# My Router Table Project (or, How Much MDF Dust Can I Create?)



## TeamTurpin (Oct 17, 2012)

After a few weeks of reading and planning, I started my router table project over Thanksgiving weekend. Orginally, I'd planned to just buy a commercial router table cabinet and mount it onto a rolling cabinet/cart. But, I decided to add a lathe to my workshop (in the future) and that eliminated the tiny space previously allotted to the new router cabinet.

So, the router table is being incorporated into the larger table saw upgrade project. This table will replace my Delta's left extension plate. It will house a Bosch 1617 that will hang from a Rockler aluminum plate. Its dust will be contained by a custom-made under-table dust box that will connect that box, the fence dust port and my shop's dust collection system.

I've gotten ambitious and have now dropped the original plan to use a commercial fence. I'll be buiding my own fence that will connect to my table saw's fence. It will be made from MDF and extruded aluminum track. Ultimately, use will dictate if I stick to my homemade fence or try something else.

I'll post updates here from time to time as I make progress.


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## TeamTurpin (Oct 17, 2012)

My progress to date. The table is built up from three layers of 3/4" MDF. This produced mountains of dust. I hate MDF, but it makes a flat, stable surface. It's clad with Formica laminate. I still need to inlay the aluminum miter track.




























More details are here: http://www.teamturpin.org/house/shop.htm


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Nice shop and set up John


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## denniswoody (Dec 11, 2011)

John, you're a maniac and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Your ingenuity is amazing.


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## TeamTurpin (Oct 17, 2012)

Okie doke. I was able to sneak away from my desk this week and made a little progress on the router table. I was able to get the miter track inlaid and it only took about 300 router passes to get it perfect. But, the majority of my progress involved the router's under-table dust box. The primary purpose of this box is to contain the dust/debris that is not collected by the fence hose. The other purpose is to give support to the tabletop. Two inches of MDF is heavy and I don't want my table saw rails flexing under that weight. So, this box will be bolted onto the saw's cabinet and take up some of the router table's weight.

I've got a 2 1/2" hose port that will receive the dust from the fence. I've got a 4" hose port in the very bottom that will connect to my shop's dust system. I put lexan windows in so I can keep an eye on what's going on in there. Lastly, I put an outlet in there for the router's power cord. Under the box (hard to see) I've got another box that holds a switch for that outlet. The switch has a cover that will (hopefully) keep it from being knocked on accidentally.



















More details are here: Ye Olde Woodwright's Shop


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## TeamTurpin (Oct 17, 2012)

And, here's everything bolted into place. With the dust box bolted to the table saw's cabinet and screwed into the table top, it's all quite solid. 

Now, I'm off to start on that fence.










More photos are here: Ye Olde Woodwright's Shop


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## TeamTurpin (Oct 17, 2012)

I got the other table saw extension tables finished. So, now I have a large work surface. That back extension (outfeed) table removes and hangs on the wall of the shop. When I put it in place, I now have over 2,300 sq. inches of table. That's triple what I had before. 

Now all I have to do is build my new fences. (Oh, and there's that new crosscut sled project too.)


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

I like it, John.

Can you show more detail on the rear extension table?


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

Looks great well done!


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## TeamTurpin (Oct 17, 2012)

jw2170 said:


> Can you show more detail on the rear extension table?


G'day, James. 

Here's a couple more shots of the outfeed extension. I originally planned to make it neatly hinge out of the way, but that just got too complicated. Instead, I bolted some square aluminum tubing to the saw's cabinet. I then built some rails from smaller square tubing. I can adjust the height of the extension table slightly, to make sure that it's the same height as the saw's table. To use it, I just slide in the rails and lock it in place with a pair of locking pins.

It's fairly stable, but I think I'll build a removable brace for it. If I had a simple prop that ran diagonally from the back edge's underside to the saw's base, it would be sturdier.


































More photos and info are here: Ye Olde Woodwright's Shop


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

What a great idea, having the square tubing slide inside of the other to mount the extension. Ingenius really.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

That is a great idea, John.

My saw has the motor hanging out the back, so your method would keep the extension table up out of the way.


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

Remarkably simple and simply remarkable. Attaching a hinged brace from the outfeed table to notch into the stretcher on the saw base would add some stability and always reference to the saw instead of having to adjust to the floor.

Great idea.


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## TeamTurpin (Oct 17, 2012)

Okay. This is probably the last piece of the project. I finished the fence this weekend. Originally, I'd considered buying a commercial fence (like the Woodpeckers Superfence), but decided to just build a simple one myself. 

This one is built from MDF, so again my shop was filled with swirling toxic MDF dust. (My lungs will be happy when this project is over.) The fence doesn't split or calibrate or do anything fancy and it attaches to my TS fence with clamps. I put a nifty aluminum multi-track strip on the face. That will give me the flexibility to add accessories, like featherboards.

These photos are small, but if you want to see bigger photos, they're on the website: Ye Olde Woodwright's Shop If you want to see any other angles or have questions, shout. Thanks for following my little project. The projects on this forum inspired what I did here and I shamelessly stole other builders' innovations. Lastly, of course, feedback is always appreciated.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Thanks for posting, John.

My "to do" list reminds me of a farmer I used to work for on a casual basis many moons ago. He had a 20' x 5' blackboard in the shed full of farm "to do's". My dad used to laugh that the farmer never got any of the jobs done. He would just clean off the oldest jobs and write new ones on the board......LOL


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