Router Table
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Glynne
Established Member
I'm not sure which Rutlands one you're referring to but usually Rutlands promote the unpowered one (without feather boards) for ~ £100 (or occasionally £90).
I've had one for a few years and it is very good for the price. Table is reasonably flat, fence is OK (might need a very thin shim to align both halves) and the insert quite solid if your router isn't too heavy.
I've replaced the insert as a Trend T9 is a bit solid but overall, for £100, a router table, fence, insert and metal stand isn't bad.
I've had one for a few years and it is very good for the price. Table is reasonably flat, fence is OK (might need a very thin shim to align both halves) and the insert quite solid if your router isn't too heavy.
I've replaced the insert as a Trend T9 is a bit solid but overall, for £100, a router table, fence, insert and metal stand isn't bad.
I bought a cheap Router table and soon found its limitations, changed within a year to an Axminster UJK professional, make sure whatever you get has a decent size mitre slot one that will fit the accessories you wish to use, feather boards are an essential IMO
Link to Axminster table: http://www.axminster.co.uk/ujk-technolo ... s-ax887924 over your budget, but worth every penny for its ease of use.
Mike
Link to Axminster table: http://www.axminster.co.uk/ujk-technolo ... s-ax887924 over your budget, but worth every penny for its ease of use.
Mike
Thanks for your replies folks, this is the one I was looking at, (if the link works, if not it's their number DK2080) it seems to be just what I need, but would like a true report from a genuine user.
The Axi one is way above my budget and the other affordable Rutlands tables have sold out
http://www.rutlands.co.uk/pp+woodworkin ... les+c10111
Thanks again
pip
The Axi one is way above my budget and the other affordable Rutlands tables have sold out
http://www.rutlands.co.uk/pp+woodworkin ... les+c10111
Thanks again
pip
woodbrains
Established Member
Hello,
I'd avoid it like the plague, to be honest. I've not tried one, but it looks like a toy. For the money, it will be a toy.
For 150 pounds, it should be possible to buy a decent used router and build the stand and fence, out of plywood and have a better and more accurate machine.
Mike.
I'd avoid it like the plague, to be honest. I've not tried one, but it looks like a toy. For the money, it will be a toy.
For 150 pounds, it should be possible to buy a decent used router and build the stand and fence, out of plywood and have a better and more accurate machine.
Mike.
Eric The Viking
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+1 for what Mike (Woodbrains) says - it's a toy.
There are a load of threads on here about making your own (I contributed to yet another one a few days ago). For the cost of a folding workbench (i.e. around 30 quid, max) and a good slab of Melamine-faced chipboard or ply (I use an Ikea shelf, not even kitchen worktop), you can build something functionally much more versatile, and still get accurate, precise good quality results. No mitre slot, obviously, but unless you're scribing the ends of rails all the time or using sled-based jigs (or something similar), you won't miss it. And by that time you'll know what you really need, rather than spend a lot on something that will quickly disappoint.
Pretty much the only time you need a split fence (which isn't coplanar) is using the table as an improvised planer. A small table isn't good for this anyway, and the width of stock you can plane is in any case very limited. Otherwise, as long as the fence "halves" come very close to the cutter, to support the stock sideways, you're good.
Sacrificial fences work a lot better in any case, and punching through the worktop with a cutter gives you the absolute minimum-sized hole, that's dead flat right up to the cutter itself. Only really expensive setups can do this better!
Put the dosh saved towards a better-quality router. When you have confidence, buy a good mounting plate for that router and make a table to meet your needs. You won't regret it.
Use the search function to find some discussion on this, and router table build threads. Steve Maskery (of this parish) has a particularly fine example of the Norm Abrams design, and has discussed the rebuild he did recently. Also look at Niki's great old threads on this. His router table was the design I'm suggesting you start off with - based on a common "simplified Workmate/trestle" frame, with a one-piece (MFC) top - and he got excellent results from it.
E.
PS: if it takes you more than an hour to make one you're proud of, I'd be very surprised.
There are a load of threads on here about making your own (I contributed to yet another one a few days ago). For the cost of a folding workbench (i.e. around 30 quid, max) and a good slab of Melamine-faced chipboard or ply (I use an Ikea shelf, not even kitchen worktop), you can build something functionally much more versatile, and still get accurate, precise good quality results. No mitre slot, obviously, but unless you're scribing the ends of rails all the time or using sled-based jigs (or something similar), you won't miss it. And by that time you'll know what you really need, rather than spend a lot on something that will quickly disappoint.
Pretty much the only time you need a split fence (which isn't coplanar) is using the table as an improvised planer. A small table isn't good for this anyway, and the width of stock you can plane is in any case very limited. Otherwise, as long as the fence "halves" come very close to the cutter, to support the stock sideways, you're good.
Sacrificial fences work a lot better in any case, and punching through the worktop with a cutter gives you the absolute minimum-sized hole, that's dead flat right up to the cutter itself. Only really expensive setups can do this better!
Put the dosh saved towards a better-quality router. When you have confidence, buy a good mounting plate for that router and make a table to meet your needs. You won't regret it.
Use the search function to find some discussion on this, and router table build threads. Steve Maskery (of this parish) has a particularly fine example of the Norm Abrams design, and has discussed the rebuild he did recently. Also look at Niki's great old threads on this. His router table was the design I'm suggesting you start off with - based on a common "simplified Workmate/trestle" frame, with a one-piece (MFC) top - and he got excellent results from it.
E.
PS: if it takes you more than an hour to make one you're proud of, I'd be very surprised.
Pip":3njdtye4 said:
For light hobby use and the price I would go for it, even making one yourself is going to be more expensive when you take into account the NVR switch, router, feather boards etc, if you do get one let us all know what it is like, feedback is always welcome.
Mike
Eric The Viking
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MikeJhn":1r8ii901 said:
I think that's rather the point.
When you do take into account all the plasticky bits, and Rutlands' overheads and profit margin, the proportion devoted the the important part - router, bearings, etc. will be tiny. So you cannot expect them to be good quality.
My experience has always been "buy cheap: buy twice." The difference in making one's own table is that the outlay goes on the important things, namely a better quality router (bearings, collet accuracy, runout overall, decent speed control, etc.). Even if you eventually decide you don't like using it a better one has better secondhand value too. And making a table from a workmate-style portable bench means you have a bench when you're not using it as a router table.
I still, very occasionally, use my old one, made that way. OK, most of the table work I do is on a proper router table now (with a T11, which is brilliant), but there are still occasions, mostly when running small rebates or mouldings on long stock, when I can quickly set it up in the yard, instead of trying to arrange clearance around the table in a crowded workshop.
NVR switch? Tough call. I start from the principle of not doing dangerous things in the first place. It's not that different from having a simple switch in a box close to hand - it's what people did for decades in home workshops.
As long as you stick to rules, (i.e. you NEVER vary or do anything else), such as always removing the power before touching any router controls or the collet, never power-up with the stock near the cutter, and so on, you stay safe. In most accidents involving a table, the NVR switch would be little help as it would all be over too quickly. Personally, although I have one, I have it arranged so that I can unplug the router from it, too.
I unplug when changing cutters, for example, or setting the fence.
One of the _dangers_ of an NVR switch is the assumption it adds safety - it doesn't. For example, all the while mains is applied to it, it's just an ordinary switch. So, with the router unplugged, it can be on, and you can't tell by looking at it! At least with a conventional switch you can see at a glance which state it's in.
Routers are dangerous tools. Always.
I don't think an NVR switch actually does much to reduce the risk, but safe routines always do.
Looks like putting up with my old one until I can make up my mind, have taken in all suggestions, and now going to look up all the designs, I DO know it has to have a means of raising the router by some kind of windy thing, with my present one I use a piece of 2x2 as a lever.
Thanks a lot lads,
pip
Thanks a lot lads,
pip
