My first woodworking project was a router table found in a wood
working magazine last month. It has aluminum t-slots and is made from
3/4 oak plywood.

I'd like to finish the surface to make it more slick but I worry about
fouling my t-slots with whatever I coat it with. What would be a good
way to finish its surface?

5+ coats of shellac, sanded to 600, buffed with gray and white pads,
followed by paste wax. It will be so slick that if it isn't perfectly
level, stuff will just slide off the edges. It's easy to renew if it
gets damaged (which is why I don't suggest poly).

I use shellac to seal and slick up mdf zero clearance inserts for my
router table, the bottom of a cross cut sled, and top surface of outfeed
table. A couple times a year, I hit the outfeed table with a sander to
remove glue spots and rewax.

Dave

Modat22 wrote:

My first woodworking project was a router table found in a wood
working magazine last month. It has aluminum t-slots and is made from
3/4 oak plywood.

I'd like to finish the surface to make it more slick but I worry about
fouling my t-slots with whatever I coat it with. What would be a good
way to finish its surface?

What router is gonna be hanging from that 3/4" thick top? If not well
braced underneath, a heavy router will cause the top to sag in the
middle. You could always add another piece of ply to the underside to
stiffen it. AAMOF a mid-sized router may also cause some sagging.

I don't see why you expect to "foul" the T-track when applying the
finish...got tape?

Dave

Modat22 wrote:

My first woodworking project was a router table found in a wood
working magazine last month. It has aluminum t-slots and is made from
3/4 oak plywood.

I'd like to finish the surface to make it more slick but I worry about
fouling my t-slots with whatever I coat it with. What would be a good
way to finish its surface?

Modat22 wrote:

I'd like to finish the surface to make it more slick but I worry about
fouling my t-slots with whatever I coat it with. What would be a good
way to finish its surface?

A plastic lminate, like Formica.

Barry

What router is gonna be hanging from that 3/4" thick top? If not well
braced underneath, a heavy router will cause the top to sag in the
middle.

23 Years 3/4 Birch ply, PC 690 hanging underneath and no sag. Oh, no finish
on the ply either.


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Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start

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What's the weight of a 690? I couldn't find the net weight at the PC
site, but expect it to be much less than a 7518. That baby and a PRL or
Master lift isn't going to be too easy to suspend from a single piece of
3/4" ply for even a month, much less 23 years.

Dave

Rumpty wrote:

What router is gonna be hanging from that 3/4" thick top? If not well
braced underneath, a heavy router will cause the top to sag in the
middle.


23 Years 3/4 Birch ply, PC 690 hanging underneath and no sag. Oh, no finish
on the ply either.


--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start

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On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 09:18:02 -0700, David wrote:

What's the weight of a 690? I couldn't find the net weight at the PC
site, but expect it to be much less than a 7518. That baby and a PRL or
Master lift isn't going to be too easy to suspend from a single piece of
3/4" ply for even a month, much less 23 years.

Dave

I have a Porter Cable 890 series with a veritas router plate hanging
on my 3/4 " oak ply table. The table top is framed very well and very
rigid. The shipping weight of the 890 is 13.5 pounds so figure around
10 pounds for the router.

I built mine from plans from a magazine (can't remember the title) the
project title is called weekend router table and is made for those
that don't have much shop space. You clamp it on your wood bench when
you need it.

I use an old B&D shopmate worktable to hold mine (never found another
use for it anyway).

"Rumpty" wrote in message
...
What router is gonna be hanging from that 3/4" thick top? If not well
braced underneath, a heavy router will cause the top to sag in the
middle.

23 Years 3/4 Birch ply, PC 690 hanging underneath and no sag. Oh, no
finish
on the ply either.

I saw some testing that say it takes 24 years to sag. Time to start taking
remedial steps before the top just caves in. .

LOL!

Dave

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"Rumpty" wrote in message
...

What router is gonna be hanging from that 3/4" thick top? If not well
braced underneath, a heavy router will cause the top to sag in the
middle.

23 Years 3/4 Birch ply, PC 690 hanging underneath and no sag. Oh, no
finish
on the ply either.


I saw some testing that say it takes 24 years to sag. Time to start taking
remedial steps before the top just caves in. .

I saw some testing that say it takes 24 years to sag. Time to start taking
remedial steps before the top just caves in. .

Ya, I was thinking the same thing, maybe time.... Just posted over in ABPW a
photo of my no sag router table.

--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start

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Poly euethane is a really tough coating used on floors and is highly scratch
resistant. Although I don't think you would be worried about that it being
a router table.
"Rumpty" wrote in message
...
I saw some testing that say it takes 24 years to sag. Time to start
taking
remedial steps before the top just caves in. .

Ya, I was thinking the same thing, maybe time.... Just posted over in ABPW
a
photo of my no sag router table.

--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start

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What's "euethane"? I asked my local suppliers for some and they gave me
this long blank stare...

bronzzy wrote:

Poly euethane is a really tough coating used on floors and is highly scratch
resistant. Although I don't think you would be worried about that it being
a router table.
"Rumpty" wrote in message
...

Subject

Neither IMHO, use a piece of laminate with a dull finish.

Mine works quite well.

Lew