Wanted! pictures of your router table!

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Old_Chipper

Discussion Starter · Oct 25, 2009

3

Okay members, here is your chance to brag. My son in GA, wants to see pictures of router tables to give him some ideas for his. I told him to look at mine and he don't need to see any others, but he didn't believe me.

So here are 3 of mine to get us started. Lets show him what you got.

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Reactions: 5

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Cassandra

· #209 · Mar 29, 2010

Good luck, Harry!

Look forward to having you back on the forums afterwards!

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #264 · Jul 17, 2010

Hi Jon:

Welcome to the forums! Great looking table you have there!

Question: how good is the suction pressure at the fence dust collection port? By limiting the make-up hole area to half the 4" hose area, you create a partial vacuum. Do you find it adequate for the fence's dust collection?

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #285 · Aug 13, 2010

Hi Michael:

Wonderful idea!

Simplicity in design.

A nice feature is the wide-range adjustable height of the router table top. Another nice feature is a tilting top.

Well done!

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #305 · Sep 7, 2010

4

Here are a few shots of my table. The table is a work-in-progress – lots of work yet to be done on it.

Photo 1: In this photo, please note the following:
Dust collection connection at the left end.
Switch left of centre. (Second one exists on opposite side.)
Lift in the middle (discussed in another thread.)
Clean top design – just the MagnaLock Ring insert – no insert plate, no t-track and no mitre track.
1/4"-20 inserts around edge of top, to mount accessories, such as t-track or mitre track.

Photo 2: Plans call for a set of drawers in the right pedestal and a couple of doors on the left pedestal.

Photo 3: The small L-brackets in the upper corners of the pedestals provide support for the alignment bolts in the top’s brace members. These allow one to make the top square, on two axis, to the router axis. In this photo, one can see the dust collection elbow on the left end. One of the channels in the brace attached to bottom of the top has been closed in to form a dust chute from the space below the MagnaLock Ring (see photos 1 and 2) to the dust collection elbow.

Photo 4: This shot shows the dust collection port on the outfeed side of the table.

Specifications:

Top: 24”x48”, top surface 36” above the floor; two layers of 3/4" MDF, 1-1/2”x1-1/2” red oak edging, laminated top and bottom; 1”x3” maple brace on the bottom of the top

Carcase: base is two layers of 3/4" BB plywood; pedestals are made 3/4" BB plywood; undersized wheels (2”) to be replaced

Cassandra

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Cassandra

· #329 · Oct 29, 2010

Kelly Rittgers said:
.
.

How do you install that MagnaLock Ring insert? That looks like a nice way to go.

Hi Kelly:

First step was to cut the hole for the router to pass through. This hole was slightly over 3-1/2 inches (to fit my Bosch 1617EVS router.)

Second step was to use one of the MagnaLock ring, a bushing and a straight bit to make template. (1/4" bit with 1/2" bushing)

Third step was to use the template, 1" bushing and a 1/4" bit to route the inset for the MagnaLock ring. The depth of the inset is slightly greater than the thickness of the MagnaLock ring.

Then drill four 5/8" holes through the table top, to receive the magnets and height adjusters.

Prepared four 5/8" diameter x 1/2" long hardwood dowel inserts. Drilled and tapped holes for #6-32 machine screws that hold the magnets.

Glued the inserts into the holes in the table top, making sure that the MagnaLock ring and magnets sit below the surface of the table top.

After the glue set, installed the magnets and screws. The magnets hold the MagnaLock ring to the top of the screws. Adjusting the screws allows one to make the ring flush with the top.

I was quite pleased with the ease of this technique.

Cassandra

P.S. Calculations for the bushings and bits.

Make template: long offset = (1/2" bushing + 1/4" bit) / 2 = 3/8"

Cut inset: short offset = (1" bushing - 1/4" bit) / 2 = 3/8"

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Cassandra

· #331 · Oct 29, 2010

Thanks, Kelly!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask them.

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #332 · Oct 29, 2010

By the way, the magnets I used are from Lee Valley Tools. Cupped Magnet Sets - Lee Valley Tools

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #335 · Oct 29, 2010

Kelly Rittgers said:
Well thank you. It is a nice table. Do you thread and tap wood? Can you get things to do that easily?

I have never made a pattern but I like the idea of your table. The insert stays nice and level with the edge of the table I suppose.

Kelly

Hi Kelly:

My father taught me to do the drill-and-tap wood. It's his favourite method of screwing something to wood. I've picked up the technique. Of course, this technique is suitable for hardwoods. Softwoods are not as suited.

Another trick my father taught me is when tapping wood for screws, do the thirds. The first third of the hole is sized to square up the tap; this part of the hole doesn't get tapped. The second and third third of the hole's length is drilled for the tap size. Then one taps only the second third. Screw the screw into the tapped portion and then continue driving the screw all the way. Taps are oversized and the holes they create will hold the screw loosely. By driving the screw into the untapped portion (the third third), the thread will hold the screw tighter.

And yes, the insert stays level. The occasional tweaking may be necessary, but I would not expect more than twice a year.

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #337 · Oct 29, 2010

You're very welcome, Kelly!

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #340 · Dec 21, 2010

Hey bob:

Welcome to the Router Forums! Please, don't stay new, settle in and stay a while.

You're following the path that many have followed. The first table is rarely, I believe, the one a routerer will settle on.

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #344 · Dec 26, 2010

New addition to my table. Very recently I added an Incra 17" LS Positioner Super System to my collection of toys. Already tried the edge jointing technique. Also, did a test run of slot cutting, using the Positioner to do the spacing of the slots. What a treat!! Quick and accurate.

Cassandra

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Cassandra

· #346 · Dec 26, 2010 (Edited)

Hi Bill:

I have already fallen in love with it! It has so much potential! The videos on YouTube for the LS Positioner sold me. Dovetails, box joints, sliding dovetails, slots, tongue and groove, edge jointing, vertical panel routing, . . . So much easier now!

Thanks for the photos, Bill. I am a bit of a purist. As indicated in other threads, I am of the camp that says minimal penetration of the router table top. No t-track. No mitre track. No starter pin hole. No fence mounting holes or tracks. The only penetration of the top on my router table top is for the router. All accessories either clamp to the table via clamps (as seen in the photo above) or clamp to the table via the 1/4"-20 inserts located in the edging.

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #350 · Dec 26, 2010 (Edited)

CanuckGal said:
You guys/gals are making me jealous! Nice set ups!

So, when are you going to join us? :jester:

By the way, I got it at Lee Valley, for CDN$389. That includes the 17" LS Positioner with Pro-Fence, Wonder Fence, Templates and book plus instructional DVD.

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #351 · Dec 26, 2010

Russtyguy said:
Hi Cassandra
Thanks for shareing I appreciat hearing from you you're addition is something else for me to think about is it worth my expence etc. Just getting under way and already looking forward to improvements so Thanks again Russ

You're very welcome, Russ!! Glad to be of help!

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #354 · Jan 7, 2011

Hi Tim:

Welcome to the Router Forums!

Different people have different ideas as to what space, how much air, and the direction of dust flow.

A very common practice is to enclosed the router in a "box" - a cabinet - and then have the dust swept out the back at the bottom of the "box", with vents at the front of the box to allow replenishment air to flow towards the router. One needs to make sure that the vents allow sufficient air for the router to cool itself.

Other people, like myself, don't enclose the router. My set-up collects dust at the table end of the router and pulls it away from the router (preventing clogging the air intake of the router.) With no enclosure, the router can draw all the air it wants. Besides, the air flow from the router works with the dust collector to remove the dust from around the bit.

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #356 · Jan 7, 2011

http://www.routerforums.com/axlmyks-stuff/5103-router-table-cabinet.html

http://www.routerforums.com/general-routing/7472-norm-type-router-table-cabinet.html#post68368

Best router table

http://www.routerforums.com/table-m...router-table-cabinet-incra-ls-positioner.html

http://www.routerforums.com/table-m...outer-table-incra-ls-positoner-completed.html

http://www.newyankee.com/sketches/0301s.gif

Just for openers.

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Cassandra

· #370 · Feb 8, 2011

walowan said:
Not as nice looking as most of the others here but it works!

A table need not look nice; it needs to do the job.

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #385 · Mar 12, 2011

mjdtexan said:
Wow. It took several hours over yesterday and this morning to read this entire thread. Of course that involved clicking on links and getting stuck on them too. Its time for me to build my table. . . .

Good job on yalls tables. I noticed Bob has eleventy gazillion router tables in his space and more than 100 jigs. That ole boy is having a good time with his routers.

Hi Michael:

So, when can we expect a summary of the 13 pages you've read? :jester:

Yes, Bob is proof that one cannot have too many router tables. (Maybe we should get a picture of Bob, to see how many hands he has? :jester

The nice thing about using two 3/4" layers of MDF is that once they're glued together and sealed against moisture, there is little chance that they'll go out of flat with good use. (Keep in mind that when gluing the layers, to make sure the bottom layer is laying on a flat surface!)

In my case, I added a brace to the bottom of my top. The brace serves two purposes -- (1) to add to the flatness of the top and (2) to afford a means to mount the top to the carcase.

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #392 · Mar 12, 2011

mjdtexan said:
Yup, your right. I got it down to 10 pages. Thank You.

Oops! Mea Culpa! Forgot that I had changed the settings, I did. Sorry!

Cassandra

Cassandra

· #396 · Mar 14, 2011

Hi Ron:

Looking great!

Nice generous amount of overhang of the top. My design short-changed in this department (2" overhang all around) and now it's a pain! Oh well, that will change on the Mark II.

Cassandra

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