BYO router table

[Franco B]

I'm building myself a new router table and I thought I would post my progress here in case anyone wants to build one themselves. I may also need some help/ideas for a couple of parts too.

I built a basic router table a while ago which has been indispensable when working on my last couple of projects, so much so that I have hardly had my router out of it.

This is the basic one I made:



As good as it is for what I wanted it for I want to build a better one for my new workshop. I'm going to build a table with two routers permanently mounted in it. I'm mounting two as I'm generally using two different bits at a time (flush trim + bearing guided ovolo or flush trim + t-slot etc) and its a pain in the ass to keep swapping them over. I'm planning a micro adjustable fence for it and I will also build some storage draws to store router bits, tools,  templates etc.

I've decided to use some 40mm thick laminated worktop for the table. I picked up a 2m offcut of laminated beech from B&Q for £15 and cut in half which will give me a table length of around 1m. The worktop will be sturdy, hardwearing and will be nice and flat.

This is the worktop and the two 1800w routers I will be mounting:



I'm going to recess the bottom section of the table to around 20mm where the routers will be mounted. The routers will be mounted to one piece of the worktop which will then lie on the second piece of worktop. There will be cut outs in the lower piece to give clearance for the routers.

I'm going to hinge the two pieces at the back so that the top piece swings upwards to allow easier tool height setting and changing of tools etc. I'm going to make a flat steel bar stay to keep the upper table elevated when raised.

I'm going to use a similar router mounting method to me previous table but I'm going to use six anchor points and Ive also made some stainless caps to cover the recessed bolts so that the table will be perfectly flat.

I took the first router to work today to alter the router base. The base plate has 6 M4 threads to attach the plastic plate but I didn't fancy securing the routers with M4 bolts so I've opened them up to M6 and also drilled though the plate so that they can be bolted from the other side for extra security:



I need to take the other router in tomorrow to drill/tap and then I'm taking the upper worktop into work on Friday to drill all the mounting holes and router bit through hole. Ive made some cutter relief inserts for various size bits and the worktop will be counter bored 54mm diameter so that they are flush with the worktop.

I'm planning on turning a 1mm pitch thread and mounting it horizontally behind the fence so that its micro adjustable. I'm going to mill a 10 sided polygon on the bolts head so that each 1/10 turn of the screw will adjust the fence 0.1mm.

I think that's it for now. Ill post some more on Friday.

I would appreciate any comments or suggestions at this stage. I don't have a lot of experience with router tables and I may be missing something here and/or there may be a better way to do things than what I am doing presently.
 

[HaRuMaN]

Why 2 routers?

[Chadwick]

I'm going to build a table with two routers permanently mounted in it. I'm mounting two as I'm generally using two different bits at a time (flush trim + bearing guided ovolo or flush trim + t-slot etc) and its a pain in the ass to keep swapping them over.

[Franco B]

You got it.

Finished drilling the mounting holes and concentric ring couter bores this morning. This was the weapon of choice, no torque issues with this one! 



The ring counter bores were drilled 40mm though and counter bored 54mm x 5mm deep to hold the inserts. Ive made some 14mm inserts but I need to make some other ones for various other size tools. The mounting holes were counter bored 35mm x 5mm deep to hold the bolt covers so everything is nice and flush:



This is the other side of the bolt covers, you can see there is a counterbore so the covers sits over the mounting bolts:



This is the table as it is now:



I just need to route a horizontal channel to hold some aluminium U section for the mitre fence and also two vertical channels so that the rear fence slides. I'm going to use teflon inserts to keep everything sliding smoothly.

 

[HaRuMaN]

man... it's too bad you're in the UK.  I would pay to have a router table like that made. 

[hammyysu]

i have a black and decker plunge router can i turn it upside down and mount it under a table?  i looked in the owners manual and it speaks nothing of turning it over or not turning it over. can anyone help with this.   

[MrMojoZ]

Routers don't care if you turn them upside down...

[hammyysu]

  that is what i thought i was just making sure before doing it.  thank you

[butteroj]

I need to make one of these, if only for the dust collector!