Please, any recommendations for a router table?

Three considerations

1. to hold a 'full size' router (ie with 12mm/0.5in bit capacity).
Preferably usable by most router makes.

2. to be able to tilt either the table bed, or the router itself, so
that non-standard chamfer angles can be cut on the edge of timber with
a standard straight flute bit.

3. tough/rigid enough so that there isn't a great deal of flexing in
the table to knock the work 'off centre'

Alternatively, are there any router mounts/guides available in which
the workpiece stays put whilst the router is fixed to a mount which
moves along a sliding adjustable rail?


TIA

On 4 Oct, 11:22, jim wrote:

Make your own. Easy, cheap, better.

2. to be able to tilt either the table bed, or the router itself, so
that non-standard chamfer angles can be cut on the edge of timber with
a standard straight flute bit.

Tilting is too hard, and usually much less rigid. Instead make
interchangeable inserts to carry the router at the few different
angles you use.

To do tilting (or to make the inserts), also look up "sine bars" as an
easy way to set up angles.

jim wrote:
Please, any recommendations for a router table?

Three considerations

1. to hold a 'full size' router (ie with 12mm/0.5in bit capacity).
Preferably usable by most router makes.

2. to be able to tilt either the table bed, or the router itself, so
that non-standard chamfer angles can be cut on the edge of timber with
a standard straight flute bit.

3. tough/rigid enough so that there isn't a great deal of flexing in
the table to knock the work 'off centre'

Alternatively, are there any router mounts/guides available in which
the workpiece stays put whilst the router is fixed to a mount which
moves along a sliding adjustable rail?


TIA

Look for "wood rat" to address your last point maybe.

Bob

Make your own. Easy, cheap, better.

I have to agree. I bought the fancy CMT one from Axminster, and (nice
though it is) with hindsight, making one would have resulted in
something *ideal*.

There's little that's difficult to make, the fence doesn't need to
slide or stay parallel with anything (it can even just pivot at one
end), and the router itself just needs to bolt to the underside of a
substantial board

The one bit it might be worth buying to incorporate into your table is
a router lift to give ultra-easy fine height adjust, and easier bit-
changing.

"jim" wrote in message
...
Please, any recommendations for a router table?

Three considerations

1. to hold a 'full size' router (ie with 12mm/0.5in bit capacity).
Preferably usable by most router makes.

Many router bases will have at least two holes which can accept
6mm or 10mm machine screws. If they don't its easy enough to
drill a pair of holes. Then for the table all you need is a piece
9mm or 12mm birch ply with corresponding holes and a pair of machine screws.
Just make sure the screws are short enough and so positioned that they
don't foul the router body on a full plunge. You may need bracing
stiffeners on the ply depending on how large the table is as any thicker
and you would be losing too much depth on the router cutters. A fancy job
would used thinner sheet steel or aluminium. The hole where the bit goes
through you can either make with the first cut of your largest bottom
cutting bit or use a hole saw. Any fences are made in the same way.
Made out of ply and secured with machine screws. Holes drilled in the angle
of the fences, and matching slots in the table cut with the router.




2. to be able to tilt either the table bed, or the router itself, so
that non-standard chamfer angles can be cut on the edge of timber with
a standard straight flute bit.

It's often easier to make a simple jig which tilts the work at the proper
angle. If theres a lot of repeat work then its a simple matter to put
the jig to one side, rather than having to again set up the angle each
time.



3. tough/rigid enough so that there isn't a great deal of flexing in
the table to knock the work 'off centre'

That's achieved by bracing underneath unless you go down the steel
aluminium route. Otherwise as above you lose to much depth off the
cutter unless you restrict yourself to very long straight worktop
cutters.



Alternatively, are there any router mounts/guides available in which
the workpiece stays put whilst the router is fixed to a mount which
moves along a sliding adjustable rail?

There's a thing which which is screwed to the wall which costs a couple
of hundred quid whose name I forget which sometimes comes up on eBay. Just
judging by appearances it looks like a lot of gimmick inventions with loads
of plastic components which will eventually fail. Many people who sell them
say they're sinply too complicated to use.

The whole point of routers is that it should be possible to knock up
just about any jigs you're likely to need either out of plywood or
perspex just by using the router itself.


michael adams

....


TIA

jim wrote:
Please, any recommendations for a router table?

Three considerations

1. to hold a 'full size' router (ie with 12mm/0.5in bit capacity).
Preferably usable by most router makes.

2. to be able to tilt either the table bed, or the router itself, so
that non-standard chamfer angles can be cut on the edge of timber with
a standard straight flute bit.

3. tough/rigid enough so that there isn't a great deal of flexing in
the table to knock the work 'off centre'

Alternatively, are there any router mounts/guides available in which
the workpiece stays put whilst the router is fixed to a mount which
moves along a sliding adjustable rail?


TIA

The odd thing is that toy router tables attempt to combine a spindle
moulder, and table router in one, with reasonable success.

To get tilt., knock up an angled wood carrier out of MDF or an adapter
plate for longer lengths as previously suggested.

michael adams wrote:
"jim" wrote in message
...
Please, any recommendations for a router table?

Three considerations

1. to hold a 'full size' router (ie with 12mm/0.5in bit capacity).
Preferably usable by most router makes.

Many router bases will have at least two holes which can accept
6mm or 10mm machine screws. If they don't its easy enough to
drill a pair of holes. Then for the table all you need is a piece
9mm or 12mm birch ply with corresponding holes and a pair of machine
screws. Just make sure the screws are short enough and so positioned
that they don't foul the router body on a full plunge. You may need
bracing stiffeners on the ply depending on how large the table is as
any thicker and you would be losing too much depth on the router
cutters.


I made one years ago from 18mm ply, but I routed out a circle to fit the
router base about 10mm deep on the underside to overcome the depth of cut
problem.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

RubberBiker wrote:
Make your own. Easy, cheap, better.

I have to agree. I bought the fancy CMT one from Axminster, and (nice
though it is) with hindsight, making one would have resulted in
something *ideal*.

There's little that's difficult to make, the fence doesn't need to
slide or stay parallel with anything (it can even just pivot at one
end),

Took me ages to figure that out when I made my first router table :-)


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"Cicero" wrote in message
news
I needed to get a 22.5 degree cut on several lengths of timber last week
and tried to work out how to make a workable tilting board. There appeared
to be so many problems to overcome that I gave up on the idea and used my
table saw to get the angle

I would have ripped a strip to 22.5 degrees on the table saw and stuck that
to the router table if I needed a better finish.