[lexton]

Hi all. I'm new to woodworking, but I am interesting in learning. So I have 2 questions. The first one is about tables. I live in a townhouse without a garage so space is tough to come by. I found a table at Rockler that the legs fold up. Does anyone have an experience with this table? Is this table decent enough to work with, especially for a beginner? My 2nd question is about routers. What is a good router for a beginner to learn with? Obviously from my 1st question you know I’m looking for a router to mount to a table. I was considering the model from Ridgid. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance for you inputs. I’m hoping to learn as much as I can.

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Hi all. I'm new to woodworking, but I am interesting in learning. So I have 2 questions. The first one is about tables. I live in a townhouse without a garage so space is tough to come by. I found a table at Rockler that the legs fold up. Does anyone have an experience with this table? Is this table decent enough to work with, especially for a beginner? My 2nd question is about routers. What is a good router for a beginner to learn with? Obviously from my 1st question you know I’m looking for a router to mount to a table. I was considering the model from Ridgid. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance for you inputs. I’m hoping to learn as much as I can.

W e l c o m e . . A b o a r d !!

... table, nice for your situation...
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=28007

 

[Woodnut65]

Hi Welcome to the forum. I don't have a Rockler table, I have the Oak-Park, it's small and can be knocked down since they use furniture connectors. I would guess that just about any table would serve as long as it could be put in a closet.
As far as the router is concerned a lot of people on this forum use Bosch I think it's the model 1617, that comes as a kit with two bases a plunge base and a fixed base.
That way they can put the fixed base in a table and use the motor unit with the plunge base for free hand work. Hope this helps.. Woodnut65

 

[Mike]

Welcome Lexton. Please click on the blogs link on our home page and select Sawdust Dreams. Scroll to the bottom and read your way back up. You will find good information to help you get started. If you want to purchase a table it is hard to beat the Router Workshop table from Oak Park. It looks very spartan at first, no whistles or bells. In reality this simple table will let you build just about any project you wish. Everything from Oak Park is developed as a system; the table top is predrilled with locator holes for mounting jigs that assist you in createing box joints, dovetails, raised panels, etc. I own 2 of the top rated Bosch 1617's and they get the most use in my shop. There are other good choices and reading my blog will help you find what is best for you.

 

[Dr.Zook]

Welcome and thanks for joining our group. We are pleased to see you jump right in and ask questions. We love questions.

 

[RustyW]

My first table was basicly just a router table top. With a drop in plate and a 1"x2" frame on the bottem. So it could be clamped into a B&D workmate which could be folded up and stashed away.

 

[lexton]

Thanks for the replies guys. My wife decided to buy me the Ridgid as a birthday gift. Being new to this I have one concern with the Ridgid. I can't seem to find a mounting plate for table use. So I either need to suck it up and try to make a plate for it or replace the router with a different model. Either way I hope to start working on stuff here soon.

 

[bobj3]

Hi Lexton

Sounds like the wife got you started

Take a look at the mounting plate below, it should work fine for your router, all you need is take off the plastic base plate off your router and use it for a pattern to drill the holes in the base plate so you can mount your NEW Ridgid router.

It comes with all the info you will need to put it into your router table.
Plus it will let you use the standard brass template guides.

All-In-One Router Plate Kit
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shop...tacc1.html#All_In_One_router_plate_kit_anchor
Also check out the other items on the same web page

Bj

 

[cbsjoez1935]

Welcome Lexton,

I don't know what size mounting plate you are looking for. The ones from MLCS are 9" X 12", which, to me, means they only go into the router table top one way. Look into Oak Park's table top that allows for an almost 11" x 11" square plate to fit into it. If you can live with guide bushings that fit 1-1/2 openings instead of the PC openings, they have the mounting plate that will fit your router. Just give them a shout. I recently bought their table top and made my own plates out of 1/4" phenolic 11" x 11" (App.) and am well satified with the product and its quality.