Router Table WIP

[motownmartin]

I have been wanting to make a Router Table/Station since March when I first started to dabble in the wonderful World of Woodwork.

Back in May I found this Forum, which I might add, has been fantastic in helping me improve my skills, credit goes to all who have taken time to answer questions and give help to all those that need it.

I remember putting a request out in one of the threads for some plans and Lord Nibbo (Dave Beckett) kindly got in touch and sent me his, many thanks Dave.

Now is the time to have a go at making the Table, I want to make the Cabinet as it shows on the plans but make a larger top out of Kitchen worktop, I want it to incorporate the INCRA 25" LS SUPER SYSTEM.

You might be thinking why spend £350 on a piece of Alluminiun when you can make your own jigs for a few quid, well I have thought about this and I could end up with a few dozen jigs which just takes up a lot of space in the workshop.

I will no doubt need your input and advice as I go along, so don't hold back and let me know the best ways to do things and put me right where I have gone wrong.

I shall post an update after Dinner on how far far i've got.

All the best

Martin

 

[motownmartin]

I've had me snap :roll:

On Saturday Afternoon I had a trip to our local B&Q to buy some Plywood

Problem number 1
They only sell metric and plans are imperial, so I got 18mm for 3/4", 12mm for 1/2" and 6mm for 1/4" it just means I have to be careful cutting the dado's.

Problem number 2
How do I fit them into the car, do I buy a roofrack, Nah, I get the B&Q cutter man to cut them into 4' x 3' and 4' x 2' job done.

Problem number 3
when cutting it all on Sunday no problem with the 18mm or the 12mm but when I cut the 6mm there wasn't enough (i had 2 quarter sheets), luckily enough I had the remnants of an Axminster crate which my new saw came in, the only trouble is that it's 1/4", Ok I shouldn't complain cuz it's the right size, I just have to remember to make that how the plan says, trouble is i'm a bit forgetful :?

I managed to get all the ply cut to size, I hope, also managed to smooth the edges with sandpaper and only get one splinter

Thats as far as I could go, I had no metric router cutters hopefully get back to it next weekend.

Here's a pic of the cut ply, 66 pcs

 

[engineer one]

interesting.
you might care to check out rocklerin the states at this time, they seem to be having another sale, and they are doing some offers on incra stuff
if you have not yet ordered, it might be worth checking the web site

www.rockler. (something or other)

paul :wink:

 

[DomValente]

Make sure the top you make is not too big as it may make the unit unstable.

Dom

 

[motownmartin]

Paul, I checked out rockler.com and unfortunately they don't have what i want, woodpeckers have it for $399 but shipping is $262, if you buy 2 the shipping is $382 and 3 would cost $452 and so on. I have contacted Eagle America and am waiting for their shipping cost.

It would pay for us to bulk buy from the states, so any body out there want to buy from Woodpeckers

Dom, I don't think there's much chance of this Table tipping over with 1 1/2 8x4 sheets of 3/4" Birch ply and 1 8x4 1/2" ply in the carcase, the oversize table is just to support the Incra system, if does look a bit wobbly I will look at lengthening the base.

Thanks

Martin

 

[engineer one]

ok martin, just thought you might find it.

what dom was interested in is whether the table might overlap the base by so much that it would be unstable.also remember, you have to be able to reach the cutter, and with narrow wood that might be difficult :?

paul :wink:

 

[motownmartin]

ok martin, just thought you might find it.

what dom was interested in is whether the table might overlap the base by so much that it would be unstable.also remember, you have to be able to reach the cutter, and with narrow wood that might be difficult :?

paul :wink:

The top will protrude at the back of the table by about 18" to 20" taking hardly any extra weight.

 

[engineer one]

so why have it if it does not carry any weight :twisted:

i would have thought there was some value in reducing it to just surrounding the incra jig

paul :wink:

 

[motownmartin]

I think I know what you mean :? do you mean just have enough for the jig to sit on :?: My idea was for the fence to travel back the full 25" and still have the full width of the table, if you know what I mean, I would do a sketch if I knew how

 

[engineer one]

i know what you are saying martin, it is just well, are you going to use it??

from a personal point of view, i do not use a router table too much, but when i see those designs in mags or on tv programmes, i do not understand why the cutter is so near the front of the table.

part i guess is the ability to get to the cutters but since it is very difficult to get really wide natural boards in the uk, i am not sure why one needs all this room on the table. since you do not use the back of the table why have it??

have you thought of using the incra in a different way so that you do not have the rear overhang??

paul :wink:

 

[motownmartin]

Paul, thanks for coming back at me with all why's, it certainly gets me thinking, maybe I don't need one that big but the likelyhood is that i will regret it if I don't.

I have a router table and use it on most jobs, I would like to use this one i'm making for Dovetails, Box joints, Finger joints, Raised panels, Rabbeting and in some cases Dado's amongst other things like shaping.

I think the only way not to have the overhang would be to get the ultra lite 12 1/2" jig, that may be an option.

Someone I work with has one of these 25" Incra's and says that if it ever got damaged he would definately get another one, he says it's the best bit of kit he has ever purchased and he has a lot of impressive kit.

Many thanks

Martin

A long way to go and a lot of thinking to be done

 

[engineer one]

look mate, you know what you are going to do, but i have a space about 12 feet by 10, and with my work bench, the table saw on a base, and the planer thicknesser, plus wood and all the other detritus including my dw 708, we seem to accumulate, i often have no room left.

you would rarely use dovetails on man made boards, and if like me you restrict your makings to about 4feet high or deep, then think that you will have to allow a space of around 8 feet when you are using it.

it is like using my 708 dewalt.i had hoped it would work on the end of the work bench, but the sweep is too wide, so i have to make some more
space for it. or maybe i need to rob the bank, and buy a festo sawlike waka :lol: :?

it is easy to get carried away with what you might build rather than what you will actually be able to get round to building.

paul :wink:

 

[Keith Smith]

Martin, I've just made a router table and used just the Incra LS Positioner and made my own fence for it. I've fitted the LS to the right hand rear and it stretches across the table so I don't have to have a deep table. This means I work front to back. I've also made an additional fence that fits across the table for when I want to router longer lengths.

This is unfortunately destined for a magazine article, so I can't say too much more on the open forum, but the picture may give you food for thought. PM me if you want.

Keith

 

[motownmartin]

That's excellent Keith, I had not thought about doing it this way, it's certainly an option thats gone to the top of the list

Thanks for posting the photo

Martin

 

[Con Owen]

Hi Martin
I was in WHSmiths today and there was a test of and Incra system with a wonderfence (£299) in a magazine, I believe it was titled Router and Power ...... Interestingly there were two table sizes available, one was IIRC 46'' wide and the other 36''. The recommendation by the reviewer was to go for the smaller version.
Regards
Con

 

[motownmartin]

Hi Martin
I was in WHSmiths today and there was a test of and Incra system with a wonderfence (£299) in a magazine, I believe it was titled Router and Power ...... Interestingly there were two table sizes available, one was IIRC 46'' wide and the other 36''. The recommendation by the reviewer was to go for the smaller version.
Regards
Con

Thanks for the info Con, trouble is that I have just ordered the 25" super system, . Were those sizes refering to the table size :?:

I think I am going to struggle fitting it all into the workshop, but hey I like a challenge

Martin

 

[Mike.C]

motownmartin,

woodpeckers have it for $399 but shipping is $262

Martin ask woodpeckers for a quote to ship your order by USPS. The shipping charge you were given on their web site is with UPS and although they do not mention it, they will give you quotes from other companies.
On one of my orders UPS wanted $192 for standard shipping, but USPS only charged me $58 using their (3 to 5 days) Global Express Mail

Give Justin a shout [email protected] and he should be able to sort you out.

Cheers

Mike

 

[motownmartin]

Darn it, I wish I werent so impatient

Thanks Mike

 

[Con Owen]

Hi Martin
Yes, it was the the table width. Best of luck with your table.
Regards
Con

 

[motownmartin]

I have spent a few Hours in the workshop today, the first job was to make the Dado's and rabbets in the carcase of the router table.
I tried to do the first rabbet on my cheap router table but it was a no go, as I came to the end of the board the rabbet became uneven as the fence was too short, I guess this is one of the reasons for making this table with an Incra Wonder fence. So I ended up doing everything by hand with a clamp on guide, what a difference, everything was spot on apart from one Dado being a 1/4" out (I had a sulk for about an Hour), this was because I had great difficulty trying to convert everything to metric . It also means that I have to trim the drawers so that they will fit
I have also fitted the drawer cleats to the carcase sides, I done this with glue and brads.

This pic shows the uneven cut using the router table

Using the clamp on guide

Some of the carcase ready for assembly

So far, so good and learning lots.

Martin