I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
yet.
It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
I would buy a plate to mount my router.
Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
one be better, if so what type of wood?
A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
slide
easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
yet.
What are your opinions?
TIA
On Nov 9, 12:27 am, "noreaster" <noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
> yet.
> It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
> The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
> How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
> I would buy a plate to mount my router.
> Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
> one be better, if so what type of wood?
>
> A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
> does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
> slide
> easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>
> I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
> yet.
>
> What are your opinions?
>
> TIA
I built my own, because I'm cheap, and didn't mind putting the time
into it.
I found a countertop place in my area and bought a piece of Corian
that they had boogered up on an install, about 3' by 5', and used
about 2' by 3' of it for my tabletop. I edged it with plain old poplar
just to make it look nice, and put in table saw sized miter slot in
front of the router, and 2 smaller aluminum T tracks in back to hold
the fence down. I built mine with 2 layers of 3/4" plywood supporting
the Corian. The tabletop is just sitting on a thrown together open 2x4
frame with a shelf on the bottom. It took me like an hour to put
together.
The nice thing about building your own stuff is that you can control
how high the thing is. My router table is about 4 feet off the floor,
which puts it at a comfortable working height, which lets me
concentrate more on my work. And at my level of experience, I need all
the concentration I can get!
I built the fence from a simple plan I found online out of birch
plywood.
Some notes I'll share:
Good sharp router bits will shape Corian very nicely. I wouldn't
recommend using anything but sharp bits.
Good sharp bits will also trim the aluminum miter track nicely. I cut
mine to about 1/8" proud of the tabletop and my router trimmed it up
very nicely.
I got my "good sharp bit" from Woodcraft when they had a $5 bit sale.
I wouldn't use anything super-nice, since Corian and aluminum will be
a lot harder on the bit than wood, so try and find a medium quality
bit for cheap to use.
Make sure your fence can slide far enough back on the table to change
your bits without needing to take the fence entirely off the table. On
mine I have about 1/2" of clearance for changing bits before the fence
has to come off, and if I want to remove the plate, I have to take the
fence off entirely. It's a PITA, but not enough to redo the whole
thing since my router just slides out the bottom without me needing to
take the plate out of the table.
Some tips on router table design, function and creation:
http://patwarner.com/router_table.html
*****************************************************
On Nov 8, 9:27 pm, "noreaster" <noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
> yet.
> It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
> The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
> How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
> I would buy a plate to mount my router.
> Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
> one be better, if so what type of wood?
>
> A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
> does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
> slide
> easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>
> I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
> yet.
>
> What are your opinions?
>
> TIA
After constructing a half-dozen different designs over years for use
in full-time production work, the best router table I found is the
downsized shaper table with a router bit collet. Both Delta and
Powermatic make a one-horse model, small enough to pick up and move
against the wall for storage, but heavy enough to absorb the
vibrations. The table facilitates all adjustment, and the router
bearing may be eliminated for greater flexibility in the cut.
Before anybody complains of the slower speed...7000/10,000 vs
25,000...it is significant to the finished cut, it reduces high-speed
chatter and promotes a higher degree of safety and longevity in the
life of the bit at the slower speeds. The weight of the cast iron
tabletop provides a factor in the quality of the cut that is apparent
the first time you use it.
On Nov 8, 11:27 pm, "noreaster" <noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
> yet.
> It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
> The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
> How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
> I would buy a plate to mount my router.
> Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
> one be better, if so what type of wood?
>
> A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
> does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
> slide
> easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>
> I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
> yet.
>
> What are your opinions?
>
> TIA
I really liked this page when I was designing mine, gave me a lot of
ideas.
When I get time I'm going to do a webpage about the fence design I
came up with using 8020 bearings.
On Nov 9, 12:27 am, "noreaster" <noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
> yet.
> It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
> The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
> How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
> I would buy a plate to mount my router.
> Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
> one be better, if so what type of wood?
>
> A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
> does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
> slide
> easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>
> I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
> yet.
>
> What are your opinions?
>
> TIA
Open frame base. To heck with the noise, an enclosed base
will overheat. Fast.
Spare your back. Hinge the top to the back rail so you can
raise it for easy bit changes.
> Make sure your fence can slide far enough back on the table to change
> your bits without needing to take the fence entirely off the table. On
> mine I have about 1/2" of clearance for changing bits before the fence
> has to come off, and if I want to remove the plate, I have to take the
> fence off entirely. It's a PITA, but not enough to redo the whole
> thing since my router just slides out the bottom without me needing to
> take the plate out of the table.
words to live by... I made the same mistake.
Also, the miter track is pretty much a waste of time - especially if
it in't square to the bit
(did that too!)
shelly
On Nov 9, 3:38 am, David Bridgeman <[email protected]>
wrote:
> noreaster wrote:
> > I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
> > I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
> > yet.
> > It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
> > The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
> > How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
> > I would buy a plate to mount my router.
> > Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
> > one be better, if so what type of wood?
>
> > A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
> > does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
> > slide
> > easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>
> > I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
> > yet.
>
> > What are your opinions?
>
> > TIA
>
> TIA,
>
> As a moderate amateur, I decided to build my own. I used a plan form
> American Woodworker from about 2-3 years ago. It used a double 3/4" MDF
> glue up for the top. Trimmed in maple and formica'ed on both sides.
> The plan included a center support (with the plate not centered) the
> offers excellent support for the top. The plan also contained a nice
> fence system. I used a Rockler aluminum plate and later upgraded to the
> Rockler (Jessem) lift (same size as regular plate). The nice thing is I
> can still switch back to the aluminum plate. Dust collection under the
> cabinet is not very good. I would think about Norm's cabinet/plan.
>
> Overall, I am very pleased with the outcome.
>
> Dave - Parkville- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
********************************************
Do you where I could find the plans.?
On Nov 9, 12:27 am, "noreaster" <noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
> yet.
> It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
> The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
> How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
> I would buy a plate to mount my router.
> Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
> one be better, if so what type of wood?
>
I built mine out of a salvaged table top from a Subway sandwich shop/
I went to an aluminum place and bought some scrap angles and
rectangular tube (3' x " x 36") to form a fence /fence support.
Built a base useing drawers salvaged from on old heavy office desk.
Having said that, I also looked at the 99$ ryobi router/table package
at Home Depot last night and realized that a manufactured fence can
outshine any I might construct. Look at teh way they adjust the left
side of the fence from flush to proud and think about replicating that
in the home shop!
I would like to afford one of those cast iron tops - but can't justify
the expense.
THe fellow who made the suggestion for using a shaper - heavy duty
base and motor, albeit lower speeds, was right on. Once I built my
first router table (this is my third) I realized I wanted to exchange
my PC690 for the heftier 3.5" HD router (3715?) . And it would seem
that the addition of speed controls to the PC690 line was
s[specifically designed to allow one to reduce the speed (the switch
on mine went and I traded it out for a fixed speed model).
So, thee's another two-cents worth for you to mull ove.
"noreaster" wrote:
> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
<snip>
Ya pays ya money, ya takes ya pick.
On one hand, a couple of saw horses, a 36x36 piece of 3/4 MDF with a 2" hole
in the center and a router fixed base centered on it and your in business.
Add a couple of C-Clamps and a straight edge, you have a fence.
Simple to set up, then knock down and store when you are finished.
On the other hand, a router station such as the NYW version.
More complex, more time to build, more cost, but more function (Bit storage,
dust collection, etc).
I've done both, they both work.
As I said, "Ya pays ya money, ya takes ya pick."
Lew
Fri, Nov 9, 2007, 12:27am noreaster1athotmaildotcom (noreaster) doth
query:
<snip> What are your opinions?
I tried a boughten router table. Once. Then made my own - about 3
versions so far. My opinion is - I'd rather go with a router table I
know will answer my needs, rather than what someone else claims will
answer my needs. But, you're a big boy, it's your money, spend it the
way you want.
JOAT
Viet Nam. Divorce. Cancer. Been there, done that, got over it. Now
where the Hell are my T-shirts?
- JOAT
On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 08:35:25 -0800, Larry Blanchard
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:13:07 -0800, sheldon.mandel wrote:
>
>> Also, the miter track is pretty much a waste of time - especially if
>> it in't square to the bit
>
>OK, you caught me. Why does it have to be square to the bit? Seems it
>would work at any angle. A pivoting fence does.
True, it shouldn't matter if it's square to the bit. It has to be
square to the fence though.
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:06:21 GMT, Brian Henderson
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:38:29 -0800, mac davis
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I see that you have a 2-part fence, which seem common now... Is it just for
>>router bit clearance, or do the 2 sides move independently or something, like a
>>jointer?
>
>Most fences like that are done to keep the infeed and outfeed
>straight, like a jointer. If you're trimming material off one side,
>you set the outfeed in a little bit so the stock remains square.
ahhh... make sense, now...
I was thinking that it was for the same purpose as the notch in my fence, just
for bit clearance...
I'll incorporate a 2 piece fence into the table I'm designing..
Thanks!
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
Thanks for the ideas. I especially like the Corian top.
Right now my router is in my ts table, but I have been thinking about a
seperate table for it and am planning to make my own.
Skip
www.ShopFileR.com
"N Hurst" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Nov 9, 12:27 am, "noreaster" <noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
>> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
>> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't
>> know
>> yet.
>> It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
>> The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
>> How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
>> I would buy a plate to mount my router.
>> Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
>> one be better, if so what type of wood?
>>
>> A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly
>> but
>> does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
>> slide
>> easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>>
>> I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of
>> work
>> yet.
>>
>> What are your opinions?
>>
>> TIA
>
> I built my own, because I'm cheap, and didn't mind putting the time
> into it.
> I found a countertop place in my area and bought a piece of Corian
> that they had boogered up on an install, about 3' by 5', and used
> about 2' by 3' of it for my tabletop. I edged it with plain old poplar
> just to make it look nice, and put in table saw sized miter slot in
> front of the router, and 2 smaller aluminum T tracks in back to hold
> the fence down. I built mine with 2 layers of 3/4" plywood supporting
> the Corian. The tabletop is just sitting on a thrown together open 2x4
> frame with a shelf on the bottom. It took me like an hour to put
> together.
>
> The nice thing about building your own stuff is that you can control
> how high the thing is. My router table is about 4 feet off the floor,
> which puts it at a comfortable working height, which lets me
> concentrate more on my work. And at my level of experience, I need all
> the concentration I can get!
>
> I built the fence from a simple plan I found online out of birch
> plywood.
>
> Some notes I'll share:
> Good sharp router bits will shape Corian very nicely. I wouldn't
> recommend using anything but sharp bits.
> Good sharp bits will also trim the aluminum miter track nicely. I cut
> mine to about 1/8" proud of the tabletop and my router trimmed it up
> very nicely.
> I got my "good sharp bit" from Woodcraft when they had a $5 bit sale.
> I wouldn't use anything super-nice, since Corian and aluminum will be
> a lot harder on the bit than wood, so try and find a medium quality
> bit for cheap to use.
> Make sure your fence can slide far enough back on the table to change
> your bits without needing to take the fence entirely off the table. On
> mine I have about 1/2" of clearance for changing bits before the fence
> has to come off, and if I want to remove the plate, I have to take the
> fence off entirely. It's a PITA, but not enough to redo the whole
> thing since my router just slides out the bottom without me needing to
> take the plate out of the table.
>
samson wrote:
>
>> laminate.
>
> I feel like I'm a slacker here. I built the frame of my
> router table out of pressure-treated wood because it's
> heavy and I made the top out of MDF.
You're a slacker?
My whole table is MDF:
<http://www.bburke.com/images/253_router_table.jpg>
I've been using it almost 5 years, with great results. I think it took
almost six hours to build. <G>
"noreaster" <noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
>
> A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly
> but
> does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
> slide
> easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
Good arguments can be made for buying or building. If you truly are a
woodworker for the fun of it, building a table should be a good project.
OTOH, if you want to get to making trivets for Christmas gifts, buying makes
some sense.
In my case, my wife insisted she wanted to buy me a gift. Rather than argue,
I conceded. I have a Benchdog and like it a lot. www.benchdog.com
Take a look at the specs, including top thickness. Take a look at the
location of the plate, towards the front. I found that to be a nice feature
since it can be used on either the short or long side as needed.
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 19:13:05 GMT, B A R R Y <[email protected]> wrote:
>samson wrote:
>>
>>> laminate.
>>
>> I feel like I'm a slacker here. I built the frame of my
>> router table out of pressure-treated wood because it's
>> heavy and I made the top out of MDF.
>
>You're a slacker?
>
>My whole table is MDF:
>
><http://www.bburke.com/images/253_router_table.jpg>
>
>I've been using it almost 5 years, with great results. I think it took
>almost six hours to build. <G>
Barry... Quick question on your fence:
I see that you have a 2-part fence, which seem common now... Is it just for
router bit clearance, or do the 2 sides move independently or something, like a
jointer?
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 13:08:02 -0500, B A R R Y <[email protected]> wrote:
>If you're not as lazy as I am, dado shims can also be dropped into the
>space between the fence face and support, but that's an 8' walk for
>me. <G>
>
It would be a hell of a long walk for me, Barry... I'm still using a wobble
blade and the nearest real tool store is about 120 miles North.. lol
I've been looking at Pat Warner's site and might make a simpler version of his
fence, with knobs to "micro adjust" the individual sides of the fence..
I don't really do the stuff that requires them or have the skill level to use
them, but might as well build them in just in case..
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Sorry, I'm an idiot, heres the page.
>
> http://home.pacbell.net/jdismuk/routertable.html
>
>
You have company. I looked for it for five minutes. :-)
Mac,
> I see that you have a 2-part fence, which seem common now... Is it
> just for router bit clearance, or do the 2 sides move independently or
> something, like a jointer?
My homebrew router table consists of a Porter Cable 693 router mounted to
the underside of one end of my rolling workbench. I built a ONE piece fence
out of a couple of scrap boards with a notch in the fence big enough to
clear my largest bit. My high-tech adjustment system consists of a hole
drilled in one end and a 3/8" pivot bolt that fits though a hole in my
workbench. I swing the fence to wherever I need it, then lock it in place
with a C-clamp at each end. Very crude, but I can adjust it accurately, and
it works well. I've built dozens of cabinet doors and whatnot using that
setup.
I got fancy this summer and rebuilt the fence with birch plywood and boxed
in the back side with a hole drilled to attach my shop vac. Now I can
perform router operations with minimal dust. A minor, but welcome
improvement.
Anthony
On Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:27:54 -0500, "noreaster"
<noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
>What are your opinions?
Given a choice where time isn't an problem, I'd build it. That way
you get exactly what you want and don't have to settle for what
someone else decided to offer for sale. I've built a lot of different
tables over the years, adding features that I've found I need and
getting rid of innovations that I never use and now I've got a table
that nobody anywhere offers anything like. Add to that the experience
you get by making it yourself and there really is no question.
Store-bought tables are great for people who need it right now or who
have no skills or who have more money than sense, but otherwise... do
it yourself. It'll give you something to be proud of every time you
use it.
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:38:29 -0800, mac davis
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Barry... Quick question on your fence:
>
>I see that you have a 2-part fence, which seem common now... Is it just for
>router bit clearance, or do the 2 sides move independently or something, like a
>jointer?
Both.
I have an assortment of shims that fit between the fence and fence
support hanging on the unseen side of the table. The shims are made
from .010-.080" Evergreen Scale Models sheet styrene, sold in hobby
shops, and some thinner brass shims. When I loosen the two fence face
screws from behind, the shims drop in.
With certain profiles, say triple beads, shimming out the outfeed
fence prevents snipe at the end of the part.
If you're not as lazy as I am, dado shims can also be dropped into the
space between the fence face and support, but that's an 8' walk for
me. <G>
---------------------------------------------
** http://www.bburke.com/woodworking.html **
---------------------------------------------
On Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:27:54 -0500, "noreaster"
<noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
>I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
>I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
>yet.
>It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
>The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
>How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
>I would buy a plate to mount my router.
>Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
>one be better, if so what type of wood?
>
>A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
>does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
>slide
>easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>
>I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
>yet.
>
>What are your opinions?
>
>TIA
>
I constructed my router table top and fence, using Norm's plan. I
edge-trimmed the laminated top with white oak. Not sure what kind of
wood I used for the fence. The top looks good enough for a kitchen
countertop, although much sturdier. I believe I sandwiched
(face-glued together) 3/4" ply, 1/2" ply, and contact cemented plastic
laminate.
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:14:14 -0800, yugami <[email protected]>
wrote:
>On Nov 8, 11:27 pm, "noreaster" <noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
>> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
>> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
>> yet.
>> It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
>> The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
>> How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
>> I would buy a plate to mount my router.
>> Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
>> one be better, if so what type of wood?
>>
>> A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
>> does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
>> slide
>> easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>>
>> I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
>> yet.
>>
>> What are your opinions?
>>
>> TIA
>
>I really liked this page when I was designing mine, gave me a lot of
>ideas.
>
>When I get time I'm going to do a webpage about the fence design I
>came up with using 8020 bearings.
I'd like to see that, when you get time.
Regarding Incra: just do it. You won't be sorry.
--
Bob the Tomato
On Fri, 9 Nov 2007 09:31:39 -0500, "Skip Williams" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Thanks for the ideas. I especially like the Corian top.
>
>Right now my router is in my ts table, but I have been thinking about a
>seperate table for it and am planning to make my own.
>
>
>Skip
I surface all of my work surfaces with 1/4" hardboard...
Formica or corian are nice, but I'd be worried about scratches and such...
I put the hard board on as a sacrificial top.. Just cut to rough size, put on
with double-sided tape and use a router with bearing round over bit..
Add a little Johnson's wax and Bob's your uncle..
Someone sets a truck battery or something on it, spend $5 and replace the top..
YMWV
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
On Fri, 9 Nov 2007 09:31:39 -0500, "Skip Williams"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Right now my router is in my ts table, but I have been thinking about a
>seperate table for it and am planning to make my own.
Nothing says you only have to have one either, I've got my standalone
table and I've got another router mounted in the wing of my saw,
simply because I was doing a lot of cutting, then routing one day and
it was a pain to go into the other room to get to the router table. I
had the materials and an extra router plate, I put it together in
about an hour, made an auxilliary fence that slips over the TS fence
and I was set.
All the fancy doo-dads are on the standalone table, but if it's
something small I need to do and don't want to go to the router
station, I'll fire up the one in the wing.
On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:04:03 -0500, "noreaster"
<noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
>The only thing I can think is that he meant the T track and the fence when
>you router?
>The T track can go anywhere and will be straight to the bit when it makes
>contact with
>the wood that goes thru. I can understand if the miter is not 90 degrees to
>the fence
>and T track, then I can see a problem.
Sure, I pointed that out before that you can be square to the fence,
but not the bit because there's nothing about the bit to be square to.
On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:04:03 -0500, "noreaster" <noreaster1athotmaildotcom>
wrote:
>The only thing I can think is that he meant the T track and the fence when
>you router?
>The T track can go anywhere and will be straight to the bit when it makes
>contact with
>the wood that goes thru. I can understand if the miter is not 90 degrees to
>the fence
>and T track, then I can see a problem.
>
I keep it simple, maybe because I'm bad at math and theory..
My current fence is 2 layers of 3/4 MDF with bolts through them, slots in the
table and wing nuts..
If I need more or less bit exposed, I move either end.. all I'm adjusting is
space between the edge of whatever I'm routing and the bit, so it just doesn't
seem to include rocket science..
Then again, I have been called a space cadet..
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:32:07 -0800, Ferd Farkel <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Open frame base. To heck with the noise, an enclosed base
>will overheat. Fast.
>
>Spare your back. Hinge the top to the back rail so you can
>raise it for easy bit changes.
I just bought this from Lee Valley for my next table..
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=41776&cat=1,43000,51208&ap=1
It give you the choice of under the table adjustments, or just lifting the
sucker out and using it free hand..
Can't beat their guarantee, either.. lol
I don't bend, lean or stoop anymore unless I really have to.. lol
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
Larry Blanchard <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:13:07 -0800, sheldon.mandel wrote:
>
>> Also, the miter track is pretty much a waste of time - especially if
>> it in't square to the bit
>
>OK, you caught me. Why does it have to be square to the bit? Seems it
>would work at any angle. A pivoting fence does.
Better than that, DEFINE "square to the bit" The only two
relationships between the fence and the bit that seem important is
distance and fence parallel (vertically) to the axis of the bit. I
don't see what "Square to the bit" could possibly mean.
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.
The only thing I can think is that he meant the T track and the fence when
you router?
The T track can go anywhere and will be straight to the bit when it makes
contact with
the wood that goes thru. I can understand if the miter is not 90 degrees to
the fence
and T track, then I can see a problem.
"Brian Henderson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:36:51 -0500, alexy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Better than that, DEFINE "square to the bit" The only two
>>relationships between the fence and the bit that seem important is
>>distance and fence parallel (vertically) to the axis of the bit. I
>>don't see what "Square to the bit" could possibly mean.
>
> Especially since the bit is round and spinning, there's nothing to be
> "square" to. You can be square to a blade, but not to a bit.
noreaster wrote:
> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
> yet.
> It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
> The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
> How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
> I would buy a plate to mount my router.
> Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
> one be better, if so what type of wood?
>
> A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
> does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
> slide
> easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>
> I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
> yet.
>
> What are your opinions?
>
> TIA
>
>
TIA,
As a moderate amateur, I decided to build my own. I used a plan form
American Woodworker from about 2-3 years ago. It used a double 3/4" MDF
glue up for the top. Trimmed in maple and formica'ed on both sides.
The plan included a center support (with the plate not centered) the
offers excellent support for the top. The plan also contained a nice
fence system. I used a Rockler aluminum plate and later upgraded to the
Rockler (Jessem) lift (same size as regular plate). The nice thing is I
can still switch back to the aluminum plate. Dust collection under the
cabinet is not very good. I would think about Norm's cabinet/plan.
Overall, I am very pleased with the outcome.
Dave - Parkville
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:24:34 GMT, Phisherman wrote:
> On Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:27:54 -0500, "noreaster"
> <noreaster1athotmaildotcom> wrote:
>
>>I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
>>I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
>>yet.
>>It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
>>The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
>>How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
>>I would buy a plate to mount my router.
>>Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
>>one be better, if so what type of wood?
>>
>>A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
>>does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
>>slide
>>easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>>
>>I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
>>yet.
>>
>>What are your opinions?
>>
>>TIA
>>
>
>
> I constructed my router table top and fence, using Norm's plan. I
> edge-trimmed the laminated top with white oak. Not sure what kind of
> wood I used for the fence. The top looks good enough for a kitchen
> countertop, although much sturdier. I believe I sandwiched
> (face-glued together) 3/4" ply, 1/2" ply, and contact cemented plastic
> laminate.
I feel like I'm a slacker here. I built the frame of my
router table out of pressure-treated wood because it's
heavy and I made the top out of MDF. I sometimes drill
holes in the top to clamp jigs and if I never need to I'll
just to buy another top and install in 20 minutes. I put a
hinge on the MDF top so I can lift it and change the router
blades easier. I cut a 3/4 slot in the MDF for my t-square and
use different version of straight oak and two clamps (like
on the Router Workshop) for my fences. I put a Bosch 1617
in it because I have one and the switch is sometimes a
problem with these, and so it's plugged into a power strip
that's mounted to the frame. I built some some cubbies and
drawers. That's my unlovely but much used router table.
S.
On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:36:51 -0500, alexy <[email protected]> wrote:
>Better than that, DEFINE "square to the bit" The only two
>relationships between the fence and the bit that seem important is
>distance and fence parallel (vertically) to the axis of the bit. I
>don't see what "Square to the bit" could possibly mean.
Especially since the bit is round and spinning, there's nothing to be
"square" to. You can be square to a blade, but not to a bit.
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:32:07 -0800, Ferd Farkel <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>Open frame base. To heck with the noise, an enclosed base
>will overheat. Fast.
Not in my experience, with a 4" dust collection hose attached and
suitable holes. I've used my enclosed table for hours on end and the
router actually stays cooler than during steady handheld use.
My DC would choke if the only makeup air came though the bit hole, so
I have additional holes in the cabinet that allow plenty of air
flowing over and through the motor. Outside the table, the fence
collector and cabinet collector are wye'd to a 6" DC trunk.
In addition to the forced cool air, another factor in my experience
may be the internal fan on the motor continuing to spin as the router
runs without a load between work pieces.
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** http://www.bburke.com/woodworking.html **
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On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:38:29 -0800, mac davis
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I see that you have a 2-part fence, which seem common now... Is it just for
>router bit clearance, or do the 2 sides move independently or something, like a
>jointer?
Most fences like that are done to keep the infeed and outfeed
straight, like a jointer. If you're trimming material off one side,
you set the outfeed in a little bit so the stock remains square.
Thanx for all of your input. I will be making my mine with 2 3/4" MDF with
formica on both sides, the size I'm still thinking about. The fence will be
2 piece and shimable, maybe micrometer adjustable ( I have a few I could
use). It'll have a T track in front an top and I could add a upper fence to
make it taller when needed. I could make offset zero clearance inserts that
could have up to 4 patterns on each. The plate I would get from rockler,
just drill a hole for the router raizer that I have install on my Hitichi
M12 ( which I just saw at a show in York, Pa, Sat for 89.95). The bench I
would have to think about, I don't have the room for one, but a enclosed
foldable for a bench would do. I'll post some drawings in the REC when I all
this info figured out.
My kids bought me the $99 Ryobi for XMas last year. Every thing I need,
very functional. Price was right too. I couldn't make a better one for
less than that much money. Now I can spend time making other stuff.
noreaster wrote:
> I have been debating on whether to make one or buy a router table top.
> I was thinking of 3/4" MDF with Formica all around, what size I don't know
> yet.
> It will be on a sturdy base so I'm not worried about sagging.
> The fence maybe a combo of parallel and pivot.
> How far from the router bit to place the T track, don't know yet.
> I would buy a plate to mount my router.
> Would I be better off with a metal angle for the fence or would a wooden
> one be better, if so what type of wood?
>
> A bought tabletop would be nice, you're all set to go with some assembly but
> does it do what you want it to? Is the top big enough? Does everything
> slide
> easily without a lot of play? Does it sag overtime?
>
> I have been looking at some Incra's but I'm not ready for that type of work
> yet.
>
> What are your opinions?
>
> TIA
>
>
On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 08:35:25 -0800, Larry Blanchard
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:13:07 -0800, sheldon.mandel wrote:
>
>> Also, the miter track is pretty much a waste of time - especially if
>> it in't square to the bit
>
>OK, you caught me. Why does it have to be square to the bit? Seems it
>would work at any angle. A pivoting fence does.
In reality, any track is theoretically always square to the bit.
_Somewhere_ on the bit...
If the track is square (parallel or perpendicular) to the fence or
table edges is another story. Mine isn't perfect, and I really don't
care! <G>
If I really need it parallel to the fence, I tap the fence into place.
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** http://www.bburke.com/woodworking.html **
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