building a router table

[Benchwayze]

For router table tops I favour either:

1) Sheet aluminium, 10mm thickness, bolted to 18mm MDF with c/sunk bolts and self-locking nuts; no adhesive.

2) Tufnol (This comes in varying thicknesses and grades, but I found the dark coffee coloured grade best. The orange/brown grade is ok at 18mm thickness. At 10mm thickness I would probably bolt it to the MDF as for aluminium. One can always replace the MDF of course.

Both of these materials can be worked with a multi-speed router and appropriate metal cutting bits. (The user manuals that come with Elu's routers give specific advice for machining metal and an overhead mounting is preferable to keep swarf out of the casing. )

If you choose either of these materials and you buy a good quality fence, you'll have something to last you a lifetime. Certainly it would outlast a good many routers.

I bought a Trend Routerack set up, (Great for mounting the router any old way!) and also, went for their tufnol table too. I gave away the table-top I made, but the last I heard, the tufnol surface was going well.

Now I am becoming more of a 'Galoot' I shall probably use my table less and less, but as it hangs on a wall, I'll keep it!

For adjusting depth, I have seen the suggestion of a car 'scissor-jack', but I never tried this myself.
HTH

John

 

[George_N]

For height adjustment I've got a set of Woodrat plunge bars. These allow me to raise the bit one handed, leaving the other free measuring the height, locking the plunge mechanism etc.

 

[Mike.C]

George_N,

For height adjustment I've got a set of Woodrat plunge bars.

The Triton TRB001 is the perfect partner for any router table. Its rack and pinion winder handle makes one handed height adjustment a doodle, and this can be fine tuned throughout the full plunge range with its micro winder, and to top this off you can change your router bits above the table.

Cheers

Mike