Router Table

[patlaw]

If you were going to buy your first router table, which one would you get? I've read review after review of JessEm, Kreg, Bosch, MLCS, and more. Each one has its strengths and weaknesses. What I really want is a router table with the JoinTech fence system that Bill Burton has. The Incra looks good, but it doesn't look as straight forward as the JoinTech. (Maybe it is and I don't understand it.) It would also be great to be able to adjust the height easily, whether from the top or side. Routers are fun. I'm going to spend some time learning how to use them better. Joe Scharle's class was very helpful to me.

 

[jazzflute]

Mike,

In order to save everyone a lot of time and typing, I offer the following guide—compiled after years of reading online woodworking forums:

Option A: The one that *I* own. I've never actually tried any other ones, but that is because mine is the best.

Option B: None of them; real men build their own router tables. Mine is constructed from the stumps of 400 year old oak specimen trees and is the best, but you don't have the skills to build it. I do have the skills, therefore I am better than you at all woodworking ever.

Option C: Men got along for thousands of years without routers. Buy twenty three router planes at garage sales and flea markets and restore them yourself, and then build a roubo bench with a moxon vise and say 20 novenas to Chris Schwartz and Roy Underhill begging for forgiveness. Loser.

Option D: None. Buy a shaper.

That should about cover every possible answer.

You're welcome.

K

P.S. I have the incra fence, and it is much better than the JoinTech.
I've never used the JoinTech.

 

[golfdad]

had decision there kevin

 

[MarkE]

Mike,

In order to save everyone a lot of time and typing, I offer the following guide—compiled after years of reading online woodworking forums:

Option A: The one that *I* own. I've never actually tried any other ones, but that is because mine is the best.

Option B: None of them; real men build their own router tables. Mine is constructed from the stumps of 400 year old oak specimen trees and is the best, but you don't have the skills to build it. I do have the skills, therefore I am better than you at all woodworking ever.

Option C: Men got along for thousands of years without routers. Buy twenty three router planes at garage sales and flea markets and restore them yourself, and then build a roubo bench with a moxon vise and say 20 novenas to Chris Schwartz and Roy Underhill begging for forgiveness. Loser.

Option D: None. Buy a shaper.

That should about cover every possible answer.

You're welcome.

K

P.S. I have the incra fence, and it is much better than the JoinTech.
I've never used the JoinTech.

Very concise summary.

I have had the Incra Ultra fence for many years. It is a very good system.

You are welcome to stop by to check it out if you'd like.

 

[JimD]

I am in the build-your-own camp. I have had several over the years but do not plan any future changes. I currently have two.

The one I made first and still occasionally use is in the extension table of my table saw. The extension table is 3/4 melamine particle board and the underside is reduced in thickness to about 3/8 in the shape of one of my fixed bases for one of my PC690s. I keep a base on it most of the time (I have 4) so getting it in service is just moving a motor in and putting the fence on the extension table. I don't like that it limits the table saw to use this router table but I used it quite a bit before making my dedicated table. The fence is made of scraps and has an adjustable opening and a long slot. It attached with a couple knobs with studs that go into T-nuts on the underside of the table. If you have an extension table on your table saw, a router table like this is handy. I use this mainly when I want two tables to I don't have to keep changing the setup.

My dedicated table uses ideas from Norm's table (new Yankee workshop) and the adjustable height idea from an old American Woodworker article. It has screw adjustment for height and a pivoting top for bit changes from the American article. Both features are very nice. It's size and drawers are from Norm's design. It also has adjustable opening for the bit and dust extraction on the fence and motor compartment.

My issue with the purchased router tables is the cost and what you get for the money. My dedicated table is heavy and solid. It is 1/4 inch lower than my table saw so it can be an infeed or outfeed table (with the fence removed). It has plenty of bit storage for my bits and also holds the wrenches to change bits. Purchased tables just do not typically have those features. I'm sure they have nice attributes but I honestly believe you can build something better than you can buy in this area. If you are set on buying something, you might at least try to get one with a height mechanism you could move to a custom table you build later.

 

[McRabbet]

Mike (patlaw),

Just so you know, JoinTech is no longer in business. I have one of their cabinetmakers fences on my shop-built router tables and like it as well. Incra is probably your only manual option that comes close to the JoinTech models. You may be able to find a JoinTech on eBay or Craig's List, but I have never checked those possibilities.

 

[Roy G]

Art Carpenter, who was well represented in FWW back in the day, cut a hole in a piece of plywood, attached his router to the plywood with the bit through the hole, use a board clamped to the plywood as a fence and then supported the table on a 55 gallon drum. it worked for him.


Roy G

 

[LeftyTom]

I built mine, using a larger table I had found at the Winston-Salem Rescue Mission Store for $30. It is 4 ft long, with 2 drawers remaining on the front; I removed the top drawer to make space for the router. I got a router table top & fence froma comapny in Canada (I cannot recall the name). It suits my needs and frequency of use, though its limits are a fence that does not adjust both sides evenly. I use the ruler decal on each side of the fence to set each side evenly (and it is accurate thus far).

The router table and fence set me back about $120.

The biggest issue it the under-table height adjustment on my Milwaukee 5216 router: the wrench that cam with the router has rounded the edges of the plastic guide atop the metal screw. I bought a replacement height adjustment screw, but it has the same nonsensical plastic tip on the screw.

 

[nn4jw]

I looked at the micro adjusting fence systems like the Incra and JoinTech. I ended up buying the original Incra jig. After setting it up and figuring out how it worked, playing with it some, I set it aside ready for the first project where it would be just the thing I needed. Three years later I still haven't had a project where I needed it. Others may use such a thing daily, but so far NADA for me.

My router table is a built around a Woodpeckers top and Woodpeckers RF3 fence.



I have a micro adjuster for the fence, but rarely need it.



As you can see, no router lift involved. The router is a Bosch 1617EVS and adjusts above the table through the mounting plate. I do have to reach under and release the clamp to adjust it though. Not as convenient as an actual lift, but about $300 cheaper. I can reach under there a lot for $300.

I did build the cabinet to fit the stand. The stand it sits on came from Sam's on sale. I did add JessEm Clear Cut stock guides to the fence and like them a lot.

I've seen some really elaborate ($$$) router tables and cabinets. I'm sure that the owners are justifiably proud. I would be too. I've seen setups a lot less elaborate than mine. If they do what the owners want then good on them.

The point is that there are many ways to have a working router table. Cost can be minimal or as high as you can (almost) afford. If it does what you want then it's the right choice. Unless you want to take it to a who has the mas macho router table competition .

 

[SubGuy]

I have a Rockler table and fence package. I haven't put it together yet. But it looks nice.

 

[PeteM]

Don't forget to check out the Router Boss for even more fun!!!
http://www.chipsfly.com/

 

[Joe Scharle]

In my 'How to use a Router Table' class, I always recommended that everyone begin by mounting a router in a 2 X 2 piece of plywood, and using a clamped straight edge as a fence, set the thing over a trash can. The whole point is, that after using this $10 table for awhile (or forever) you will discover what you want to spend serious money on....or not! Personally, I have absolutely no use for a lift, since I will always set the bit at my eye level. I made and removed a micro-adjuster since it didn't give me repeatability and was an extra step in setting the fence. My fences DO have T-slots, all at the same height above the table for ease of mounting special purpose fences. You may find with experience, other things that are important/necessary. I used to have a T/S insert from MLCS, that I found very handy and used a lot. But since I sold that saw and moved into a much smaller shop space, I get by with a shop made R/T, another R/T in my Paulk bench and Woodrat.

I like my Woodrat but as with the Router Boss, you can't effectively use one without GOOD spatial relations ability. Woodsmith has devoted a lot of ink on this month's issue on building a rig to accomplish just one of the tool's capabilities.

 

[Bas]

Mike,

In order to save everyone a lot of time and typing, I offer the following guide—compiled after years of reading online woodworking forums:

Option A: The one that *I* own. I've never actually tried any other ones, but that is because mine is the best.

Option B: None of them; real men build their own router tables. Mine is constructed from the stumps of 400 year old oak specimen trees and is the best, but you don't have the skills to build it. I do have the skills, therefore I am better than you at all woodworking ever.

Option C: Men got along for thousands of years without routers. Buy twenty three router planes at garage sales and flea markets and restore them yourself, and then build a roubo bench with a moxon vise and say 20 novenas to Chris Schwartz and Roy Underhill begging for forgiveness. Loser.

Option D: None. Buy a shaper.

That should about cover every possible answer.

You're welcome.

K

P.S. I have the incra fence, and it is much better than the JoinTech.
I've never used the JoinTech.

You just won the Internet.

 

[Bas]

If you were going to buy your first router table, which one would you get? I've read review after review of JessEm, Kreg, Bosch, MLCS, and more. Each one has its strengths and weaknesses. What I really want is a router table with the JoinTech fence system that Bill Burton has. The Incra looks good, but it doesn't look as straight forward as the JoinTech. (Maybe it is and I don't understand it.) It would also be great to be able to adjust the height easily, whether from the top or side. Routers are fun. I'm going to spend some time learning how to use them better. Joe Scharle's class was very helpful to me.

Whether you buy or build, what really makes the difference is having a router lift. I have the Woodpecker PRL v2, but they are all similar in features. The second feature to consider is dust collection. A Norm-style router table usually has excellent dust collection from underneath. Commercial router tables have been lacking in this department, although the newer ones now enclose the router with a box. The third consideration is the fence. A split fence with dust collection and optionally T-track, flip stops and micro-adjust is really nice. Router bit and accessory storage is also something important to consider.

I bought a router table from MCLS, and then upgraded by building a Norm-style table with a Rockler fence (plans). I like the latter much better. Apart from the cost, the main reason I built my own is to make it compatible with my table saw, it acts as a small outfeed table.

You can buy the lift, fence, and top and just build the cabinet yourself, to add an option E to Kevin's outstanding lift. Or buy a table from here -> http://www.rt1000.com/index.html

 

[patlaw]

Bas, the RT-1000 is the one I saw a long time ago that was on sale, and I almost bought one. Even at full price, they seem reasonable since I don't have the tools or skills to build my own. The reason I didn't buy it is that I don't have a place to use and store it, although I may try to find a way to roll it into and out of my storage shed. I may do the plywood/straight edge/trash can thing for a while.

 

[kclark]

I'm in the "I have the best router table" camp. I bought it thru Rick Dinardo. It is the the Incra LS Super System 25". I feel it is the best option out there if you want to make precise and repeatable cuts. Love the dovetails that I can make with it and it is very easy to setup no matter what kind of cut you are going to do. It is like anything else. It costs a little more but in the end it saves me a lot of time and headaches.

 

[allisnut]

I think all the rest of ya'll just proved Kevin correct.

:gar-Bi

For what it is worth, I built my router table modeled after the design of Norm's. i still need to make the door and a drawer front to call it "finished".

 

[patlaw]

I'm in the "I have the best router table" camp. I bought it thru Rick Dinardo. It is the the Incra LS Super System 25". I feel it is the best option out there if you want to make precise and repeatable cuts. Love the dovetails that I can make with it and it is very easy to setup no matter what kind of cut you are going to do. It is like anything else. It costs a little more but in the end it saves me a lot of time and headaches.

This one? If so, what kind of base did you put it on?

 

[kclark]

This one? If so, what kind of base did you put it on?

Yes, that one. I put it on a router table base that I already had and an angle iron on each side that extended out the back for the additional space required. The only thing that I want to do with my router table is get a new base for it. I will most likely get the incra base since it is made for it.

 

[Obxwoody]

Mike,
I took the class with you at Joe's. (Thanks again Joe) I had used a router before but not much. After the class I just started fooling around more. It really helped my confidence not doing specific projects but trying things out, I was less affraid to mess up. I think everyone can have something different and be happy. I used a bench dog extension on my table saw briefly, it was great, but I did notice not having a lift, my router seemed to slip when locking the height, and it was difficult to more the fence(apparently I am/was not great at measuring and/or didn't have great measuring instruments. I upgraded to an incra ts/ls whatever... and not having many skills it has truly helped eliminate my mistakes. **Some of my mistakes, not all; mostly measuring ones. I really like being able to quickly zero out the fence for either the table saw or the router and not having to measure again...it has rulers and an indicator to go off of.

I also like the joinery that can be made with very little thinking. It's like woodworking so easy a caveman can do it! When using their "templates" in the fence it takes the measuring and math/figuring out of the equation. If interested at all I'd suggest the videos they've done to demo the product.

The next upgrade I made was a lift, and noticed right away that "slippage" was gone, and it was far easier (for me) to fine tune the height of bits. Also when doing cuts at different heights with the same bit I could just count the number of handle cranks/positions to put the bit back at the exact same height.

Dust collection then became important for me doing groove cuts I was "shooting" out saw dust everywhere...I tried rigging many solutions, its Much better now with under the table dust collection. What a difference that has made in cleaning up when done routing!

And two other bonus suggestions that have truly helped my routing...cutting off as much waste before hand so the router isn't doing as much work...that makes a big difference for me (most of the time). I try to ease into it as much as possible if I can't cut off excess, and I probably baby the cut too much but I feel better that way.

And the second -- featherboards, or stock guides to hold down your work... I try to use them whenever possible to prevent kickback (in any direction rather) and I find that I am usually happier with the cuts when I've used my featherboards (I don't own any fancy stock guides but they look magical) The featherboards also keep the cut more consistent than my manual pressure, (i imagine stock guides are even better) and I almost feel like I could do it hands free...weird....

Finding what makes you comfortable and makes it easier for your work flow is most important. I have realized if I did big production runs I would want a stand alone router table with a larger top. For the little I do it's nice having it as an extension with the table saw and being able to share the fence.

For me being a caveman who can't measure the incra made a big difference. I'm positive there are some other solutions out there that could also be similarly effective. Good luck and happy hunting!