Mechanism for Raising Router Table Top?

[OPJ]

Hi guys,

I'm planning a bench top router table in 18mm MR MDF and although I have most of the design sorted, I'm still not settled on how I want to be able to access the collet for cutter changing, etc.

As this is a relatively small table and I intend to enclose it (dust and noise), without removing the back panel, I can see it would be difficult to access both the spindle lock on the back and nut from the front - which is why I'm thinking of raising the table up (somehow) to reveal the router...!

I've been trawling through the back pages of the forum and, yes, some people prefer to have a top that lifts up and hinges back. I don't know, I think this could be quite unstable on a small table and I'd like to try something different!

So, what I'm looking for is some kind of 'mechanism' that will allow me to easily lift the table top (and router) straight up vertically and hold itself in place while I change the cutters. I'd quite like to try and make something out of wood as well but I'm not sure I've seen anything that would do this?

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions it'd be great to hear from you.

Thanks for your time.

 

[wizer]

couldn't you use 4 gas struts (like p111dom's) one at each corner. When you release the catches it pushes the table up? Just a very quick idea.

Or just use a Xtreme Xstension
Or buy a Triton

 

[Chris Knight]

You might consider mounting the table top on a simple framework with a "leg" at each corner and then fixing panels to the open sides with hinges at the bottom (or a side) and a quick release catch to open the whole thing up completely.

 

[OPJ]

Great idea, WiZeR - I've been looking for this but can't find any photo's?

I may buy an Xtreme Xtension in the future but I don't want to spend any more than I have to right now.

 

[wizer]

Looks like P111dom has removed his pictures. He first posted them here:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... c&start=15

His tilted from the side. Not sure how you would fully implement my idea. Sounds like a lot of work. I think hinged would be fine.

 

[Shultzy]

OPj, check out the woodworking channel, router workshop

http://www.woodworkingchannel.com/dolphin/vidego_video_library.php

They use a router table where the insert and router are taken out together every time they change a bit.

 

[OPJ]

Hi Shultzy,

I'm still looking through the videos right now but I know that Veritas sell something which sounds identical to what you have described. Only trouble is the apeture in the centre of the plate is only 1 1/2" and so it wouldn't take any larger cutters for door-making.

But, the one in these videos might be different, so I'll keep watching.

 

[p111dom]

Just knew this would happen. I rearranged my photos into folders in photobucket last week and only afterwards realised that that obviously it would edit all the links from this forum. I did think about re installing all the links but it's something like 300 photos and I thought that they had been on long enough for everyone to see and it seemed like a real hassle. I didn't think anyone would notice but wouldn't you know it, with in a week I'm needing the pics already. I'll get on to it when I can but in the mean time here's some of the router table.

Trend TII whith home made insert. Bit height adjustment from the top.

This only works because the top is so heavy. Four gas struts would work but you'd never get the thing back down.

 

[Gower]

Hello Olly,
Following on from WIZeR's gas strut idea, you could most probably obtain the struts from a car breakers - I seem to remember that new struts are quite expensive.

Cheers,
Gower

 

[wizer]

Thanks for that Dom. I agree that it would be to hard to get the table back down again.

Olly I'm not sure why you can't do the same as Dom. Should be able to scale it down easily.

If not try to find a £99 Triton.

 

[p111dom]

Hello Olly,
Following on from WIZeR's gas strut idea, you could most probably obtain the struts from a car breakers - I seem to remember that new struts are quite expensive.

Cheers,
Gower

The gas strut in the picture is actually off a Fiat punto. New I think they are in excess of £30 but I got this one for free courtesy of the airport fire brigade who were practicing cutting up cars with the 'jaws of life'. You can get less powerful rams than this. Try coach builders in the yellow pages. They use them for the side luggage doors which are usually significantly weaker than car boot ones as the weight they need to carry is a lot less. Four still might be overkill though and they may not be long enough. The other way I was going to do it was to mount the top on four full extension drawer runners so you could open the perspex door at the front and the whole top would have sild forward for easier access. I got the idea from the way the sliding table works on my jet supersaw. Went with the tilt as the access is better but had I gone with the first idea I think it would have been pretty cool. I've never seen it anywhere else.

 

[OPJ]

Thanks for brining up the photo's again Dom, much appreciated! It really is a smart idea, I may just have to copy it...! :wink: There seem to be a lot of "gas struts" available on eBay as well.

So, I may go with the folding top after all. If I overhang the base I can them clamp it to the bench and there's no danger of the whole unit tilting backwards. I reckon even two struts will hold everything steady while I mess around with the cutters, plus it'll almost be like changing the cutter in a hand-held router, laid down horizontally.

Chris' idea is quite interesting although it might interfere with dust extraction and some of the other features I may include. :wink:

 

[p111dom]

Ok still depends on the strut though. A Punto sized car's boot lid can weigh 75kg+ inc the glass. Obviously two struts could handle a load of around 150kg which is a lot (330 lbs). If it's a small router table even one strut might be over powered. Mine is rock steady when open but is quite large and heavy. For the dust extraction I made a hopper within the cabinet with the extraction port at the bottom which works quite well. This exits the cabinet behind the NVR switch so I don't lose a bit drawer. Once outside there's a Y branch off to the fence. When not using the fence I have a cap which blocks this branch off. Good quality castors from Axminster were also well worth it. I origionally wanted to do a Norn table copy and waited ages for the episode to come along. Gave up in the end and came up with my own design. Somethings are better, some not. I think the extraction is better than his from the plan and obviously the tipping top is easier. If I had to make it again I would adopt Norms two big drawers at the bottom as opposed to my one. That would have been better but you live and learn. Typically the day after I finished it The router table episode came on Discovery.

 

[CWatters]

You can get small ones for the lids on roof boxes and the like...

http://www.strutsdirect.co.uk/components/gas-struts.php

Some have variable power.

 

[CWatters]

p111dom - how does that height adjustment from the top work exactly?

 

[p111dom]

p111dom - how does that height adjustment from the top work exactly?

The Trend T11 has built in adjustment from the top and the bottom. It was just a matter of drilling a hole in the mounting plate in the right place. It's a fabulous router and I personally rate it over the Triton although many will disagree with me. I find the overall build quality better and when out of the table it's significantly easier to handle and less 'tippy' than the Triton but to be fair does cost more. I also find it more servicable in that the inards are the same as the Dewalt varsion and there's a Dewalt service place just down the road from me so if the brushed need replacing I can have it up and running within the day.

 

[CWatters]

Thanks.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

I like the socket drive height adjustment. I seem to recall that the adjuster on the T11 isn't brilliant, and that looks like a good solution.

However, I'm intrigued why you have hinged the top that way. Surely access would be better if the hinges are at the back and it opens at the front, or is that because of the wall?

The whole unit looks very much like one Pete and/or Andy made some years ago at Good Woodworking, or am I imagining it? Funnily enough, I have a similar one in my workshop now!!!!

Cheers

Nick

 

[p111dom]

Really Nick what's wrong with the raising mechanism on the T11? I find it much easier to set a fine height than with the Triton and while the winder in the picture is not a Trend item, Trend do sell one for faster raising and lowering that looks exactly the same. (just costs a lot!)

Yes the tip forwards was because of the wall. The original idea was that the router table would never move as it's part of the support for stock when cutting on my mitre saw and morticer.

As you can see I have an 8 foot run either side of the mitre saw and morticer. Only the router table needs moving out for longer stock or if I need the fence right at the back. It was a bit of a flook that I even put it on castors at all but I'm so glad that I did. To be fair it does get a fair bit of use against the wall and if the top tipped backwards I would have to either unlock the castors and move it forward to give clearance for the fence or remove the fence completely to change the bit which isn't desirable if you have meticulously set the thing up on a centre line. Fortunatley I have access to the side of it so it isn't a problem.

While most things in the wokshop are on castors I try to move things as little as possible and I took a long time planning each machines location relative to the rest so one machine didn't impede the operation of another. The only exception is my RSPT260 which I now only use and a dedicated thicknesser. This sits in an unusable position and has to be pulled forward to use. This is mainly because I had always planned for a P/T specifically the JPT-310 but I aquired a dedicated jointer with beds much longer than the Jets so there you go. I would have gotten rid of the Record as it's apauling as a jointer but it's quite reasonable as a thicknesser and non of the portable thicknessers have induction motors. I now have a floor standing 10" thicknesser with an induction motor, something you just can't buy.

There are many good examples of home made router tables from members of this forum and I don't disbelive there was something similar in Good Woodworking but to be honest I don't tend to buy the mags (sorry Nick) or watch the Discovery programes any more. Ideally I would have the Incra fence system but it's so deep that I can't see how I could use one with the space I have and like I said before I really try not to move the machines unless I have to.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

The handle that came with our T11 meant height adjustment was very slow. So we customised it with a Allen wrench for faster adjustment, but it would still foul the fence if the hole is in the wrong place, so your solution is a good one. Otherwise I agree that the T11 is superb, except for the fact the collet doesn't protrude far enough. That has always been a problem with that router and is the main reason the Triton came out better in our test of routers for inverting a few issues ago. I can send you (or anyone) a pdf of that test if it's of interest. Just send me an email to the address below.

I agree about keeping machines in one place. I have a dedicate planer (an old Elektra Beckum p-t) and dedicated thicknesser (brush motor, noisy Delta) which sits underneath the table, and also has to be moved for long work.

Cheers

Nick