Bench top router table

[siggy_7]

After making a few of Bill Hylton's router jigs, I decided to make a small bench-top style router table using his designs. The idea being that something small-ish and portable won't take up much room in my crowded workshop and will remain useful even when I have something bigger and better.

The main concept is something that can be carried around, hung on a wall and that has a hinged lid for easy access. The top is made of two pieces of 12mm ply with a hole through the bottom half, so that a fixed base router locates precisely into the underside of the top. It is secured by two toggle clamps screwed into the top, so installing the router is a 30 second job and can even be done with the perspex base plate left in. I designed it around my Draper Expect router, which I regularly use for hand held routing and jig use as well so the ability to remove it quickly is very helpful.

To access the router, the top hinges up and is secured via a stay. This makes height adjustment very easy.

Changing bits is also easy as you just slide the router out of the base. The main downside is that because the router just pokes up through the top, there is no way of closing down the opening once I use a big bit in it. Currently I've not used anything bigger than 16mm, if this becomes a problem I might machine out a recess in the top for an insert.

Pop open the toggle clamps, and the base is released ready for working in hand-held tasks.

The design of the Draper router creates a completely sealed chamber under the table with a perspex dust extraction port, which is visible in the photos. In use so far this has been very effective at catching all under-table dust. I need to add some form of above-table dust collection too. It's all finished in 2 coats of clear laquer to protect it from damage.

I've still got a few more bits to do to it. I want to cut out a handle in the base, and add some latches to secure the table down when it's in use. I also will probably re-do the top at some point, because I didn't have the most success in applying the laminate the first time around and getting the edge banding level with the top. I need to make a proper fence up for it next, and a sliding fence for things like sliding dovetails in drawer fronts.

 

[marcros]

i like this a lot.

how do you find the draper?

 

[chippy1970]

That reminds me I must finish my one , I've just gotta build the stand for it.

router-table-build-at-last-t44913.html

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Sorry, is that Draper an "expect" or an "expert"? There are those who would say the former is more applicable to Draper.

 

[siggy_7]

Whoops, my typo - should read Expert. It's the MR1350K (stock number 45368). I really rate it actually - they are currently selling for £99.99 at Yandles, can't really go wrong especially for the price. As the name suggests it's 1350W, which I find more than adequate for most cutters. I wouldn't want to swing a 3.5" panel raiser with it, but anything up to about 2" I would say it copes with fine. Having both the plunge and fixed base is a real bonus; the kit has pretty much everything you need to get you started. The dust collection is good as far as routers go - the fixed base in particular is essentially a sealed box with a base plate on it. Things like the height adjusters don't feel as well made as something like a DeWalt, but then it's a cheaper tool - it still locks securely and cuts accurately. I bought it to supplement my Triton TRA001 when I realised that the Triton is just far too large for sensibly using freehand or with jigs - its weight makes it a router-table only tool I think. So for what I bought the Draper for, I'd thoroughly recommend to anyone.

 

[foxhunter]

I agree about the Draper being a useful piece if kit. It is not a toy and in my case it acts as a second/third router. The fixed base is ideal for a small router table, in my shed it is fixed to a horizontal router table (handles removed). Leaving the plunge base for normal freehand routing.
By the way the base will accept USA style guide bushes.

 

[marcros]

interesting. i really fancied the basch combo set, gmf1600 whatever it is, but the price made me stop. i do fancy a fixed base for some tasks, so i might give one of these a try. My big freud, good as it is, it a bit too heavy for handheld use...

 

[speeder1987]

Looks great, I really like the idea of this, been wanting a router table for a while but can't justify the space.

Was it one of his books that you got it from? If so which one, I'd be really interested in making one

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[siggy_7]

I basically followed the plans for the table from "Router Magic", and extended the length a little. It's an excellent book which is crammed full of useful jig ideas. I'm not sure if you can get it new, but Amazon is showing a number of second hand copies available. If you draw a blank send me a PM and I'll send you the details.

 

[speeder1987]

Cheers, just ordered a cheap second hand copy, you can get it new ........ for £248.48 lol and they still want £2.80 delivery!

Anyway I'm looking forward to trying this

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[siggy_7]

I've now completed the fence and sliding fence for the table.

First, the sliding fence. This is an idea I picked up from Bill Hylton's "An Ultimate Guide to the Router Table". In it, he explains the dynamics of cutting on the router table - when you are making a cut, the workpiece is pushed to the back of the table from the rotation of the cutter as you move from left to right, i.e. into the fence. So this makes a mitre gauge inappropriate to use on its own, because the workpiece will be dragged to the right by the cutting forces. An alternative, and one which doesn't require you to have a T-slot, is to build a sliding fence carriage that runs along the sides of the table. There is a sacrificial fence and a stop on the right of this fence, which both backs up the cut (preventing tear-out) and resists the cutting forces.

The carriage minus the sacrificial fence is shown here. This was actually just assembled loose for the photograph. You can see the support for the sacrificial fence has two slots routed in, which allow the fence to have lateral adjustment.

Here, I'm testing the carriage on the table before final assembly. I assembled the parts together with screws, to allow me to redo assembly if it went wrong. I had to do this once or twice! This is the hardest part; you want a tight fit across the whole travel of the table but no binding or stiff resistance. I found the best way to be assemble the parts tightly with clamps, then find spots requiring adjustment by use of a 0.1mm feeler gauge when the fence started binding, and sanding off these spots. Patience here will reward you. It's currently running smoothly with no play, I will probably wax the runners to keep it going smoothly.

The complete assembly with sacrificial fence and stop. The fence has a recessed hole every 75mm for a T-bolt; when you run out of adjustment move the T-bolt over to the next hole. So far I've used this for sliding dovetails in small drawer parts which it worked an absolute treat on, I will also be using it for other jobs such as box joints (I may make a separate fence up for that with a key).

Next up, the main fence. This has a beech base and backer blocks, with replaceable MDF faces that slide in T-slots to close up the opening. The fence clamps onto the table with integrated clamp blocks, which are oak.

T-bolt detail:

Clamp block detail. There is a cap screw which engages in a hole in the under-side of the fence; this prevents the block from rotating as you do it up from above with the lobe knob.

Clamp action:

Remaining things to do are to add a dust extraction duct out of plywood and apply a finish.

 

[Apache_sim]

I like the table.. interested in the Draper too, I am looking for router that will fit the Woodpecker or Incra Lifts that aren't 110v or that I would have to import.

 

[UTMonkey]

Great, where did you get your knobs?

 

[siggy_7]

The knobs for the clamps are Trend. All the fence hardware is from a Rutlands Dakota box-set that includes quite a few knobs and T-bolts.

 

[speeder1987]

I've just made one of these tables, haven't done the fence yet, but I bought the knobs from axminster, they are called star knobs I believe.