Routers

[MattRoberts]

I just built my router take as an extension wing on my table saw and use the table saw fence. Easy and precise.

 

[Benchwayze]

Routers? Well I like them for certain jobs. (Making lots of fence posts look 'tiddly', for instance. ) But I think there are far too many complicated, 'over-kill' jigs for them. Usually a few bits of wood, and double sided tape are all that you need as a guide to cut most joints. I have a router table of sorts; just an MDF board I fit into my Workmate, but mostly I use the router the right way up. Only occasionally do I use a jig of any sort; such as the 'cookie-cutter' dovetailing jig I bought for cutting loads of dovetails in kitchen drawers.

I love perusing cutter catalogues though, and thinking about all the bolection mouldings and dado rails I could make!

John

 

[Alder]

Thank you for the replies, some are helpful.
I had done some research before posting my question. I am aware that some recommend the Rutland's model but they do not clarify what weight router they use under that table. There have also been posting here about router plates curving but not many clarify the material that the particular plate is made of or what Router hangs beneath it.
Browsing on line it is easy find the weight of a router which can vary from around 4lbs (under two Kg) to over 16lbs (7kg) so a particular plate or table might be suitable for one and not the other.
I have seen the products Peter Sefton sells at last years open day but was not present at the Peter's hand tool day last November when Steve was demonstrating. These products are mouth watering but they come they come at eye watering prices.
I was in the Cardiff area recently on business and took the opportunity to visit the Axminster store. Looking at a bare router table (Ujk) as compared to looking at a router table in action do not compare well at least for me. I know Axminster do working days but time constraints mean I cannot just jump in the car for a 200 mile round trip at the drop of a hat. I appreciate Peter's invitation to visit but unlike last year my travels have not taken me on the M50 at least not so far this year.
Thank you,
Russell

 

[Wuffles]

Thank you for the replies, some are helpful.
I had done some research before posting my question. I am aware that some recommend the Rutland's model but they do not clarify what weight router they use under that table. There have also been posting here about router plates curving but not many clarify the material that the particular plate is made of or what Router hangs beneath it.
Browsing on line it is easy find the weight of a router which can vary from around 4lbs (under two Kg) to over 16lbs (7kg) so a particular plate or table might be suitable for one and not the other.
I have seen the products Peter Sefton sells at last years open day but was not present at the Peter's hand tool day last November when Steve was demonstrating. These products are mouth watering but they come they come at eye watering prices.
I was in the Cardiff area recently on business and took the opportunity to visit the Axminster store. Looking at a bare router table (Ujk) as compared to looking at a router table in action do not compare well at least for me. I know Axminster do working days but time constraints mean I cannot just jump in the car for a 200 mile round trip at the drop of a hat. I appreciate Peter's invitation to visit but unlike last year my travels have not taken me on the M50 at least not so far this year.
Thank you,
Russell

If you have specific questions, ask specific questions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Beau]

Can't advise on the current range of routers as still using an old Elu 177E which has been superb but one of it's clones will leave you with a vast range of compatible accessories available. As for tables a home made job can do most thing that are necessary. I had one attached to my table saw so it doubled up as an extension. Never seen the need for all the fancy fences available when some MDF and a cutout for dust extraction will do 99% of work. The one extension I value the most with a router is a Woodrat. Seems to be Marmite thing on here but for me this one of best accessories for a router ever.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The bowing that you refer to is usually when people put big routers onto a plastic plate. The other non-flat aspect you need to consider is insert immediately around the cutter. There is one black phenolic plate around, under various different brand names, which has grey and red inserts. The manufacturer's boast that they are slightly crowned to ensurea clean cut. That, to my mind, is bovine colonic waste. They make them crowned because they can't make them flat by injection moulding. That crown may be a tiny advantage when, say, rebating, but it is far from an advantage with any sort of reflex moulding such as a staff bead.

I, like many others, started with a home-made ali plate. It was OK but had high surface drag (it wasn't anodised). I then bought a phenolic one and wished I hadn't. I then splashed out on an ali one from Tilgear. It was good, but changing the rings required a screwdriver and 3 very small, fiddly screws. That one grew legs and I now have an Incra one. Yes it's expensive, but you only have to buy it once, not four times as I have done. It is flat, insert change is both quick and easy.

If you use a router raiser (and I think that is essential in a router table) make sure that it fits. I had to mount mine 90deg to normal to get mine to work comfortably. You can buy the plate with no mounting holes and drill them yourself. That way you can control where the adjustment point is.

But definitely go ali rather than phenolic.

 

[Cordy]

In my old Trend router table is a Hitachi M12VE
The machine is quite good, plenty power and smooth

The table was a mistake; [from Ebay] table not true and fence leaves much to be desired
The No Volts switch is good though

The new Trend tables may be OK

 

[Alder]

Thank you in particular Steve Maskery for more replies.
Wuffles is one who appears to endorse the Rutland's offering and also asks me to pose specific questions. So what size/weight router does he and others users of the Rutlands offering on this Forum use?
Regards,
Russell.

 

[Wuffles]

It does all depend on your budget, I had a Triton table with a Triton router in it, made my kitchen with it when sold the table on and replaced it with the cheaper Rutlands table but kept the Triton TRA001 router.

I don't really notice any sag, but then I'm a very occasional router table user. I leave that one in there and when I need a handheld router I have a couple of Festools I prefer to use for that kind of thing.

I didn't really have the time to make a table so I plumped for that solution. If in the future I do find the time, or need one more and more then I'll make one and re-use some of the bits from the Rutlands table. I went with the feather option so that's something I will definitely re-use.