Another New Yankee Style Router Table

[The Bear]

There have been a lot of these over the years. From that I have concluded its a good pretty good design so one I'm basing my design on, though there will be subtle differences. Its being built mainly from 18mm ply, oak trim, with a laminated MDF top. It will sit on casters and the final height is going to be a smidgen under the height of my table saw, so it can be used as part of the outfield support for that.

I started with some hand drawn plans, the cabinet drawn to scale and the top as a full size drawing. One day I will learn to use sketch up.

 

[The Bear]

Parts for the cabinet cut to size and housings routed using one of then home made variable width jig jobbies

This is then the main cabinet after it has been glued and screwed together. Screw heads will be plugged later. Picture shows it on its side

Mark

 

[andersonec]

Mark,

Just a note on the laminated mdf, I tried this a couple of times and each time, no matter how much weight and clamps, it cupped, not a lot but it cupped.

What I did to overcome it in the end was to firstly make sure the tops of the uprights were absolutely true to each other then fix the first piece down onto the uprights using battens along the top edge of the uprights to screw thorugh into the mdf, once this was fixed I then glued and screwed the second piece on top, this eliminated any tendency for the mdf to warp.

Leave plenty of overhang for clamping on temporary fences and guide strips.

Andy

 

[Shultzy]

I made one like yours, and there are a few tips in the text if you want to read it.

 

[The Bear]

Thanks, I have read it a long time ago but will read again

Mark

 

[sammo]

Don't put a door on the front - I did and after a long session realised that the router was being staved of air flow (even though there was extraction trying to clear the waste!) and over heated - it's not been the same since. Since seen a number of threads about not bothering with the door.

And for a top -I used a kitchen worktop; if you keep the table relatively small you can pick up off cuts from all the main suppliers cheaply, if not free! Ikea reject isle is all ways worth a visit if you happen to be near one

Chris

 

[The Bear]

Chris as I understand it the door needs to have vents in it to allow airflow.
I have considered the kitchen worktop idea but been put off by threads where people have struggled to keep it flat. I have got the bits for the MDF top and will be going that route. Also think my top is too big for an offcut.
Cheers
Mark

 

[The Bear]

Here's the latest

The front of the base getting oak lippings

Then the small drawers that will sit either side of the router housing need some guides to act as runners and stop them tipping. I should have fitted these before I glued up the base. Instead I made it hard for myself and needed to wedge some offcuts in while the glue dried

Mark

 

[The Bear]

I've also been making the lower drawers.
All parts cut and rebates made on the table saw.

Glued and nailed

Then fitted on full extension runners from Axminster

Thats all for now

Mark

 

[The Bear]

Parts cut for the small bit drawers

Basically 3/4 inch ply with through holes for the bit shanks. 1/4 inch ply for the bottom to stop them falling through. There will be 3 drawers for 1/2 inch bits, 2 for 1/4 inch and 1 for 8mm.

 

[The Bear]

Glueing the bases up

Glueing on the fronts

 

[The Bear]

Here you can see some of the smaller drawers fitted and the large bottom drawers have had a front attached

With regard to the little bit drawers, there is space for 4 per side. There will actually be 3 per side. The top space on the right will be where the switch is and the top drawer on the left will be a proper drawer for bits and bobs. I think this is the arrangement on the New Yankee table as well. I have made the small drawer for the top left but forgot to take any photos of it but its made exctly like the big bottom drawers.

Cheers

Mark

 

[The Bear]

I've still got plenty to do on the cabinet but have also made a start on the top. As said before, this is made of 2 layers of 18mm MRMDF. The full size template is useful here for marking out the screws and making sure they aren't where I want to route for the insert or t tracks.

Lots of glue spread out (probably too much) then screwed together

I trimmed the top slightly at this point in case the two pieces were not exactly lined up.

I then wrapped the edge in oak

The mitres are straight off the table saw

Finally just eased the sharp corners off

At this point I took my full size paper template for the top and layed it on. I then used a pencil and poked a hole through it everywhere there is a screw. This means when it is covered in laminate I still know where every screw is. Just need to know which is the front/back, which I have marked as its only symetrical left to right.

Mark

 

[The Bear]

I bought this a couple of years ago. Its 10 by 4 feet so a bit awkward.

Ive read so many ways to cut this. I went simple and marked the pieces I wanted then cut oversize. I just used a normal stanley knife blade to repeatedly score the lines against a straight edge. When I was confident I was most of the way through ( and indeed was through in some places) I carefully snapped it against a straight edge. It knackers the blade but as they are so cheap it doesnt matter.

I then used contact adhesive to stick it top and bottom of the top. I'd not used it before and was quite apprehensive. There are no photos of the glue up as its too messy and need to work fairly quick. I good tip is to masking tape the edges to keep them clean. Top and bottom done together.

I then trimmed the excess off with a flush trimmer in the router and then knocked the corner off with a 45 degree chamfer bit.

Hope this is interesting

Mark

 

[jetsetwilly]

It certainly is! Thanks for taking the time to post this, very thorough, and great pics.

 

[Jamesc]

Yes keep them coming, I am enjoying this WIP

James

 

[The Bear]

Thanks for the support guys.

A couple of pictures that show what I've previously explained in writting.

The laminate of the top trimmed back to the edging and the corner knocked off with a 45 degree bit

The small drawers in place showing the top left hand drawer for bits and bobs as opposed to router bits

I now need to find some handles for the drawers. Oak knobs spring to mind, anyone got any other ideas??


Mark

 

[jetsetwilly]

I guess I might have routed pulls into the fronts to keep it flush, like the drawers in the back of one of your pics, but i have a bad habit of knocking off anything that sticks out

 

[The Bear]

Been meaning to post this for a while but been very busy and watching too much Olympics. I'ce been doing some work on the electrics. I started with one of these

I then ttok it out of the back box and cut a ply face to hold it where the top right drawer would go

Will look like this

Its going to sit against a couple of plastic blocks

Mark

 

[The Bear]

Starting to wire it, involves another piece of ply to box in the back of the switch. Used the cable glands off the original plastic box to attack the wires

Inside

Back

Connecting the switch up

Rear of switch boxed in

Output goes to a socket inside the table where the router will be plugged in. Decided not to hard wire it in case I ever need to take it out and use hand held. Other wire goes to plug and wall socket.

All seems to work fine

Mark