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Router Table-saw Extension Underway

6K views 41 replies 11 participants last post by  mbrun 
#1 · (Edited)




I have set out to replace my 25 year +/- table saw extension with a larger and flatter one.

Using materials on hand (including left over laminate from the original it replaces) I have cobbled together this new one you see in the pictures.

The substrate is (3) layers of 1/2” Baltic birch glued and screwed. Both top and bottom are covered with laminate.

In another post I shared that I now have a Woodpecker PRL-V2 lift. Using the lift plate itself as a template, I made the wooden template I used for creating the perfectly sized opening to receive the lift.

Although this extension is heavy (and solid as a rock it seems), I will be adding some additional cross-bracing beneath plus a shop made dust collection enclosure.

I have also purchased the woodpecker combination miter/accessory track to install.

By making the extension larger, I gain the ability to move the table saw fence all the way to the right and still not impact the router bit.

I will post more as work progresses.


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#9 ·
I have been working on cutting all the pieces to provide additional bracing below the extension. This will further help keep it flat.

I have also started working on the dust collection box for use below the router.

Nothing is attached yet, just clamped in place so I can size all the pieces before start attaching things.

I think I am going to suck the dust out the back of the box, and provide a means to bring fresh-air in to directly vent the motor. Even toying with the idea of dust evacuation near the top. We’ll see.








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#12 ·
I have also started working on the dust collection box for use below the router.
Nothing is attached yet, just clamped in place so I can size all the pieces before start attaching things.
I think I am going to suck the dust out the back of the box, and provide a means to bring fresh-air in to directly vent the motor. Even toying with the idea of dust evacuation near the top. We’ll see.
here's some things on dust collecting that may be of use to you...
here's the thread....
 
#10 · (Edited)
Stick talked about a snorkle (Snork-le?) or tube through the bottom of the DC box, affixed to the bottom of the router. The easiest way to do this would be to mount two connectors flat to flat and run the flex tube up to the box and attached to one side of the connector, then a short length from the other side of the connector to the router's air intake. Pix is of the connector I'm suggesting. I would also consider putting some sort of filter box on the air intake, the less sawdust you send through the router, the better. Depending on brand, the connectors are $6-$10 each.

Making the tube fit on the bottom of the router could be done with aluminum duct tape, but you won't be able to remove it easily for other uses. For that you could get an oversized adapter with one side to fit your tubing, the other larger than the router base, then line the larger opening with door insulation strips to fit snug on the router. Easy to slip on and off and no tape residue.

Beautifully executed BTW.
 

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#11 ·
#13 ·
Nice job...and liking your Jet DC...:grin:
 
#14 ·
Thanks for that snorkel picture. That is the exact device I have for use on the box for attaching the dust collection hose.

There is a problem using that particular device on a porter cable 7518 motor as the vent intake holes are actually located on the side of the motor housing. I had thought about using a 6” flex duct around the plastic motor housing but that would actually choke off air flow. It would also prevent access to both the power and speed control switch. Some other means will be needed. I am currently thinking I may need to use a couple of pieces of highly flexible 2” vinyl hose or perhaps even fabric wrapped around a piece of wire spiral. Anybody else add a snorkel to a porter cable 7518 successfully?


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#15 ·
1... Thanks for that snorkel picture.
2... Anybody else add a snorkel to a porter cable 7518 successfully?
1... that's a start collar..
2... yes...
 
#19 ·
yur welcome...
work out the fit/sizing/templates w/ pieces of light weight cardboard and tape 1st...
as in lengths, curves, rounds, rectangles, squares and what nots...
 
#20 ·
Today I completed the assembly of the extension with the attachment of the bracing beneath and start of the dust collection box. I attached the bracing using screws in such way that if I find the need to shim that I could push or pull to suit.

Once assembled I set it up on some saw horses, set the lift in and leveled it. Just wanted to see how well the insert would level up. Turned out sweet.

I have since turned it upside down on my assembly table to work out the nuances of motor ventilation and dust collection for my particular equipment combination. I am now taking inspiration from Stick’s PDF and other recommendations I have read here on the forum. I will post more as I progress.

Can’t wait to get this mounted in the saw.








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#21 · (Edited)
BTW, something I know I am going to need to do when this is installed is add support. This extension is a beast. I currently intend to add diagonal bracing between the extension and cabinet saw base. I will likely also add some degree of adjustable support between the extension and the floor, if nothing more than to ease some of the strain on the fence rails.

Given that I made the dust box out of 3/4, I could add a simple stabilizer between the underside of the box and the floor.


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#22 · (Edited)
nice work...

I gots suggestions... (in multiple posts, one thing at a time)

the mounting screws for the reinforcements...
did you countersink or counterbore them...
counterbores are less likely to split the reinforcements and will hold tighter longer...
you have resonance and vibration to contend w/...
the V of the countersunk screw tends to act as a splitting wedge...
the flat of the counterbore acts as hold down clamp...

.
 

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#26 ·
Good point Stick. Yes, all points of support are handled with counterbored holes, fitted with perfectly sized steel washers and washer head Robertson drive screws. Where you see all the holes in the horizontal beams and cross members that is what is there. I used Forstner bit for the counterbore.


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#23 ·

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#27 ·
My 7518 is only a few months old. I have learned that B&D has cut quality in the current generation of PC products and that they are prone to failures like you indicate. When I fall victim to this, and by all indications I will, I will go outboard. In the meantime I am going to enjoy the integral speed control with built-in feedback loop. (BTW, I love they way my Type 1 DEWALT DW625 speed control works. I think the type 1 was merely a colored change of the ELU) I did watch a video already on replacing the bearings on this guy as well as the SC just so I knew what I was getting myself into. If I recall correctly, the B&D charges about 1/2-2/3 the price of the router for a $2 speed control.


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#24 ·
motor venting...

solid mount a square tube to the bottom of the router box...
free float the end of the motor inside of the tube...
look to PVC down spouts or PVC post covers...
make your own tube from ¼'' ply...
if you feel that you need to gasket the tube to the motor us a door sweep or a door astragal......
https://www.ultrafab.com/product/door-sweeps/

Plan ''B''...
Pin the tube to the lift's motor bracket... (best way w/ external controls)...
 
#25 ·
Dust collection...

put a door on the box...
add kants to inside corners of your box changing it to an octagon...
add opposing air inlets/venting to the box near the top to exceed the square inches of DC hose...
2 sides or all 4 but balanced...
I did about 50 square inches total of DC air inlet divided between 2 opposing sides consisting of 2 clusters of 2½'' holes.... (1 cluster on each side)...
Herb did one better and did his w/ adjustable gates for his inlets...
right angle boot (see the pic) the bottom for your DC pickup... it's a HVAC flanged floor register...
extend the motor air supply snorkel out the bottom and right through wall of the boot...

Note:
see you BB HVAC and plumbing departments fp your DC components...
@Herb Stoops... got any details on your adjustable inlets for this man????

 
#28 ·
Dust collection...

put a door on the box...
add kants to inside corners of your box changing it to an octagon...
add opposing air inlets/venting to the box near the top to exceed the square inches of DC hose...
2 sides or all 4 but balanced...
I did about 50 square inches total of DC air inlet divided between 2 opposing sides consisting of 2 clusters of 2½'' holes.... (1 cluster on each side)...
Herb did one better and did his w/ adjustable gates for his inlets...
right angle boot (see the pic) the bottom for your DC pickup... it's a HVAC flanged floor register...
extend the motor air supply snorkel out the bottom and right through wall of the boot...

Note:
see you BB HVAC and plumbing departments fp your DC components...

@Herb Stoops... got any details on your adjustable inlets for this man????


Most definitely will be adding a door. Currently thinking I will put primary air intake for dust evacuation in the upper part of the door.

Before dinner I was outside playing with cardboard pieces to better visualize the details of how I will construct baffles to direct airflow and dust.

I made my dust box extra deep (front to back) with the idea that I would add a vertical plenum of sorts in the back side of the box. I would then draw air for dust evacuation through vents in the front door, across and above a horizontal baffle through the bit area and then down the vertical plenum. I believe I got the idea of the horizontal baffle idea from you and your many posts. I am pretty convinced I make that baffle light weight and yet strong enough to it can travel up and down with my lift.

At present, I do see bringing dedicated fresh are into the bottom of the box to feed the motor. The motor will suck that clean air up through the motor to the upper chamber (above the baffle of course) and this warm air will mix with the cross-ventilation and saw dust that is being sucked to the back of the box, down and out through that 4”x12” vertical plenum. That horizontal baffle higher up could end up resulting in little dust in the portion of the box that contains the motor.

For my air inlets, I will do something that is adjustable so air flow can be tweaked.


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#33 ·
Here you can see just the dust collection box as I continue to work through my ideas. The router lift is being held in place with the piece of scrap wood that served as my guinea pig before I routed the opening in the real extension.

If you look close you can see I have created the vertical channel in the back that drops down to the 4” outlet. You will see also a horizontal divider positioned at a height that does not impact the lift.

I still expect I will draw clean fresh air into the bottom of the box to serve the motor (opening not yet created) along with the main fresh air intake for dust extraction entering in via a vent high in the front door.

I still intend to tweak the shape and fit horizontal divider around the motor and lift to lessen or eliminate any dust that would drop into the lower compartment. I think the horizontal divider is going to need to be made in two pieces. One in the back, and one in the front. The back piece likely being permanently fixed while the front piece is removable so it can slide out a bit when the lift and motor need to be removed. This ability will allow me to hold tight tolerances around the motor and lift while in use, but giving me ability to clear the 7518’s speed control during lift removal.

With the current layout I am guaranteed I can tweak the airflow sufficiently that the motor will never be starved of fresh clean cool air while I also provide adequate airflow for good dust pickup.

I expect I will make more progress this weekend. May even mount the extension table in the saw and anchor the box later. We’ll see.

Isn’t prototyping fun?







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#34 ·
Well, today yielded more progress. I feel pretty good about the way things are turning out. And, I think progress is good enough I can turn my attention now to getting the extension installed in the table saw.

I made the horizontal separator between upper and lower chambers as two pieces and installed them so the front half can be pulled out easily when I have need to remove the lift and motor for service. Making it in two pieces also enabled me to lessen necessary clearances between the separator and router, which in turn, will lessen the dust that may still make it into the lower chamber. Assuming I achieve optimum intake sizes above and below the divider that should not be a concern.



In the next picture you can see the vertical chase in the back of the box where dust will travel down to the dust collection port on the back of the box.



Here you can see the center divider pulled out. Both front and back pieces can be removed.


Here is the router in its lowest “storage” position. The divider is as high as it can be.



Here you can see the router at its highest position. Notice how the speed switch resides just below the divider.

And when the router is at its highest, the fresh air intake for the motor remains in the lower and cleanest chamber. Now, when the dust collector is running, the dust collector will be encouraging air flow thru and around the motor, aiding the routers internal natural fan flow.

Here you can see the router in place but with the front half of the center divider still removed.


Thoughts?

I will post more as I progress.


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#35 ·
Well I did make progress today but did not complete the installation. I have a few more things to work out.

When I removed the old router extension I found that the front steel angle of my Biesemeyer home shop T-square fence has actually bent downwards slightly (about 1/16-3/32 in). I knew that my old extension was not level nor coplanar anymore but honestly I thought it was wood movement and my sloppy craftsmanship from decades ago. Turns out three factors involved. :)

In any event, I have to make sure I have good solid support for the extension in the saw. For now, I just cut some wood to serve as temporary supports. The 2x4 legs and post below the dust box are providing that support.






Oh, and by the way, I bolted a piece of 3”x2” steel angle to the side of the saw tight to the underside of the cast iron to provide support for the extension front to back (I did not take pictures of that yet). I also added 5 lockable jack screws equally spaced along the angle so I could adjust the extension flush with the cast iron. So far that seems it will work well. I am thinking I am going to need metal bracket(s) and bolt or all thread to draw and hold the extension tight to the cast iron.

Couple of questions.

Anybody every experience a bend in their Biesemeyer fence front support angle? If so, what did you do about it?

Other than drilling holes in the end of the extension for adding bolts to secure the extension to the cast iron, what other means have you seen used to draw and hold the extension tight to the cast iron?


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