In progress router table

[colinc]

Having been following CD's topic on his router table I thought I'd show progress so far on my own efforts. Am now 2 part weekends into the project and enjoying it. It's based upon the one in Woodworking with the Router by Bill Hylton just like George mentioned in CD's topic.

The plan called for the drawers to be bit holders but having decided I'll never be able to afford (or need) eight drawers worth, I've made them conventional ply boxes instead with planted on fronts. have finished the bottom four, the upper four in the photo are just faces so far.

Have built it from 18mm birch ply with edging, plinth and drawers from some leftover french oak floorboards. I have yet to make the top but it will be two layers of 18mm mdf with formica top and bottom - if I can locate some white formica locally. I have some (red) to hand but the surface is not the smoothest, it has a slight texture to it and I'd prefer the sort I used to be able to buy at the local diy shop.

I've bought a Unilift from Woodworkersworkshop and am now researching fence designs if anyone has any suggestions.

Edit: I meant to ask if anyone could suggest a suitable top size and spindle position that might suit the smaller (17") Incra LS (in case I can ever afford it) I'd be grateful.

regards

Colin

 

[AndyG]

How good it that!! Very smart. Beats my bit of ply with a router hanging under it by miles!!
Andy

 

[Midnight]

have a look at Pat Warner's router table fence... awesome piece of design...

 

[colinc]

Thanks Andy, still a way to go yet though.

Mike, yes I have seen Pat Warner'd fence, I'm sure that I had an article on it somewhere but cannot find it. there is a bit on his website.

regards

Colin

 

[Waka]

Colin

Nice start on the table, out of interest what are you using for the top and insert?

 

[Chris Knight]

Colin,
That's a very nice looking router table. Only an Incra fence will do it justice! Possibly a Jointech which I am not familiar with but looks as if it will do a similar job.

 

[colinc]

Waka, am planning making a top from two layers of mdf with formica top & bottom. I have a sheet of red that will be fine for the bottom but am searching out some white for the top. If I can't find it I may just go with mdf sealed and waxed, never been a problem in my horizontal table.

The insert is a Unilift - the tax man sent me some cash back so I splashed out. Have got a good deal (£190 inc vat) on a DW625EK to go in it. Also bought an eliminator chuck which makes up for the lost height due to the unilift without being too long - bit changes should be easy from above too.

My motivation to do all this came from realising just how flexible the mounting plate is in my old table - it wasn't too flat either and I think this will solve those issues. I was making rebates around 4 sides of some box tops recently and the wandering was quite noticeable in the finished product.

Chris, am tempted by the incra and was thinking I should size the top accordingly. I was hoping that someone could suggest dimensions. The book drawing calls for 30" (or 36") wide x 24" deep. I think the incra will need deeper.

regards

Colin

 

[RogerS]

Colin

re Incra and router tables, you might find this thread useful

Mmmmm...What Incra should I buy?

 

[colinc]

Roger, thanks for that link. Neil has created a very useful source there and I do like his extra fence too. I don't know how I missed that post in the first place. I do believe I have a suitable piece of aluminium around somewhere.

I may have to start thinking seriously about the incra but for now I'd be happy to track down some white formica locally.

regards

Colin

 

[Neil]

Hi Colin,

This post has more details about the add-on fence I made, and this one has the table size for the Incra Ultra-Lite.

Hope that helps - nice cabinet BTW

Cheers,
Neil

 

[tx2man]

Looking good Colin,
I made the same one from Bill Hylton's book as well as the
horizontal R T., both of which work well.
Regarding the bit drawers, i use one for collet spanners, height guides,
etc. Another one for drill bits, using the same method of arrangement
as the router bits, except the holes are angled so the drawer will shut.
The rest for router bits.
I altered the height of the table and added locking casters, so it can be used as an extension to my TS

Cheers TX

 

[Mcluma]

That is going to be a very nice kit.

Can't wait to see it in action

 

[Jaco]

Colin, nice job!
Built same one number of years ago.
Make all the draws, good for storing the spanners and other odds and ends for the router, as well as the bits.
One mistake i made was on the base. I find there is not enough "foot" space when i stand using it.
Looking forward to see the complete unit!
Phil

 

[colinc]

Hi, have made a bit more progress now. Cabinet's virtually done now. I finished the drawers yesterday and made the top today. It is a very substantial unit now. My wife did comment that it has more handles than the bedside cabinets (I think that was a hint as have getting around to those for ages). The bit of board in the middle drops into two dados in the sides to form the back of the router compartment - I need to think about extraction now.

I have to decide now what to do with the top. It's two layers of 18mm mdf edged with oak. I was planning surfacing it with formica but am struggling to lay my hands on a suitable piece of white at a sensible price. I've been reading a router book by Pat Warner that I bought of Ebay last week and he seems quite happy to recommend plain mdf. I may just seal it and use it like this - what do people think about that?

The top is 37 1/2 wide x 25 1/2 deep - not deep enough for the incra but I can always make another or add a bracket if I go that way - another reason for keeping it cheap for now.

I am about ready to cut out the top recess for the unilift but decided to save that for another day as it was getting late and there's no room for error there.

regards

Colin

 

[tibbs]

I've been reading a router book by Pat Warner that I bought of Ebay last week and he seems quite happy to recommend plain mdf. I may just seal it and use it like this - what do people think about that?

I seem to remember reading somewhere about someone using spray varnish on their MDF top & then wax polishing it - I was going to try that out myself on a scrap piece in due course just to see if it might be adequate - getting hold of laminate at sensible prices seems to be a general problem in the UK, so I'm hoping it might prove to be a viable alternative.

Richard

 

[MikeW]

I have to decide now what to do with the top. It's two layers of 18mm mdf edged with oak. I was planning surfacing it with formica but am struggling to lay my hands on a suitable piece of white at a sensible price. I've been reading a router book by Pat Warner that I bought of Ebay last week and he seems quite happy to recommend plain mdf. I may just seal it and use it like this - what do people think about that?

Hi Colin,

Quite a nice cabinet! Probably nicer than my bedside cabinets which I too have never gotten around to updating :roll:

As Richard indicates, lacquer or shellac, then buffed with 0000 steel wool or very fine sandpaper and waxed MDF is great stuff for a tabletop.

Here in the US, Formica is dirt cheap and readily available and still nearly every shop I have been into simply uses MDF as above. I prefer to actually oil the stuff with Teak oil [it dries fastest] for a nice color and then shelleac and wax as I always have shellac mixed on hand. But even a spary can of lacquer works well for the film finish. Just don't use any type of poly as it will create a sticky surface.

Take care--as mentioned, the cabinet looks great.

Mike

 

[tibbs]

Just don't use any type of poly as it will create a sticky surface.

Ahhh - thanks for that Mike - just saved me an abortive first attempt.

I'm not much up with finishes etc yet - Do you think this Acrylic Lacquer Spray would be adequate ?

Richard

 

[colinc]

Had a bit of luck, made a few calls today and Harlows in Derby had just had a delivery of white formica sheets - that has solved my dilemma about finishing the top.

regards

Colin

 

[Neomorph]

Had a bit of luck, made a few calls today and Harlows in Derby had just had a delivery of white formica sheets - that has solved my dilemma about finishing the top.

regards

Colin

How much are they are going to cost you? Remember you need to formica both sides of the top to stop it warping apparently.

I've heard of a few other ways of doing the low friction surface which starts off with sealing the mdf, applying several coats of lacquer and then finish it off with clear wax buffed off to a shine. Apparently it works really good and is extrememly low friction.

 

[colinc]

Neo,

I bought a 10ft x 4ft sheet for £27 + vat. I thought that was a good price. I already had some of a dull red colour that I bought from my local timber merchants as old stock for £1 for a 6ft x 4ft sheet so that's gone on the underside. - so cost of material used is about £10 - I spent that much on glue too.

Please excuse the mess in the workshop - I tidy between jobs or when I can't find a flat surface to use - I do envy those tidy people.

I would have been quite happy to go the waxed mdf route too but for an evenings work I have a nice result:

I have laminated both sides and tidied up the edges with a small chamfer. Now I have to make a big hole in it.... Actually, am making a template and will practice on scrap first.

By the way, I've been following your fence ideas with interest - best of luck.

regards

Colin