 2011, 09:43 AM

SB

**artme** · 17th December 2011, 09:59 AM

Agree with the above speakers!.

It will be a big area top by the look of it so you can afford to cut it down a bit and that will help with stiffening things.

I would also run two supporting rails the full length of the table either side of where you intend to mount your router.

**DemetersRest** · 17th December 2011, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by artme

I would also run two supporting rails the full length of the table either side of where you intend to mount your router.

I was thinking that would be a good idea /nod

I dragged out the old carbatec cast iron table and brushed the dust off to try and do a couple of things ... sheesh... I remember why I hated the stupid thing. Perhaps I'm missing something but attaching the router (Hitachi M12V2) to the underside of the table is enough to send a girl bonkers! It will make my new table all the sweeter me thinks!

**DemetersRest** · 23rd January 2012, 08:53 PM

Well it's been a couple of weeks since my last post, but I've finally gotten an opportunity to start work on my router table.

So far I've laminated the two desktops together, squared them up and trimmed off the edges and routed out the hole for the insert plate.

I've taken a few pics of the progress. I was not able to see anything in the Forum Rules about linking to other sites - happy to be corrected. I've written a detailed blog post on my site on the steps I have taken so far if anyone is interested in taking a look - www.demetersrest.com

Constructive criticism and advice welcome.

acmegridley · 17th February 2012, 09:49 PM

Norm Abrams builds his Deluxe Router Station,now showing on the New Yankee Workshop.Hope this is of some help to you guys.

**Stewie D** · 24th March 2012, 12:35 PM

Just noticed your concern DR when glueing up two sheets of ply or laminate to MDF etc about the problem of lining things up after applying the glue particularly contact adhesive or any others that rely on a semi-dry or tacky state to work.
When we used to glue up laminated benchtops we would apply the glue to both the top of the MDF and the underside of the laminate, let it dry for twenty minutes or so then lay 800mm lengths of 12mm dowel spaced at 200 - 250mm centres on top of the benchtop.
Then we would lay the laminate ( glue face down ) on top of the dowels.
When we were happy that we had our 12mm overhang right all around the edges we would press the two surfaces together at one end of the benchtop working or way along and removing each dowel as we got to it.
After forcefully using a roller to ensure complete adhesion between the two it was a simple task to run around the edges with a laminate trimmer.

Stewie

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