Fox router table on offer

[Mattty]

Just got this email through- seemed really cheap? I thought it may interest some of you.

 

[wizer]

I don't think you can argue with that at all, looks like a reasonable bit of kit at a good price.

There. I said something nice about Rutlands.

 

[BradNaylor]

I had the same table but mine was badged Ryobi.

I never got on with it. I didn't like the fence and the sliding table is a waste of time. What's the point?

I reckon this design is bloody dangerous, too. You are encouraged to lift up a heavy cast iron table to facilitate cutter changes. One slip and the whole thing could come crashing down and slice a finger off.

In the end I left mine behind when I moved workshop a couple of years ago. Much better IMO to build your own.

Welcome back by the way, Matt. Where the hell have you been? Any chance of you making it down to JonnyD's bash next month?

Cheers
Brad
(I was probably still Dan last time we spoke! :lol: )

 

[OPJ]

There. I said something nice about Rutlands.

Well, he wasn't asking about a DAKOTA router table, I suppose!

This also looks identical to the Record Power and cheaper of the two Trend models. Might be worth scouring the 'net for comments on those two, also.

 

[dexter]

Iv`e got the record power model that's very similar in design but does not have the gas struts to assist with lifting the table top which like Dan mentioned is bloody heavy. In fact when you add the weight of the router the only way to move the unit is on wheels. Setting up is a bit of a pain at times, but as I don't use it anywhere as much as Dan uses his router table I can live with it. Good at that price though.

Dex

 

[chippy1970]

I had the same table but mine was badged Ryobi.

I never got on with it. I didn't like the fence and the sliding table is a waste of time. What's the point?

I reckon this design is bloody dangerous, too. You are encouraged to lift up a heavy cast iron table to facilitate cutter changes. One slip and the whole thing could come crashing down and slice a finger off.

In the end I left mine behind when I moved workshop a couple of years ago. Much better IMO to build your own.

Welcome back by the way, Matt. Where the hell have you been? Any chance of you making it down to JonnyD's bash next month?

Cheers

Brad
(I was probably still Dan last time we spoke! :lol: )

Looks like it has gas struts surely that makes it safer did your Ryobi one have them ?

 

[dickm]

I've got the Ryobi too, but it's an oldish one and certainly doesn't have the gas struts - if anyone has one with them and can give me the spec of the struts, I'd be interested.
Been very happy with it, as I like the sliding table particularly.
BUT, the C/I top is quite thick where the router sits, and you're likely to need that extender. Problem then is vibration, unless you are lucky; I had a supposedly high quality one and the vibration was terrible. So got the table milled out to 6mm to take my Elu 177, and can use almost any cutter in it safely now.
Given that I paid about £100 for mine secondhand, the quoted price sounds pretty good.

 

[studders]

I've got the Ryobi too, but it's an oldish one and certainly doesn't have the gas struts - if anyone has one with them and can give me the spec of the struts, I'd be interested.

Trip to a car breakers for some hatchback struts might do it?

 

[tenpin]

iv'e also got the Ryobi version of this table

Also agree that the fence is a beeatch to set up but i do like the sliding table and works great with the big Triton router as no exstensions are required

 

[Mattty]

I had the same table but mine was badged Ryobi.

I never got on with it. I didn't like the fence and the sliding table is a waste of time. What's the point?

I reckon this design is bloody dangerous, too. You are encouraged to lift up a heavy cast iron table to facilitate cutter changes. One slip and the whole thing could come crashing down and slice a finger off.

In the end I left mine behind when I moved workshop a couple of years ago. Much better IMO to build your own.

Welcome back by the way, Matt. Where the hell have you been? Any chance of you making it down to JonnyD's bash next month?

Cheers
Brad
(I was probably still Dan last time we spoke! :lol: )

Hi Mate,
I'll take a look at the thread. I've been very busy and not posting but having the occasional browse. Lovely looking job in your avatar mate- Is there a thread on here about it?

 

[ike]

That price is less than I paid 8 years ago for my version of this table. As it comes the hold downs are crap, the cross fence is ***** and the table thickness as mentioned necesitates one of those bloody awful, useless collet extensions.

However with a little ingenuity and very little money, as described, by milling a pocket, and a better holddown arrangement etc, this is a very, very capable router table.

PS, I've never needed to lift the table once since I started using it. To change a cutter - just slide the table right to one side. :wink:

Ike

 

[dickm]

PS, I've never needed to lift the table once since I started using it. To change a cutter - just slide the table right to one side. :wink:

B****r. Why did I not think of that?

And w.r.t. the hatchback struts, I'd been thinking along those lines exactly. Any suggestions as to what size might be needed? Mini or 4x4?

 

[studders]

PS, I've never needed to lift the table once since I started using it. To change a cutter - just slide the table right to one side. :wink:

B****r. Why did I not think of that?

And w.r.t. the hatchback struts, I'd been thinking along those lines exactly. Any suggestions as to what size might be needed? Mini or 4x4?

Something like a pair of Fiesta ones should do it. If you look around the breakers yard you should find some where the mountings just unscrew/unbolt, saves having to faff about when it comes to mounting them on your table. Don't do what I did and just 'ping' one end off from inside the car, it shot open and nearly took me bleedin teeth out. :shock:

 

[Chems]

PS, I've never needed to lift the table once since I started using it. To change a cutter - just slide the table right to one side. :wink:

B****r. Why did I not think of that?

And w.r.t. the hatchback struts, I'd been thinking along those lines exactly. Any suggestions as to what size might be needed? Mini or 4x4?

Something like a pair of Fiesta ones should do it. If you look around the breakers yard you should find some where the mountings just unscrew/unbolt, saves having to faff about when it comes to mounting them on your table. Don't do what I did and just 'ping' one end off from inside the car, it shot open and nearly took me bleedin teeth out. :shock:

I work as a Firefigther an those little gas struts can be so dangerous. People have been speared by them going off and firing out. What you need to do is look at either end and there are little clips you can ply off with a flat head screw driver, then they will come out nice an easy thats how we are taught to do it an I've done it a few times on jobs and its very simple for anyone with a bit of a technical figure it out mind. Do be careful thou as you've been warned twice!

 

[zambezi]

As soon as my RT arrives I will post the details of the struts

 

[dickm]

What you need to do is look at either end and there are little clips you can ply off with a flat head screw driver, then they will come out nice an easy thats how we are taught to do it an I've done it a few times on jobs and its very simple for anyone with a bit of a technical figure it out mind. Do be careful thou as you've been warned twice!

Thanks for the warning(s). I'll take my face shield But when you say "little clips" do you mean the ones that hold the strut to the pivots at each end, or something that holds the piston in?

 

[zambezi]

I ordered one on Sunday, got an email on Tuesday to say it had been dispatched but no other details. I sent Rutlands an email to ask who/when and where because I need to make sure I am around for the delivery. To their credit I got a response pretty quickly, to say expect it any time between now and Friday. So that is it then I have to take the week off work to wait for a delivery that may or may not be delivered by Friday (I am not really going to take the week off). If they had told me that before I ordered it, I would have ordered it from somebody else, especially most of companies now do a 24 hour turn-around on orders.
So if any of you are waiting for the details of the gas struts, any time between now and Friday :wink:

Update:
Apparently there is a note on the bottom of one of the tabs on the website that says 3-4 days for delivery. I guess I should read every tab and every last detail next time :roll: Sorry Rutlands, still you could have done a 24 hour turn-around, especially when you charge £20 for delivery.

 

[zambezi]

It arrived today,while I was out! I collected it from the depot in Malvern. I decided I would put it together this evening but there were no instructions in the box!! I read the review that said the instructions were not much more than a parts list and few pictures, well I don't even have that?!
I will have to try and figure it out...

There are no details on the gas struts, i will take measurements and report back. At a guess I would say the body is about 150mm long and the shaft is similar.

 

[Chems]

What you need to do is look at either end and there are little clips you can ply off with a flat head screw driver, then they will come out nice an easy thats how we are taught to do it an I've done it a few times on jobs and its very simple for anyone with a bit of a technical figure it out mind. Do be careful thou as you've been warned twice!

Thanks for the warning(s). I'll take my face shield But when you say "little clips" do you mean the ones that hold the strut to the pivots at each end, or something that holds the piston in?

Its a little U clip on the very ends that attach to the car. You'll see it immediately when you see it shown in this picture:

 

[dickm]

Thanks, Chems. Now I just need to get my protective clothing on to face the oily mess and the alsatian at the local dismantlers
(Daughter used to have fun going to get bits for her VW caravan there, as she was working for the Environment Agency at the time, and the sight of the agency logo on her waterproof produced amazing results!)