# So, where do I go from here÷



## dawsonbob (May 25, 2012)

To say that I'm an absolute beginner would overstating my qualifications. This is something that I want to do, but I'm easing my way into it.

Tomorrow, I'm buying a Craftsman 171.25443 router table ($20). This may be putting the cart before the horse, since I don't even own a router yet. This brings up my first question here on Router Forums: which routers will work with this table?

Hopefully, there are those of you who are familiar with this table who can offer some advise. I'm on a very limited budget, so I would like to keep it as inexpensive as possible.

Thanks,

Bob


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

dawsonbob said:


> To say that I'm an absolute beginner would overstating my qualifications. This is something that I want to do, but I'm easing my way into it.
> 
> Tomorrow, I'm buying a Craftsman 171.25443 router table ($20). This may be putting the cart before the horse, since I don't even own a router yet. This brings up my first question here on Router Forums: which routers will work with this table?
> 
> ...


Bob,

I didn't spend a lot of time trying to dig up a manual on that product because I found the exploded parts diagram on sears parts direct, and gave me a general idea of the unit's size and capabilities.

I would describe it as a basic bench top unit that doesn't use a discrete mounting plate. By that I mean the router is fastened to the underside of the top with countersunk screws that penetrate the top and thread into the base of the router.

20 bucks is about right, assuming it isn't missing too many parts... There are literally hundreds of different model routers that will work just fine in that table.
If all of the parts are there, considering it has a metal top and a dust extraction friendly fence, I might have bought it myself if I had wandered into it at a yard sale.

The parts list described the table top as cast, so I'm guessing it is metal of some sort. That is both good and bad. Metal doesn't wear out like MDF with holes drilled through it can, but it can be warped/bent if abused. There are also those who say metal topped router tables can stain wood that is passed over them.

Back to picking a router. Getting one where all the holes line up is a real crap shoot. 

Sadly, the manual will only reference the models they were still selling at the time the manual was printed, when it comes to describing models that will work in it. Odds are there are hundreds of others that will fit fine, though they may be a different brand or made earlier/later than the table itself was.

Searching ebay and/or Craig's list for the table's model number might identify other ones for sale that have a router included. Sadly, just because someone is trying to sell both of them at the same time doesn't guarantee all the holes will line up.

Drilling new/more holes into a metal top is possible, but more challenging. When I needed to adapt a router to a metal top, I made an adapter plate out of 3/8" ply.

With the router in hand that I wanted to use, I remvoed the plastic sub plate from the bottom of the router. It has holes right where they are supposed to be. Just setting it on top of the table I wanted to use it on quickly confirmed 2 out of three did line up, but I wanted all 3. An 8" x 8" piece of ply did the trick just fine.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Bob

Put your 20.oo back in your pocket and get the table below,then you will be happy camper ,I'm a big fan of the Craftsman stuff but NOT the cheap router table that you are looking at,it will turn you off from using the router in short order..

T10432 Router Table with Stand

http://cdn0.grizzly.com/manuals/t10432_m.pdf
=======


dawsonbob said:


> To say that I'm an absolute beginner would overstating my qualifications. This is something that I want to do, but I'm easing my way into it.
> 
> Tomorrow, I'm buying a Craftsman 171.25443 router table ($20). This may be putting the cart before the horse, since I don't even own a router yet. This brings up my first question here on Router Forums: which routers will work with this table?
> 
> ...


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## dawsonbob (May 25, 2012)

wbh1963 said:


> Bob,
> 
> I didn't spend a lot of time trying to dig up a manual on that product because I found the exploded parts diagram on sears parts direct, and gave me a general idea of the unit's size and capabilities.
> 
> ...


Thank You, Bill,

I just ran across a listing for this table on Craig's List, and figured that for $20 I couldn't go wrong, since most of the tables I've seen go for a whole lot more. The picture in the listing showed a table (with a metal top) that was used, but in really good shape. I emailed the guy about it and he says it is in great shape and has all the parts. Sounded like a bargain to me, so I jumped on it.

Your telling me that there are probably hundreds of routers that will fit the table is a load off my mind. It may take awhile, but I'm sure I can find one on Craig's list or Ebay. Once I have the table I'll have a better idea.

Thanks for the idea of making a mounting from plywood. If I can't find a router that bolts directly onto the table, that may be the way to go.

Thanks for helping an absolute newbie.


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## dawsonbob (May 25, 2012)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Bob
> 
> Put your 20.oo back in your pocket and get the table below,then you will be happy camper ,I'm a big fan of the Craftsman stuff but NOT the cheap router table that you are looking at,it will turn you off from using the router in short order..
> 
> =======


Thank You for the suggestion. It's a nice looking unit, but I'm afraid it's a little out of my reach at the moment. The $20 Craftsman is doable for me, but that's about all. When you live on a embarrassingly small Social Security pension, you have to watch every penny.

Once I gain some skill with the cheap table, I'll move on up to the one you showed (which does look like a good deal).

Best,

Bob


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

This sounds like one of the step stool router tables. They work with most Craftsman routers. It will get you started but it will not take long for you to wish you had listened to BJ and went after the Grizzly table. One big advantage is you can use any router with it, not just one brand. Adjustments are night and day different.

I will mention that the only negative feedback I have ever had on the forums is when I said these stamped steel tables worked great as step stools and not much else. You can work with them but they would be my very last choice. You are better off building the economy table top in the sticky threads.


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## dawsonbob (May 25, 2012)

Mike said:


> This sounds like one of the step stool router tables. They work with most Craftsman routers. It will get you started but it will not take long for you to wish you had listened to BJ and went after the Grizzly table. One big advantage is you can use any router with it, not just one brand. Adjustments are night and day different.
> 
> I will mention that the only negative feedback I have ever had on the forums is when I said these stamped steel tables worked great as step stools and not much else. You can work with them but they would be my very last choice. You are better off building the economy table top in the sticky threads.


Hi, Mike,

Looking at the picture, it does look rather like a footstool. Getting me started while I learn is about all I need out of this thing. Later, when I'm more accomplished, I can save up for the Grizzly that BJ suggested.

See — I've only been a member for a couple of hours, and I'm already learning things. Before coming here I didn't even know that the Grizzly table existed.

Best,

Bob


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

Jigs, you sure to when (and how!) to toss a link into the mix... Thanks man!

I should point out that the table I was willing to make a plate for is a 'style' clone of the one you recommended. By that I just mean it is free standing, bout three feet tall and basic. My experience with bench top units is that if you don't bolt them down, they are so light they are all over the place from vibrations and tip easily when routing larger sized work pieces.

The Grizzly has an interchangeable mounting plate and a nicer fence (t-track feather board friendly) than the Wolfcraft, and is *well worth the money*.

I picked up that Wolfcraft on 'the list' for 30.00 and know that in my area, similar units come and go in the neighborhood of 50.00 to 75.00.

Though the bench top (MDF) unit that was my first cost me 50, it included a 1.5HP (w the 15bit HF set) router with it.... I knew it was abysmal in quality going in and that better units would follow. Had I actually expected it to 'perform' well, the experiment might have scared me away from routing. The only thing that scares me away from routing is the noise!

The truth is, I just wanted to learn from the 'bottom up'. When the junker's are no longer good enough for the moment (and not getting used some as a result) selling them off at about what I paid for them won't be tough.

I just like to keep the lost of learning down. The stand up Kreg unit and a 3.x HP Hitachi might have satisfied me for life, but that would be a 450 to 600 experiment, if and only if the wind was blowing right..... 

Perhaps, one of the things I learned by reading your posts before I bought my first router (or table) is that '1 router would NEVER be enough' for a tool freak like me... Knowing that I go hot/cold (in when/how much I use tools in general) makes me overly cautious when it comes to shelling out the Benjamins.

$50.00 cash with some patience can be expected to win a 'bottom of the food chain table, router included' off the list with ease, largely because the orange box sells the Ryobi kit brand new for 99.00... I heard the guy in my local pawn shop offer 15.00 for the router and refuse the table outright......it isn't worth their shelf space compared to the rest of the used tool spectrum.

Perhaps one of the reasons I can appreciate 'really cheap tools' as long as they work to some degree, is they make it easier to appreciate the really nice stuff.. Being willing (and able) to jump in with both feet and modify them to purpose factors in to that as well.

So here it is Jigs, the question you get asked so often....

How many routers and tables are you up to today!



bobj3 said:


> Hi Bob
> 
> Put your 20.oo back in your pocket and get the table below,then you will be happy camper ,I'm a big fan of the Craftsman stuff but NOT the cheap router table that you are looking at,it will turn you off from using the router in short order..
> 
> ...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Mike said:


> This sounds like one of the step stool router tables. They work with most Craftsman routers. It will get you started but it will not take long for you to wish you had listened to BJ and went after the Grizzly table. One big advantage is you can use any router with it, not just one brand. Adjustments are night and day different.
> 
> I will mention that the only negative feedback I have ever had on the forums is when I said these stamped steel tables worked great as step stools and not much else. You can work with them but they would be my very last choice. You are better off building the economy table top in the sticky threads.


Mike, I have to disagree with you on this one. I had one of those tables and I didn't even think it would make a decent stepstool. Not sturdy enough for my generous dimensions.


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

dawsonbob said:


> Thank You, Bill,
> 
> I just ran across a listing for this table on Craig's List, and figured that for $20 I couldn't go wrong, since most of the tables I've seen go for a whole lot more. The picture in the listing showed a table (with a metal top) that was used, but in really good shape. I emailed the guy about it and he says it is in great shape and has all the parts. Sounded like a bargain to me, so I jumped on it.


Looking at the other replies and your reactions to them suggests that you can see the wisdom reflected by their highlighting how low end many of the 'foot stool' class tables are!. There are some with nicer tops, but they still don't have enough mass 
ore height to make running large work pieces over them a sound plan.

I think the important thing here is that you have reasonable expectations of what you are getting and you don't intend for it to be an 'end all' that lasts forever.



dawsonbob said:


> Your telling me that there are probably hundreds of routers that will fit the table is a load off my mind. It may take awhile, but I'm sure I can find one on Craig's list or Ebay. Once I have the table I'll have a better idea.


I'll stand by that quick fire guess, but only because there are thousands of different models out there in the used market. 1 out of 10 will fit, which means 9 out of 10 don't. That is a huge reason for interchangeable plates in table design. 



dawsonbob said:


> Thanks for the idea of making a mounting from plywood. If I can't find a router that bolts directly onto the table, that may be the way to go.


Seeing pictures of hundreds of tables that people had built from scratch is what hooked me on this forum when I got here. IMHO, selecting the router should be based on more important things that whether it fits into that table easily.

One of your other replies in this thread mentioned this is a stepping stone table any way and meant to be a learning experience. Price, and the number of bits you can get with it seem more important in the scenario you have described. Don't expect the finest carbon steel in cheap bit sets (whether purchased new or with a router), but at the end of the day, without a bit, all they make is noise!




dawsonbob said:


> Thanks for helping an absolute newbie.


You are quite welcome. Compared to Mike and Jigs, I am still an absolute newbie myself...

By getting the users here to talk, and interacting with us after we do, offers a learning experience to many more than the original poster....that suggests that thanks are due to you as well in return.

Routers and I have a classic love hate thing going on. Considering the words written by the real guru types around here is what keeps me growing towards becoming the crafter I would like to be. As I slowly get better at using them, I become more willing to tolerate the noise...


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Mike, I have to disagree with you on this one. I had one of those tables and I didn't even think it would make a decent stepstool. Not sturdy enough for my generous dimensions.


I think the EOL (end of life) experiment for mine will be converting it into a oak park style box point jig with a built in motor. Not even sure I will worry about being able to do different sixes. I will have to choose between 1/4, 6mm and 7mm though.

Trying to make boxes by thinking outside of the box here...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Bill

" How many routers and tables are you up to today ? "

Let's just say more than 50 routers and more than 8 tables..
I do like routers 


===



wbh1963 said:


> Jigs, you sure to when (and how!) to toss a link into the mix... Thanks man!
> 
> I should point out that the table I was willing to make a plate for is a 'style' clone of the one you recommended. By that I just mean it is free standing, bout three feet tall and basic. My experience with bench top units is that if you don't bolt them down, they are so light they are all over the place from vibrations and tip easily when routing larger sized work pieces.
> 
> ...


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Bill
> 
> " How many routers and tables are you up to today ? "
> 
> ...


Didn't I hear something about you 'hoarding' plates when they were on a close out sale? Or was that an entire pallet of foot stool class tables...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Bill


hahahahahahahaha yes I did buy many the HF plates and the Grizzly plates.
" foot stool class tables.." don't get me wrong I had one of the foot stool class table but it was only to check it out, that took about 10 mins and it was gone that fast.

==




wbh1963 said:


> Didn't I hear something about you 'hoarding' plates when they were on a close out sale? Or was that an entire pallet of foot stool class tables...


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## allbarknobite (Sep 15, 2011)

=
I still have a parked "bench-top" Sears router table from the 70's. 
And also the original Sears router. 
Both in Excellent condition. Only I stopped using them years ago.
That's the problem in living in the desert...Except for me, nothing else seems to rust, corrode, or wear out..

I didn't think of using it as a "foot stool", but now I may so do just that.
=
Mark


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

That Grizzly "President's Special" router table is one of the impediments to starting my build. At $130 it's not a life changing amount of money compared to buying/sourcing parts for a fresh build, i'd be up and running with very little set-up, and the track/plate/fence could be canabalized ("repurposed" if you prefer) for a later build. 

In my case, i've gotten by with the router mount on my BT3000 which is something like a benchtop aluminum set up. It's time to move on--just got to make the decision!! Good luck DawsonBob!!

earl


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

Mike said:


> This sounds like one of the step stool router tables. They work with most Craftsman routers. It will get you started but it will not take long for you to wish you had listened to BJ and went after the Grizzly table. One big advantage is you can use any router with it, not just one brand. Adjustments are night and day different.
> 
> I will mention that the only negative feedback I have ever had on the forums is when I said these stamped steel tables worked great as step stools and not much else. You can work with them but they would be my very last choice. You are better off building the economy table top in the sticky threads.


A stamped metal table works great as an auxilary router table in a Tablesaw extension when he is ready to upgrade. I leave a 1/4 round bit in mine


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## KenBee (Jan 1, 2011)

I bought one of the Craftsman router table with router combos when first starting out in woodworking and to say it is a piece of junk would be an understatement. The router when in the table would keep falling down and after 4 routers I gave up and returned the 4th router for a full refund. Sears let me keep the table which I disassembled and used the parts in other projects. $20.00 is a fair price for the parts that can be salvaged from the table but as a router table it is at least $25.00 more than it is worth.

Bobj is right, save up and buy the Grizzly table or one similar and never look back. Another option is to build your own for a lot less than you might think. I built my cabinet with one 4' by 8' sheet of 3/4 inch MDF and a handful of screws and some Titebond glue. If you look over the forum you will find several threads dedicated to building a router table with many being inexpensive and very functional. The router should be the single most expensive part of a router table for those living on a restrictive budget and even at that one can be found on Craigslist at a decent price given the time and patience to look.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

GET the Cman table, and while you're at Sears, get a router that fits it. Cman has some nice routers now. Use that to build a new router table.


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## dawsonbob (May 25, 2012)

Wow, what a welcoming forum!. You guys are really helpful to someone new to this, who doesn’t know his posterior from a pterodactyl.

How new am I? Well, not only do I not own a router yet, but I’ve never used one in my life . . . but I am going to learn. Actually, I’m good with tools, and I love making things, so I know I can learn the basics fairly quickly. Beyond that? Well, I expect that to take some time.

For well over thirty years I was in the advertising business, where I made pictures and wrote silly stuff. Now that I’m (mostly) retired, I have plenty of time to learn something new . . . like woodworking. It’s something I’ve always liked, but never had time for . . . until now.

I know that I’m starting off with cheap, bottom end equipment, but I don’t expect much from it, either. I know from experience that I won’t be satisfied with it for long, but it will teach me the things I want to know about basic routing. I’ll also learn which equipment I’ll want to get as I get better.

I don’t expect to be making beautiful furniture and cabinetry for quite awhile. All I need to be able to do initially is to make some drawers. Since I retired I started doing maintenance and repairs for the apartment building I live in. It’s an old building, and some things are as creaky and decrepit as I am. Some of those things are the drawers in almost every apartment. Those are what I need the router for right now: to make new drawers. Just to cut some grooves in side panels for the bases to slide into, and to make new fronts with a lip (don’t know what to call it).

Once I have a router, I know I won’t be satisfied with stuff that basic for long, but, hey, a man has to start somewhere, right?

Thanks again to all of you — you’ve been very helpful already. I hope to learn a lot from you guys.

Best,

Bob


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## stanzee (Dec 9, 2010)

I used to have one of those Craftsman table-top routers, a rather basic one I might add. I used it very little but found a major problem with it. That is the alignment of both sides of the fence. It had two separate sides that were in two separate slots in the top. Try as I might I could not get both sides to line up in a straight line.


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## dawsonbob (May 25, 2012)

So, now I have a router. I just bought a Black & Decker plunge router model 7615-1 type 1 for $30. It seems to have everything except the collet wrench, and it's missing the plastic shield that snaps onto the front. Even the light works.

The plunge mechanism seems to be very smooth, and it runs very well. Hopefully I'll learn a lot from this router, and be able to do some basic stuff as I'm learning.

Can anyone tell me anything about this old router? I'd love to know something about it — like, is it any good?

Thanks,

Best,

Bob


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Plunge Router Black & Decker 7615 1 1/2 HP Type 2 Excellent Condition Work Tool | eBay
==


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## dawsonbob (May 25, 2012)

Thank You, Jigs. The one you referenced on Ebay looks virtually identical to the one I just bought, except the base that's painted grey on the Ebay one is painted gold on mine. Other than that, they appear to be the same, with exactly the same specs.

I know they're old, but were these considered decent routers in their day? I know that they weren't high-end, but mine seems pretty beefy.

Thanks for those links, too. Good stuff there. Man, I have _so_much to learn.

Thanks,

Best,

Bob


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Bob


You're Welcome, it's getting hard to find parts for the B&D tools so you may need to buy one more just for the parts you just may end up with match book end routers ..can't have to many routers..

==



dawsonbob said:


> Thank You, Jigs. The one you referenced on Ebay looks virtually identical to the one I just bought, except the base that's painted grey on the Ebay one is painted gold on mine. Other than that, they appear to be the same, with exactly the same specs.
> 
> I know they're old, but were these considered decent routers in their day? I know that they weren't high-end, but mine seems pretty beefy.
> 
> ...


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

dawsonbob said:


> Once I have a router, I know I won’t be satisfied with stuff that basic for long, but, hey, a man has to start somewhere, right?


I started out by borrowing a Sears router table like that, and a Sears router in it when I was finishing the inside of my house. It worked.

But when I was able to get a shop (8'X12' - that or maybe nothing, ever - so I opted for shop, and probably still wouldn't have one if I hadn't - in '95-'96), I made a router table. It was pretty bad. Worked, but not what I wanted. It had a 1/2" plywood top, and was held up with chunks of 2X4". Cost? Probably about $2 for the bolts holting it on the bench shelf I put it on - so I could sit using it for long periods - which was one of the better decisions in my life. So, remade it, larger, but along the same lines. Problem with both, had to reach under to switch on/off, and to change bits. I'm on version 4 or 5 now, and been happy with it for several years. If I do another it will be the same way, only a larger table. 

It's still on the shelf, still made for under $5, top is still 1/2" plywood, but has a plate that pops in or out amazingly quickly, and makes changing bits simple and fast. Now have a power strip it plugs into, so I can just reach to the side and turn on or off, the on switch is locked on with a zip tie. The top has not sagged a bit, nor the plate. The top is supported by a spider web of 2X4 pieces glued in place. The plate(s) is just a bit wider than the router, so no problem with that sagging either. 

So my vote is make your own, and if it isn't what you want, make another; repeat until you get what you want. I'll see if I can post a picture of mine, so you'll get an idea of what I'm talking about.

The two things in the second picture are prototype plastic bag carriers (to be routed out), so you can carry more bags without them cutting into your fingers. Work fine, and anyone wanting to copy them to use themselves, or for gifts, feel free - but copying for sale is not allowed.


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## dawsonbob (May 25, 2012)

bobj3 said:


> You're Welcome, it's getting hard to find parts for the B&D tools so you may need to buy one more just for the parts you just may end up with match book end routers ..can't have to many routers..
> 
> ==


Hi, Jigs,

You're right, of course; parts for these things could be very hard to find as time goes on. Heck, I imagine that some parts are hard to get already. One of the first things I did when I got the router home was to go online and download a manual. Then I checked online parts sites. Most of the parts for this old beast are listed as "Discontinued: Not available." No surprise there, I suppose. When I get some more money, I'll buy another one off Ebay*like you suggested.

It looks like the router will bolt on to the router table without any problem (haven't tried it yet), so that's a good thing. You guys were right; this table isn't much, and I can see why Mike called it a step-stool table, because that's just what it looks like. Still, it is in good shape, has all the parts (including 4 inserts) and a nice cast aluminum top. It even has the manual with it — something that I probably would have lost in all the years since this thing was manufactured.

I can already see that — as funds permit — I'll be wanting a better router and a better table. In the meantime, though, I can learn a lot from what I have now. As an old Marine, I know how to take what I have and make it work.

Thanks again,
Best,
Bob


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## shotgun (Mar 12, 2010)

I threw one of these away a couple of weeks ago. It along with an old craftsman router was my first tool nearly 30 years ago. My results then were so poor that I decided routing wasn't for me. Then I got to watching the Router Workshop and a couple of years ago got a better router (Triton big unit) built myself a table and have been doing better. I since have a couple of other routers (Sears red top & a Bosch trim router) and slowly am falling in love with the routing concept again. I ran across the old Sears table and just tossed it.
I think you'd be happier with limited funds in buying a used router first and try using it without a table or build your own.
Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll learn a lot by hanging around here but even more by making chips.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

dawsonbob said:


> I can already see that — as funds permit — I'll be wanting a better router and a better table. In the meantime, though, I can learn a lot from what I have now. As an old Marine, I know how to take what I have and make it work.


Hi Marine. Army here, retired in '81. I know exactly what you mean about taking what you have and making it work. Still do that. 
My routers are all 1/4" shank Craftsmans, all around $50 each new. Bought the first one in about '96, got given four more. For what I do, they work as well as the most expensive one out there. Mostly I just use 1/2" pattern bits, to rout out pieces for wooden figure banks I make, and kids puzzle rockers. It would be a waste of money actually to buy bigger, better, and more expensive, replacements, so I don't. And like I said, my present table might have $5 in it, but probably a $ or so less. For now it does exactly what I want, so not going to change a thing.

Just saying, think about what you are wanting to do, and you might be able to spend less to get there. Besides, the first table or two are learning curves, you're bound to screw something up, just correct it with the next one. 
Remember.


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## FDNYbuffL132 (Sep 4, 2013)

Hello Group, My Dad is looking for a Craftsman Router Table Manual for Model 171.25443. Is anyone able to help with the Manual? Thank you Mike


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## wmlbdmfpf (Jul 18, 2014)

does anyone have a manual for this 171.25443 craftsman table?

thanks


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, N/a.

If no one has found one in 2 years, I would not hold my breath until one turns up.

This seems to be a very old router table?


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

wmlbdmfpf said:


> does anyone have a manual for this 171.25443 craftsman table?
> 
> thanks


Try here.

Craftsman Table Manuals

Where do you live Bob?
You are just the kind of guy who I would love to help get into wood working. I am sure there are others that feel the same way.
I am sure you can find someone that would be proud to show you their tools and help you with your first couple of projects.
A router table with drawers for storage might be a good test bed for what you have learned before you go carving up the apartment lumber.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Reading threw this thread I'm kinda wishing you lived close to me Bob , as we could build a router table in my garage to fit your needs . I feel a little distressed about your situation and wish I could contribute .
I only have so many working years left in me and I can see that I'm going to be in a world of hurt when I get older financially , but I brought this upon myself .
The only way I can contribute at this point is money . I wouldn't have a problem making a donation to this cause if there's anyway to get you a decent router. Hearing about these $20 used ones is not giving me a warm fuzzy feeling .
I feel comfortable donating $100 for Bobs router fund 

Just wondering if you have a local hardware store close to you Bob that sells routers that you may like ?


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Guys this isn't the big triton , but one down I believe . Would this be a good first router , like is it table mount friendly ,or is Bob better off with the bigger version? 
The price is right

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00779NCPM/ref=gno_cart_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A37PM3LLALXATG



Actually I think Stick would give his approval on the one 
http://t.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-2-25..._pip1_rr-1-_-NA-_-100341666-_-N&showPLP=false


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## Doug A (Nov 1, 2014)

Bob, you can do almost anything with cheap tools if you plan ahead and are super careful with set up. I started woodworking with a set of Stanley chisels, a Sears router table with a 1/4 in. Sears router and a Stanley adjustable square. I was able to build a coffee table, book case, side tables, a colonial style end table called a penguin table( still have it 35 years later), and a very large dresser for my wife. Many of these items were made with reclaimed pine or at least the cheapest lumber I could buy. I didn't know about the better tools available, and I couldn't afford them if I did. I did have a book called "The Router Handbook" that pointed me in the right direction.


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