my new router table.

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27th December 2007, 10:04 AM
Gaza

my new router table.

I recently moved from having a full industrial style joinery setup with a spindle moulder to my now smaller DIY workshop so a router table is needed to be updated.

after see waldos great, router table it has made me think to upgrade my old set up from a plastic plate in a piece of form ply attached to the wing of my contractor style table saw.

My current table router is a fixed speed Makita 1812

Qns.

1. What is the difference between using say http://www.carbatec.com.au/store/ind..._420_2700_2710 $49.00 router plate and one from PWS.

2. Would a bottle jack (pump jack) work as a router lift or would it go down over time and be too hard to fine adjust.
or
Could an air ram be used as a router lift? (Has any one seen this done before)

3. What is the idea size of the table top.

My ideas so far are

1. Table to be a section of 35mm solid core door, edged in solid timber and painted to a gloss finish.

2. base to be simply box style construction, limited requirement for storage as all router bits would be stored in tool room adjacent to workshop area, only need to store feather boards and the like.

3. "t" track to be capal section.

4. Fence to be constructed in same manor to Waldo, ie 2 piece front fences.

5. height of table to be same as my contractor table saw, so that my tables can be but back to back and used to feed over for large sections.

thanks in advance
27th December 2007, 12:53 PM
Big Shed

Can't help with the question on the router lift, I have the big Triton router and I don't need one.

If the Carbatec plate you are referring to (your link only goes to the CT front page) then that is acrylic, which is thermoplastic and will deform over time. In fact every one I looked at was already not flat, and the inserts didn't sit flush with the plate. Spend the extra $50 and buy the PWS phenolic plate, which is a thermosetting compound and doesn't deform with time/heat. Highly recommended.

As for table size, mine is 1050x850mm, partly because I have an Incra jig, but in my opinion bigger is better.

My Incra jig has the Wonderfence, a split fence somewhat like Waldo's, it is great to have that facility. Also consider shims for one side of the fence for jointing type operations.
27th December 2007, 12:58 PM
DJ’s Timber

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Shed

If the Carbatec plate you are referring to (your link only goes to the CT front page)

BS if you pick a store, then close the page and click on the link again, it will take you to the correct page. Because the cookies on you computer haven't got the store location in it, it will take you straight to the front page
27th December 2007, 03:20 PM
specialist

I think your ideas are good, although the bottle jack would be good to raise the machine, I feel that lowering it would be a little tough. The Air ram idea might work if you could slow it down enough, they work very fast. Lowering the pressure probably wouldn't work because of there limited power. They are nothing like an oil ram. I made my router plate out of 4mm steel, no distortion there. It just starts to rust in the wet weather.

Robert
27th December 2007, 04:55 PM
Gaza

[quote=Big Shed;651325]

If the Carbatec plate you are referring to (your link only goes to the CT front page) then that is acrylic, which is thermoplastic and will deform over time. In fact every one I looked at was already not flat, and the inserts didn't sit flush with the plate. Spend the extra $50 and buy the PWS phenolic plate, which is a thermosetting compound and doesn't deform with time/heat. Highly recommended.

quote]

here is a pic.

good point about the plastic, i will have a look tommorrow and see how flat the carba tec cheapy is. it has been in the old table for about 7 months now.
27th December 2007, 05:09 PM
Gaza

Quote:

Originally Posted by specialist

I think your ideas are good, although the bottle jack would be good to raise the machine, I feel that lowering it would be a little tough. The Air ram idea might work if you could slow it down enough, they work very fast. Lowering the pressure probably wouldn't work because of there limited power. They are nothing like an oil ram. I made my router plate out of 4mm steel, no distortion there. It just starts to rust in the wet weather.

Robert

i was having a play with the bottle jack before it seems to need a fair amount of force applied for it to lower.

the bottle jack is a 20t model from super cheap auto which i have had sitting around for a year now waiting for something to use it on.

the air ram might be more trouble then its worth for my mark ii table.
27th December 2007, 09:01 PM
chrisb691

Gaza, have a look ath this thread (to the end).
28th December 2007, 07:51 PM
Gaza

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisb691

Gaza, have a look ath this thread (to the end).

thanks,

very smart idea with the pivert,

here is a photo of the bottle jack i am thinking of using.

the installation is going to be stright forward just need to fasion a mount to hold the router, the basic idea so far is to remove the handles and secure the router using those existing screw holes.

Quote:

If the Carbatec plate you are referring to (your link only goes to the CT front page) then that is acrylic, which is thermoplastic and will deform over time. In fact every one I looked at was already not flat, and the inserts didn't sit flush with the plate. Spend the extra $50 and buy the PWS phenolic plate, which is a thermosetting compound and doesn't deform with time/heat. Highly recommended.

my existing carba tec plate has about a 5mm twist in it, so Graham will be getting an order off me very shortly fo one of his.
28th December 2007, 10:29 PM
Waldo

G'day Gaza,

Regarding question 3 and as Big Shed has said and I'll reintarate you can never have too big. This is a question I spent a lot of time researching here http://www.routerforums.com/ .

I was going to get a custom size made by PWS at 1200mm x 800mm, but their 1100mm x700mm was close enough (and in hindsight any bigger would've made moving around in my shed between machinery very cramped)

Look forward to following your progress. :2tsup:
29th December 2007, 01:47 AM
journeyman Mick

sliding table

Gaza,
see here for pics of my sliding table. As per your PM.

Mick
29th December 2007, 11:33 PM
Woodlee

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaza

I recently moved from having a full industrial style joinery setup with a spindle moulder to my now smaller DIY workshop so a router table is needed to be updated.

after see waldos great, router table it has made me think to upgrade my old set up from a plastic plate in a piece of form ply attached to the wing of my contractor style table saw.

My current table router is a fixed speed Makita 1812

Qns.

1. What is the difference between using say http://www.carbatec.com.au/store/ind..._420_2700_2710 $49.00 router plate and one from PWS.

2. Would a bottle jack (pump jack) work as a router lift or would it go down over time and be too hard to fine adjust.
or
Could an air ram be used as a router lift? (Has any one seen this done before)

3. What is the idea size of the table top.

My ideas so far are

1. Table to be a section of 35mm solid core door, edged in solid timber and painted to a gloss finish.

2. base to be simply box style construction, limited requirement for storage as all router bits would be stored in tool room adjacent to workshop area, only need to store feather boards and the like.

3. "t" track to be capal section.

4. Fence to be constructed in same manor to Waldo, ie 2 piece front fences.

5. height of table to be same as my contractor table saw, so that my tables can be but back to back and used to feed over for large sections.

thanks in advance

Solid core door sounds good for the top .Thats what I'll be using on mine .
Also It will be hinged so I can lift it up to get at the router .
Unless I get financial and get a router lift.

Kev