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Table for RONA Cobo Router m/n 2001520?

2K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  reuelt 
#1 ·
Hello! ... I originally posted this in the wrong place I suspect, and it should have been here in table routing

Hi!
I was given a RONA combo router (discontinued) which has a three screw mount, measuring 4.25 inchea x 4.25 inches x 4.5 inches apart.
I was hoping to order something like a Bosch 1181 table, but can't confirm it would match up.
I am not totally new to routing (messed about a bit with a black and decker and a cheap all plastic routing table) but am not sure if I should maybe be planning to buy a new plastic base for the fixed part of my router (maybe just a plastic one you drill to match your table?), or maybe plan on drilling the Bosch tabletop if it doesn't match up.
Anyway, this is all new, so I am at a bit of a loss as to the best way to proceed.
Someone said that the RONA router was maybe a Chinese knockoff of some popular brand, but I can't find any further details. A thread about 10 years ago said to buy an OAK PARK table, but it seems they are not in that business anymore, at least for tables.
All ideas most welcome!
Thanks!
Paul
 
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#2 ·
Hi Paul, it appears this is not a popular router.

As suggested earlier, it may be easier to make your own small table.
All it takes is a piece of ply (baltic birch, if you can get it) and a generic plate...

This is my Triton router in an Oak Park Table.....
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#5 ·
@Matin Welcome, hope you find this info. However, you can generally make your own table, which is pretty easy to do. You can purchase a blank router plate, then use the same screws that hold the base in place to affix the router to the plate. Use the base to mark the pattern. You probably want to drill a two step hole, the first a mm or so wider than the screws width, then a second recessed and larger hole so the screw head goes below the level of the top. Make both openings a little wider than the shaft or head of the screw so you can jiggle it a bit in case you're slightly off. Something like this drawing.
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Once you get the router on a plate, you can make a table, good for 20 years, by getting two layers of very flat ply. Check it with a straight edge to make sure it's flat. I'd make the top layer half inch thick (12mm), the bottom 3/4 (18mm) thick. Cut both pieces to the same size--bigger is better), then lay the plate on the top layer and draw a pencil line around it. Cut out the opening. Hint, if you use a jig saw, cut it with the top surface down so splintering will be reduced. Use a good sharp blade and don't rush the cut. Put painter's tape where the cut goes, especially on the good side. I think 20 inches by 36 inches would be the smallest I'd make a table, larger tables make it easier to rout long pieces.

Now with that opening cut out, lay the thin layer good side up on the second layer. Draw a new line half an inch inside the top layer's opening. This will give you a lip to prevent the plat and router from falling through. Carefully glue the two pieces together with a really even layer of glue.

Router mounting plates are generally 1/4 to 5/16ths inch thick so it will need to be lifted so it is dead even with the top. You can do this with screws with blunted tips, up through that lip, or take the easy way and buy a $20 set of Kreg levelers (pix)

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After getting it set up with the edges aligned, you might want to add legs as in a table, or drill a couple of holes so you can hang it out of the way. Lots of folks use their shop made tables across a couple of saw horses. The weight of the router will hold it in place.

If the plate doesn't fit (too tight) use sandpaper on a block to widen it a little, or you can get fancy and use four pieces of wood as shown in this pix, to run a trim bit to get the fit just right. Put playing cards around the edges between plate and wood pieces to make a perfect fit.
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Later on, you can add a laminate to the top and or bottom to make materials slide better.

A fence: Table routing is far safer than freehand routing, and there are a LOT of techniques to do most anything you want to accomplish on a table with a good fence.

Fences can be elaborate, but simple works well too. One good solution is to affix a very flat 2x6, as long as the table is wide, to an equal sized piece of ply, 4 to 6 inches wide. Make an L shape. Do your best to make sure the fence is 90 degrees to the table. Use any good square to make sure. Cut an opening where the bit will be when the fence is in use. Make it about 3 inches high by 2.5 inches wide, Make a similar sized notch in the ply then glue them together.

If you want to get fancy, make some triangles with a good 90 degree angle, and glue them in place before you glue on the fence. I'd use a factory edge on the ply to make sure it's straight. You now have a nice fence with a ply base that you can clamp to the table's edges to hold it in place. If you want sawdust collection, you can buy a small 2.5 inch dust port and affix it to the opening behind the fence. Helps a lot to keep the sawdust at bay.
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You could easily make this in a day or two with minimal equipment. It's far easier to do than describe.

On the plate, contact the makers of router mounting plates and tell them what you have. There are really only a couple of variations on the bolt patterns on the base and they may be able to find one that is pre drilled for you, which will be even easier. Making the opening so it's easy to lift out will make it easier to change bits or adjust bit height.

Don't know your shop situation, but this top can be added to a table, or simply hung up, out of the way in a garage, hung up on a couple of nails through holes drilled in the table top. Don't scrimp on size, as you go on with this addiction/hobby, you will understand why in this case, bigger is better.

Ask for help anytime, lots of us here have the heart of a teacher and we love to help others get going.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Hi and welcome.

Check out my long post above to another new user. It's all about how easy it is to make your own table. Much larger than the Bosch, and much more utiitarian than the little Bosch table. Also less expensive and doable in a day or two in the shop. All the info about mounting the router applies equally to your situation. Take a little time to read the post before you try to make a Bosch table work with your router.
 
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