Router table

[Chippygeoff]

Hi Everyone. I am looking for some advice with regard to buying a router table. It's been 20 years since I last had one and that was made from an old school desk and things have changed a lot since then. I am setting up a workshop that in the main is going to be used for scroll saw work. I tend to make things in batches of 10 or 20 and sell the things I make at craft fairs and also have my things in craft centres. Basically I want the router table to put a moulding on rectangular pieces of hardwood that will range in thickness from 10 to 20mm and around 150mm x 100mm. I have seen router tables from £39 up to over £400 so I imagine you get what you pay for, I am not after anything fancy, just basic. I have an almost new 1/4 Bosch router and I assume most tables will accept this. I am not sure if I can fit a universal height adjuster as this would be very handy.

Finally. One of the things I would like to make is a hardwood frame, again about 150mm x 100mm. It would only need to be about 10mm thick and maybe 20mm wide. I was wondering if I could make this in one piece using the router table. The idea behind this is that the frame would be glued to a piece I have made on the scroll saw, usually from 9mm birch ply. I would be very grateful for your comments.

Geoff.

 

[sparkus88]

Hi why not make a router table. I made one for around £180 buying the parts individually. I'm not 100% sure what the frame you want is for, but you can make a template out of plywood and then use a trim or flush router bit, like http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-pro-f ... 201%2F4%22, to trace around the edge of the template.

Mark

 

[Chippygeoff]

Many thanks Mark. After I had posted my question I spent some time having a good look on line and I came to the same conclusion that it will indeed be cheaper to make my own router table as you did by buying the parts. I am not quite sure if I can explain this about the frames. Most of the things I make on the scroll saw are from top grade birch plywood, mostly 9mm, but with some items the finished item looks bare, especially where there is a scene and maybe some text.What really sets these things off a treat is a frame glued to the plywood and I think I have come up with the solution and that is to make the frame from a contrasting timber like mahogany or Cedar for example. Mark a pattern on what will be the inside of the frame and cut this out on the scroll saw. I an then use the router on the outside of the frame with a simple round over bit and the whole thing will look stunning, especially with the contrasting timbers. As I said it is difficult to explain but I am sure you will understand what I am getting at. Thanks again Mark.

Geoff.

 

[woodshavings]

You may this interesting:
http://woodgears.ca/router_table/index.html

John

 

[Chippygeoff]

Thanks John. That is one awesome router table. I bet you cant get one of those on Amazon.

 

[theartfulbodger]

Thanks for the link!

There's some awesome links from the link...

http://woodgears.ca/reader/walters/marble_machine.html
is brilliant!

 

[baldpate]

... and I think I have come up with the solution and that is to make the frame from a contrasting timber like mahogany or Cedar for example. Mark a pattern on what will be the inside of the frame and cut this out on the scroll saw. I an then use the router on the outside of the frame with a simple round over bit and the whole thing will look stunning, especially with the contrasting timbers

If I have understood you correctly there seem to be a couple of drawbacks to this solution:
1. you need a piece of solid hardwood, maybe 120mm x 170mm out of which to cut each frame - only you know your costings, but that seems like an awful lot of waste (the inner part) for each piece.
2. two edges of the frame will be short-grain; this will look rather different to the long-grain on the other two edges. Not like a mitred picture frame, which has long-grain on all four edges.

But maybe I've misunderstood your intention.

PS: the other thing I'd urge is not to make your first router table too complicated. You seem to have a rather specific application in mind - a quite a small-scale, simple application, if you don't mind my saying - for which a large, sophisticated table really isn't necessary. This may seem anathema to some, but I really don't think you need to spend much on your first router table. When all is said, all you really need, to get started, is this: a flat, smooth table top (from a smallish sheet of waxed mdf or even faced chipboard); a hole in the middle (big enough for your cutter diameter); a way of firmly clamping/bolting the router underneath so the cutter projects upwards through the hole; a way of securely suspending/mounting the table top which gives access the the router underneath.

You need to check, by first measuring how far you router will let you plunge your cutter through the router base, whether your cutter will project far enough above the table to do the job you want. This is one of the main reasons for the existence of thinnish router plates (usually made of metal or phenolic plastic). But on my first small router table I used a home-made plate made out of 8mm cheap laminated flooring - quite adequate to support a lightweight router. A piece of your 9mm birch ply might well do the trick.

In your first post you ask about a height adjuster for your router - it depends which model Bosch router do you have? If it's a POF500A or similar, this should help you (see here)

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Many thanks Mark. After I had posted my question I spent some time having a good look on line and I came to the same conclusion that it will indeed be cheaper to make my own router table as you did by buying the parts.

Geoff.

from what you have said you should be able to make what you need very cheaply, I did. In my case it was because I couldn't buy one in Thailand [url=http://meekings.selfip.com/nu...ekings.selfip.com/nui/Groups-o ... table.html[/url] something like this would probably be a good start. Also Dibs is running a group buy right now that will get you a router plate for about £25:00 https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/router-insert-interested-t54884-60.html
I got 3 last time and they do the job.

So the final deadline for reservations is 09:00 on Monday 7 November 2011.

I will be sending a PM to everyone on the list giving my BACS details. The deadline for the payment will be 09:00 on Thursday 10 November 2011. I'll be instructing the cutters on Thursday 10 November 2011. No payment - no router plates. Please note that this second date is the Final deadline. So if you miss the 1st one, with a reservation, as long as you send me a PM and make the payment in time - you'll get your router plate.

 

[thecoder]

Hi Everyone. I am looking for some advice with regard to buying a router table. It's been 20 years since I last had one and that was made from an old school desk and things have changed a lot since then. I am setting up a workshop that in the main is going to be used for scroll saw work. I tend to make things in batches of 10 or 20 and sell the things I make at craft fairs and also have my things in craft centres. Basically I want the router table to put a moulding on rectangular pieces of hardwood that will range in thickness from 10 to 20mm and around 150mm x 100mm. I have seen router tables from £39 up to over £400 so I imagine you get what you pay for, I am not after anything fancy, just basic. I have an almost new 1/4 Bosch router and I assume most tables will accept this. I am not sure if I can fit a universal height adjuster as this would be very handy.

Finally. One of the things I would like to make is a hardwood frame, again about 150mm x 100mm. It would only need to be about 10mm thick and maybe 20mm wide. I was wondering if I could make this in one piece using the router table. The idea behind this is that the frame would be glued to a piece I have made on the scroll saw, usually from 9mm birch ply. I would be very grateful for your comments.

Geoff.

I just got the router table from rutlands and at just 99 pounds deliverd I decided it wasn't worth buying a self build kit.been very impressed so far.

 

[heronviewer]

I have a similar need for a small router table with a router fitted underneath.
I think the "Minimalist " router table will do the job. It will cost very little to make. I can't attach the pdf of it as it is too large - could send it direct if you are interested.
I have a problem with the router though. I intended to use an old Elu MOF96 which would be fine, but I don't see how to attach it under the table. No suitable holes in the base plate to bolt it under the table. I've been wondering about getting a Bosch POF 1200 AE - but again, from the photographs of it. I don't see how to fix it in position.

Any ideas ?

Robert.

 

[Chippygeoff]

Hi Baldpate. Many thanks for your advice. Yes, you are right. I am only doing small things. Had I gone down the road of making a fame out of one piece of timber there would have been no waste and the bit that comes out would be used for a scroll saw pattern. but having given this a lot of thought it would be best to make a frame in the conventional way with mitred corners and with some of the things I plan to make the rebate would have to be a lot deeper than normal as the frame would take the the finished item which would be approx 6mm and then a backing board which again will probably be 1/8th ply as some of the backing boards will be sprayed with car paint to high light the cut outs in the main item.

Again you are right, I do not need to spend much on a router table, just something basic. My problem is that I am disabled and I would really struggle constructing certain things. I am making an air filter at the moment using a household fan and a cooker hood filter. I am having all the MDF cut to size at B and Q but know it will probably take me three times longer to make that you would take but I am saving myself £200 rather than buy the Jet air filter. I mentioned the height adjuster as I would struggle to bend to get underneath a home made router table but looking at the photos of tables on Amazon for example they don't look to bad, I have a large bench with various machines on and there is room enough for me to get a small router table on it. Thanks again Baldpate, much appreciated.

Heronviewer. I made a router table many years ago from an old school desk and I had the same problem you are having. What I did was to measure the thickness of the base of the router and then I made a rebate in some timber the same as the base depth. I made about four pieces and used these as anchor points for the router and it was as solid as a rock and I never had a problem with this. But as Baldplate mentioned, it depends on the plunge depth of your router as to the thickness you make the table top. They have tables on Amazon for as little as £30 and I think this would be comparable to buying all the bits and pieces to make your own.

 

[marcros]

Do you actually need a router table. If you are just putting a moulding onto a piece of wood, can you not clamp it and use the router fence and a bearing bit as a guide? You may be restricted on what cutters you can use, but with the scale of what you are producing, you probably arent contemplating huge cutters anyway.

 

[heronviewer]

Thanks - I'll try mounting it like that.

Robert.

 

[Chippygeoff]

Hi Marcros. I have tried clamping but it is a pain in the proverbial, with a small router table it only takes a few seconds to put the moulding on and it is just not the odd one here and there, I run a sort of production line making 10 or 20 at a time. Also using the router at slow speed I may want to try a small 1/4 shank dura grit rasp.

 

[dickm]

If you're using a MOF96, then you might want to copy the method used on the original Elu tables to hold the router in place. There are two clamps on either side of the mounting hole, and these clamp over the rods for the router fence. You could reproduce this fairly easily in wood or MDF. If it helps, I can send you pics of my small Elu table to show how it works.

(Actually, if you are lucky, you might pick up one of the original Elu tables, or the deWalt version, for well under £100 via Fleabay/Gumtree or similar)

 

[heronviewer]

Thanks Dick M.

I hadn't thought of using the rods - that's helpful !

If you could send a photo to show me, that would be greatl. I've got some fairly large well seasoned pieces of oak that would make strong clamps. I don't really want to spend much on this and want to use the minimalist table I've got drawings for. After use, it will take up little space and I'm limited in that.

Robert.