Quicky Router Table

[WellsWood]

Gas strut - love it!! Gonna nick that for sure since the Ryobi refuses to die (making it impossible to justify the purchase of the big Triton) :evil:

 

[wizer]

That's a lovely Router Table p111dom, though slightly out of my league with regards to this project. Love the gas strut, reminds me of Ian Daziel's tool cabinet.

I change my mind again about the slots. I am going to rout slots now as I realised I have the Triton Router fence.

This'll do, it has the triton fit dust extraction which is handy.

Being Triton it has slightly odd nuts under the fence, not sure if this will pose a problem but I'm sure they can be changed.

I am going to use a straight cutting bit taking multiple passes until I get the full depth. Is the right? Just clamp a guide in the right place?

Had the undercoat paint out this evening so I thought I slap a bit on the router table.

Now its a big white ugly beast

 

[p111dom]

That's a lovely Router Table p111dom, though slightly out of my league with regards to this project.

Don't be daft! This was actually my first proper project and I made loads of mistakes on it. For a start I used BB grade birch ply which was massivley expensive and the table is on its third home made insert. The current one is made from 10mm Lexan which is a softer and more routable from of perspects. The gas strut cost £2 from a scrap yard and its hinged on three 2inch square butt hinges which cost less than a £1. The tilting top is the best feature of the table, a close second is the door at the front. Open it and you have direct access to the speed controller. Inside I made a hopper to collect the dust with extraction at the bottom and at the fence. All the ducting is 2.5 inch standard plumbers pipe. I used 2 full sheets of 18mm birch ply at £34 per sheet. 1 sheet of WBP 12mm ply and one sheet of 18mm MDF. Formica was £34, perspects £20. Castors, hinges bristol handels ,NVR switch, T track etc etc meant the total cost excluding the router was around £200 but in retrospect I think I could have made it for £80 less than that. I've used it on every project since and despite it being home made I considder it to be the best and most versitile machine I have. If I ran into money troubles and had to sell all my tools, this would be the last thing to go even over my Jet Supersaw. If you go all out the first time you'll not regret it.

 

[wizer]

Cheers P111dom, actually I was eyeing up the struts on my Smart car today... they are about half the size of normal boot struts (I suppose that was obvious). Hmmm Do I really need a boot that opens...?

Oh yes you have also reminded me about NVR switches. Where can I get a very very dirty cheap one? Also, how on earth do you wire them? (see what I did there?)

I am enjoying working on the router table. Between Filling, Sanding, Filling again, Sanding again, etc, etc... It breaks the monotony.

 

[Fecn]

Where can I get a very very dirty cheap one? Also, how on earth do you wire them? (see what I did there?)

CPC (.co.uk) do NVR switches from £9.44 up - That's just for a raw switch with no enclosure. Look in their 'Switches & Accessories > No-Volt release' section.

Having just done my own one, I should be able to help you with wiring it up.

 

[wizer]

Is this the beast Fecn?

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Components+& ... ku=SW02440

 

[WellsWood]

Tom, don't rush into anything re NVR switch. I think I may have a spare/leftover one from recent revamping of DE switching. Give me a chance to have a look tomorrow a.m. to see what I've got.

 

[wizer]

Cheers Mark, I'll be in painting **** again today, back tonight.

 

[Fecn]

Is this the beast Fecn?

Looks about right to me. 16A switching capacity should be enough for any router you care to throw at it.

 

[ByronBlack]

Gas strut - love it!! Gonna nick that for sure since the Ryobi refuses to die (making it impossible to justify the purchase of the big Triton) :evil:

Who needs justification for tool purchases? I thought that was a 'right of man'?

Tom - just a quick idea with regards to your fence. Personally, I would avoid routing two parallel tracks - it's quite trickey getting them perfect. I would fix one side of the fence to the top to allow it to pivot back and forth giving you the depth between the fence and the bit.

All you would need to do is place a threaded insert into the top and drill a hole in the fence and lock with a matching knob. On the other end of the fence, I would route a slot and fix another knob/threaded insert setup, you can then swing the fence back and forth depending on the length of the slot.

This has one limitation though - you are limited in the depth of cut to how long the slot on your fence is, but to get round this you can easily make a very deep sub-base.

Not sure if all that makes sense, i'll see if I can find the .pdf on finewoodworking that features this fence.

 

[ByronBlack]

Tom - here's a link to the pivoting fence idea:

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/smfld-4.htm

 

[WellsWood]

Tom, I have a spare NVR switch that you're welcome to. I'll be in this eve. from about 6:30. In and out over the w/e, PM or phone me if you want it.

p.s. it's out of an ADE1200 so you'll need to knock up an enclosure for it and wire it up with spade connectors - neither is rocket science.

 

[wizer]

Oooops, too late Byron

I actually ran the slots yesterday but forgot the camera. The process was reasonably simple. I used the same guide that I made for the wainscoting grooves, taking multiple passes.

It has thrown up some new problems tho. The Triton fence has these bolts.

They fit perfect in the slot.... But they aren't long enough! So I think I need to find some longer bolts and use a nut and washer on the other end.

I have also misplaced the mounting screws for the router. This may delay things somewhat because as yet I have been too busy to order more.

On the upside, I went to pick up the oak for the Dado rail and Window cill.

mmmm its luvely

Mark: thank you very much for the nvr switch. I will have to pop in one day next week, maybe Monday afternoon.

 

[wizer]

wow, some days are good, other days are better....

Popped round to see MarkW and pickup this

Mark and I were chatting and I mentioned the above problem about the short thread on the locking knobs. He quickly came up with and idea and promptly set about putting it into action. The answer, I guess, was simple. But would have taken me weeks of trial and error.

I think the picture tells the story. A Perfect fit!

To cap it off, I found the screws to mount the router!

\/

Just need to wire up the NVR switch and we're ready to rock.

Thanks very much Mark, very kind of you to take the time to help me out.

 

[WellsWood]

Glad I could be of help mate, now hurry up and get that decorating finished :wink:

 

[Woodmagnet]

WHOO! HOO! Ready to start making dust. :lol:

 

[Chris Knight]

Tom,
That's looking great!

 

[wizer]

Many thanks guys. I am really enjoying building it. Although I think I should have titled this thread 'Ugly' router table. Still, Mark's knobs improve it somewhat. :lol:

I need to run a length of hose from the fence and from the router. Should I join the 2 with a Y Adapter? and if so where is a cheap source? Axminster seems expensive when you add on delivery. The hose is 3".