Homemade Router Table

[jedgerton]

I've been working on a router table lately with the help of my youngest son (16). It's about 90% of the way done so I thought I would show it off a little. The table top is about 22" x 22" and it's constructed of 1/2" Corian on top of 3/4" 7 ply oak plywood. The box is built of that same 3/4" plywood as well. The router plate is a 3/8" thick Rousseau plate that was custom drilled for my Ryobi 2 1/4 hp plunge router.

The fence is just three layers of the 3/4" plywood fitted with a sliding fence made of cutting board material from Sam's Club. The dust port is just a 1 1/4" hole drilled at an angle into the top of the fence (cheap but effective for my setup).



Let me know what you think.

John

 

[1dweeb]

That looks like a great little table.

 

[alphageek]

Very nice looking! You should get many years of use from that.

 

[devowoodworking]

Very nice! I would call that 'Custom Made'...

 

[rjwolfe3]

Awesome!

 

[Lenny]

John, when you say the cutting board fence is "sliding" do you mean it will slide back and forth creating a bigger or smaller opening for the bit?
I put slots in mine that allow the individual halves of the fence to be adjusted back and forth, depending on the size of the bit. A narrow opening (or even burying the bit into the fence somewhat) makes for a safer operation. I just can't tell from your photo if thats what yours does or not?
Looks like it's going to be a very nice table! Will you have a switch wired to control the router and possibly a shop vac, so that it comes on automatically?

 

[jedgerton]

Lenny,

Yes, the two halves of the surfaces on the fence slide in and out to open up for the bit or they can be closed completely. Since the material is HDPE, it can even strike a spinning bit without being catastrophic.

I do want to rig up a switch of some sort. Any ideas on where one of those can be found inexpensively?

John

 

[Lenny]

Lenny,

Yes, the two halves of the surfaces on the fence slide in and out to open up for the bit or they can be closed completely. Since the material is HDPE, it can even strike a spinning bit without being catastrophic.

I do want to rig up a switch of some sort. Any ideas on where one of those can be found inexpensively?

John

I think Grizzly offers some that aren't too expensive but probably the cheapest way to go is to mount your own electrical box with an duplex outlet that is wired to another box with a switch.

 

[VisExp]

When I built my router table I used a switch from an old table saw. I wanted something big and easy to get to if I needed to turn the router off in a hurry. MCLS has some safety switches on sale at the moment.

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shop...1.html#safety_routertable_power_switch_anchor

 

[Rick_G]

I like it. The corian top should make a nice smooth surface for sliding wood on. Look for a magnetic switch like this one
http://www.busybeetools.com/products/SWITCH-MAG-110V-1-1{47}2HP-12A%2d18A-CSA.html

A little more expensive but the advantage is when the power goes off for a second or two the router stays off and doesn't come back on and fire the board back at you just as you are reaching for the switch.