Bench top router table

[Doug B]

Since getting rid of my table saw & it`s out feed table I`ve been without a router table, as my old T11 was mounted into the outfeed table with a removable fence, shown here.

I`ve been managing since the change around with the spindle moulder or using a router hand held, but my next project requires some table mounted routing & as it`s only going to get sporadic use I didn`t want a dedicated table that will take up a lot of room.

With this in mind I figured a compromise would be a small table that I could hold in the bench vise, but would easily pack away.
The new table would still be based around my T11 & aluminum plate & have the best extraction I could manage, so I started tonight making a housing box for the router.

First off I cut some 18mm MDF to size with the track saw to made the sides of the box & then cut dominos in them.

& glued them together.

The bottom was then cut to size & a ventilation slot routed into it using a 1/2" cutter, 30mm guide bush & template.

The base was then glued & nailed in position.

A 4" hole was cut for the dust extraction with a hole saw.

& 2 more ventilation slots routed opposite this.

The dust port & NVR switch fitted & a spacer so that the box stands level on the bench but still has an over hang to clamp in the vise.

Finally for tonight a test fit of the router & plate.

Hopefully tomorrow I`ll get the table top & fence made.

Cheers.

PS. no chatter was experienced during this build so far.

 

[Paul Chapman]

PS. no chatter was experienced during this build so far.

:lol: :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Jensmith]

Reading this post with interest as something similar would be ideal for me.

Are you also having fence dust extraction as well as the cabinet port?

 

[Doug B]

Are you also having fence dust extraction as well as the cabinet port?

Yes Jen, I`ve made a start on it today.

Progress today has involved the fence, which may look to some as if it has been made from an old piece of 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" aluminum angle that`s been left outside in a pile of tat for years :shock: but at least it milled up well.

After which some attention was paid to the surfaces that will mate with the table & sacrificial fence to bring them up to square.

A dust port was then made from MDF & a solvent weld waste elbow.

Which will simply be glued to the back of the fence thus.

But as I`m not completely happy with how the aluminum has cleaned up so far I`ve not glued the dust port in place as I`ve another trick up my sleeve for sorting out what was quite a scabby piece of ally.

Cheers

 

[Doug B]

Made some more progress this evening, starting with an off cut of 22mm MDF 29" x 16" for the table top,I cut out the waste section for the router to pass through with the track saw, finishing the corners off by hand.

Using off cuts of MDF as guides for the 30mm guide bush to run against I cut the rebate for the plate to sit in.

The plate was then fix to the top from below with M6 counter sunk bolts.

Next 2 supports were planed up & fix to the base box.

I then fitted four 4" long bolts through the top these were aligned with the supports & holes drilled for the bolts to pass through.

The bolts are long enough to put wingnuts on to secure the top to the supports, but a quick test run with a guide bushed cutter was enough to convince me that the top is firm enough to use without bolting the top down.

I gave the top a coat of wax polish & buffed it with a webrax pad on the ROS which seems to have worked quite well as a finish.
Hopefully I`ll have the fence sorted this week & will get this finished off.

Cheers.

 

[Doug B]

Nearly there, managed to get the fence sorted.

Bead blasted then sprayed whilst still warm made the ally look a little more respectable, then the dust port was epoxy`d on

Movable sacrificial fences fitted via bolts & wing-nuts to the face of the aluminum.

Slots routed into the table top & the assembled fence also fixed with M6 bolts & wing-nuts.

A few tweaks & she`ll be ready for some thrash :lol:


Cheers.

 

[monkeybiter]

Doug, bearing in mind I don't know anything about spindle moulders, what does the router table do that the spindle molder doesn't ? Is it ease of tool changing, tool cost or available range, or something else?

 

[Doug B]

Doug, bearing in mind I don't know anything about spindle moulders, what does the router table do that the spindle molder doesn't ? Is it ease of tool changing, tool cost or available range, or something else?

At the minute for me Mike it`s mainly the fact that I have the router cutters & am only slowly building up my spindle tooling.

That said for small moldings & beads I`d still probably use the router table even when I have more spindle tooling, it`s easier to set up the router table safely for very small sections of timber, my spindle`s hold downs aren`t really designed for anything under 2" x 1". Plus I find the router table quicker to set up than the spindle.

Cheers.