# fixing a router to a table



## bstn40 (Jan 18, 2009)

This may seem like a silly question but i'm am new to routing and i am thinking of buying a router table I have looked at a lot of sites but can't seem to find the answer to my question which is can you mount a router on a table the wrong way round in other words my plunge router baseplate is semi-curcular with one flat side does this face the back of the table or the front or doesn't it matter i'm asking in case i buy a table where i have to drill the table insert and i don't want to do it wrong.
Thanks Cliff


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

It does not matter but:

Do what makes it easier to reach what you need to reach under the table for convenience.

For example, where is the on/off switch and do you want to reach around back to turn on and off the router, etc


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Cliff[

Mount it so all the controls are to the front or to say as many as you can, the power switch and the lock mechanism are the two items that you want up front for sure...it sounds like You have a DeWalt router, think hard about using a plunge router for your router table, it can be a challenge to adjust it without removing the springs in the plunge base..or maybe add a lift kit,,not a high end one but maybe one for 90.oo bucks,it will do the job just find, but you can buy a router combo for about the same price that come with a lift built in with a VS built in as well...


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bstn40 said:


> This may seem like a silly question but i'm am new to routing and i am thinking of buying a router table I have looked at a lot of sites but can't seem to find the answer to my question which is can you mount a router on a table the wrong way round in other words my plunge router baseplate is semi-curcular with one flat side does this face the back of the table or the front or doesn't it matter i'm asking in case i buy a table where i have to drill the table insert and i don't want to do it wrong.
> Thanks Cliff


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## bstn40 (Jan 18, 2009)

Thanks for the swift replies at least i know now that it doesn't matter and i won't be concerned about drilling holes in the wrong place.
Cliff


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Well just make sure the on/off and other controls can be reached easily.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Cliff I purchased a remote on/off switch for mine (see site below) it's so convenient to have it attached to the side of the table near my right hand. See pics below. There are other switches I have now found out with larger off plates, good for safety and the next time I get one it will be that one.

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shop...ages/routacc1.html#router_power_switch_anchor


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## Gerard_sr (Dec 7, 2008)

*That's a good deal!*



xplorx4 said:


> Cliff I purchased a remote on/off switch for mine (see site below) it's so convenient to have it attached to the side of the table near my right hand. See pics below. There are other switches I have now found out with larger off plates, good for safety and the next time I get one it will be that one.
> 
> http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shop...ages/routacc1.html#router_power_switch_anchor


That's a good deal!
I made my own, but I'm sure many have seen my posts on that or maybe visited my web page about my project.

But to the question of mounting Cliff...

I debated long and hard on that myself. I have two 1/4" thick aluminum plates slightly larger than nominal plate insets and was contemplating making my own plate from one of them. But either I got lazy or smart, I hope smart, and asked for a plate from Rockler.com for Christmas. I'm pretty happy I did.

Also I saw a video on YouTube from a guy that made his own plate from a 12" square piece of marble floor tile!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJFlgs2W9tM

(The part about the plate starts at about 6:28)

The Guys here, darn more experienced than me, do bring out up good points as to keeping the controls easily accessible.

Also, I considered buying a lift for mine. But it's of a size not made and I could not find adapters for it. I opted to use the fixed base that came with one of them. It has above table access for raising and lowering, locking the position and when raised completely even locking the shaft.

Cordially,
Gerry


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## bstn40 (Jan 18, 2009)

*switches*

Thanks to you all for the replies the idea of a remote on off switch is a good idea can you get a bracket of some sort that locks the switch on the router in the on position or do I have to resort to tape which doesn't seem like a good idea.
Cliff


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Cliff I am not sure about the tape, do you have to hold your switch down like a drill switch? If that is the case it would be hard to run table mounted anyway. I may not be understanding your question, so if you could set a old man straight maybe I could have a better solution for you.



bstn40 said:


> Thanks to you all for the replies the idea of a remote on off switch is a good idea can you get a bracket of some sort that locks the switch on the router in the on position or do I have to resort to tape which doesn't seem like a good idea.
> Cliff


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Or just use a floor switch that you step on.

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/speed_control.html


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## bstn40 (Jan 18, 2009)

With my router you have a button to press before you can press the power switch if you let go of the button on the handle the machine switches off what I was wondering is if there is a gadget out there that you could fix round the handle to hold both buttons in


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

bstn40 said:


> With my router you have a button to press before you can press the power switch if you let go of the button on the handle the machine switches off what I was wondering is if there is a gadget out there that you could fix round the handle to hold both buttons in


I think that is a safety device(kill switch) that may be required where you live. I hate those. Here I have that type switch on my miter saw.

I think you have to pop open the router to get around that. Just cut the wires to that kill switch and connect them together bypassing the switch, you are jumping over the kill switch with the wire. Then it should not require the kill switch anymore. Which may be illegal where you live.

I would have to see the inside or a schematic of how it is wired and again it may be illegal, where do you live? What type of router?


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## twilite (Nov 29, 2008)

Cliff, what kind of router do you have? DW621?

Chuck L.


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## bstn40 (Jan 18, 2009)

I have a Titan RT1100XP 1500W Router bought from Screwfix
Cliff


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## twilite (Nov 29, 2008)

Cliff, have you tried letting go of the button first, then letting go of the trigger to see if it keeps running?

Chuck L.


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## Gerard_sr (Dec 7, 2008)

*Least intrusive answer.*

Use a *Big Rubber Band*. 

Cordially,
Gerry


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Lock your switch to on, fit a double electrical socket under the table top. plug your router cable and your extractor cable into this, then leaving your double socket in the on position, have a non-volt release switch on the outside, by dropping this switch you turn your router and your extractor on together, you can then isolate your router by switching off and pulling the plug each time you change a bit.
Been doing it this way for 17 years, the best I've seen yet.
Derek.


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## Skyglider (Nov 2, 2008)

derek willis said:


> Lock your switch to on, fit a double electrical socket under the table top. plug your router cable and your extractor cable into this, then leaving your double socket in the on position, have a non-volt release switch on the outside, by dropping this switch you turn your router and your extractor on together, you can then isolate your router by switching off and pulling the plug each time you change a bit.
> Been doing it this way for 17 years, the best I've seen yet.
> Derek.


Can't quite visualize the setup you described. Is it a convenience outlet with two females? If so, what does "leaving your double socket in the on position" mean?

Thanks,
Skyglider


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Here we have the language problem again, I imagine what we call a double socket, is what you refer to as a convenience outlet, is for us a domestic household female 13amp connection, only with two connections in one block they are switched independently, so if you leave them both switched on, when you switch the outside isolating switch they both come into operation together,your router will start and your extractor will start also.
Hope this clarifies the set up.
Derek.


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## Skyglider (Nov 2, 2008)

derek willis said:


> Here we have the language problem again, I imagine what we call a double socket, is what you refer to as a convenience outlet, is for us a domestic household female 13amp connection, only with two connections in one block they are switched independently, so if you leave them both switched on, when you switch the outside isolating switch they both come into operation together,your router will start and your extractor will start also.
> Hope this clarifies the set up.
> Derek.


Got it. In the USA, the two female sockets in the convenience outlet are wired together. Though they may exist, I've never seen a US convenience outlet that can switch one socket on/off independently of the other socket. I assume the "extractor" is a vacuum dust collection motor.

Thanks,
Skyglider


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## Gerard_sr (Dec 7, 2008)

Skyglider said:


> Got it. In the USA, the two female sockets in the convenience outlet are wired together. Though they may exist, I've never seen a US convenience outlet that can switch one socket on/off independently of the other socket. I assume the "extractor" is a vacuum dust collection motor.
> 
> Thanks,
> Skyglider


Hey Skyglider,
every convenience outlet can be isolated from the top to bottom.
There is a little tab between the screws that is broken out to isolate one half from the other.

See attached image.

Maybe a double switch and a duplex outlet mounted in a 4 square box would be what you want.
attached images.

Cordially,
Gerry


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Well if it won't work independently, use separate ones controlled by the isolating switch, not too difficult.
Derek.


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## Skyglider (Nov 2, 2008)

Gerard_sr said:


> Hey Skyglider,
> every convenience outlet can be isolated from the top to bottom.
> There is a little tab between the screws that is broken out to isolate one half from the other.
> 
> ...


Hi Gerry,

Haven't visited this site a while. Sorry for the delayed response. I thought he meant a double outlet that came with switches already in a double outlet box. Didn't realize that it was a 4 outlet box with two additional switches plus wiring inside to switch the separate halves of the double outlet. Thanks for taking the time to help me understand.

Skyglider


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## Gerard_sr (Dec 7, 2008)

Skyglider said:


> Hi Gerry,
> 
> Haven't visited this site a while. Sorry for the delayed response. I thought he meant a double outlet that came with switches already in a double outlet box. Didn't realize that it was a 4 outlet box with two additional switches plus wiring inside to switch the separate halves of the double outlet. Thanks for taking the time to help me understand.
> 
> Skyglider


Hi SkyGlider,
there is a language barrier to a degree also the electrical devices are somewhat different where Derek and you come from.

*My mistake* was also assuming you were in the Americas. 

What "I now think" he was talking about, converted to our standard electrical devices, would be somewhat different than what I gave you the images for.
On the "other side of the pond" and "down under" they use something that would be like a relay rather than a switch. If the power fails or a circuit breaker trips, the device prevents any device left in the ON position from starting back up unattended when power comes back on or is re-powered by inserting the line cord into an power source.

As to your particular problem, *there may be the same type of latching device within your router for a safety device*. IMHO: (_In My Humble Opinion_), that would be a good idea so as not to plug the router in and have the power switch ON allowing the router to start up without the operator having a good hold on it. The router could run amok! 

I also think that Derek is saying that an external device, that performs the same function as the device built into your router, should be used if you intend to bypass the internal safety device.

In the US, they started putting something called a "soft start" on many routers. This is an electronic device that ramps up the speed of the router from zero RPM to the set speed over a brief time period. Without it, there would be a heck of a lot of torque starting a motor that would make itself known by starting the bit turning in one direction and the router body in the other. A dangerous condition for someone if the router is set atop a workbench and power is applied by plugging it in, the router may "dance" out of control and possibly injure someone! 

If your router is intended to be mounted only in a table, I would possibly suggest bypassing your built in safety device. *Otherwise do not bypass it*, I think you can understand why.

I suggest you contact the manufacturer of your router, if possible, and ask if there is a way to bypass it or move the switch remote from the router body for a table mounted application.

*AND* investigate these devices:
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-Power-Tool-NVR-Switch-35573.htm









http://www.poolewood.co.uk/acatalog/No_Volt_Release_Switches.html









They look like the exact thing you would need.
*BUT I would consult with Derek for his blessing in your location.* 

Cordially,
Gerry


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Gerry,
That's exactly the thing to use on the outside of the table to make an override to any other connection, it is A NO VOLT RELEASE SWITCH, use of one of these means you cannot get afeedback when changing cutters etc.
Derek.


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