# Anyone have an interesting table they use for portable routers?



## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

I know the guys on the workshop use their router table for a lot of the hand held jobs they do but is anyone using some thing else? This could be job site or in the backyard.......

I have a "Workmate" that comes in handy for this.

Ed


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## delroy33 (Sep 10, 2004)

i have a pc #698 table. it has a 16 3/4" by 19 3/4" csat aluminum to with 12 7/8" sides. i have mine on a 24 1/2" high stand giveing me a top to floor dim. of 37 5/8".


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## Julie (Sep 11, 2004)

Well I was going to use a Workmate, but my router doesn't fit through the space in the middle. I was surprised because I've seen the Workmate shown as a router table in a few magazines. Maybe my router is just FAT (it's a Hitachi 12V)??  
So, for now it's just sitting on my homemade workhorses, waiting for me to make a nifty table for it. I do have the Oak Park table top. I would have liked to get the table, too, but all the stuff is so darn expensive. (Hi Bob and Rick!  )

~Julie~


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

*let me change the question*

Hi,

Not the answers I was expecting....... Interesting too so feel free to post more then add some more like what I'm asking about after you read my second try below.

So let me try this again

I was think of a "work table" or "saw horses" or "xxxx" that you might use when you are not using your router in a table manor. Like on Router Workshop they use the table and mount fixtures to it then hand hold the router to do the work. 

I use my workmate as a work surface then clamp the work and fixtures to it. I have a Ryobi "quick stand" a nice taller stand at 33 1/2" and an aluminum step platform that is nice low surface.

Now what do you have that is like this or homemade or available only in Canada??????

Ed


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## Nasanut (Sep 21, 2004)

My table is homemade from some discarded kitchen countertop. The router plate is a 9 inch round Veritas which has only a 1 n 3/16 hole but comes with template and tools to install it into any table top. Would like to have the RW or better plate with multiple inserts but I'm a cheapskate.


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## DONALD (Sep 12, 2004)

I have a makeshift work table that I use mostly with my CMS but its handy anytime I need a large flat surface to work on. I attached a 2x6 to a piece of 3/4 inch plywood about 4'x6'. I open the jaws of my workmate....put the 2x6 in and close the jaws. I take it apart when I'm thru using it and prop it against the wall. Works for me.


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

DONALD said:


> I have a makeshift work table that I use mostly with my CMS but its handy anytime I need a large flat surface to work on. I attached a 2x6 to a piece of 3/4 inch plywood about 4'x6'. I open the jaws of my workmate....put the 2x6 in and close the jaws. I take it apart when I'm thru using it and prop it against the wall. Works for me.


Is the 2" side or the 6" against the plywood? This sounds like something I should make for myself.

Ed


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## DONALD (Sep 12, 2004)

The 2x6 is lying flat against the plywood. I guess it could go either way....I just felt it would be stronger the way I made it. I also use it with my CMS......I just use c clamps to hold the saw on the plywood. I made it out of new plywood and it aslso made a good surface for drawing or writing down measurements. Try it you'll like it.


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

DONALD said:


> The 2x6 is lying flat against the plywood. I guess it could go either way....I just felt it would be stronger the way I made it. I also use it with my CMS......I just use c clamps to hold the saw on the plywood. I made it out of new plywood and it aslso made a good surface for drawing or writing down measurements. Try it you'll like it.


 I think I will, it sounds like it will be easy to store as well, very good!

Ed


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## ejant (Sep 10, 2004)

I've clamped a large sheet of plywood to the table and have used it as an assembly table if this is what you mean.


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## moss2 (Sep 25, 2004)

reible said:


> I know the guys on the workshop use their router table for a lot of the hand held jobs they do but is anyone using some thing else? This could be job site or in the backyard.......
> 
> I have a "Workmate" that comes in handy for this.
> 
> Ed


Hi - I made myself very good table on a cabinet with drawers, I use a Roesenau Template, the table is 2ft by 3 ft. and 48" high, sits on the cabinet on 4 locking swivel wheels. I have added a back piece so that I can use the router, laying on its side,or from the top or bottom plus added my own system to connect to the Vacum. This is one sweet unit and My Dewalt 625 loves it very much.My fence is set up on track and can attach a larger piece so I can do doors. Most of this material was gotton a garage sales, so my cost on this unit was under $100.00. My template only cost me $10.00. I saved money here and put it into a real good router.

Jim


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

I'm so fixed on the room issue that I use a router mat on my table saw for hand held pieces.


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

Glenmore said:


> I'm so fixed on the room issue that I use a router mat on my table saw for hand held pieces.


 My daughter got me one of those a few years back as a gift, I was a little worried about something flying off somewhere and router nose diving into the mat and what ever was below, thus I've never used it for that. It does work for sanding but needs cleaning often.

Ed


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

moss2 said:


> Hi - I made myself very good table on a cabinet with drawers, I use a Roesenau Template, the table is 2ft by 3 ft. and 48" high, sits on the cabinet on 4 locking swivel wheels. I have added a back piece so that I can use the router, laying on its side,or from the top or bottom plus added my own system to connect to the Vacum. This is one sweet unit and My Dewalt 625 loves it very much.My fence is set up on track and can attach a larger piece so I can do doors. Most of this material was gotton a garage sales, so my cost on this unit was under $100.00. My template only cost me $10.00. I saved money here and put it into a real good router.
> 
> Jim


 Do you have a picture to share?

Ed


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## BobandRick (Aug 4, 2004)

reible said:


> My daughter got me one of those a few years back as a gift, I was a little worried about something flying off somewhere and router nose diving into the mat and what ever was below, thus I've never used it for that. It does work for sanding but needs cleaning often.
> 
> Ed


I am with you on that one Ed, great for sanding and standing but not very comfortable to use for routing.


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

*Router Table*



DONALD said:


> I have a makeshift work table that I use mostly with my CMS but its handy anytime I need a large flat surface to work on. I attached a 2x6 to a piece of 3/4 inch plywood about 4'x6'. I open the jaws of my workmate....put the 2x6 in and close the jaws. I take it apart when I'm thru using it and prop it against the wall. Works for me.


I add a piece of 25mm MFD to my Triton table then I have my router table for hand held projects also as an assembly table. The 25mm gives rigidity to the top and I also insert 'tee nuts' which I use regularly for holding down material ready to be routered.
Tom


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## Putzger (Sep 13, 2004)

A few years back I thought that I had scored a smoking deal on a PC 690 combo kit that included the PC Router table (cost was $130US). 

It wasn't too long before I realized that there was a lot of room for improvement with that PC table, so I splurged big time and spent a whoppin' $10 and came up with a Big Improvement that you can see here at http://www.apachetrail.com/ww/RT/index.html  

That's since been mostly replaced with a Rockler router table and fence and my Improved Table now mostly serves as a combination storage surface, assembly surface and a clamp-a-workpiece-down-and-whale-away-on-it surface (sometimes all at the same time). It also does do a fine job of holding my dovetail jig in place


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

reible said:


> My daughter got me one of those a few years back as a gift, I was a little worried about something flying off somewhere and router nose diving into the mat and what ever was below, thus I've never used it for that. It does work for sanding but needs cleaning often.
> 
> Ed


Never had a problem with it so far knock on wood. :sold:


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

Glenmore said:


> Never had a problem with it so far knock on wood. :sold:


 I would sleep better at night if you found a better way to do that then the router pad, please for me???

Ed


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

2 suggestions for people who rout on the go. Both are plans from Shopnotes. The "Benchtop router table" folds for portability, opens to 32" table length.(Shopnotes #45) The "Stow-away router table" sets up in a vise, Workmate or clamps to a table edge.(Shopnotes #71) Both designs can use the mounting plate from your workshop table making it a breeze when you need to travel to a jobsite.


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