# Large router table WIP



## Farmer Giles (10 Apr 2017)

I've just about got most of the bits to do this now, so thought I would start another WIP. My missus desperately wants me to make her a new kitchen but I've wangled this in first on the basis that the cabinet underneath the router table will mimic the construction method of the new kitchen so we can try them out. Plus the router table will make the kitchen building easier, at least that is my excuse. It does mean my Roubo bench gets pushed back a bit though, however I'm hoping to make a start on this on the sly soon 

Overall design will be similar to the one made by member "Stuff I Made" who also has a Youtube channel but bigger, purely as a I have large piece of buffalo board that seems a shame to cut it down and I can try more cabinets and drawer types as prototypes for the kitchen and I have loads of tools that need a proper home.

Top will be 1220mm x 978mm, 22mm thick buffalo board with a smooth phenolic coating. Plate is a Kreg pre-drilled for a Triton TRA001. Fence is a Woodpecker super fence with micro adjust. Feet will be machine leveling castors. The fence is 36" long so will go across the 978mm board width nicely. I have the fence, router, NVR switch and insert plate, the woodpecker T track, micro adjuster and mitre track will be coming from woodworkers workshop soon.

The T track will be extra long so I can use it to temporarily hold my axminster radial arm drill to the bench behind the fence while I renovate my recently acquired Meddings A10 radial arm pillar drill - its huge!

I have made a few doodles of the cabinet, this will be mainly 18mm birch ply but I haven't designed it in sketchup yet, I'm waiting for the wife to decide if the kitchen will be flush face frame, overlapping face frame or no face frame. I know roughly where the various drawers and cupboards will go but haven't ordered any hardware until this has been decided upon.

In addition to cabinet hardware I need to get a 4" hose fitting for the back with a tee off for the fence and router. I wanted to get the fence and router first so I know what hose sizes I need.

I'm hoping for a flush face frame design but I'm not too fussed.

First job will be to make the router template for the kreg insert, I would have thought that router plate insert templates would be handed around the forum. I have a Jessem template if anybody needs one.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (11 Apr 2017)

I've put kreg plates in 4 separate router tables now. I had one kreg plate that warped, but they replaced it straight away.
They dont supply a template as such, just a detailed set of instructions, but if you cant get one anywhere else I can scan mine and email it to you if you want.

I now use the kreg levelling plates which require a different cut out shape, so bear that in mind before you cut.

good to see another big table, mine is 900 mm square.


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## Farmer Giles (11 Apr 2017)

Thanks Bob, I've ordered the kreg levellers too, it was cheaper to buy them in the US and get them posted so may be a few days yet before they arrive but I'm not in a hurry.

I've bought a 38mm forstner bit from axi, quite reasonably priced so will make my own template from some 10mm MDF then use a template bit in the router. I shall make it big enough so it can be clamped without interfering with the router. Also if the buffalo board isn't a success and I want to put formica on top I'll make sure I can place it exactly in the same place so I can cut the hole in the formica without enlarging the plate orifice.

Cheers
Andy


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## Woodmonkey (11 Apr 2017)

Just googled buffalo board as I've never heard of it. Seems like it is a non slip surface used for flooring etc, surely you don't want your router table to be grippy?


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## sunnybob (11 Apr 2017)

That got me looking too. Presumably youre going to flip it and use the under side?

22 mm isnt all that thick. If youre going to put T tracks and mitre tracks in it, thats 12 mm depth cut right across the board. only leaves you 10 mm max for rigidity. Better place it on a very solid and very square frame.

I used 2 x 18 mm melamine for mine. glued, and screwed every 20 cm in a grid pattern. If it wasnt too slippy to stand on I could dance on it even after the T and mitre track fitting. Then I edged it with cherry to stop the chip board flaking.

Kregs instructions are very simple,
put an edge of masking tape around the plate.
position it where you want it to be.
Clamp pieces of wood tight to all four sides.
Lift out the plate. This what the tape is for, to give you clearance for lifting out.
Drill the four corners using the wood battens for edge support for the forstner bit (clamp the wood TIGHT, the first one I did the drill moved the wood sideways and the hole went oval on me).
Router or jig saw the rest out.
If youre using levelers, then cut the whole size all the way through.


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## Farmer Giles (11 Apr 2017)

Yes, the other side is smooth 

I haven't decided whether I need to add more thickness to it yet but it will be screwed to a substantial birch ply frame. Once I have the final layout I will look at the support from the frame, it won't hurt to add some 18mm ply underneath it, I'm known for over engineering so it will probably happen if it needs it or not 

Cutting the hole isn't an issue, when I said template I meant an MDF template for a template router bit. I have a Jessem MDF template that anybody can borrow, I'm surprised nobody has made a kreg one. Rather than cut the top directly, I'm going to make an MDF template and route it out.


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## Farmer Giles (11 Apr 2017)

I've just realised I am now officially a settled in member, I don't feel any different or is something going to happen to me in the wee hours? 

The woodpecker micro adjuster, t track and mitre track is being delivered tomorrow, so apart from the cabinet drawer and cupboard fittings and hoses I think I have all I need.

I'm very much a novice at sketchup and can't find time to tinker with it just yet however if you imagine the table is roughly 1.2 x 1 m and the long side is towards you, the plan is for this to have the router insert on the left with the fence moving right to left. On the long side facing there will be 500 deep drawers to the right and shallower drawers on the left due to the router. The access to the router will be on the short left hand side, and on the right hand side to the back will be a circa 400mm wide slide out cupboard for free standing routers and their accessories. Apart from the vacuum pipe, the rear will be home to various jigs etc.

I've also been thinking about the thickness of the top and will be going with the recommendations to add a bit more depth irrespective of the strength of the carcass.

I'm going to judge the height so it can be used as an infeed table for my RAS and add bracket to hold a roller so it can be outfeed table for the band saw.


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## sunnybob (12 Apr 2017)

think about what you are going to be doing before placing the router off to one side.
If youre running a long length of wood past the cutter you will need to be very careful the wood doesnt tilt off the end of the table and spoil the cut.

If you werent having above table adjustment, i can see why you would want as much space as possible, but I've found that central works fine, because its so easy to lower the cutter below table height i still have a large lay out table.


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## Farmer Giles (12 Apr 2017)

Hi Bob, probably my poor description but I think we concur, here's a very rough diagram to give you an idead of what I mean.







Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (12 Apr 2017)

Andy, assuming the front of the cabinet is to the viewer and the router is central and to the left...
You are severely restricting your options regarding a fence, especially a split fence which I find is very useful and very often.
youve got almost no outfeed table at all. Youre going to struggle to maintain a proper cut with anything over 2 foor length.

The cabinet plans are superb, but I think you will regret not putting that router a lot closer to the centre.

Its a very simple job to make your own fence. 
To keep the fence clean and pipework to a minimum on mine, I drilled a large hole behind the router and made a tunnel on the back of the fence, so all the dust is sucked through the opening of the fence and down into the router chamber.


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## Farmer Giles (12 Apr 2017)

Thanks Bob, the drawing isn't to scale so it may look far too much to the left, but I will take your comments into account when finalising the plate location. I'm hoping to get some workshop time on Friday. 
Cheers
Andy


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## Farmer Giles (14 Apr 2017)

The stuff from woodworkers workshop arrived a couple of days ago so while cutting the MDF template for the plate I'm thinking of optimal distance of the mitre track from the cutter hole. I'm using woodpecker combi track that takes both standard 3/4" mitres and featherboards etc. that use channel and 1/4" bolts. Will lay it all out at some point, I just realised that I have forgotten to get a mitre, having said that, I have one on the table saw and the bandsaw so not sure I need another yet.

I'm guessing others have thought about this distance too, any tips?

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (14 Apr 2017)

I have the UJK precision mitre gauge and fence from axminster, maybe not as classy as incra or woodpecker, but I like it a lot because it also fits my bandsaw.

The track is about half the distance between the cutter and the front of the table, because thats where the fence can be equal on the guide but still just pass the cutter.

I just fitted another T rack across the table, about 2" closer to the cutter than the mitre track. havent actually used that one yet.

Works well for me.


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## Farmer Giles (14 Apr 2017)

That mitre gauge looks great Bob, I was looking at this one at Rutlands, I sent the link to the missus for my birthday wish list but its never in stock and then I forgot all about it.

I've just about got the template done, I've made it nice and big so I can clamp it to the edge of the table and the clamps don't interfere with the router.


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## sunnybob (14 Apr 2017)

Every single time I have looked at anything at rutlands, it has been out of stock. i have no idea how they stay open. The last thing I looked at even emailed them for delivery and was quoted 6 months!

I got my UJK from a forum member here, and am completely happy with it. I use it more on the bandsaw than the router table, but when you really need it, you really need it.


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## Farmer Giles (14 Apr 2017)

Thanks Bob, I shall take a look at the mitre on the table saw tomorrow and decide if I need a new one, it can wait a while as I'm a bit skint after podding out for the router table bits. I have gone a bit OTT on it but after making do with cheaper tools and being disappointed and spending twice I either buy good, buy old or make it myself now.

Here's the rails, plate and fence roughly placed on the buffalo board, the rails haven't been cut to length yet, basically just assembled the fence and made an MDF plate template. I usually leave things for a couple of days rather than rushing in and making a mess.






I have a few decisions to make. I've already decided to stick a bit more ply under the 22mm buffalo board.

1.) the distance from table edge to the router cutter, after that everything else follows.
2.) the rails the fence moves on are twin 1/4" T tracks. Do I put the spare tracks on the inside or outside?
3.) the mitre rail also has 1/4" T track, does this go above the mitre track, i.e. closer to the cutter or below it?
4.) Am I happy with the dark buffalo board? It's certainly nice and smooth.
5.) Do I have a piece of chocolate with my wine?

I think only the first and last questions are important 

Cheers
Andy


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## Farmer Giles (15 Apr 2017)

I've answered number 4, just got a sheet of light blue formica 

Here's front, right and left elevations, I shall finish the all important plan view later.
















Cheers
Andy


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## Noel (15 Apr 2017)

Don't forget vent holes/slots for the router, especially if you have under table extraction.
Hope build goes well.


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## sunnybob (15 Apr 2017)

1/ from making 4 tables now, I choose dead centre left to right, and 2/3rds back from the front edge. Owners decision is final.
2/ doesnt matter, no point in having clamping tracks behind the fence.
3/ depends how big the pieces you are routing will be.Mine is between cutter and mitre track.
4/ sorted.
5/ wine is good, chocolate is good. but why dilute the taste of either with the other?

Again, from my own research, dont make too big a thing about vent slots for the router. Keep the router area as small as possible to enable the extractor to remove all the debris. The extractor will suck outside air from around the cutter, so the faster the air moves there the more dust and chips will be collected.
My router box is too big, and fills up around the edges. i put holes in the front panel to (as I thought) enable the through draught to pull it all back to the tunnel, and all that did was reduce the suction overall and make even more mess. My todo list has "reduction of air chamber" quite high on it.
Building from scratch I suggest you incorporate a tunnel of clean air to the bottom of the router as there is a fan in there sucking air through to keep the router cool. With poor extraction, that fan will suck dust up and force it into the bearings.
If you can sacrifice the drawer below the router you could put a flexible hose on the bottom of the router (to allow for height adjustment) and run it down and out the side or rear, whichever is the cleanest area.


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## Farmer Giles (15 Apr 2017)

Thanks Bob, no more workshop time this weekend however im hoping to blag some timber from the land lord of the pub near my brother's house so not a total waste of a weekend  he has a smallholding with some old trees that he occasionally harvests and planks.


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## sunnybob (15 Apr 2017)

Youre spending the weekend in the pub?
Good man!


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## Farmer Giles (15 Apr 2017)

I wish, take kids to Judo, go to Hull for Dinsdales joke emporium as we promised the kids, then other city of culture stuff, then my brother's farm near Whitby, then the pub at last


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## Farmer Giles (17 Apr 2017)

I had a day finishing off the design after laying up the plate and the router. The router is on an angle when the mounting holes line up and the rise/fall handle hole coincide. This makes the router cabinet bit deeper so I rejigged the drawer layout to cope with this.

This is the router with the router cutter about 400mm from the edge and lined up with the mounting holes, to give clearance to get around it the cabinet needs to be at least 550 deep so I'll make it 600.







Here's the new front elevation taking this into account






The left elevation has also changed as I am doing away with the two drawers, and instead I will have one shallow cupboard the full length of the cabinet in case I want to take the fence off, its expensive so this will keep it safe.






This means the right elevation also changes slightly as the pull out cabinet is not as high.






Final placements of the router cutter hence router plate and the t slots are shown on the plan taking into account comments received. I also place the mitre slot half way between the table edge the cutter






Now I can start ordering drawer hardware and start working out how to best cut sheets for the carcass. Removal of a drawer under the router gives me a bit more depth to play around with as Bob suggested for clean air to the router.

Cheers
Andy

EDIT - there is a mistake on the plans, the top is 1220 not 1200, its correct on the plan view but in correct of the front elevation, no big deal and I have corrected it in my version, but I thought I would get this in before some eagle eyed member spotted it


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## sunnybob (17 Apr 2017)

Andy, presuming this router is staying in the cabinet, why not take off the handles and give yourself some room?

I have a big makita in mine. I removed the handles, zip strapped the switch permanently on, and routed the power through an NVR switch on the front of the table. In a real panic, i can just lean my leg in and switch it off.


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## Farmer Giles (17 Apr 2017)

Hi Bob

I was looking at the handles to see if they remove easily, I will think about it when it comes to assembly time if they get in the way. Although it is intended for it to stay in the table, you never know when you may need it outside the table.

I already have the NVR switch, it's shown on the left elevation, the on/off bit, it's not an exact facsimile of the one I'm using but it serves the purpose. I was going to steal the one off my old Trend router table but I'm going to sell that as a complete unit so bought another.

Cheers
Andy


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## Farmer Giles (18 Apr 2017)

I intended to edge the drawer frame in oak but I'm running low on straight seasoned oak so I may not edge the surrounds for the cupboards etc, on the ends, so just the front. I'll have a another dig around and see if I have some old oak floor boarding left but think I have scraping the bottom of the barrel. I shall start cutting the sheets up later today or tomorrow. It looks like at around 3 sheets of 18mm BB grade birch ply so far.......

EDIT Correction, just looked in the general dumping ground for old boxes and stuff above the office and I've found a treasure trove of old oak off-cuts, more than enough for this job


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## sunnybob (18 Apr 2017)

18 mm seems a bit on the heavy side. Especially if youre going to make any framing for it.
Mine is made from 12 mm and is plenty stable enough. You certainly wouldnt need 18 mm for drawers and faces, they could be done in 9 mm. you could save a fair bit of money by reducing the thickness of everything.


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## Farmer Giles (18 Apr 2017)

Your right Bob, I should have ordered some 12mm. I have a couple of sheets of 9mm for the drawers but for the carcass 18mm is a bit OTT in retrospect. I'll have a think, I could get some 12mm BB ply but it will delay me just when I have some workshop time and that's at a premium at the moment.

I could buy some cheaper 12mm ply for the inner partitions and use the 18mm BB for the outer, that would be a compromise that I could make as I can get the local builders merchant to deliver that quickly.


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## Farmer Giles (19 Apr 2017)

The formica turned up late today so I stuck it on. I used tips from this forum to lay it and everything went smoothly, well except for one small thing.

I laid it on battens after making sure the glue was well and truly dry, however one of the battens must have had a small of dirt or a splinter, tiny it but shows up through the formica like a pea under a princesses mattress. Unfortunately it doesn't look like it will be in the path of one of the mitre, T tracks or router plate however I'll think of something, I will either drill a hole where it is and make a feature of it, or drill it carefully with a sharp forstner bit and make a patch. Something will spring to mind.


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## Farmer Giles (19 Apr 2017)

I have a solution and it's simple. I bought two identical bits of buffalo board and I also bought an 8 x 4 sheet of formica. The intention was to make a drill table which will be much smaller so I can hide the defect by using tonight's lamination for that one.

So tomorrow I will laminate the other board but instead of being lazy and using the oak I cut into 20mm strips fo edging, I'll dig out some softwood battens and make sure they are clean.
The oak strips had the odd bit of tearout from the PT and I think I must have dislodged a splinter when I pulled the batten out.


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## Farmer Giles (21 Apr 2017)

First half of today was a mixture of sticking the formica to the other buffalo board and dad's taxi. The top is now laminated without any foreign bodies or mother-in-laws underneath the formica.






I resisted the urge to route the plate hole in the top etc. and carried on with the carcass. First the base. I wanted to put these leveling casters on the base, the concrete in the workshop isn't too bad but you can still get a bit of a rock. I haven't tried this type before. They come with 30mm long M10 grubs screws and nuts, these weren't long enough as I wanted to reinforce the base with an extra layer of ply where the casters mount so I used so countesunk A2 SS M10 bolts I had from a previous job. These needed about 20mm cut-off with the slitting saw and a quick dab with the flap disk to clear the threads.






I then glued and nailed some reinforcement to the bottom, I also dominoed a strip of oak to the front edge. As I was hoping not to see the underneath of the base for a good while, I gave it a quick sand and a coat of Bona Mega that I had left over from a flooring job in the house, I think its similar to Dulux Diamond?, basically a water based floor sealer.






I countersunk the large heads with a cobalt zero flute countersink that I usually use for steel, I could have done with a drill press for both the hole and the countersink but managed to do it OK, my freehand drilling is not too straight. I do have a milling/press but its covered in oil. I also have a couple of radial arm drills in various stages of repair or assembly but neither could help me today.






Then bolted the feet on, they have an unfeasibly large skinny nut under the wheel, even my collection of old spanners wouldn't touch it, closest I got was a flat 1" whitworth but that wasn't big enough. Fortunately only one wheel spun while tightening them up and I held the nut by wedging a screwdriver against it.






I then cut a few more panels, I was hoping to cut them all then assemble but I have made the design quite complex so will cut a few, dry fit, cut a few more. I'm really impressed with the Maffel Jigsaw, it works lovelly with the Bosch rail system, no wander or bent blades and leaves such a nice finish that I no longer add a millimetre for fettling, just take it to the measurement and go. My Bosch and Metabo jigsaws are heading for pastures new.






Next window of opportunity seems to be Saturday, I hope to at least get some of it assembled.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (21 Apr 2017)

I'm not familiar with the fence youre going to use, does it need that much space behind the router?

Your comments on the jigsaw and rail have got me interested. I have a makita jigsaw and I hate having to use it. it will NOT cut a straight line and even a brand new blade will bend and wander within two foot of cutting.
I've got a circular saw and rail system at the top of my wish list, hadnt thought of using the jig saw with the rail.
More details on that please.


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## Farmer Giles (21 Apr 2017)

sunnybob":2oei9d7g said:


> I'm not familiar with the fence youre going to use, does it need that much space behind the router?



It does have a micro adjuster behind it however it doesn't need quite as much space as this, the table size was governed by the size of the buffalo boards I acquired, the need for more storage for woodworking tools, the ability to store the fence underneath when not in use and I am going to mount my axminster radial arm drill on the far end temporarily until I have rejuvenated my Meddings A10 monster.



sunnybob":2oei9d7g said:


> Your comments on the jigsaw and rail have got me interested. I have a makita jigsaw and I hate having to use it. it will NOT cut a straight line and even a brand new blade will bend and wander within two foot of cutting.
> I've got a circular saw and rail system at the top of my wish list, hadn't thought of using the jig saw with the rail.
> More details on that please.



I my experience, all conventional jigsaws suffer from the same design flaws so no matter if you have Bosch, Metabo, Makita, DeWalt and probably even Festool, they will not cut a straight line, work on a rail system or cut perpendicular on a curve. I have tried two of them on a set of tram lines with a vast selection of new and different blades and unless you are cutting 1mm per hour they just wander and bend.

I do have a table saw and a hand circular saw but as I don't cut that many sheets, the advantage of the Mafell P1CC is that it will cut sheets accurately, cut up to a shoulder/corner, cut curves perpendicular and leaves a lovely finish. It's dear but my swear word vocabulary has contracted since buying it.

I can't explain it better than this guy's demo, a slightly annoying voice for some reason but the demo is spot on, it does exactly what it says on the tin, worth every penny, I got it from D&M tools in a package deal with all the fences/bases plus a small section of Mafell track. This is identical to Bosch track and I bought a package of 2 x 1.6m rails and joining piece from here very cheaply considering the usual price and they are still on offer


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## Farmer Giles (23 Apr 2017)

Slow but steady progress, I've cut about two thirds of the panels and started assembling some. I've used mainly dominoes with the occasional screw where I can't clamp it, or I can't insert a domino or if I think it needs a bit more strength. I'm a domino novice so I have made the usual schoolboy errors like the accidental "through mortise" when you change bit sizes and suddenly you go through the board. I'm still learning some of the quirks, using 20mm sheets would have saved me a few mistakes 






The left hand side shows part of the full length compartment under the router cupboard for the fence when not in use. Above is the router cupboard, in front of this will be 450mm deep drawers. The edge of the router plate just fouls the top of the board that forms the back of the drawer space, but only by the thickness of the board so I can get around it OK with a small cut-out.

The right hand side isn't shown much here but there's a pull out cupboard to the rear/side and 450mm deep drawers to the front.

With a bit of luck I should have the main carcass finished by next weekend.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (24 Apr 2017)

You have more patience than me, my base is a complete lash up without a single "proper" joint in it. I Disassembled a super king bed base, and used the two large drawers from it and built the cabinet around them. Works fine, looks 'orrible.
I spent all my time on the top.

That mafell is something else. i would not have believed the advert if you hadnt backed it up. But sadlly thats well above my tool allowance for the year. maybe next year.

I could have done with it though as I'm just about to start an ambitious free standing pergola with lots of cuts on timber too big to get onto my bandsaw.


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## Farmer Giles (24 Apr 2017)

I was tempted to lash something up quickly for the base too, especially once all the shiny bits arrived but as my excuse for doing this before the kitchen was that I was practicing new techniques and tools to use on the kitchen I thought I had better keep to the script. As it happens it has been extremely useful, I have made a few mistakes and now know what not to do next time.

I was a bit ambitious with the first glue up and once the clamps came off, there must have been a bit of tension in it and the top is a couple of millimetres off square from the base, or was, I have had to correct it with each addition of panels by judicious clamping and screwing. I tried to do too much with the dominoes in one go so will take it easier next time.

Here's progress so far, this evening I got the far end panel on complete with oak edging, plus the panel at the near end that forms the pull out larder style cupboard, I also fitted the runners top and bottom for this. It is also down on the ground now rather than being on the workmate, I don't think that helped with the clamping as it was overhanging quite a lot plus the next job after the remaining end panel is the top. The top will be 18mm ply, and then the buffalo board router table will sit on that so getting it nice and flat is important.






It's by no means perfect but I think it will work OK, the kreg plate levelers should arrive soon, I wish I hadn't bought them now as I had a brain wave the other night and could make my own for a few pence with some long M6 bolts, a few nyloc nuts, a few penny washers and a couple of bits of plate in about and hour.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (25 Apr 2017)

The levellers are ok to use, and they have 2 allen key micro adjusters on every side of the plate, which you adjust for absolute alignment before tightening down with the big screws. Dont lose any of the screws, they are all imperial thread.
A word of advice there, the act of tightening the big screws lowers the plate a tiny amount, so make sure you re check level after tightening.

I also laid the table onto a thick layer of sanitary ware silicone for two reasons.
1 The table sank into the silicone to make sure there was no uneven forces pushing the table out of true. I have NO screws holding the top to the bottom. I use the table a lot and have never felt any movement.
2 to make a sound deadening barrier. With a solid construction, vibration and noise echoes inside the hollow wooden box.


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## Farmer Giles (25 Apr 2017)

Thanks Bob, I'll take that into account when I fix the top, rather than fiddle about under the table I was going to fit the plate adjusters and plate before placing the routing table onto the cabinet.

No more tinkering time now until Friday evening however I did count up my available tool money last night and was deciding on a mitre fence when the dog jumped on the sofa and nudged me and I accidentally bought an Incra mitre fence, honest  That will be my last purchase apart from wood, finish and glue for quite a while.

While away from the workshop, I'm thinking of NVR switch placement. The one I have bought has a socket and plug pre-wired. Previously on tool refurbishments like my mechanical hacksaw and milling machine I have just bought the NVR switch and hard wired it but I was hoping to be able to remove the router if necessary. I still want to do this but I am having second thoughts about the NVR with the socket on the side so will buy another NVR switch that I will wire to a socket on the inside of the router cabinet and the inlet will be hard wired to the opposite corner which is the optimal placement. I also bought some 75mm heat shrink tubing for the dust extraction, I will be using a collection of plumbing fittings and flexible hose. Damn, I have just broken my no more purchases pledge - last time, honest!


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## sunnybob (25 Apr 2017)

i have no intention of removing the router from my base, so happily removed the handles and cut into the wiring to fit an NVR on the outside front of the cabinet. Its placed just below the table overhang on the right hand side, but if I really needed to turn it off fast i can nudge it with my knee.

My one concession to reversing the process was I kept the spring switch that was in the router handle. I just plastic zip strapped it closed and taped it over the side of the router.

I couldnt be fussed with taking the router in and out, and I'm a firm believer in the saying "you can never have enough routers".

I have 5 now, ranging from the big maklita in the table to couple of makita edge trimmers that I got in a second hand tool grab when a friend gave up woodworking, with a powerplus and a small bosch in between.

For future reference, dont buy a powerplus. Very unhappy with the build quality on that one. The 20 year old makitas outperform it from new.


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## AES (25 Apr 2017)

Excellent build, design, and WIP Farmer Giles. Thanks for posting

"One of these fine wet days" he sighs to himself!

AES


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## Farmer Giles (29 Apr 2017)

AES":2syks8k0 said:


> Excellent build, design, and WIP Farmer Giles. Thanks for posting
> 
> "One of these fine wet days" he sighs to himself!
> 
> AES




Thanks AES

I have completed all the static bits of the base now, just drawers and doors to make and fit, although I have installed the runners, partly because its easier before assembling the narrow bits of the cabinet, and partly to get the runners off the shop floor. I cut a few spacers to make sure everything was nice and straight.







Et voila, finished carcass. The top is very flat, I used a guide rail as a straight edge then screwed down the top using little packers if necessary. Also I bought a different NVR switch, I should be able to hit this one with my knee.






Next job is to screw down the main laminated top onto this then route the plate and T slots.

Cheers
Andy


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## TFrench (30 Apr 2017)

Looks great! I fitted a plug socket in the router compartment to plug it into, then feed it from an nvr switch outside the cabinet. Works fine, and you can always easily remove the router.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk


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## Farmer Giles (30 Apr 2017)

Thanks for the kind words, great minds think alike  I was just contemplating that last night and found a socket with a nice deep box. The plan is to cut a hole to the left of the router cab for the switch which will go directly into the back of the deep socket box. I then wire it to the rear of the cabinet where I will have a double socket for any other tools I want to use and then some storage hooks for a 4 or 5m plug lead so I can move the cabinet to the centre of the shop if I wish.

I tend to use silicon sheathed cable as it remains flexible in the cold so lies on the floor nicely rather than trip you up.

I got it sanded down last night and two coats of Bona Mega on it, denibbed in between. I may put another coat on today if the wife decides its a gardening day, I can get away with the 10 minutes that takes without being declared AWOL


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## Farmer Giles (30 Apr 2017)

I didn't have time to start routing out the top but I did get the electrics finished and screwed down the top.

I put the NVR to the left of the fence as it is next to the router cabinet, the NVR doesn't come with a back box, so I cut a square hole in the ply and screwed the NVR to the panel with the gubbins poking out into the router cabinet. On the inside I fitted a single socket back box with most of the back cut away to accept the back of the NVR. I then crimped some lucar spade connectors onto some 2.5mm sq braided wire and and wired 2 connectors to the socket and two more back towards the power inlet, in this case is a double socket on the back of the router cabinet. This is the NVR switch and socket back to back, the cable to the top is the inlet cable.






I p-clipped the cable inside the cabinet to stop it flapping about then pushed the cable through the cabinet and through the back of a double socket. I fitted a cable gland on the bottom of the socket and 4m of flex I had knocking about, I will replace this with something softer but it will do for now. I then fitted a couple of sash window opening handles I had in my odds and sods box to keep the cable tidy. The plug is in the socket merely for neatness while not in use  So the single socket on the inside is switched via the VNR, the double socket on the back isn't but is more likely to be used for a light and temporarily by my Axi radial arm drill.






Once that was complete I centred the top and fixed it by screwing from underneath.

Next job is definitely routing out the T-slots and plate.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (30 Apr 2017)

Andy... confused.
That looks like the NVR is on the back of the cabinet?


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## Farmer Giles (30 Apr 2017)

It is at the back if you consider the front to be where the drawers are. But the plate and fence is on the left hand end of the table, so as your using it then the NVR is on your left. I wanted to stick it on the right but that would interfere with the drawer space. Once I start using it, if I find its ergonomically wrong then I will move it, even if it means making a false drawer.

This plan view will show what I mean






I also discovered a small cock-up when screwing the top down. The slot in the internal divider that I cut to let me get to all the plate's extremities from inside is exactly 50mm closer to the centre of the table than I planned. This is due to me measuring from the edge of the cabinet, not the table top which has 50mm overhang. Instead of butchering the cabinet I am going to move the plate 50mm, ergonomically it doesn't seem to make any difference, the new plan shows the plate 450 not 400mm from the left hand edge.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (30 Apr 2017)

Ah, I think I've got it now.

I had assumed the plate would be rotated 90 degrees from what your drawing shows. I presume the huge area behind the plate is to accommodate the incra fence?


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## Farmer Giles (30 Apr 2017)

Some of the space is needed by the fence, but the rest is because its a big table and if I moved the plate too far to the middle I would be leaning over a long way. I can take the fence off and use it as worktable and temporarily I will have a Axi radial arm drill mounted on it.

However, I thought of another way to make best use of the space, I'm not fully decided yet. The T track I have is quite long. So I could extend the T track almost all the way to the mitre track which means I could possibly turn the fence around and use it for big panels etc. from the other side.


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## Farmer Giles (1 May 2017)

So today I was going to jump in and route all the tracks and plate holes starting with the mitre track. I was following the table that "stuffimade" created here and on youtube where he used the mitre/T track to hold down the MDF router template. Not essential but a good idea.

However I have cause for thought so may leave the mitre track to last as I am not convinced of the ideal placement. So far I have placed it half way between the centre of the router plate and the edge of the table, so not very scientific. It is currently 225mm from the edge and 225mm from the router bit.

I bought two different commercial feather-boards, for attaching to fence for downward pressure or in the mitre/T track for horizontal pressure. I can make my own but thought I would consider the placement of the mitre/T track with these first. This shows the orange Bench Dog feather-board that sits in the mitre track next to the red Wood Pecker hat fits in the T track. As you can see, with my current placement they are way back from the router bit so for thin stock you would need a packer, or a DIY feather board.






Then I checked out the mitre I have. It's an Incra that I bought after one or two more beers than I should have  It was a bit more than I wanted to pay but thought I could use it on several machines so buy well buy once. Looking at it as it moves from right to left, assuming you are pushing the work, there is plenty of adjustment as you can see here.






However when moving it from left to right there is a bolt that locks the fence extension that gets in the way so the mitre has a minimum distance from the router bit. At least if you don't replace the mitre fence with a bit of ply and t-track or similar. I have marked the bolt.






This bolt locks the extending fence like this






So I have a mitre fence that ideally wants the mitre track a little further from the router bit and feather-boards that ideally want it a bit closer. I can pack thin stock and leave the mitre slot where it is intended or move it closer so I can use the feather-boards directly on the stock then replace the fence on the mitre if used in the left to right direction. Decisions decisions!. I could always add another mitre slot too.

Here's the two side by side for comparison with the mitre fence moved just a bit closer to the router.











Thoughts welcome, however I will route the T slots for the router fence and the plate hole first while I contemplate..........

I am going out with the family today so may choose another workshop job instead and do this on Wednesday when I have a whole workshop day - yippee!

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (1 May 2017)

DO NOT ROUT LEFT TO RIGHT!

Anything fed from the left will go shooting out the end like a bullet from a gun.

Its even worse than feeding between the bit and the fence.


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## Farmer Giles (1 May 2017)

I understand that Bob, probably a stupid statement of mine suggesting that we should however I was thinking out loud and just thinking about mitre fence placement. The bit I didn't mention was that I didn't think it was important to have the mitre fence that way round, I guess you could clamp something to it and drag it but I can't think of a situation off hand. I think the feather boards are going to get more action than the mitre fence and I can see scenarios when you want to route fine bits of trim so I think I shall move the mitre rail closer to the router.


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## sunnybob (1 May 2017)

Feeding from the left is REALLY bad news, dont ever try it even for fun (wish someone had told ME that).

I still havent got or used a feather board.
I keep looking, but I never make more than one or two pieces the same at any one time so set up time is longer than cutting time.

If youre going to make long mouldings then i think they are necessary. I even made a couple for the router table I made for my local woodyard as they make their own 3 metre mouldings by the dozens. They were amazed, featherboards are not well known in Cyprus!

i've just built a pergola (gazebo?) which involved routing roundover edges on several 100 foot of timber, but for that I found it easier to use an edge trimmer with a 1/2" roundover bit, clamping the beams to the router table because my table does not move out from its niche. (how ironic is that?).


When I'm getting close to the bit, I treated my self to a micro jig gripper. Lovely tool.


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## Farmer Giles (1 May 2017)

sunnybob":38a8ixo4 said:


> When I'm getting close to the bit, I treated my self to a micro jig gripper. Lovely tool.



You would go and show me more tools wouldn't you - I must resist! 

However that looks good for the table saw too :roll:


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## sunnybob (1 May 2017)

I dont have a table saw, just not enough room, but yes, the gripper would be even better on a table saw than it is on a router table.
Push sticks just arent the same once youve used one.


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## Farmer Giles (1 May 2017)

The family outing to Hebden Bridge finished early so I cracked on with routing the top.

I decided to move the mitre fence a bit closer to the router plate, so got out the trusty bosch rails and router guide rail adapter that I modified for my DW 625 router. I spent an hour setting it up, checking the dimensions, having a cup of tea, then checking again before setting to it. I clamped some timber at each, partially for stopping tear out, but mainly so that before I push the router across the table I can plunge into the timber at each end and check depth and width.






The Bosch adaptor has about 25mm of lateral movement that you can use via a dial, however the slot was over 60mm wide and the bit was 20mm so I had to move the guide rail, again the sacrificial timber came in handy as I after I had measured it, as a second check I could plunge at both end to check that the rail was parallel with the first cut. It came out spot on 






Next up the router plate, however my 1/4" bolts that I bought to hold down the mitre/t-track are now too short since adding the 18mm ply under the original 22mm so may wait until I have those before tackling the plate, I shall see how it goes.

Cheers
Andy


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## Farmer Giles (2 May 2017)

One step forward, two steps back!

I got up early this morning intending to set up the plate for cutting. I should have left it there and cut later. Here's the set up, the template is bolted to the t -track which helped to position it. I measured it, went away and had a brew and measured it again.






I then decided I had enough time to route the plate out, bad idea!. I had already mentally noted that I should screw a piece of MDF into the centre of the template to stop router tip. I forgot, and this is the result. The router tipped and cut into the template and the top.  






At first I cursed ever so slightly for being so stupid but soon got back into "OK you have made a screw up, how are you going to fix it" mode. The solution is I move the centre line a few mm to the right, the T track for the fence also move too. In terms of repairing the template, a bit of car body filler is on the go now.

Lesson learned, don't dive in, think it through, then have a brew and make sure you have it all covered. Working today so it will be tomorrow before I have a chance to hack it to bits again :roll: 

Regards
Andy


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## Farmer Giles (2 May 2017)

Well, I got 30 minutes at lunch time so set to. I sanded the body filler and set it down on the table and lined it up. Then I put a bit of MDF in the centre to stop router tip. If your careful you don't need it but this stops the possibility. The template has moved 2mm up and 6mm to the right to cover up all traces of the screw up. I moved the centre line 6mm too so the T-Tracks that the fence uses will be centred.






Routing it out to the full depth of plunge. The first cut was the deepest (baby I know!) due to the MDF template being thin so I had to plunge sufficiently to get the bearing guide on it. After that I cut about 3 or 4mm at a time. I made a safe haven in one corner where I could park the router when the bit is slowing down and when you do the initial plunge as it can kick a bit being a 20mm wide bit.






Once I reached full plunge depth I removed the template and used the edge of the hole as the guide






Eventually the 22mm laminated top was removed but the 18mm ply underneath remained so I cut a bit off the edges of the waste bit on the bandsaw to create space for chips to get away then screwed it to the centre to stop the router from tipping.






And a few minutes later the hole was through. If I'm lucky I may get he Kreg plate levellers fitted this evening






Cheers
Andy


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## Farmer Giles (2 May 2017)

Just got the insert plate fitted, the digital depth/wheel marking gauge on offer at Rutland's is your friend here, dead easy to set the depth of each of the 8 adjustable screws to the same depth. I also used it when routing out the mitre fence to depth. I bought in a set of 3 digital tools, I haven't tried the others yet but this one is worth the cost on its own.






Now beginning to mark out the router fence T-tracks. No, they won't be that long. These picture make the table look longer than it is, when viewing from the side it looks more sensible I show a shot of that later.

Cheers
Andy


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## ColeyS1 (2 May 2017)

That's gonna be one professional router table when it's finished !
Coley


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## sunnybob (2 May 2017)

Andy, you did that the hard way. the kreg instructions tell you to cut out the corners with a forstner bit and then hog out the inner with a jigsaw, so the router bit only has half the diameter to cut.

You have a BLACK plate? never seen a black kreg plate before. I shall have to research that. 

Good recovery on the slip. Lots of satisfaction when a plan comes together.


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## Farmer Giles (2 May 2017)

Thanks Bob. I did read the instructions on line before buying the plate and decided I wanted to route it out as a slip with a forstner bit is possible as I couldn't get the table under a drill press, too deep. It didn't take long, but a lot of sawdust, the extraction on the DW isn't that good. I know the trick where you clamp scrap on two side of the forstner but I have still had inaccurate cuts with that if doing it by hand. The routing method is infallible, well nearly :lol: 

Last update before beer O'clock. I have set it up to router the fence t-slots in the morning. The pipe clamps hold on some scrap at the far end so I can measure the cut before applying it to the top and stop break out. The two bits of wood clamped to the t-slots stop the router going any further than the centre line that goes through the router bit in the table. I have set it up identically both sides so I can route one slot, then the other before making adjustments for the next cut. So they will both be identically right or identically wrong 

I shall double check all the measurements and set the end stops in the morning.







Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (2 May 2017)

The UJK mitre track I used has angled sides. According to the adverts it makes for a stronger bond to the table.
According to me it was a bluudee nuisance having to make two passes with a dovetail cutter to get the exact spacing for the rail to slide into.

I surprised myself by achieving a good fit. hope yours goes as well.

Apparently all kreg plates are now black, rather than the previous blue.


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## Farmer Giles (2 May 2017)

Blue would have looked better with the light blue top but I'm not really bothered.

Dovetailed slots sounds hard to get right but I can see it will be strong. This double T-Track has a 1/4" T slot on the underside, you bolt through the table with 1/4" UNC bolts and then slide the track onto them so probably stronger than just screws. The fine adjustment on the Bosch rail adapter helps get a tight fit horizontally and the depth gauge helps on the vertical so unless I have a brain-fart I should be OK.

I want to get the last bit of routing completed early tomorrow so I can do a bit of painting on my sharpening trolley once the dust has settled. One that is complete I intend to give the whole workshop a spring clean, its a right tip.


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## Farmer Giles (3 May 2017)

I completed the routing of the top today, I'm awaiting the arrival of some longer 1/4" UNC bolts top hold the T-track down but I'm going away tomorrow on my nephew's stag do to Budapest so it will have to wait until I get back.






I haven't trimmed the track to size as I'm still toying with putting an oak edge around it. I probably won't but it can wait.






Cheers
Anyd


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## sunnybob (3 May 2017)

I put a cherry wood edging to mine, then found I couldnt brush out the tracks so had to cut through the cherry in situ.
Having the track blocked also severely limited the mitre fence movement. So cut the slots, take the track to very edge of the table, and be damned.


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## Farmer Giles (3 May 2017)

I'm pretty sure that I won't bother with any edging, the formica on plywood look OK to me and functional but I will leave until I get the bolts just in case I change my mind.

The end of the slots near the plate was something to ponder, some cut out a semicircle with a forstner bit or a router, I wanted the fit to be flush so this is what I did.

After routing out the T-Track I ended up with this






So I got out the Trend T5 and put a small straight bit in it, then used a trend jig so that in theory I couldn't screw up and cut into the top and it supports the router on all sides so no tip possible.






I did have an issue with the bit moving, I thought it was the Trend plunge lock mechanism but it turned out that I hadn't tightened the bit quite enough. Soon sorted though.

This is the fit before I put a small radius on the T-track corners with the disk sander






It's now nice and snug, camera battery died so you will have to believe me 

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (4 May 2017)

Dam that trend jig looks like it cost more than my gripper.

me, I just squared the ends with a hammer and chisel. very low tech i know.
So the next question is what is going to be your first project on it? And will there be an opening ceremony with a red ribbon and cakes all round? (you can post me my piece if you want)


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## Farmer Giles (4 May 2017)

Probably the top of the bookcase I have to finish. Now on the stag do and have to concentrate on which hand my drink is in, how far from the table edge it is and all that malarkey


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## Farmer Giles (8 May 2017)

I managed to get the T-Track bolted down and the fence installed. Here's a few view's showing the micro-adjuster etc.
















I then installed the router and tried out trimming up a piece of ply I had laminated with some spare formica. It worked a treat. I have decided not to mount the radial arm drill on the rear temporarily, I have an old workmate that I will bolt that too and will add some weights to the bottom of the workmate to keep it stable.

Next job is the extraction, I just used a hose from the vacuum pushed directly onto the router for the test but getting the right size connectors when running from the main workshop vacuum can be a right pain and I need some more hose too. I think the shrink wrap will come in handy here  I found a hose that fits the fence nicely into 64mm Brett Martin waste/rainwater pipe fittings so will get a 64mm tee, one side for the fence then reduce the other branch for the router.

The same 64mm pipe also fits nicely over the fan on the end of the Triton router without interfering with the speed control knob so may use it supply fresh air to the motor from outside the cabinet, I just have to work out a way of connecting the 64mm elbow I have to the router. There are a couple of screws so I may fab a quick bracket up.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (8 May 2017)

Avoid T pieces like the plague. you lose a huge amount of suction with them. Elbows arent quite so bad but again, if you can use 2 x 45 degree thats better than 1 x 90 even allowing for the extra friction every joint gives.
keep flexible hoses to the minimum too, every ridge creates friction and reduces flow.

Search around for a Y joint. If all else fails its not impossible to make one.
i had to make a Y joint in my axminster 63 mm clear plastic. Bulky, but much better flow.

If youre going to run the extract from under the router, you could use one of these;
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-du ... 0mm-502568
the 4" flange to the router box, the 63 mm end to the fence.
Then one of these ;
http://www.axminster.co.uk/100mm-to-63m ... kit-410071 to take the 4" back down to 63 mm for your system.

I do like that blue, very hospital waiting room relaxing.


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## Farmer Giles (8 May 2017)

Good call Bob, I did nearly order that flange a while ago, however the pipe to the the router is 32mm ID, 40mm OD so was looking at another way. However, I already have the 100mm - 63mm reducer and I forgot I had a smooth flexible reducer from 63mm in 36mm. I found the perfect pipe for the fence in my vast box of vacuum tubes, flanges and reducers so just need a short length 32mm pipe and that 100m flange. The 32mm pipe I have ordered is food grade and therefore smooth on the inside. 

I do hate shopping for pipes and reducers as the web sites rarely quote ID and OD, just a size. It is usually ID with pipe but you never know for sure until its delivered, especially with reducers.


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## sunnybob (8 May 2017)

Yup, hoses and adaptors are all rubbish sizes. I have a box of bits that I have to raid as my system grows.
i started with 4" mild steel, but then couldnt get blast gates for it, so all thats in the storage area, waiting to be repurposed.
I now have the axminster 63 mm tube with plastic gates for each machine, running through a home made cyclone (ya gotta love those traffic cones), into a sip collector inside a sound deadening cabinet and it all works pretty well.


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## AES (8 May 2017)

Farmer Giles, I agree with sunnybob, that "Routing Instrument" (it's NOT just a "Router Table" surely?) really does look the dog's doo-dahs. Glad I book marked this thread, thanks for posting.

FWIW, I also agree with sunnybob when he says, QUOTE: Yup, hoses and adaptors are all rubbish sizes. I have a box of bits that I have to raid as my system grows. UNQUOTE: Absolutely correct. WHY can't manufacturers settle on standard sizes? And WHY can't they decide to quote ALL the dimensions properly (e.g. ID, OD, and/or wall thickness, etc). I too have a load of what amounts to junky offcuts of various bits of plastic and ali rainwater, dirty water, and general plumbing piping & bits and bobs, and have even used my scroll saw + hole saws to make up my own adaptors. You can usually rig up what you want, but my goodness it WASTES so much time fiddling about!

OK, rant over - but warning, the next time I see any vacuum cleaner or tool advertised as having "standard size vacuum/extraction outlet" (or similar), I shall start off again (wish there was a little "manufacturer's symbol" to place exactly underneath the "standard" hammer symbol here!

AES


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## Farmer Giles (8 May 2017)

Thanks AES 

The number of times I have waited in anticipation for an adapter to fit a specific tool only to find its the same size and I then need a sleeve, or it is just too big is annoyingly too many. I have a plan to sort this out, I shall reveal all once I get the router table, bookcase and some other projects finished. The plan will probably fall on it's bum at the first hurdle but I am going to try and get all my small tools such as sanders and the domino etc. to use the same extraction system without hoses falling off every few minutes. It involves some really nice waste gates I got from a friend, lots of swear words and some heat shrink 

Cheers
Andy


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## AES (8 May 2017)

Look forward to seeing the details, thanks.

AES


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## TFrench (9 May 2017)

Eric the viking posted about some plugs recently that are similar to the festool plugit system. I'm very tempted to start converting my stuff to use that and have a lead permanently attached to the workshop hoover, with a braided sleeve over the hose so it doesn't snag, like this: 
https://goo.gl/images/o7IqEV
It'll also make me use the extraction more if its all set up to use it.


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## Farmer Giles (9 May 2017)

At the moment I have all my static big stuff like table saw, band saw and soon belt sander and router table connected to a Numatic twin 1200W motor vacuum via 4" plastic pipe and waste gates almost down the full length of the workshop. I use a remote control socket to turn it on and off. I have an older Dewalt PT that has no inherent chip collection that I need to sort out by making some containment. I don't use a cyclone at the moment, but that can come later.

For the small mobile tools such as domino and sanders I have a motley collection of pipes and adapters to a smaller numatic shop vac on wheels. I tend to use an Axminster air fed cap when using most power tools, partly for eye protection but mainly for the additional health benefits dust wise, the pipes often get disconnected. However I don't want the shop covered in dust and even if I do continue to use the cap, lower background dust levels would be better for the shop, and for finishing etc.

So my plan is to put the big extractor in the barn under the workshop, possibly with a cyclone so any fine dust in the exhaust is blown away and plumb the 4" to some nice spring loaded waste gates I have. Then make/acquire some proper adapters for each tool. I may place these waste gates high up so the pipe isn't draped from the floor over the work. The waste gates are 50mm ID with an adapter to 38mm and I have a few of them.

I do like the festool power take off and vacuum approach though and if my initial approach doesn't work I may find myself buying into that system for small power tools but I would rather have a central vacuum not a shop vac, the Henry can go downstairs if this works. I shall let you know how it goes once the pipe and stuff I have just ordered arrives. I could put a socket next to each small waste gate and imitate that system, I shall see how it evolves.


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## Farmer Giles (12 May 2017)

I have the extraction finished, firstly, a bit of a cock-up on my part  I ordered said 100mm flange from Axminster, it arrived then whilst rummaging through my box of 100mm fittings I found I already had one, and three reducers.






The reducers don't fit on the flange, they are the same size, I could have made the reducer fit in a snug hole in the 18mm ply or use a short length of rigid pipe however as it only reduces it to 50mm OD and the router extraction hole is 38mm ID then it was a bit pointless if I had a better way, and I do 

Many moons ago when I we bought the knackered farmhouse up in the Pennines, I went to an ideal homes show and the wife and I fancied a central vacuum system, Given we were gutting the building completely we could put one in. We never did but I did get a few freebies at the show, 3 vacuum outlets.






By using a 32 to 35mm reducer the reducer fits inside the 38mm pipe nicely, and the reducer fits the vacuum outlet. I installed this in the back of the table. OK the pipe has corrugations on the inside, however the food grade smooth stuff I bought has larger wall thickness and won't fit the router outlet. Also I'm reducing the pipe size a tad to use the outlet. So be it, beggars can't be choosers when the whole extraction sizing exercise is complete nightmare. Here it is in situ, nice and neat and doesn't want to fall apart when you move the router up and down.






I then attached the flange over the pipe on the back of the table, hooked it up to a 100mm blast gate and gave it a go.






I routed the edge of a bit of spare ply for a couple of minutes and there was no build up of sawdust at all on or around the fence and their was a very light dusting inside the cab. I could have probably used a smaller plate insert and minimised this but it will do for now. Next job is some fresh air to the router fan.

Cheers
Andy


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## Farmer Giles (12 May 2017)

I have an idea that might work for the fresh air, maybe buying the flange wasn't a mistake after all  I'm thinking of using the flange on the inside of the cabinet, cutting a 100m hole to the outside world and blocking off the tee, then attach some flexible 100mm hose to the flange and I think it will fit over the router motor too. I don't think I will change the motor speed often however I think I may be able to cut a small section out of the hose between the wire spirals so this is still available. I will need a couple large jubilee clips. The pipe should be flexible enough to move with the router, I have some slightly lighter weight pipe than shown below. This is just a quick mock-up, the pipe would be higher up at the side a wee bit to allow the router to move.






I shall ponder for a while. I may need a cowl on the hole on the outside of the cabinet to minimise any sawdust being sucked up if it falls off the table. Their shouldn't be much given the previous trial but with other cutters it may be different.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (12 May 2017)

I like the router seperate air supply. good stuff.


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## Farmer Giles (12 May 2017)

Thanks Bob

Now completed, I used an aerosol can top to seal off the unwanted tee, just need to tidy up the cable without making into a coil there are some bolts hanging down from the top so will cable tie them to that.







Next onto the drawers and cupboards.

Cheers
Andy


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## cammy9r (14 May 2017)

Hi, I did the same with my router with regards to the separate air flow. I don't have the same router as you but I cut out a small section to access the speed control and sealed the pipe with tape. On the outside I fitted a bathroom extractor exit vent with fine mesh sandwiched in to stop larger dust chunks getting drawn in to the router. It works well enough but does seem to pressurise the box part slightly, maybe my router design, causing air to be forced out of the router bit area. With dust extraction at the fence it does not seem to be a problem so far.


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## Farmer Giles (14 May 2017)

cammy9r":35bpj3zd said:


> Hi, I did the same with my router with regards to the separate air flow. I don't have the same router as you but I cut out a small section to access the speed control and sealed the pipe with tape. On the outside I fitted a bathroom extractor exit vent with fine mesh sandwiched in to stop larger dust chunks getting drawn in to the router. It works well enough but does seem to pressurise the box part slightly, maybe my router design, causing air to be forced out of the router bit area. With dust extraction at the fence it does not seem to be a problem so far.



Thanks Cammy, I haven't got a door on it yet so I don't know if it will pressurise the box or not yet, as you say, with extraction I'm not sure it matters. I shall find a suitable vent cover on the shelves soon, I think I have one from the Toylander I made a couple of years ago as I had to put vents in to the electric motors.

I'm just making the drawers. Not sure whether to make the draw boxes then add fronts to the box or make the fronts integral. Separate makes it easier to line up so that may be the way to go. Cup of tea and head scratch time, I'm a drawer novice.


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## John. B (15 May 2017)

Hello Farmer Giles, 
I hope you do not mind me joining your post at this late stage in router table build. I made myself a Router table/cabinet 3 or 4 years ago so I thought as you had yet to do your drawers I thought I'd show how I did mine.
They are Baltic ply screwed and glued to 1/4" MDF sheet that fit in a groove made by attaching MDF sheet to side walls of the drawer case either side of the router.













If you put a couple coats of sanding sealer on the MDF (It makes it much smoother) the drawers slide in and out without any problem.
John. B

BTW My normal thing is turning so I rarely look at other sections than the 'Lathe' section


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## Farmer Giles (15 May 2017)

Hi John, the more the merrier 

I like that a lot, I've already screwed sliders onto all the sides where I'm having drawers but it's made me think that I may not need to make drawer boxes where stuff is located in holes like router bits. So I could do something similar for some of them, just screw the sliders to a ply board not a box.

I had a go at my first drawer box yesterday, using dominos and dadoes, worked OK, but I'm calling it a prototype as I got the dimensions wrong, it was exactly 100mm too shallow  That's what happens when you rush, get interrupted and don't measure twice.

Ideally I should be using 12mm ply so I will get some. Plus I have nearly run out of 6mm ply.

Cheers
Andy


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## Farmer Giles (29 May 2017)

I'm still working on it, pretty boring stuff as I had 13 draw boxes to make. All dominoed ply with dadoes for the base. The last ones are clamped up now so I can start on the drawer fronts. I bought some iron on veneer so will start on them soon.


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## Farmer Giles (31 May 2017)

I ended up making all 13 drawboxes, however one or two were a bit tight, I cut all the ply with stops on so they were identical in dimension, it was just that the divider on the narrow drawers was 1mm off centre. Next time I will leave more tolerance on the draw boxes. This meant that I had to shave a bit off the drawers. Just over 1mm was needed so I took just over half a mill of each side with the rabett plane I was given a few weeks ago.






Nice shavings 






I then spotted two issues, first I put the small drawers in slightly out of square. I used spacers to do it so at first I was scratching my head until I looked at the spacers. They were supposed to be the same but for some reason one as been sanded down. I use the plastic spacers you can buy from screwfix in 1, 3, 5, 8 and 10mm etc. I will sort this tomorrow, should only take a few moments. It didn't explain the reason the drawers were tight as they were tried before using the spacers. I seem to be making a bit of a meal of this!

The next issue was that the drawer spacing on each side would have been different as there is a horizontal divider on the right, but not the left as on the right there are different drawer widths and the vertical divider has to rest on something.






So I decided to put in a divider on the left to even it up. As the cabinet was built I couldn't use dominoes, biscuits etc. so blew the dust off a cheap pocket hole jig I bought many years ago but have never used. It was a bit wobbly using the built in clamp alone so I added a couple of additional clamps. The machining of the jig was a bit wonky and as long as sawdust there was a fair bit of alloy to begin with but did the job.






So now installed so the height of the drawer fronts on either side can be the same.






I'm now cutting the veneer and ply for the drawer fronts.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (1 Jun 2017)

You passed my attention to detail level about 1 hour into this build. Well done for seeing the job done properly regardless of cost or time.

I think youre going to have to put this cabinet on your house contents insurance as a "valuable item" , and decide who youre going to leave it to in your will. (VBG)


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## Farmer Giles (1 Jun 2017)

sunnybob":3py39ehd said:


> You passed my attention to detail level about 1 hour into this build. Well done for seeing the job done properly regardless of cost or time.
> 
> I think youre going to have to put this cabinet on your house contents insurance as a "valuable item" , and decide who youre going to leave it to in your will. (VBG)



Thanks Bob  I haven't done any woodwork for a while so I thought it would be good practice to do a workshop job before I attacked the kitchen that SWMBO is desperate for me to start. I have learned a lot, not only about making cabinets with dominoes and with sliders etc. but where my weaknesses are and where I make most cock-ups so its been very useful, but probably overkill.

I have a cunning plan for the kitchen unit bases, lets just say I hate plastic kitchen cabinet feet with a vengeance but appreciate the height adjustment they allow. I have an alternative, it won't suit some but for me it is perfect. That will be in a different WIP, I have to complete the bedroom extension first which we will start as soon as the wagtails have finished nesting in the stone I intend to use for the walls


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## sunnybob (1 Jun 2017)

Dont talk to me about birds. we are plagued with sparrows, hundreds of them flying around the trees and nesting any where they can.
I had to chop down a 16 ft yucca tree with three full height branches a couple months ago. When I got the high branches down there was a 10 storey block of nests in there, and because of the climate they breed twice a year.
And we get the swallow type birds as well (dont know enough to be more technical) and I have to fight them off daily when it comes to nesting because I work with my garage door open and they fly in trying to nest in the corners. I have stood in the doorway flapping my arms and they just fly around me (and I'm just over 6 ft tall, in a 6 ft 6" doorway!). i often have to just close the door and walk away untill they can find another spot.


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## Farmer Giles (1 Jun 2017)

I get house martins trying to nest in the barn if I'm working in spring with the door open, very annoying!

First two drawer fronts veneered. You can just see the washers I'm using as spacers at the bottom, they are about 2.5mm thick, I though a decent bit of clearance is needed as the cabinet is mobile and the workshop floor isn't completely even so there could be a little bit of twist going on until I adjust the feet after moving it. i shall do the same at the sides and the drawer above. I haven't decided how to finish the veneer yet. I may veneer a couple of small bits of ply and experiment.






Cheers
Andy


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## TFrench (1 Jun 2017)

spacing and fitting the drawers was the most frustrating part of my table build. I cheated and fitted a face to the front of the drawer though to hide all my cock ups! :lol:


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## Farmer Giles (2 Jun 2017)

Same here! they can hide a multitude of sins. With complex cabinet shapes like this, keeping everything square is difficult, especially if your over ambitious with the scale of the glue-up. After this kitchen cabinets will be a doddle  

As the missus was out I took all the drawer fronts into the house and veneered them using the iron this evening and for once the kids stayed asleep. I took care to put paper over the veneer before using the Tefal, we are going to a wedding soon and if there was a trace of glue on the iron that then transferred to the wife's or kids outfits then I would forfeit any brownie points I may have accumulated in the past or for the foreseeable future.

I used a swann morton 10A scalpel blade to cut the veneer, much sharper than a stanley type blade in my opinion. First time I have use a scalpel, not as sturdy as a stanley blade buts so sharp and very cheap.

The veneer is dark american walnut, I'm going to test the water based polyurethane and polyxy oil as finishes as I haven't time to make and test my own yet. But I have some spare veneer so will test other finishes at some point.


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## n0legs (2 Jun 2017)

This is going great FG =D> 
Watching with interest, mine needs a serious update and improvement. I'll be borrowing some ideas :wink:


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## sunnybob (2 Jun 2017)

As long as you dont hide this one in a cupboard when its finished!


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## AES (2 Jun 2017)

Looks really VERY good FG, well done.

IMO, your work definitely qualifies as inspirational, along with a few other members on here - you all inspire me anyway.

=D> 

BTW, +1 for the Swann Morton scalpel + the various different blade shapes. Packets of 5 blades are quite cheap, but if you didn't know, they respond very well to a VERY light touch on a fine oil stone (I use paraffin). I've used them a lot for aeromodelling - excellent on balsa, which generally, being soft and light, is very difficult to get a clean cut on unless the blade is VERY sharp. But as you say, NOT for heavy cutting. 

AES


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## Farmer Giles (4 Jun 2017)

Cheers guys! thanks for kind comments.  I copied a lot from "Stuff I Made" who is a member on here, he has a good youtube channel so can't take all the credit for the ideas. I do like how people take ideas from others and develop them.

I've just got back from my nephew's wedding and fortunately no glue from veneering transferred from the iron to SWBOs wedding outfit but I'm still in the dog house a bit after two nights on the lash. ccasion5: 

I veneered all the drawer fronts, just need to get them all attached, handles on and finish applied. I'm not sure I will do much today, I'm still hung over :mrgreen:


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## Farmer Giles (4 Jun 2017)

Cheers guys! thanks for kind comments.  I copied a lot from "Stuff I Made" who is a member on here, he has a good youtube channel so can't take all the credit for the ideas. I do like how people take ideas from others and develop them.

I've just got back from my nephew's wedding and fortunately no glue from veneering transferred from the iron to SWBOs wedding outfit but I'm still in the dog house a bit after two nights on the lash. ccasion5: 

I veneered all the drawer fronts, just need to get them all attached, handles on and finish applied. I'm not sure I will do much today, I'm still hung over :mrgreen:


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## sunnybob (4 Jun 2017)

If the dog house was built to the same standards as the router table, I expect theres a beer fridge and water bed in there somewhere.


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## Farmer Giles (4 Jun 2017)

I do have a home made micro-brewery in the barn if that counts


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## AES (4 Jun 2017)

Look at that pic above. He calls it a "barn"! The man's mad - completely mad I tell you  

AES


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## sunnybob (4 Jun 2017)

I dont call a ready supply of beer mad. As long as he doesnt drink before he uses that router table of course


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## Farmer Giles (4 Jun 2017)

The brewery and the brewery tap are in the downstairs barn near the BBQ. The workshop is in the upstairs barn, I don't think I have ever taken a beer in the workshop and never play in there after imbibing, too risky, I still have all my fingers and limbs and want to stay that way 

I have a healthy respect for tools, especially my big Colchester Triumph lathe, it has a 7hp motor and isn't going to stop if you get caught up in it, but even the little machines will do serious damage so I'm always careful.


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## AES (8 Jun 2017)

It occurs to me FG, when re-reading my post above about you being "mad", that I may have unwittingly offended you. If so I offer my full apology, that was NOT my intention, honestly.

I was simply referring to the fact that your "barn" looks so clean and well lit. In my (limited) experience, barns are dirty, ill-lit places full of cobwebs, dead cow pats, and various other unmentionables/unrecognisables, while yours looks like a hospital operating theatre in comparison.

Although I do not drink beer myself (not of any type) I was NOT referring to the fact that you have beer on tap in your workshop.

My apologies for any offence once more.

AES


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## Farmer Giles (8 Jun 2017)

AES":1u1rzy8c said:


> It occurs to me FG, when re-reading my post above about you being "mad", that I may have unwittingly offended you. If so I offer my full apology, that was NOT my intention, honestly.
> 
> I was simply referring to the fact that your "barn" looks so clean and well lit. In my (limited) experience, barns are dirty, ill-lit places full of cobwebs, dead cow pats, and various other unmentionables/unrecognisables, while yours looks like a hospital operating theatre in comparison.
> 
> ...



Hi AES, you certainly didn't offend me  And believe me, the workshop is not like an operating theatre, unless it is one out of MASH 

I've been fitting the drawer fronts now they are veneered, it's taking ages to try and get the gaps even, I'm putting the drawers on a shooting board after fitting the fronts to make final adjustments. Next time I will do the glue up completely differently as even if it is a tiny bit out of square it makes the draw fitting a right pain. I'm glad I did my first set of drawers for the workshop.


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## Farmer Giles (10 Jun 2017)

Drawers completed although I may add some label frames at some point otherwise I will forget what is in which drawer. The drawer gaps could be better but I've learned a lot and will get it tighter next time.







On to the router cupboard door and the pull out larder style drawer on the opposite side now.

Cheers
Andy


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## AES (10 Jun 2017)

Looks VERY good & professional, Farmer Giles. I looked at the pic in as large a format as poss, and although the gap under the top RH drawer does look a BIT bigger than all the rest, to me anyway the rest look fine - and don't forget, although you know about the gap/s (you made the error/s!) anyone else is not going to notice much, if anything at all. I wish I could do as well as that anyway.

Well done Sir. As I said before, this is not "just" a router table, it's a routing instrument!

=D> 

AES


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## sunnybob (10 Jun 2017)

NEXT TIME?
He's going to make another one?
I expect the victoria and albert have asked for a copy.


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## AES (10 Jun 2017)

Nah sunnybob. He's making 'em for sale, 50 quid each flat pack like IKEA!!!!!!!! (Yes, we have them here too). 

 

AES


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## Farmer Giles (10 Jun 2017)

only £999.99 delivery


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## AES (10 Jun 2017)

Is that All FG? "Cheap at half the price" mate.

AES


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## sunnybob (10 Jun 2017)

he did say that was just the delivery. You might want to times that by three for the total cost.


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## memzey (10 Jun 2017)

Look like an excellent job so far FG. What router are you planning to put in it?


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## sunnybob (10 Jun 2017)

What router? You dont think he's going to get that all dusty do you?


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## memzey (11 Jun 2017)

Lol! How very dare I even suggest it!


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## Farmer Giles (11 Jun 2017)

I've already used it numerous times, partially to build the drawers but also on other minor projects, it's difficult to route when its covered in cling film though 

It's a Triton TRA001, I got it because with the built in router lift it saved me quite a bit and so far I can't fault it.






I have ordered some perspex for the router door and some face frame hinges, I thought the Blum one I had could be used for both face frame and conventional kitchen doors but turns out they can't. I've cut the 9mm ply for the larder style pull out drawer for my free standing routers and now looking at construction methods, I think it will be a combination of battens and dominoes due to the thin ply.

Cheers
Andy


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## Farmer Giles (12 Jun 2017)

I managed to get the larder door assembled yesterday, just stuck a couple of coats of Bona Mega on the door and put my routers in it.

The door will go to the same colour as the rest in a day or so, it is still curing.






Here's the drawer out, I built it out of 9mm ply except for the door to save weight, its plenty strong enough and doesn't tip the table even if you lean on it.






A bit of a close-up. I need to sort out the top tray to hold the collets etc. but that can wait for another day.






Just the router door and drop down door to hold the fence when not in use to complete the WIP.

Cheers
Andy


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## n0legs (13 Jun 2017)

Fair play FG that's a cracker =D>


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## Farmer Giles (13 Jun 2017)

thanks n0legs  For once I am determined to get a project finished quickly. My Fordson Dexta renovation is now well over ten years. its still in bits and realistically a couple of years from completion.....


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## sunnybob (13 Jun 2017)

Theres a shop down the road that restores old tractors. They had a giant fordson in there last year, seat must have been 5 ft off the ground. Not one speck of paint left, tyres melted off. Was as good as new in a month. Box it all up and send it over mate. I'll oversee it for you.


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## Farmer Giles (13 Jun 2017)

A tempting offer 

it would probably take me a couple of months to find all the bits! I've just had the block bored and crank ground and the injection pump repaired, it's mainly reassembly now and a bit of paint. I made a mess of some epoxy primer so will have to give that a blast in the cabinet and start again.


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## Farmer Giles (18 Jun 2017)

I finished the table this morning, I only needed to add the doors for the fence storage and router cupboard.












I will be adding some drawer organisers but these are small tea break jobs so I consider this router table launched and all who route with her etc.

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (18 Jun 2017)

I've seen a lot worse in bespoke kitchens.
All credit too you mate.


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## Farmer Giles (18 Jun 2017)

Cheers Bob 

First biggish project I have started and finished in a reasonable time frame for a while and really enjoyed doing it, I'm going to try and do that going forward rather than have 4 half finished projects to sort out, tractor excepted, that will have to wait until after the kitchen.

The next bit of woodwork is finish of the secret drawer on the daughters shelves which means using the Leigh dovetail jig for the first time 

Cheers
Andy


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## sunnybob (19 Jun 2017)

You do realise that its no longer a secret, dont you?


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## Farmer Giles (19 Jun 2017)

I think as long as the "secret" drawer is not revealed to her younger sister she will be OK with me telling everybody else


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## Hereticuk (1 Jul 2017)

Amazing! Reading the whole post has made me very envious! Really starting to wish I had made a bigger workshop to house all the future projects. I am going to build our kitchen units, I too really do not like the horrible (expencive) plastic leg units...such a waste of space behind the kick plate...I'm planning drawers on ours! However, I still need to finish the drawings and submit to the Planners and Building Regs...then build the thing, kitchen units will be late 2018!

Inspiring work!


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## Farmer Giles (2 Jul 2017)

Thanks for the encouragement  I haven't got around to finish off the bookcase yet as the sun keeps shining so loads of outside jobs to do plus I ran out of beer so just brewed about 130 bottles of hoppy blonde beer


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## sunnybob (6 Jul 2018)

let me know when youve got some nut brown coming out.


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## Farmer Giles (6 Jul 2018)

Funny you should say that Bob, I'm just about to put an order in for a sack of pale malt for the next brew. If it will be a stout, bitter or brown ale will depend what I have left in the cupboard and from memory I do have some brown malt


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## custard (6 Jul 2018)

Farmer Giles":2jcoy6c0 said:


> I finished the table this morning



Looks absolutely superb, that should deliver a quiet shot of pride and satisfaction every time you use it.

=D>


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## Farmer Giles (6 Jul 2018)

Thanks Custard. I finished it a while ago now but still enjoy using it. A friend came around last weekend with a piece of 40mm thick oak stave worktop that came from where their sink was cut out.

He wanted it making into 4 chopping boards. He asked where he should put it so he could pick it up next week. I settled him down with a brew and by the time he had finished I had cut all four chopping boards and edged them with the router table


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