Hi Deborah - glad you're here and welcome! Just an FYI - If you can edit this to add several paragraphs you'll probably get a lot more folks to read it.
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Welcome aboard Deborah. As you already know this is a hobby that requires research and careful patience which I'm sure you have an abundance of. This indeed can be a very rewarding hobby and fortunately there are multiple ways to accomplish the needed task many ways.
When I built my router table my concerns were safety kill switch, easily accessible speed control, a large stable work surface, high quality fence and above all the ability to use safety devices. The fence I have allows easy use of both feather boards and Jess Em Clear-Cut™ Stock Guides. I also use their router motor and variable speed switch which I'm not sure is available any longer.
![Automotive design Luggage and bags Wood Automotive exterior Gas]()
![Electronic engineering Electrical wiring Gadget Gas Cable]()
![Automotive design Luggage and bags Wood Automotive exterior Gas]()
![Electronic engineering Electrical wiring Gadget Gas Cable]()
When I built my router table my concerns were safety kill switch, easily accessible speed control, a large stable work surface, high quality fence and above all the ability to use safety devices. The fence I have allows easy use of both feather boards and Jess Em Clear-Cut™ Stock Guides. I also use their router motor and variable speed switch which I'm not sure is available any longer.
Welcome, Deborah. Having your disease and ability, I'm surprised you haven't gone into a cnc routing.
With your capabilities, you could easily construct one.
Just my thoughts on reading your interesting post.
Stevenrf
With your capabilities, you could easily construct one.
Just my thoughts on reading your interesting post.
Stevenrf
Stevenrf, laughing! I've already displaced my car from the garage. Building a workshop to house more, at my Parkinson's pace, would be a lifetime project!Welcome, Deborah. Having your disease and ability, I'm surprised you haven't gone into a cnc routing.
With your capabilities, you could easily construct one.
Just my thoughts on reading your interesting post.
Stevenrf
Hi Deborah, I really enjoyed you dissertation. I spent a decade in newsrooms, so I like to break things into paragraphs to make them easier to read. I've spent the last 40 years consulting and training docs and staff in the vision care field, pediatric for the most part. Loved every minute, but lost my voice. So I write a lot. In fact, attached is a long piece on the 18 things that sped up my learning curve on woodworking.
Like you I've done repairs, home improvement, built things pretty much since childhood. One thing that's in the attached pdf is info about sawdust collection. With health considerations, you don't want to get that sawdust into your lungs. I tried several ways to do this, but wound up with a very standard setup. Harbor Freight Dust collection unit(s), each has a Super Dust Deputy cyclone attached. The cloth bag the HF comes with was replaced by Wynn 1micron filter cans, and the cyclones are mounted on 30 gallon fiber drums with steel tops. The cyclone spins the sawdust so most of it drops down into the chip collector, the HF unit spins it agains so almost all the sawdust falls into a plastic bag and that keeps it out of the drum filter.
I have two setups because my shop is divided between my garage and a converted 12x24 shed out back.
After reading all about OSHA studies on dust in home shops, I created an enclosed space outside my shop where the units sit. There's another 20x20 filter that lets the air go back into the shop. I live in the desert, hot in summer, freezing in winter. The air return retains warm or AC air to the shop. I wish I'd done it long ago because I think years of inhaling sawdust might be part of my lung issues now.
Here's a picture of the dust collection compartment just outside my shop. When you have your shop built, consider having something similar set up. You can't be messing with your health.
![Pipeline transport Plumbing Gas Cylinder Machine]()
As to a router, I have four, two Bosch 1617s, with both bases, a small trim router (Bosch) and for the table I choose the Triton TRA001, which makes it easy to adjust from the top. It also has some safety feathres so you can't run it while changing bits. It is 3.25hp but too heavy for me to use freehand. I rarely use the 1617s anymore and prefer to do routing on the table. MUCH safer and more precise.
Also attached is a pdf of the 18+ things that helped me learn, and it also may help you avoid making costly mistakes. I have a lot of gear because I bought it during my peak earning years. It's long, but has pictures. Enjoy. BTW, you can ask any kind of question you want. As you can tell, we love responding.
Like you I've done repairs, home improvement, built things pretty much since childhood. One thing that's in the attached pdf is info about sawdust collection. With health considerations, you don't want to get that sawdust into your lungs. I tried several ways to do this, but wound up with a very standard setup. Harbor Freight Dust collection unit(s), each has a Super Dust Deputy cyclone attached. The cloth bag the HF comes with was replaced by Wynn 1micron filter cans, and the cyclones are mounted on 30 gallon fiber drums with steel tops. The cyclone spins the sawdust so most of it drops down into the chip collector, the HF unit spins it agains so almost all the sawdust falls into a plastic bag and that keeps it out of the drum filter.
I have two setups because my shop is divided between my garage and a converted 12x24 shed out back.
After reading all about OSHA studies on dust in home shops, I created an enclosed space outside my shop where the units sit. There's another 20x20 filter that lets the air go back into the shop. I live in the desert, hot in summer, freezing in winter. The air return retains warm or AC air to the shop. I wish I'd done it long ago because I think years of inhaling sawdust might be part of my lung issues now.
Here's a picture of the dust collection compartment just outside my shop. When you have your shop built, consider having something similar set up. You can't be messing with your health.
As to a router, I have four, two Bosch 1617s, with both bases, a small trim router (Bosch) and for the table I choose the Triton TRA001, which makes it easy to adjust from the top. It also has some safety feathres so you can't run it while changing bits. It is 3.25hp but too heavy for me to use freehand. I rarely use the 1617s anymore and prefer to do routing on the table. MUCH safer and more precise.
Also attached is a pdf of the 18+ things that helped me learn, and it also may help you avoid making costly mistakes. I have a lot of gear because I bought it during my peak earning years. It's long, but has pictures. Enjoy. BTW, you can ask any kind of question you want. As you can tell, we love responding.
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