# The Noob router table



## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

Since all the cool kids are doing it and I'm tired of the girls walking by and giggling and pointing fingers cause I didn't have one, I finally got off my duff and got started making a router table.

I decided to use the Kreg jig for assembly instead of using thru-holes on the mating pieces. Maybe I should have practiced a couple of times before using the Kreg jig because the joints weren't closed up all the way. It also would have been better if I used a slower-drying glue to give me a bit more time to get it right.

I wasn't sure where to start as far as assembly goes, but in the end it stayed together so I guess it's alright. 

One of the pictures shows where I'm heading. The top is just sitting on there, not quite done with the cabinet yet.

The cabinet is 20" x 26" and the table top is 24" x 32". The overall height including casters and top is 37 1/2". I made this high enough where I don't have to hunch over to use it so my back won't ache over time.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Looking good so far, keep up the good work


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Nice work, Paulo... Bill (TwoSkies57) and BJ bragged about those Kregs so much I went out and got one. As a test, I cut up a few pieces of 2x10, grabbed the Kreg and 10 minutes later, had a step-stool. I used it to throw together a little roller-cab for my drill press and will be using it for my RT cabinet. :sold:


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## RustyW (Dec 28, 2005)

That's a great looking table Paulo. It looks a lot like one of my first tables. They are so fun to build I'm sure as you use it you will keep upgrading it like all of us have done. I think I'm on my 3rd or 4th since joining this forum.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Looking good Paulo, You will wonder how you managed without one. Look forward to the finished item.


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

Yesterday I didn't get much shop time, and didn't even get a chance to cutout the top completely.

The router plate will be centered 12" from the side/front (depends on how you look at it). I used 1/2" MDF to trap the plate and stuck the MDF to the table with 2-sided carpet tape. I also put a piece in the middle to help balance the router. The plate is a 1/4" thick aluminum Bench Dog plate.

First I used a 1" guide bushing and a 1/4" up-cut spiral bit to make the thru hole (well almost). It kept on binding and I didn't know why. The motor on my Porter Cable 690 would bind and almost stop. I thought it was binding somehow when I plunged it, but then I had a "duh" moment.

The nuts on the router was rubbing on the brass guide bushing and you can see the rub marks on the bushing. It was so hot I took it off and put it in cold water so it won't melt the plastic base. 

The next step will be to use a jigsaw to cut all the way thru since the spiral bit can't go deeper (it needs another 1/4"). After cutting thru the table, I will then use a hinge mortising bit with a bearing on it to cut the lip for the plate.

P.S.
You can see in the picture where I routed out an area so that that the bit wouldn't bind, which it turned out it wasn't binding in the wood after all. :fie:


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

"The nuts on the router was rubbing on the brass guide bushing and you can see the rub marks on the bushing. It was so hot I took it off and put it in cold water so it won't melt the plastic base."

Hi Paulo,
Do you mean , the collet nut was rubbing on the guide bushing?

Great build so far, keep up the good work..

James


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

Yep, I meant the collet nut. 

Doh, I picked up the table top and it turns out I did route thru all the way after all. Even though the "template" was snug, I put a layer of masking tape on the bearing and if the plate fits too tight I'll take the tape off.

The tape worked, maybe too good and because I can't even slide a .0015" (.038 mm) feeler gauge between the plate and the table. Oops, you may notice that the plate is below the top, but actually that is intentional. It is about .1" below the top, but that's just what it came out to be (that wasn't a target dim). You may also notice the heavy-duty 2-sided carpet tape that has tape embedded in it. That is some strong stuff.

I drilled a couple of .201" holes in a piece of scrap MDF on the drill press so I'll have a drill guide to help make a perpendicular hole to the top. I then tapped the hole with a 1/4-20 tap. You'd be surprised how strong a tapped piece of MDF is. I drilled and tapped a scrap piece and I couldn't strip the 1/4-20 screw with a phillips head screw driver. (The screw holes on the lip may not be that strong because it's less than 1 screw diameter to the edge, but it'll be strong enough)

The last picture you'll see that I used 1/4-20 eyebolts and wingnuts for plate levelers so that I'll have tool-less height adjustment. They are too long so I'll have to cut them down.

As I put this together, the design has changed a few times and I've made some mistakes, but like they say "sometimes the journey is as important as the destination".


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## Duane867 (Oct 25, 2008)

I think I am sold on the Kreg jig now too.

NICE cabinet BTW !


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Good job, I plan to replace my router top with two 3/4" MDF some time in the spring.


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## George II (Nov 8, 2007)

Great Job Paulo..Doesn't MDF get down right nasty when you rout it?


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

xplorx4 said:


> Good job, I plan to replace my router top with two 3/4" MDF some time in the spring.


I'm using two pieces of 3/4" MDF with umm, some type of wood edging (from Lowes), and I got some polyurethane I'll put on it to seal it and then use some Johnson's paste wax for a bit of extra protection and to help things slide better. I would have to buy a full sheet of Formica (taint cheap) from the big box store so that's why I'm going this route.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Very nice Noob....... I'll be atemting my first router table in the near future and will be quite satisfied with it if it turns oot as good as yours will be when finished.... just did get my guide bushing set in. I'll be attempting a bench model with cabinet that favors the Bosch model

I've been sold on the Kreg jig and can be a big time and step saver!


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

When I started this project, I had a Porter Cable 690 so to make it easier to adjust it, I made a flip-top lid. I ended up buying a Freud FT1700 combo brand new in box for $100 on Craigslist. I didn't have the receipt, but Rockler let me exchange the Benchdog aluminum plate so that was great because I didn't have to drill holes for above the table adjustments.

These pics are from my cell phone, so they are not very clear.

The front is just a basic view of it, the extrusion is a Benchdog Tslot/miter combo track so I can use feather boards or a coping sled, or whatever.

The left view shows shows the on/off switch, and on the inside you can see the board that snaps into an "L" shaped piece when I open it.

The right view shows a pipe and pipe clamps I used to make a handle for it so I won't use the table top to pick it up (such as picking it up over the little step in front of the garage door).

In the open view you can see it propped open for doing whatever. You can't see it because of the fuzzy picture, but there is an "L" shaped piece of MDF I used to hold the other wood that holds the lid up. It is hinged so that gravity makes it fall into the "L" shape automatically without me having to put it there. You can also see the little notch I had to put on the top so the on/off switch cord will go in there. I didn't want to take it apart and mess with the wiring, so notching it was easier.

The last pic shows the Incra Universal Jig and also the above-the-table adjustment knob for the Freud.

I already painted this red and Saturday I picked up the Freud so the colors looked great together.

Oh yeah, I used sponge brushes to put on 2 coats of Minwax Polyurethane on the bottom of the table top,and 4 coats on the top of it. I sanded the top with 220 grit after the second layer and this thing was baby-smooth. I then put two more coats and will finish it with some Johnsons wax.

The one thing I would have done differently is not put the vertical divider-board on the bottom area so that I can put the big router cases and other stuff down there. It is good enough as-is, but I may try making some drawers for the top-right hand side and putting some doors on the bottom.


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

Oh yeah, I'm going to mod the right angle fixture and put UHMW like in the following thread: Incra Jig Process Imporovement LINK

Also, Bobj has posted 2 ideas for vaccuming that I can't find again, but plan to do something similar. On one he put a box behind the fence for vaccuming, and on the other he put a vaccum to the left of the fence so it would suck up the shaving when using the RAJ.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Hi Paulo, Nice looking table. The Bench Dog plate was already drilled for the 1700? That's great, I had fits trying to get that right!:wacko:


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## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

Nice looking table Paulo.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

vac.pickup for the Incra

===


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

jschaben said:


> Hi Paulo, Nice looking table. The Bench Dog plate was already drilled for the 1700? That's great, I had fits trying to get that right!:wacko:


Yep, the Freud pattern was included on a paper in the router package, but then I would have to worry about centering it up. Since Rockler owns Bench Dog, they probably knew I got it there (don't know if others sell Bench Dog).


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

Dr.Zook said:


> Nice looking table Paulo.


Thanks Dr, I was very proud of how it turned out. I've built wooden swings and decks, but nothing like this before. There was an "oopsie" routing the dado for the miter track, but that was user error and I learned from that mistake.


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> vac.pickup for the Incra
> 
> ===


Thanks Bob, those are it. Never noticed the little "ramp" on the front dust vac.


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## drasbell (Feb 6, 2009)

Looks great nice work..


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

You're Welcome Paulo

By the way I like your RT ,now that's what I call red great looking 

The ramp was put in place with the RAS just a little help note. 

=======



Noob said:


> Thanks Bob, those are it. Never noticed the little "ramp" on the front dust vac.


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

It is a very bright red. I live a few minutes away from the Lake Ray Hubbard reservoir and the humidity in the air can get pretty bad; all my tools rust quickly so I used enamel to paint the cabinet. The big box store didn't have many enamel colors, so I got Rustoleum safety red enamel. The future is so bright, I have to wear shades.


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