Router table or insert

[Niall Church]

Looking to buy a small router table,not too expensive OR should I get an insert thingy?

 

[Orraloon]

If you are tight on shed space then an insert on your tablesaw wing.
Takes up no extra space, could be cheaper than a router table, a nice big surface to work on and you can use the tablesaw fence to attach the router fence to.

Not really much to a router table at its very basic level. Something like this can get things done at almost no cost.
Very simple homemade router table for small projects - YouTube
Then the other end of the line are things like this.
The Best Router Lifts (2023) - Reviews by Woodsmith
Over the years I have used the hole in a sheet of ply when I had nothing else and I had a cheap benchtop table for a while. It did kind of all right but the table surface was a bit small so limits the size of things you can do. The high end stuff makes adjusting much easier and precise but at a cost. Kind of mind boggling just how much router stuff there is out there.
Regards
John

 

[Niall Church]

If you are tight on shed space then an insert on your tablesaw wing.
Takes up no extra space, could be cheaper than a router table, a nice big surface to work on and you can use the tablesaw fence to attach the router fence to.
View attachment 160181
Not really much to a router table at its very basic level. Something like this can get things done at almost no cost.
Very simple homemade router table for small projects - YouTube
Then the other end of the line are things like this.
The Best Router Lifts (2023) - Reviews by Woodsmith
Over the years I have used the hole in a sheet of ply when I had nothing else and I had a cheap benchtop table for a while. It did kind of all right but the table surface was a bit small so limits the size of things you can do. The high end stuff makes adjusting much easier and precise but at a cost. Kind of mind boggling just how much router stuff there is out there.
Regards
John

At the moment I need it to out rebates in 2x2 and I think a table would be better than hand routing,so,I need a fence for accuracy. Any inserts or tables you could recommend?

 

[Jester129]

Do you already have a router, by that I mean a 1/2" one, or even a palm router/trimmer?
You'd need a decent insert plate for the former and a 'diddy' one for the latter.
Trend sell a decent one, around £48 on Amazon.

 

[Niall Church]

Hi,I have 1/4" hitachi which I'm happy with!

 

[Jester129]

Then buy an insert plate that will cope with the weight of your router.
Insert this plate in a table and you're sorted. You will need a fence and dust extraction etc.

 

[Niall Church]

Then buy an insert plate that will cope with the weight of your router.
Insert this plate in a table and you're sorted. You will need a fence and

 

[HamsterJam]

You might like to take a look at this DIY router table and fence for inspiration.….
https://www.wealdentool.com/kb/rons-tips/

 

[Br5d]

So what size rebates are you looking to cut with your 1/4inch router?

 

[Niall Church]

Looking to buy a small router table,not too expensive OR should I get an insert thingy?

Update bought a small JRT-2 JET ROUTER TABLE.
Now,is anyone familiar with them and have they assembled one?

 

[Niall Church]

Looking to buy a small router table,not too expensive OR should I get an insert thingy?

Do you already have a router, by that I mean a 1/2" one, or even a palm router/trimmer?
You'd need a decent insert plate for the former and a 'diddy' one for the latter.
Trend sell a decent one, around £48 on Amazon.

Sorry ,jester,there's an update, I bought a JET JRT-2 ,router table,so if anyone can help with assembling ,would be grateful!
Problem is there's a lot of spring washers and small flat ones and 8 bigger flat washers and panhead screws,where do they all go??

 

[Jester129]

Can anyone think of an acronym for 'JET' at all? I already know one or two for 'MFI' - Made For Idiots and My F**king Ingenuity (in getting it made). How about Just Expel Them (as in not use them, you'll soon find out where they are needed!
Seriously, it's a good buy, so well done. All you've got to do is put it together. Use some logic as to where the washers are needed and away you go.

 

[Niall Church]

How about Just an Eejits Tool! ,anyway,just curious as to where thay all go,it seems to have a heavyish metal table on it! Incidentally,it has a hole for a tool to finely adjust height of router,I have a hitachi m8,anyone know anything that would fit that router and the table??

 

[clogs]

here's mine, had it for years.....3HP Hitachi underneath.....dust port and two seperate fences.....
think it cost €75.....no, not the Hitachi.....dohhhh......
light enough to go on a shelf.....but big/long enough to work the longer lengths needed in shop fitting.........
it's just the right size for getting in and out of my van......
a pallet and fork lift make an ideal mobile bench tho........hahaha........

.

 

[HamsterJam]

light enough to go on a shelf.....but

Needs a fork lift to get it in the van?

 

[Spectric]

I was going to ask how heavy can it possibily be, but if you were selling it that picture does infer a contradiction of robustness.

 

[Limey Lurker]

Junk Every Time?

 

[markwilkes999]

Hi, I'm also looking to build my own router table and I'm looking if anyone has any free plans available. Everything I've found so far online is in Imperial measurements and I prefer to work in metric. I'm also wondering about the finished table surface has anyone tried using acrylic or is it a no no for some reason? I'm not really limited by my workshop size, but I still think it's important to be able to move it, so plan on mounting it on suitable castors. I'm thinking of waiting for the new Triton TRA 002 to be released in the UK next January, I think. That way I shouldn't need an expensive router lift. Any thoughts?

 

[Spectric]

Everything I've found so far online is in Imperial measurements and I prefer to work in metric.

If using a router lift or insert plate from the likes of Kreg, Jessem, Incra or Woodpeckers it will be an imperial size even if the lift increments are metric. If going the UJK direction there inserts are metric so be aware you get more choice and good quality from the other side of the pond.

If you look back at post 2 from @Orraloon that is a good way to do things and is something I am looking at. Rather than a router table taking up space, incorporate the router into a workbench or table saw and it saves space.

Look at this example from Dennis

 

[markwilkes999]

Thanks for the video upload. I'll certainly have a full look at that later. Any thoughts on the idea of acrylic as a surface top?