Finally built a router table

[ErnieM]

After many months of procrastination, I finally decided the time had come to build a router table. The lift is the new Jessum Router-Lift II. It works perfectly and the introductory price ($119.00) was a bargain. I drew up the plans in SketchUp but, like many home-made router tables, it ended up looking somewhat like Norm's. I should have done this years ago.

Ernie

​

 

[Canuck]

Very , very nice table Ernie!!!:icon_cheers

You shouldn't have any issues with storage. You definitely took care of utilizing all of the real estate.

That lift sure does sound like a bargain to me!:icon_thum:icon_thum

Will you be adding any caster's.

(If you are ever up in the Raleigh area, Woodcraft have a nice 3" swiveling/locking caster on Managers Special for around $10 each. The special has been going on for several months now.)

Wayne

 

[nelsone]

Looks great! I'd like to make a full size router table, but for now I'll stick with the bench top one I made a few years ago. I'm sure yours will serve you well!

 

[CrealBilly]

Very very nice :icon_thum a word of advise, don't run the router for long periods of time with the door closed. One of my sons was working the router table for me and the heat got so bad it melted the plastic housing on one of my routers. Needless to say he has more stamina that I do, I would have had to take a couple of breaks...

 

[ErnieM]

Very , very nice table Ernie!!!:icon_cheers

You shouldn't have any issues with storage. You definitely took care of utilizing all of the real estate.

That lift sure does sound like a bargain to me!:icon_thum:icon_thum

Will you be adding any caster's.

(If you are ever up in the Raleigh area, Woodcraft have a nice 3" swiveling/locking caster on Managers Special for around $10 each. The special has been going on for several months now.)

Wayne

Thanks, Wayne

I thought about casters but I decided against them. I've never found the need to move my old table so I designed this table to be about the same height as the workbench to its left so I can use it as an outfeed table. Not having casters is a decision I may regret - we'll see.

Ernie

 

[ErnieM]

Very very nice :icon_thum a word of advise, don't run the router for long periods of time with the door closed. One of my sons was working the router table for me and the heat got so bad it melted the plastic housing on one of my routers. Needless to say he has more stamina that I do, I would have had to take a couple of breaks...

Thanks, Jeff,

It doesn't show in the pictures but there are four 1" holes in the tinted plexiglass door to let fresh air in. Hopefully that will be enough to avoid any heat issues.

Ernie

 

[yanmarman2007]

That table is really nice.

 

[jhreed]

OK, where is the tutorial for those of us less talented?
James

 

[eyekode]

With the quality of your work I have seen you post I am surprised there is no inlay or maybe a bow-front . But seriously that is a good looking router table! How does the fence clamp down?
Salem

 

[ErnieM]

With the quality of your work I have seen you post I am surprised there is no inlay or maybe a bow-front . But seriously that is a good looking router table! How does the fence clamp down?
Salem

Salem,

Any bowed front I would build would only happen by mistake.:wsmile:
The fence clamps down to two t-track. As you can see in the picture below, this was one of my dumber mistakes in this project. No need to have a slot in the fence and a t-track. I should have just drilled a hole in the fence bottom instead of a slot. It still works fine but I will probably fill in the slots and drill a hole instead.

Ernie

View image in gallery​

 

[Trent Mason]

Excellent work Ernie. :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap Thanks for sharing. I'm procrastinating on building a RT until I have a bigger shop. I'll definitely revisit this thread before I build one. :thumbs_up:thumbs_up

 

[Joe Scharle]

Handsome piece, Ernie...

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Great looking addition to the shop, Ernie. But some of those drawers look a little empty. Sounds like an opportunity to buy some more [STRIKE]toys[/STRIKE] tools. :gar-La;

Bill

 

[Glennbear]

Nice design and execution Ernie, one would expect nothing less from someone who cobbles together harpsichords on a regular basis. :gar-La;

 

[leftoflefty]

WOW!!!! Great job. I just purchased a benchtop RT. But after seeing this, I want to make one.:gar-Bi

 

[kave]

Very nice job!

 

[Douglas Robinson]

Next time I come down to race perhaps I can come by and admire it in person.

 

[ErnieM]

Next time I come down to race perhaps I can come by and admire it in person.

Doug, you're always welcome here - race or no race. Don't suppose you'll be swimming in the Tar river any time soon.:wsmile:

Ernie

 

[NCTurner]

Great looking table, and nice stealth gloat too!

 

[ehpoole]

Thanks, Jeff,

It doesn't show in the pictures but there are four 1" holes in the tinted plexiglass door to let fresh air in. Hopefully that will be enough to avoid any heat issues.

Ernie

Four 1" holes is very unlikely to be adequate on its own. However, if you add under-table dust collection (whether with a true dust collector or a lowly shop vac), then you should have adequate ventillation.

The danger is if dust collection is top-side only (or worse, none at all), then the heat just keeps recirculating within the interior space and routers generate an amazing amount of heat. Just think, every amp equals 120W of heat, now imagine how hot it would get if you installed a space heater in its place and set the controls to 'high' and the thermostat to maximum! That is your under-table router enclosure without proper ventillation!

The other poster is lucky it was just melted plastic, odds are a few more minutes would have melted the motor windings irrevocably. Had it been a model with electronic speed control, the speed control would have likley overheated and self-destructed long before then.