Phenolic toilet door to router table top.

[SkinnyB]

At work recently they were throwing out some Phenolic cubical doors. I kept one in the hope of turning into a router table top. I had heard it is pretty hard to cut. I thought I would give it ago anyway. I had been looking at purchasing a commercial Phenolic pre-made router top. However they fetched upwards of £300 for the size I was after.

First job was to cut it down to 600x1200mm (its 16mm thick).
The track saw did and ok job with light 3mm passes. I then switched to the table saw which cut far better. Slow going but left a reasonable edge.

Next was to start routing out a place the router plate to sit. I am using my own 8mm Acrylic plate which I have designed. It has been cnc and laser cut. It has 8 grub screw levelling points. 100mm opening. It is just a little larger than the base on the Triton router so I should not see any sagging once it is bolted to the base of the router.

I cnc cut a template and used a flush trim template bit to edge my way down to 8.5mm. I used a cheap tct cutter as from what I read the material can dull blades fairly quick. I went down 1mm at a time until I reached the correct depth.

IMG_8104 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

Then I switched to a 1/2 hss upcut bit as I needed a fairly long bit to reach. This felt a little slower going but with 1mm depth of cut I got there and left a nice edge. I used a bushing to offset the bit.

IMG_5362 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

Next I setup my double dado jig to cut the slots for the fence mounting. It has 30mm slots in which a 30mm bushing on a router fits into. My first mistake here is that I should have made this cut from the bottom as I had to flip it around and cut a wider recess int he back. Luckily it worked well anyway.

IMG_5365 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

Clamped in place. I used a bar clamp to set the stop not he opposite end.

IMG_5366 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

IMG_5367 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

Flipped and recessed.

IMG_5368 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

Next I needed to create a small hole for the handle which raises and lower the router. Second mistake is that I made it in the wrong place. It gets covered by the fence... I still have easy access under the router table so its not a big issue. I will more than likely rate the router to put it in a better spot.

IMG_5370 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

IMG_5371 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

IMG_5372 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

Adjusting the router plate height.

IMG_5373 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

Drilling holes to secure the plate. What I really should have done here was drill under sized holes and then tapped some traps into the top.
IMG_5375 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

IMG_5376 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

Thats as far as I have got. I have some left over to make a new split fence. I am going to add two 1/4 routers on the left side for a permanent chamfer and rounder over bit. I need to add some support under the top to stop the top from sagging. Over all it is far better and flatter the the oak worktop I was using before.

IMG_5378 by jamie skinner, on Flickr

 

[whiskywill]

At work recently they were throwing out some Phenolic cubical doors. I kept one in the hope of turning into a router table top.

How long before somebody covers it in graffiti?

 

[SammyQ]

Excellent idea and execution. I've had one in storage for yonks now with exactly this in mind. Going to be watching with interest.

PS...best graffiti was along the bottom edge of the door: "beware of limbo dancers", but I also liked - just
above the loo roll dispenser- : "Sociology degrees, please take one"

Sam

 

[doctor Bob]

I was in the toilets in the M3 services the other day and it looked like someone had started to make it into a router table prior to removing the panel, great big 2" hole in the side panel. Bloke on the other side kept asking me in a deep voice to stick it through, in the end I got fed up and told him I didn't have a router on me.

 

[Suffolkboy]

Nice thread.

Doctor Bob's reply is up there on my "funniest UKW posts of 2019" list.

Your table looks great. I have a toilet door and side panel stuffed down the side of my garage waiting to come in handy. This might be just the project.

 

[doctor Bob]

Nice thread.

Doctor Bob's reply is up there on my "funniest UKW posts of 2019" list.

Much appreciated, tuff crowd to entertain in the rant thread, like the being a comedian at a funeral in there.

 

[Suffolkboy]

Haha.
I avoid politics if I can. I just looked at the rant thread... Nearly 600 pages of it. My curiosity wasn't enough for me to open it I'm afraid so I'll take your word for it.

 

[ColeyS1]

I was in the toilets in the M3 services the other day and it looked like someone had started to make it into a router table prior to removing the panel, great big 2" hole in the side panel. Bloke on the other side kept asking me in a deep voice to stick it through, in the end I got fed up and told him I didn't have a router on me.

Lol, that did make me chuckle !!

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