The table is a bigger problem - it seems they easily cost more than the
router. Oh dear.


Personal Opinion Follows:

I know this sounds blasphemous but how perfect of a table do you
need? One of the most gifted woodworkers I have met used a pretty
basic table to do beautiful work (CAREFULLY). It consists of a piece
of plywood with a very ugly Formica top that he got from a scrap
pile. He used a Rousseau phenolic plate. His fence was a piece of 2x
with a notch cut out for the bit and held to the table with two
clamps.

Mine is a little nicer but still cheap. It is mounted between the
wings of my table saw and consists of a double layer of 3/4" Baltic
birch P/W banded with oak. I too use the Rousseau plate. My fence is
much more elaborate; adapted from some of the commercial tables. The
framework is Baltic birch P/W and the face is MDF. The face uses
sliding lower panels (for bit clearance) and a T-rail. It also has a
dust collection port that works pretty well with my shop vac. With
the exception of the dust port fittings and some threaded lever
handles, the entire table came from my remnant bin.

The point is.....If you have that bunch of tools in your shop, a
little web-surfing, ingenuity and the scrap bin can often provide a
good solution.

RonB