Low budget router table

[Chris_belgium]

Caution tool gloat

Gave myself an early christmas present and bought one of these bosch Fixed base/plunge base routers! Kinda pricey but got a good deal and I really like bosch stuff.

But it left my wallet empty so no cash left to make a router table! I managed to make a low budget (read no budget ) table based on info I found in this thread https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=24219&highlight=router+table+fence So thank you Mr. Maskery!

It looks nothing like all the beatifull Norm style router tables usually on this forum, but it works for me for now.

Base is a 18mm mfc board glued to a 30mm mdf board. To my suprise this 48mm thick supposedly stable board had a bow to it! The middle was 1,5mm lower than the sides. That's the main reason for the heavy metal framework underneath rather than a nice wooden frame. An added advantage for me was that I can mount the table in my work bench, and when not need, hang it high and dry somewhere on the wall.

I didn't use a router mounting plate but just screwed the fixed base part of the router directly underneath the mfc board. I can raise the collet to approx 5mm underneath the fence, so not much cutter length loss. The fixed base is also fitted with a through the table heigth adjuster wich makes things a bit easier. The motor can be taken out of the fixed base fast and easy wich makes changing the cutter easy.

Only major problem I ran into is that I couldn't get the wooden sliding pieces to fit perfect I tried three times and failed everytime Last attempt still left me with about 0,5mm play from one corner of the fence to the other. This is not a major problems since I know this and just line op the fence with a 90°square. Is there an easy trick to get these pieces perfect or is it just impossible with the mfc boards? (sliding piece itself is hardwood)

First test piece, 'planed' it with the table using a 2mm metal bar as secondary fence. Turned out rather well, even if I do say so myself.

Altough not of the same level of craftsmanship as most of the work I see on this site, I had fun making this, it will work for me for the moment and I learned a lot from making it. Couldn't of done it without the search button on this forum, thanks for that!

 

[PowerTool]

Yep,results look excellent

There's no doubt that the design works (which,after all,is the most important part..)

Andrew

 

[OPJ]

Looks good and I'm sure it will work well!

Not sure I fully understand your problem with the fence... Is it something you could fix by adding "shims" of masking tape behind?

 

[Chris_belgium]

Looks good and I'm sure it will work well!

Not sure I fully understand your problem with the fence... Is it something you could fix by adding "shims" of masking tape behind?

The fence sits on two hardwood pieces wich slide into a groove routed into the bas of the table.

The two sliding pieces fit perfectly in the grooves, were nice and stable in te groove, a bit hard to move back and forth but doable. But when I screwed the fence onto the two sliding pieces, I could still move the fence a little bit. Don't know what I did wrong here.

 

[Ironballs]

Looks very good, 2 things to suggest to help your problem. First wax your grooves to help them slide. Second the fence adjuster is a single point only and it rests on the surface rather than engaging positively, it may help to have it fit into a wider plate that is attached to the fence. The biggest challenge here will be finding a way of attaching it that still allows the rod to turn as you adjust it and remaining a tight fit

 

[the_g_ster]

Nice one, looks good, substance over form always.

 

[MikeG.]

Chris,

this table looks as though it is removable when not in use. If so, I think this looks a really excellent and useable piece of kit, and will serve you well for years. I have never cared for workshop kit that looks like furniture and as though it would be too precious to actually use.

I didn't follow the fence-problem clearly........but don't forget that the fence doesn't have to move parallel to anything. In fact, my first table, still in occasional use, has the fence pivoted at one end, with therefore only one free end to secure in place. This actually makes adjustment easier than on my new table, where the whole fence moves......ho hum.

Mike

 

[ByronBlack]

it's much nicer than my 'hole in the outfeed table and a stick' setup, well done, it looks more than useful!

 

[Chris_belgium]

Thanks for the encouraging comments, even managed to produce a first simple yet 'accurate' project with the table. It's just amazing how much faster and more accurate a router becomes when mounting it in a table with a microadjustable fence!!

About the fence, there is a little play in the fence, and because of this play the fence doens't slide properly straight, it slides 'skew' (spelling?) and this causes it to jam in the grooves.

I already know that the attachment for the microadjustable fence isn't designed correctly because the nuts are tearing through the wood already. I had to drill a rather deep hole to get the bolts to sit flush with the fence wich greatly reduces the strength. I'm thinking of welding up a T shaped piece wich I can then put into some kind of mortice in the fence. Any other 'prettier' solution as to how to attach the threaded bar to the fence?