I am in the market for router table and raised panel bit set. I am going to
do a lot of raised panels so I want to buy quality table and bits but I have
a budget. I never owned or used router table before. Any recommendations
would be appreciated. I thought of buying a router table top with fence and
building base myself from MDF. Another question: do I absolutely need a
router lift or I can do without it? I have Makita RF1101 fix/plunge router
combo.
On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 08:11:10 -0500, "Alexander Galkin"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I am in the market for router table and raised panel bit set. I am going to
>do a lot of raised panels so I want to buy quality table and bits but I have
>a budget. I never owned or used router table before. Any recommendations
>would be appreciated. I thought of buying a router table top with fence and
>building base myself from MDF. Another question: do I absolutely need a
>router lift or I can do without it? I have Makita RF1101 fix/plunge router
>combo.
>
I built the router table using Norm's plan. It works well but I made
a few changes to the plan--nigher drawers for the bits, thicker front
door, side dust collection port, etc. It has handcut dovetailed
drawers and white ok trim. I cost me about $200 to make and I could
not buy a quality table for that price. A router lift would be really
nice to have, but I could not find one at a reasonable cost so I do
without one and remove the router (a PC 3HP heavy router) after each
use. Maybe someday I'll make a router lift from an old scissor auto
jack.
Alexander Galkin wrote:
> I am in the market for router table and raised panel bit set. I am
> going to do a lot of raised panels so I want to buy quality table and
> bits but I have a budget. I never owned or used router table before.
> Any recommendations would be appreciated. I thought of buying a
> router table top with fence and building base myself from MDF.
> Another question: do I absolutely need a router lift or I can do
> without it? I have Makita RF1101 fix/plunge router combo.
A good starting point for routers:
http://www.patwarner.com/
-- Mark
"Alexander Galkin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am in the market for router table and raised panel bit set. I am going
to
> do a lot of raised panels so I want to buy quality table and bits but I
have
> a budget. I never owned or used router table before. Any recommendations
> would be appreciated. I thought of buying a router table top with fence
and
> building base myself from MDF. Another question: do I absolutely need a
> router lift or I can do without it? I have Makita RF1101 fix/plunge router
> combo.
How big is your budget? A Benchdog table with cabinet, top, fence is about
$400. Add wheels, drawers, featherboards, lifts, well, if you have the
money, it can be spent on it.
Their fence and top are a good setup if you want to make your own cabinet or
clamp it down on a couple of horses, etc.
While a lift is not essential at all, it does make bit changing faster and
setups easier. Their Pro model is $300+, but is well made. They have a
smaller lift, but for routers up to 2 1/4 HP. Swinging the big bits you'll
be using a 3 hp and need the bigger lift.
I have the Benchdog, but their are other good brands also.
Ed