# Router Table Build



## Hemsby (19 Jul 2015)

Finally made a start on my router table.

After great consideration & research I decided on the Incra Magna Lock insert & template, purchased from Wood Workers Workshop (The template @£14.95 is worth every penny). “T” track & feather boards from Rutland’s. Triton TRA 001 Router from Yandels.

Acquired a piece of 40mm worktop from a local kitchen supply shop for £10 cut it to 800x600 and finished the edge with a guided profile cutter to ensure smooth square edges.

For the depth of recess I added 2mm to the thickness dimension of the insert plate to allow for a metal strip all around on the bottom of the recess for the adjusting screws on the insert plate to have a firm surface to contact. 

Positioned the insert template and “trapped” it with boards on 4 sides this gave me the option if necessary to remove 2 adjacent clamped boards and the template to check the cut-out then replace the template in the precise original position and continue. 
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I used a 5/8 diam cutter, wrapped the bearing with a couple of turns of tape which I removed before the final finish cut. After completing the recess and removing the clamping plates & template, with a jigsaw I removed the unwanted area in the centre of the table top & trimmed the rough jigsaw cut with a router.
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The insert fitted a treat. 
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Roughed out the slots for the “T” track. 
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Then did the finish cuts to obtain the correct width & depth. I was determined to get the 3 long tracks parallel to each other so any sled type fixtures will slide easily. After screwing the Aluminium channels in the top I checked the 2 adjacent ones with a Vernier and over the entire length only found a .002” variation, I borrowed a 24inch Vernier and checked the 2 furthest apart and had a max .003” difference. :shock: ( If anybody is sad like me and is interested in my method I can do a sketch).  The 2 slots for the fence I squared up from the long channels using a large M/R square and tight fitting pegs in one of the long fitted channels.

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At the intersecting points of the channels the small pieces of channel are secured with a small magnet so they can be removed & rotated 90 degrees depending which channel is in use.
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I fitted a piece of rubber under the insert plate to stop the sawdust dropping directly down onto the locating pin of the handle it just moves away when the handle is inserted and returns on removal of the handle.
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Still need to make the fence, doors and box in the router but think the worst is done.
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## blackrodd (19 Jul 2015)

Excellent job there, well thought out, reminds me I still have one to do.
Thanks and regards araodders


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## rafezetter (21 Jul 2015)

A great looking table there - should be very useful. My only thought is about the intersect on the channels - I doubt that will make a difference as any sliding guide you use will not be short enough to fall foul of that area.

(as a tip I posted some time ago - cutting boards from ikea costing 90p are made from HDPE and are easily cut and shaped to make excellent low friction, hard wearing guide runners - you can even include a nut to make them lockable.)


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## Sporky McGuffin (21 Jul 2015)

Very nice - that bit of rubber under the adjustment screw hole is a brilliant idea which I intend to copy.

This also reminds me that I've got a nice bit of worktop sitting unused in the workshop, but I don't have a router table...


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## Hemsby (21 Jul 2015)

rafezetter":37eqs4rs said:


> A great looking table there - should be very useful. My only thought is about the intersect on the channels - I doubt that will make a difference as any sliding guide you use will not be short enough to fall foul of that area.
> 
> (as a tip I posted some time ago - cutting boards from ikea costing 90p are made from HDPE and are easily cut and shaped to make excellent low friction, hard wearing guide runners - you can even include a nut to make them lockable.)



I agree about the intersecting points not directly causing a problem with any runners, my thought was two fold, looks nicer  but on a practical point any sawdust being pushed in front of runners will be more likely to move smoothly along a continuous channel rather than having a space to get trapped. Without the small pieces of channel it left gaps of 31x31x12 deep (not a pretty sight)

Glad you reminded me about Ikea, I do remember you mentioning it previously.

Regards,

Keith


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## Sporky McGuffin (22 Jul 2015)

What approach did you take to ensure the tracks were parallel?


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## Hemsby (22 Jul 2015)

Sporky McGuffin":1omzkn61 said:


> What approach did you take to ensure the tracks were parallel?



I will get some details on tomorrow night.


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## Eric The Viking (24 Jul 2015)

Nice table, H. 

Question from me: did you screw or bolt the track down?

My old Axminster table has the clamping track screwed into MDF - guess what happens!

The revamp will have M4 bolts holding it down.

E.


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## Swede (26 Jul 2015)

Very nice table, inspiring!


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## rdesign (26 Jul 2015)

Nice router I just looked up its features would be nice to hear how u get on with it.

Nice table as well =D> =D> 

Richard


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## Hemsby (27 Jul 2015)

Sporky McGuffin":guxub0wx said:


> What approach did you take to ensure the tracks were parallel?



Sorry I was hoping to upload a couple of sketches but my scanner has thrown a wobbler :x rather than wait any longer I have tried to describe my process. It looks more complicated than it is.

It is essential to have a straight edge that is at least the length of the table a good straight spirit level is ideal.

If one slot is close enough to one edge of your table to use your router with its fence. Clamp your straight edge to the table and with guided profile cutter remove just enough material to get a good smooth clean edge to the table.

First mark out precisely with a pencil the slots positions on the table & rough cut them within a mm or so of the pencil line & depth size. Accuracy at this point in not important, I found removing most of the material first makes it easier on the finish cuts to concentrate on holding the router steady.

With your finish cutter & fence produce the finish cut of the furthest edge of the first slot (also to depth) 
Then adjust the fence to bring the cutter towards the opposite edge stopping slightly short, make a cut to depth. Leaving the fence locked add a strip of electrical tape to the fence and take another cut. Continue adding pieces of tape and another cut until your track is a snug fit in the slot.

Secure track into finished slot.
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You need 2 “Tenons” made from wood or MDF etc need to be about 4”x2”x the width of the slot in your track, they need to be a very snug fit in the track with the 2” dimension vertical and pushed to the bottom of the track.
Insert the tenons in the track about 6-9” from each end of the table, once in position do not remove them as they are the Datum for any further slots you may want to cut

ADDITIONAL SLOTS,
Position your router minus its fence on the next slot so the cutter edge is on the pencil line of the closest edge to the completed track, then position the straight edge against the base edge of the router parallel to the tenons using a rule. Then measure from the back edge of the straight edge to the front of the tenons.

SPACER STRIP
Next is an important part of the process as the opposite ends of the strip need to be parallel to each other. 
Cut 2 pieces of material about 4” wide x 3/8 or ½ thick (MDF is ideal) the length in excess of the measurement just taken. Placed the strips on top of each other with their long edges pushed against your saw fence and put a couple of pins in to keep them together. Trim one end then turn them 180deg keeping the same edge against the saw fence, cut to the measurement taken from the tenon to the straight edge, does not need to be extremely accurate.

Remove pins and place the end of each strip against the tenon’s and carefully push the straight edge against the opposite end, check that both ends of the strips are flat against the tenon & strait edge, Clamp the straight edge. Check that when the router is pushed against the straight edge the cutter edge is still on the pencil line. Make final cut of that edge & to depth.

Remove clamps & strips, position the router over the opposite edge of slot pencil line to be cut, so the cutter edge would cut the slot slightly oversize repeat the process of positioning the straight edge and measuring between the tenon & rear of straight edge take measurement. Again pin the strips & trim both end to required length. Now repeat replacing strips, straight edge, clamps and router. IMPORTANT to measure or estimate how much oversize the cut would be, then slacken the clamps, remove the strips. The idea is to place sufficient paper shims equally between the tenons and the strips so as now to move the straight edge to reduce what would have been an OVERSIZE cut to a slightly undersize cut. 

When you are confident there is sufficient shims in place clamp the straight edge take a trial shallow cut, If all is well it is just a process of taking cuts & slackening the clamps removing paper shims equally and repositioning the straight edge until you achieve the correct fit of the track

I am sure that reading the instructions while going through a dummy run the process will become clear.

Well I can live in hope [-o<


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## Hemsby (27 Jul 2015)

rdesign":2g4bk6o5 said:


> Nice router I just looked up its features would be nice to hear how u get on with it.
> 
> Nice table as well =D> =D>
> 
> Richard



Both pleased and disappointed with the TRA 001   

On arrival the thin plastic circular base attached to the router with 4 Csk screws was cracked at all 4 screw points #-o 

The real disappointment is the depth stop, It did not rotate freely so I slackened the securing screw slightly, with no effect. Removed the screw only to find that it is just a self taping screw that passes through a large hole in the aluminium base into the cheap plastic stepped depth stop with no location other than the ball bearing & spring.  




If I intended to use the router free hand and make regular use of the depth stop it would have been returned next day. 

However as it was purchased specifically for table mounting, neither the plastic plate or depth stop will be used so not an issue for me.

With limited table use I am very pleased with the low noise level & power, the table lift is a pleasure to use  

Time will tell.


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## Hemsby (27 Jul 2015)

Eric The Viking":2uczsz5g said:


> Nice table, H.
> 
> Question from me: did you screw or bolt the track down?
> 
> ...



Screwed them down, my table is chipboard and the screws are a full 1” into the material. 

Hopefully they will hold ok  , if not like you I can always use machine screws & nuts (hammer)


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## Sporky McGuffin (27 Jul 2015)

Hemsby":3735cqyn said:


> I am sure that reading the instructions while going through a dummy run the process will become clear.



I think I get the gist from a preliminary read-through - thank you. I'll have another look at it before plugging anything in though!


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## Hemsby (25 Sep 2015)

My router table is complete, well almost, just need to make a couple of stops to fit in the top track of the fence and probably fit a NVR switch. Not sure if I went OTT on the fence height but thought bigger is better, 165mm vertically between table and the f/board tips.
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I decided to fit a screw adjustment on the fence which seems to work well over its entire travel, it needed to be easily fitted & removed to allow the table to fit against the wall when not in use. The adjustment of the screw is surprisingly accurate as it is only standard 12mm S/Steel studding checking with a DTI indicator over 50mm of travel the pitch was out by only .15mm. Thinking of fitting a travel indicator scale to take advantage of the adjuster.
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(10 max pictures) Had to add a pictures on next page

To get a smooth travel of the fence I made the tennons fitted to the fence base from UHMW Polythene a snug fit in the track. The travel of the fence face relative to the centre of the router collet is 180mm to the rear & 38mm forward with or without the screw adjuster fitted.
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My high tech :roll: :roll: dust extraction connection works well with my Draper 50ltr extractor, you can see from the photo the small amount of dust that managed to fall past the router after cutting 20 slots 15mm wide x 12mm deep x 150mm long in MDF and a lot of boring profiling.
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*MORE PICS ON PAGE 2*


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## Hemsby (25 Sep 2015)

Additional pics


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## sploo (25 Sep 2015)

Looking very good indeed.


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## blackrodd (25 Sep 2015)

An excellent and interesting WIP, you have obviously given this build some thought.
An ideal "How to" for any future Router table builder.
Perhaps You should get this on utube!
Regards Rodders


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## JonnyW (21 Oct 2015)

What a fantastic project and inspirational WIP. Well done to you. 

Looks absolutely excellent. 

Jonny


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## AES (29 Oct 2015)

Hemsby, thanks for posting that, very interesting & very helpful to me (I have a "very temporary" Router Table - bit of old kitchen worktop with a hole in it!) but have been trying to find a "roundtoit" for yonks now in the hope of producing a proper unit. Your descriptions and pix are 1st class and will definitely be referred to later - bookmarked.

Thanks for taking the trouble to post.

AES


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## mseries (29 Oct 2015)

I'm going to steal your fence screw adjuster idea. It's something I have been thinking about for years and never quite managed to visualise it in my minds eye. Your's is exactly what I was thinking about.


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## Hemsby (29 Oct 2015)

Thank you for the comments  . 

I have been using the table quite a lot recently and wonder how I managed without it,

My hand held routers which although very useful can be a balancing challenge and cumbersome with a dust extraction hose attached #-o . 

mseries

:idea: If you are going to use a similar fence adjusting method I would recommend the use of a larger thread size probably not less than 5/8” only because I have found that when the fence is at the extreme rear with maximum length of thread unsupported, there is a certain amount of “whip” when rotating the handle.

Although this is not a major issue it makes the rotation feel a bit odd. I will change mine when I get time (hammer) .

Regards


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## Logger (19 Nov 2015)

Looks a great table. I have a triton tra001 under my router table, and thought i would pass a couple of bits of info i have picked up using mine. First, you may find the cover over the switch won't close after use. Normally this is fixed by lowering the router first till its clicks then raising it to change bits. The collet won't lock without it closed so you will need to do this. 

Also related to this, the tra001 is known for dust getting around the switch especially when using mdf. I have a decent dust extraction system, but have had to remove a couple of screws to clear out dust which was stopping the collet from locking. 

Other than that, the router is a beast, i use mostly oak and it works a treat and is easy to use. 

Sorry if you already know this, but as i took a while finding out, thought it worth passing on. 

Nick


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