Thinking of putting a homemade ‘multifunction’ insert in my workbench. Is this a good idea?

[BearTricks]

I built my workbench about a year ago. I was expecting it to be all singing all dancing but the type of work I have been doing is jigs and tools for my other hobbies (sculpting, leather work) and smaller furniture projects such as stools so I haven’t bothered with a ‘proper’ workbench and it’s essentially a glorified desk at about 2ft x slightly over 4ft. Any bigger and I’d be struggling for space with the lathe, material storage, dust collection etc.

I don’t really have space for some things I would find useful for upcoming projects. A router table would be nice, as well as a drill press or guide, and things like my bench grinder are stored away to be used when they’re needed (and which consequently bounces round the table until it’s up to speed at which point I put the sharpening jig wherever it ends up once it’s calmed down).

A vice would be useful, as would dog holes in the table.

My thought was basically to cut a hole in the workbench and install some kind of homemade multi-function insert, or have a cutout I can bolt various inserts in to. When it’s not being used, I can just pop a piece of ply cut to the right dimensions in to make the table flush. That way I can install t track for a fence for a router table, or for the sharpening jig for the bench grinder, or hold downs etc. The router table is the main consideration and at the moment I have a Makita 1/4” palm router and a heavy duty Hikoki 1/2” router both with plunge bases. I have seen people make mini router tables for the palm router online and that’s another option but it is just another thing to store.

If I can get away with not doing dog holes that would be good. I’d prefer to avoid making it lighter. I may even stick a sheet of 18mm ply on top to bulk it out.

Is an insert a good idea or am I venturing in to YouTube gimmick territory? The router insert would likely be metal and maybe off the shelf and I’d cut the hole and make any other inserts to match the profile. I do tend to stick a big cutting mat on the table when I’m not woodworking so that would hide any ugliness.

Any better ideas more than welcome. Essentially I’m trying to build a multifunction workbench tailored to me.

 

[Ollie78]

This is not unheard of. Triton sell an MFT type thing with various optional inserts for router, circular saw etc. Festool used to do them too but I think they stopped doing them now.
Instead of dog holes you can get flip up planing stops.
I think your plan should work fine.

Ollie

 

[HamsterJam]

I have a Triplex Powerbase 900.
This is a foldable workbench fitted with a vice, dog holes and slots for a fence. It also has a removable steel plate that is designed to hold various power tools upside down. These are a circular saw (to make a table saw), router, and a jigsaw.
The idea is fine but IMHO the implementation is poor and the table saw unsafe. It also takes time to reconfigure for each tool.
I have recently dismantled it and repurposed the folding legs to support a ‘proper’ router table.
Appreciate it is not exactly local but @BearTricks If you want the the original top including the accessories, it’s available for collection just off the A30 in West Devon.