Cheap router table from Axminster

[escpg]

Hello,
I bought an economy router table from Axminster.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-pr ... ble-951186

It is terrible. There is a huge deflection in the middle. I actually had read some reviews and therefore I had been warned. I bought it anyway. So now my question is, since I am not much expert of router tables, can I still find a use for it or it is better just to forget it and try to upgrade to a more professional table?

I wrote Axminster about this. At first they replied asking me if I could measure the gap size. After that they lost interest and did not reply anymore.

Thanks for help,

Enrico

 

[beech1948]

At £160 it was not too cheap at all.

The only thing I can come ups with to help is:-

1) Email Axminster with photos and measurements of the gap and tell them it is not fit for purpose and see how they arrange to get it back from Italy

OR

2) Look under the table top and see if you can fit in some strengthening bars running front to back of the table. By bars I mean either pieces of wood cut cheaply out of 200x50 mm softwood and sized to suit or angle iron with a few holes drilled for support. The issue with the abgle iron is how to locate it to the very back and front.

Al

 

[damo8604]

Is the deflection you speak about on the insert itself? The phenolic insert plate supplied looks very similar to the one I got with my router table, I found it sagged under the weight of my Triton. I did buy a kreg insert but haven't got round to cutting a larger aperture in my table to accomodate it yet.

 

[RogerS]

Enrico, there is a very simple solution to this and one that will make it much easier to use as well. Get a cheap car scissor jack and fit it underneath the router. Not only will it remove your sag but will also give you a very simple fine control of height adjustment.

I had one of these tables for a while and, apart from the sag, it's not a bad router table. The scissor jack fixed it.

 

[monkeybiter]

I use an old screw jack [car jack], same principal but slightly more appropriate for the job, but you don't seem to find them any more. I suppose an hydraulic jack would work quite well.
I think stiffening members of a useful thickness under the table might be quite difficult to position without obstructing the router.
You could use a collet extension to allow for thickening of the table.

Where abouts in Rome are you?

 

[escpg]

Hello, thank you for replying. The car jack seems to be a good idea. I will try that. Although the problem is the whole table that sags, not only the insert. But I will try some stiffening elements.
Monkeybiter, I am in North east Rome. Named Montesacro. Are you familiar with it?

 

[monkeybiter]

If it is the whole table and Axminster are no longer interested then I think you will need more than just a jack supporting the router.
Looking at the table on Axminster's site I think my first option would be to remove the top and try to fit some stiffening members, either thick wood 'beams' or some lengths of angle iron, as suggested by beech1948.

If that didn't work or it seemed too difficult, I would make a new top from suitable sheet material [I have used Melamine faced chipboard, like in kitchen cabinets.] You can add layers to make it as thick as you like, but you will need to use your router 'hand-held' to rebate the hole for the insert plate and the other slots etc.. You could use the existing top as a template.

I'm not familiar with Montesacro, I holiday in Rome most years but don't travel much further than the centre. We're renting an apartment in Campo de'Fiori for a fortnight in August. I can't wait, you have a beautiful city.

 

[sunnybob]

ESCPG; Axminster will replace any faulty item, but no company will pay for international shipping to return it to the UK. If you can get it back to the uk in any economical way, then you can get another.
Or, if you have the skill to take it apart and work out the part number of the defective plate, you have a chance of them sending that plate.

DAMO8604; Sorry mate, but the kreg plate also warps. I'm on my second after a free replacement under warranty. If you dont want to spend the money for a metal plate, a cheaper way is to buy a piece of alloy plate at least 4mm thick, and make an under plate to support the kreg plate.
I have seen a stainless steel plate made in italy for sale on the bay that would be the best answer to router plate sag.

 

[beech1948]

escpg,

My advice re stiffening under the table came from my own experience with similar issues on a previous router table. On my new table built about 18 months ago I included a 50mmx50mm wooden frame under the centre of the table and ensured my router could move as needed.

A much slimmer approach would be a mild steel bar across each side of the router mounting piece. If about 6 to 8 mm thick and say 75mm wide it would hold and support your router mounting board. At worst you would need to remove the top and let in some shallow grooves for the mild steel to fit into.

Good luck

Al

 

[escpg]

Thanks all for the precious advice. I will certainly make treasure of it. I think I will try to stiffen it someway.

If I understand correctly, the only router table that does not flex is the one made out of iron? Is that correct?

PS. Monkeybiter, you think it's a beautiful city because you live it as a tourist ;-)

 

[sunnybob]

escpg, even some iron tables not flat. Tools made in chine are not very accurate on their machines.
But yes, Ypu have the vest chance with a cast iron table.

 

[monkeybiter]

As above, for instance my Axminster table saw is cast iron but not totally flat, it's close enough though.

With a thick enough table top you should be fine, most are, but IMHO you should be aiming for 36mm as a minimum, e.g. two 18mm sheets of mdf laminated. You should be able to reduce that to a single thickness where the router is mounted without compromising the stiffness significantly.

 

[NazNomad]

+1 for using a scissor jack. As soon as I saw Chippygeoff's one, I went home and did the same. I have a cheapo Wolfcraft router table (£20 from Facebook) and a beast of a Makita router under it. It works perfectly.