Router Table Ideas

[PerranOak]

Not sure I get that ... bit thick, I am.

Drill a hole but how will the screw stay put in a smooth metal hole?

 

[wizer]

Take it slow and use a much smaller bit first to drill a pilot hole, then use the ful size bit complete the hole.

 

[Chems]

Axminster site says it has the marks for common routers on the bottom of the plate to help you site the router, but it doesn't.

You drill your hole as normal with a metal bit. Then use a much larger metal bit to countersink the top of the hole as you would in wood. The ally is very soft and works easily.

 

[PerranOak]

... but don't you have to put a thread into the hole? How do you do that?

 

[DaveL]

... but don't you have to put a thread into the hole? How do you do that?

Most routers have tapped holes on the base, used to hold some jigs in place or to hold the router in a table. The screws go though the plate in the table into the thread in the router, no need to put a thread into the plate. Not that is that hard to do using a tap, which cuts the thread into a hole.

 

[Digit]

Or use a nut and a bolt.

Roy.

 

[TheTiddles]

If you want to use a Trend T11 though you'll need to make a 20mm hole, which is a much harder prospect, thankfully we have a mill at work!

Aidan

 

[johncs]

My first RT was a piece of plywood with a hinged leg at one end and a cleat at the other, clamped in my workmate. The fence was MDF and two G-clamps. I did a lot of stuff on that.

Sounds like a Speilman design, from the Router Handbook.

An old steel-framed desk is a good starting point. I made some pine clips to hold the Triton MOF001 under it, then plunged it through. The first fence, a straight piece of MDF clamped with a pair of Irwin quick-release clamps.

 

[contadino]

The thing that's confusing me about a router table is setting the depth. I have a Bosch POF 1200 AE which doesn't have a screw-type depth adjustment thing. I've looked at things like the Router Raizer, but it's not compatible with my router. I've read about sticking a car jack under the router and adjusting it like that, but it seems a little dangerous to me.

Not having the money to shell out for a new router, what are the options?

Thanks.

 

[johncs]

The thing that's confusing me about a router table is setting the depth. I have a Bosch POF 1200 AE which doesn't have a screw-type depth adjustment thing. I've looked at things like the Router Raizer, but it's not compatible with my router. I've read about sticking a car jack under the router and adjusting it like that, but it seems a little dangerous to me.

Not having the money to shell out for a new router, what are the options?

Thanks.

Take it out. Use the stop rod (I forget the technical name for the moment, I can see it on the front of all the pics I could find) to set the final depth.

Adjust for the first cut. Lock it with the lock lever on the back (I can't see it in the pics, but it's there).

Insert in table, do first cut.

Remove, Adjust, repeat till done.

Hints.

Put router on benchtop, plunge until the bit touches the benchtop. This is the zero point, and there may be a gauge you can set to this.

If you want to cut to the depth of some object - a ceramic tile say, or a piece of wood, then having zeroed it you can sit the router on two of the tiles or such, and plunge the router until the bit touches the benchtop. This is the depth you need to route for the tile.

 

[andysubaru30]

I see Rutlands are doing an offer on a router table for £89 i think. Can anyone give me advice on it and any user reviews would be helpful, Thanks

 

[Fergus]

I see Rutlands are doing an offer on a router table for £89 i think. Can anyone give me advice on it and any user reviews would be helpful, Thanks

Must admit I was looking at that as well !

 

[Creampuff]

I see Rutlands are doing an offer on a router table for £89 i think. Can anyone give me advice on it and any user reviews would be helpful, Thanks

I bought one of those a few months ago.

All in all not a bad table for that price, easy to put together, although you may need to drill a couple of holes in the insert plate to accommodate you particular router.
The table top is heavy and flat and will take the weight of a nice chunky router.
One thing I would suggest is not placing the 2pcs of adhesive measuring tape where it says in the manual (and in the picture) as all this will do is catch on the work piece running along the table.
The fence is cheap, but does all that you'll need it to do, it can stick and become hard to move, this is because the bolt that fit in the T track are not a great fit.
The main frame looks very flimsy, but this can be easily remedied by boxing it in with MDF with a door on the front, and a shelf to stick all your bits on.

All in all for a first router table, its done me proud...

Now I just need to make a bigger one that will take the 17" incra positioner I just bought... :shock:


Regards

Andy

 

[Fergus]

I see Rutlands are doing an offer on a router table for £89 i think. Can anyone give me advice on it and any user reviews would be helpful, Thanks

I bought one of those a few months ago.

All in all not a bad table for that price, easy to put together, although you may need to drill a couple of holes in the insert plate to accommodate you particular router.
The table top is heavy and flat and will take the weight of a nice chunky router.
One thing I would suggest is not placing the 2pcs of adhesive measuring tape where it says in the manual (and in the picture) as all this will do is catch on the work piece running along the table.
The fence is cheap, but does all that you'll need it to do, it can stick and become hard to move, this is because the bolt that fit in the T track are not a great fit.
The main frame looks very flimsy, but this can be easily remedied by boxing it in with MDF with a door on the front, and a shelf to stick all your bits on.

All in all for a first router table, its done me proud...

Now I just need to make a bigger one that will take the 17" incra positioner I just bought... :shock:


Regards

Andy

Cheers for the reply-I went and ordered one-and after what you wrote above I aplied the tape to the edges,as I can see what you mean about how it would catch the workpiece.

Overall I am very impressed with it,seemed easy to put together and better quality than I was expecting.The insert was fairly straightforward to drill as well ,as it has circle type templates.Now I just need a collet extension as my router does not have enough plunge to get through the table :/

I was actually sent two router tables lol ..I thought at first the legs might be in a seperate box,but both boxes were identical.The paperwork for both was the same on both boxes as well.As I am an honest type of guy I rang rutlands up straight away and told them they had sent me two but I had only piad for one they said they would pick it up next day..never even got a thankyou !!

At the moment for the 50% off price it seems way better than I could make -once you add up the cost of an insert plate ,thick laminated piece for the top and a decent sturdy set of legs it seems great value.

 

[Creampuff]

It is indeed a good table and a nice size for that price.

I'm sure you'll have many happy hours with it :wink:

As for the collet extension, I believe this one has had some good reviews

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psPro ... i/XTENSION



Regards

Andy

 

[Fergus]

It is indeed a good table and a nice size for that price.

I'm sure you'll have many happy hours with it :wink:

As for the collet extension, I believe this one has had some good reviews

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psPro ... i/XTENSION



Regards

Andy

Cheers -I had looked at that one and think I may well order it- as all the others seem to be one collet size or another ! Whereas at least that does both