[Hobie]

Hi, I just bought my first router Hitachi KM12vc and found this forum while reading product reviews. Having read many threads about building your own router table, I decided to make it my first project. Picked up a piece of counter top 32x38, which I think I'll cut down to 27x32. Went to the Lee Valley store and got the veritas router base plate kit (round one), bits, t-track and hardware pieces. I plan to mount the plate 1/3 of the table width and know were the track will go for the fence (still thinking/reading about the fence) but, I have yet to read of a measurement for the track that runs parallel to the fence.

How far from the center of the router plate should it be offset?

Thank you for your help.

 

[rh111]

The offset of the router is a matter of personal choice. Some like to have the router centered in the table. Some like to have a little off set in the router mounting location. It really is a matter of personal preference.
Personally, I like to have the router offset in the table. Approx about a 1/3rd of the way in. I like this appropach as I can switch the fence mounting location for wide or narrow boards. With the offset one side is larger than the other and I can flip the fence to the side that I want to use. Wide side for wide boards, narrow side for narrow boards. This make it where I am not reaching so far into the table to do everything and can keep the board in the position that I want it in on the table.

 

[kp91]

Hobie,

The track that goes "parallel to the fence" is entirely up to you. The theory is to use the miter guage from your bandsaw or table saw to guide your workpieces. The first router table I build I put one in, laying it an inch and a half from the edge of the router plate opening, but rarely used it. I've since heard people claim that the groove in their table caused the tops to warp, etc, but I didn't have that problem. The problem I had was that with my plate (I was using the rousseau at the time) the slot was so far away from the bit it didn't do me a whole lot of good.

My new router table has no slot. I now use a scrap wood coping sled and an oak-park miter guage for the times I need additional support. Usually I use a hunk of MDF as a backer block/ support for smaller pieces