router table build advice

[chippy1970]

I am about to build a portable bench top router table similar to the bench dog one below.

I picked up an off cut of 25mm mdf today from work for the top and I will edge it in oak then I know someone in a workshop with a massive press so they will then laminate both sides with formica.

My question is should I just use the 25mm mdf as is or what I was thinking of doing was glueing a layer of 6mm mdf on either face to bulk the thickness up to 37mm or is this over kill ? The table top size is 600 x 400 so not massive.

Cheers

Chris

 

[Chems]

Overkill!

 

[chippy1970]

Thought so

 

[RussianRouter]

When I get round to it?my table top is 25mm MDF also,on ebay there's a firm selling cheap 2mm aluminium plate that'll do the job nicely instead of laminating it.

 

[RussianRouter]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aluminium-Plate-S ... 3eee2fdebe

 

[rileytoolworks]

My top is 52mm thick.....

 

[chippy1970]

My top is 52mm thick.....

Yeah normally on a big table yeah I would go for two layers of 18mm but this is only 400 x 600 so I think Chems is right.

Russian, I dont think I would use ali sheet the stuff Im getting put on it is very thick formica type stuff probably better than the stuff they put on the ready made router tops formica has less drag than ali sheet. I do some work for a big joinery company and they have a huge veneering press its about the size of a small lorry :shock: they are going to laminate it for me

 

[Richard Findley]

25mm with laminate would be perfect I would think. Mine is only 18mm MDF and works a treat so I'm sure yours will be just fine:

The top of this is 30" square.

Cheers

Richard

 

[Recky33]

25mm will work very well, just put some front to back support bracers slightly outside the plate edge, that will stop any dipping for years

Allan

 

[Chems]

Its a good job your getting it properly veneered, I did mine myself, and although at the time when I was starting out it seemed flat enough, I've come to realize its nowhere near flat enough for the exacting work I'm doing these days. I'd quite like to just buy a Kreg top next time around.

 

[OPJ]

Like Richard, my top also has an 18mm thick core (600x450mm overall, and it fits nicely in the cabinet below my mitre saw... When I can be bothered to put it away - it's surprisingly heavy!).

I used MR MDF and lipped all the edges before laminating, if that makes a difference? Didn't have any trouble laminating the Formica on by hand; but, if you have access to a press...

What router will you be using and have you thought about extraction below the table?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Chippy
I reckon you will be fine with 25mm, and if you have access to a press I would make it out of 6mm x 4 layers - it will be even stiffer. 600x400 is quite modest in size, so I really don't think you will have any problem with sagging.

Formica is an excellent surface for RTs, just make sure you do both sides for balance. And I would also suggest you choose a pale grey colour. Pale anything actually, light but not white.

Why? Well, sometimes you have to clamp stops and it is useful to be able to put on a pencil mark in case you have to remove and replace said stops. And if you decide you want to take photos of your WIP, then white is very hard on your camera, it can play havoc with the automatic exposure, for example. It's also hard on the eyes when sun is streaming in through the window (my next WS will have a North aspect!).

Cheers
Steve

 

[chippy1970]

Olly, Its for my Dewalt 626 (the biggest one they do)

Steve, yeah dont worry I know all about balancing etc cheers anyway.

Just up the workshop now planning up my edging oak, what I'd give for a thicknesser, I'm running it to size on my table saw then planing with my Festool ehl65 but its ever so slightly thicker in places but I am being fussy :lol: :lol: .

Im going to slot it all together with biscuits, maybe mitre the corners then trim it all up and send it of for laminating.

I watched the guys making up veneered panels the other day and noticed they dont bother mitering the corners they just butt the edging up on the corners I suppose its quicker or something. The work they do is fitted bars etc all veneered then laquered panels. I used to fit the bars for them a few years ago.

I think I will be getting an ali plate for this table after hearing a lot of people slating the Phenolic axminster one that I already have.

 

[chippy1970]

Scratch the biscuits I couldnt be bothered :lol: also I dont think it really needed them overkill again. I mitred the corners and the edging is about 32 x 16 so I can trim it down to the thickness of the MDF after the glue has gone off, then its ready for laminating.