Router (and table?) for solid shutters

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jon_c

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Hi
I'm new and found this forum looking for guidance on making some folding solid shutters for my sash windows. I've found several really useful threads here, so thanks guys for making such a great resource!

I'm looking for a router to make rails, stiles and panels for the shutters. They will generally be about 800 mm long and up to about 35 mm thick. Probably softwood, but may be hardwood for one or two rooms.

I presume I might be best with a router table too, especially given eventually there are probably nearly a hundred panels to make. I am, however, very limited in storage space, so something small or foldable would be ideal.

I'd rather not make my own. I've got two young children so I would rather spend the limited time I have for amateur woodworking making something for the house, rather than making something to make something, if that makes sense.

I've got a little bit of inheritance from my grandad which I can use towards wood and tools. Something around £500 for the router and table is probably around the max, without a _very_ good reason. I'm not very handy but hopefully he would approve of the attempt!

I've seen the Trend CraftPro router table, but thought I should ask advice from those with lots of experience.

Thanks for any pointers!
 
A bit of general advice on router tables. Always "go large on that" :lol:
800 or longer can be tricky to feed across a tiny table.
Its truly EASY to make your own table.
a metre x 600 mm work surface offcut, a shop bought router plate, and youre away.
Everything else (fence, stops, featherboards) can be temporarily fixed in place with clamps (you DO have lots of clamps? :roll: :lol: ).
Obviously for the kind of work youre talking about you need a 1/2" router.
 
sunnybob":2szskxfw said:
A bit of general advice on router tables. Always "go large on that" :lol:
800 or longer can be tricky to feed across a tiny table.
Its truly EASY to make your own table.
a metre x 600 mm work surface offcut, a shop bought router plate, and youre away.
Everything else (fence, stops, featherboards) can be temporarily fixed in place with clamps (you DO have lots of clamps? :roll: :lol: ).
Obviously for the kind of work youre talking about you need a 1/2" router.

Thanks. Helpful to know I definitely need a 1/2". I thought so, but wasn't sure.

I have a few clamps and buying more was absolutely on the list.

I'm really not sure about building one. Presume I'd need to buy a plate and a fence, then worry about dust extraction? I will have a read about on DIY router tables, but as I said I have fairly limited time so spending it making something just to make something else isn't top of my list.
 
My router table is a sheet of 12 mm ply with a hole drilled in it, towards the back edge. I also drilled a hole in the centre but I haven't needed that yet. The fence is a straight piece of wood attached to the table one end by a screw, so it pivots, with a clamp the other end to fix it in place in position. The whole table is about 600mm depth, by perhaps 1200mm wide - only because it was an off-cut I happened to have lying about. I sit it on two trestles, and clamp it to one to keep to from floating around in use. When not in use it hangs up on the wall, with router still attached.

Firstly, it works perfectly well, and secondly it was very cheap. More money to buy the best router, and some groovy bits (that might have been a pun).

If you want to make raised panels, you really ought to (must?) get a variable speed router, because the very wide bits have to spin more slowly, as the outer edge travels faster, the greater the diameter. Assuming you want something like this, that is:
IMG_4_16.jpg
 
A router plate is the simplest way of mounting the router. Kreg can be had for around 50 quid, with swappable inserts for different sized router bits ( you want the minimum possible gap between the bit and the plate).
I had one, but have now got an incra aluminium plate with the clean sweep inserts. I am VERY pleased with it.

Most 1/2" routers are variable speed now, but its not the end of the world if you get one that doesnt. I have a makita single speed, but have fitted a variable speed control inline for very little money so that I can slow it down for 2" wide bits.

Router tables are amazing tools, they can help a complete amateur to produce quite aceptable output.

BUT.... They can also be very dangerous if you do not respect them. Do a bit of reading or watching some videos on the safe use of them. I've spent an entire lifetime working with machines that are capable of killing and /or maiming me, and I rate the router way up there on the gruesome injury list. :shock:
 
Spindle moulder... Spindle moulder... one of us... one of us...

giphy.gif


As for space-taking, my Kity 623 moulder actually takes up less space than my Trend router table :lol:
 
Trevanion":2efw5azi said:
Spindle moulder... Spindle moulder... one of us... one of us...

giphy.gif


As for space-taking, my Kity 623 moulder actually takes up less space than my Trend router table :lol:

A Kity 623 would be about the only thing I'd get in my shed! If it can now the grass too I might get away with it...
 
Trainee neophyte":1msw4i22 said:
My router table is a sheet of 12 mm ply with a hole drilled in it, towards the back edge. I also drilled a hole in the centre but I haven't needed that yet. The fence is a straight piece of wood attached to the table one end by a screw, so it pivots, with a clamp the other end to fix it in place in position. The whole table is about 600mm depth, by perhaps 1200mm wide - only because it was an off-cut I happened to have lying about. I sit it on two trestles, and clamp it to one to keep to from floating around in use. When not in use it hangs up on the wall, with router still attached.

Firstly, it works perfectly well, and secondly it was very cheap. More money to buy the best router, and some groovy bits (that might have been a pun).

If you want to make raised panels, you really ought to (must?) get a variable speed router, because the very wide bits have to spin more slowly, as the outer edge travels faster, the greater the diameter. Assuming you want something like this, that is:
IMG_4_16.jpg

Yes that's the sort of cutter I will need. Will definitely look for a variable speed, thanks.
 
sunnybob":fwaous5x said:
A router plate is the simplest way of mounting the router. Kreg can be had for around 50 quid, with swappable inserts for different sized router bits ( you want the minimum possible gap between the bit and the plate).
I had one, but have now got an incra aluminium plate with the clean sweep inserts. I am VERY pleased with it.

Most 1/2" routers are variable speed now, but its not the end of the world if you get one that doesnt. I have a makita single speed, but have fitted a variable speed control inline for very little money so that I can slow it down for 2" wide bits.

Router tables are amazing tools, they can help a complete amateur to produce quite aceptable output.

BUT.... They can also be very dangerous if you do not respect them. Do a bit of reading or watching some videos on the safe use of them. I've spent an entire lifetime working with machines that are capable of killing and /or maiming me, and I rate the router way up there on the gruesome injury list. :shock:

Thanks for the info. I'll look at those plates.

Safety is something I am very conscious off, and possibly one of the reasons I am hesitant to make my own table. At least one made professionally is probably fairly well put together, whereas one made by me...
 
A table is a table. I doubt if anyone who can walk and talk at the same time could build a dangerous one .
It's the sharp edges spinning at 30000 Rpm that's the issue :shock: :lol:

I,'ll look out a couple of safety sheets for you later today and pm you 8)
 
I have one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/F60-100A-Router-Table-Blue built in router, router lift and speed control, the fence is useless and I replaced it with an Axminster compact router fence which transformed it for both operational and dust extraction, I also have a very sophisticated set up and use the amazon one more ofter, don't discount the cheap one.

Sorry link above did not work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/F60-100A-Route ... th=1&psc=1

Fence: https://www.axminstertools.com/ujk-tech ... nce-508272
 
MikeJhn":67di0by6 said:
I have one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/F60-100A-Router-Table-Blue built in router, router lift and speed control, the fence is useless and I replaced it with an Axminster compact router fence which transformed it for both operational and dust extraction, I also have a very sophisticated set up and use the amazon one more ofter, don't discount the cheap one.

Sorry link above did not work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/F60-100A-Route ... th=1&psc=1

Fence: https://www.axminstertools.com/ujk-tech ... nce-508272

Due to Mike's recommendations in previous router table threads I've done the same. I had the metal part of the fence replaced as it wasn't square, and I'm very happy with the overall results. I've made a wheel stand for it and it gets a lot of use, and I'm quite happy with the results and accuracy. The plastic insert rings are junk though, and you do need to be aware that the height can be locked in by turning a lock on the wheel axle under the table.
 
Sometimes it is best not to ignore the cheap end of the market, you can get some surprising results as maznaz and I have found.
 
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