Large router table WIP

[Farmer Giles]

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

 

[sunnybob]

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.

 

[Farmer Giles]

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.

 

[Farmer Giles]

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

 

[sunnybob]

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.

 

[Farmer Giles]

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

 

[sunnybob]

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)

 

[Farmer Giles]

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

 

[Farmer Giles]

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

 

[sunnybob]

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.

 

[Farmer Giles]

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.

 

[sunnybob]

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.

 

[AES]

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

 

[Farmer Giles]

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

 

[AES]

Look forward to seeing the details, thanks.

AES

 

[TFrench]

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.

 

[Farmer Giles]

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.

 

[Farmer Giles]

I have the extraction finished, firstly, a bit of a ****-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

 

[Farmer Giles]

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

 

[sunnybob]

I like the router seperate air supply. good stuff.