# My first router table



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Ok, I finished my first router table/bench. I know some of you may think it's something you'd make for your kids. LOL But I think it'll work just fine for me. 

I have/had a couple of problems with the "Hart Design" router table from Hartville. One, where they should have (I think, anyway) a vertical feather board, there's this acrylic 90 degree piece, about 3 inches long, with two thumb nuts that you clamp up against your stock. It doesn't hold the stock down very good. I think I'm going to try to find a feather board I can modify to my fence. Also, my routers base plate, bolt hole circle JUST cleared the zero clearance disk. Matter of fact, I had to hand grind my flat head screws, just a tad, so they wouldn't interfere with the disc. Which reminds me of another problem. The disc is suppose to snap out. There's a slot where you can put a narrow flat head screwdriver and begin to "snap" it out. Well if I would have continues to try to snap it out, I think I would have broke it. So I left it in there and will call Hartville tools and see what they say. Those are all minor problems to me. Other then that I like the table. The dust collector on the fence works great. For now I'm using a little 1 gallon shopvac, and it's picking everything up. 

The Ridgid router combo --- LOVE IT!! It's quiet and smooth running. Just like my Ridgid chop saw, their name fits their tools. I had one very minor problem with it so far, but it was easy to fix. Two screws hold the acrylic dust collector adapter on the router. But one screw head gets in the way of the t-handle wrench that you use for the micro adjuster, from on top of the table. So I replace that screw with a flat head screw, and countersunk the hole in the adapter, a bit. Now the t-wrench drops right in. 

I've included some pics, so go ahead and take a look. I'll wait for the laughter to follow! :lol: Seriously, I'll welcome any comments and suggestions!


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Ok, pardon my stupidity... That 90 degree acrylic piece is NOT suppose to hold the stock down. It's a bit guard. My bad! Oh well, I'm still learnin'!


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Lee,

it does not matter what others may think.

As long as it does the job.

Once you get more practice, you may look at another table later on. A number of the members have done that.

I still have not built a cabinet for mine. I don't need it and could not fit it in my shed.
....LOL.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

Hi Lee:

That's one lovely router cabinet. The top looks nice and flat. The tracks are a nice option. I especially like the colour selection. All in all, what's most important is that it works and you probably learned a lot building it.


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## Cassandra (Mar 15, 2006)

Hi Lee:

Nice going! I especially like the table leveling adjusters -- simple and effective. 

Cassandra


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

Nice, Lee. Although some might call the cabinet a little "rustic", I think it has a robust, manly sort of appearance - like it's meant to do real work, rather than just walk (roll) up and down the runway like a fashion model.


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks you all!

James, one kind of router is that you have on your table? Don't recognize it. Yea, I might, in the future pass this one on to my son, and build another one. This one was really fun putting together!

Thanks Ron. The table top came as a unit, I really didn't pick the red tracks. LOL But they are ok. 

Yea Cassandra, I was just roaming our local Home Depot for any type of leveling system I could use, and found these after-market funrniture leveling system. And it did the job.

Ralph, well it wasn't totally intentional to make it rustic looking, although the wife and I both like the rustic look, and many facets of our home, in and out are rustic. But I wanted to use up as much of my scrap pile as I could building this. And it's just how it ended up looking.


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## TomE (Dec 17, 2010)

Function trumps form in my book, creating something out of a pile of scrap is what it's all about. Good stuff.

Your's is way beyond my earliest effort which was nothing more than a "scrap" plywood box with a salvaged aluminum plate for a top, a rarely used fence was whatever semi straight piece of wood I could find clamped with a couple of C clamps.

The top couldn't have been more than 16x16 and if it sat on the floor, I was working on my knees.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

N'awlins77 said:


> James, one kind of router is that you have on your table? Don't recognize it.


Lee,

My router set up is a Triton TRA001 set in an Oak Park table.

I have screwed the table to a folding work bench.

When I have finished routing I simply remove the router and plate and then fold the workbench for storage.


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## Glen L (Nov 24, 2010)

I don't see anything wrong with this setup

Cheers
Glen


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Oh ok James. I've heard of Triton, but haven't seen any of them down here. 

Thanks Glen!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Lee

I think it's looks fine to me, I built my 1st.tool cabinet (RAS cabinet) 44 years ago the same way you made your router cabinet ,it's been up and down many driveways and sidewalks and has built 3 garages and still holding up well.... 


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

> I built my 1st.tool cabinet (RAS cabinet) 44 years ago the same way


BJ, you must have started as a toddler......

No wonder you have accumulated so much gear......VBG


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

a nice job I like the look and the creative thinkin with the leveling system...If You are in New orleans goin by your name I am in Rosedale and make a trip to PMC Machinery in Hammond about every 2 months nice store also if like Home Depot check the one in Brookhaven Miss. I bought a drill press there $80.00 cheaper than Metairie,Houma,Baton rouge and others I was lookin at .....


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI James

I say the same thing every time I look into the mirror and say who is that old fart..but inside I'm just still 25 on some days..  that's if I get my nap in the after noon  :dance3:

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jw2170 said:


> BJ, you must have started as a toddler......
> 
> No wonder you have accumulated so much gear......VBG


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

N'awlins77 said:


> Ok, I finished my first router table/bench. I know some of you may think it's something you'd make for your kids. LOL But I think it'll work just fine for me. …


Much to the contrary, your router table is very serious and functional. My one question comes from a point raised by Cassandra in another thread, and that is what about air flow to the router? The air flow is essential to prevent overheating, again from Cassandra.


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## Rick in Pittsburgh (Jun 23, 2009)

Looks good to me, My table is a piece of 1.5" plywood that sits on what ever I have available. It would be great to have a setup like that. Someday I will


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

That table looks mighty fine to me. Good job.

I'm like James, My router table is a a Router Table Top that I clamp in my Black and Decker Work Mate. I don't have room for a dedicated router table.


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Hey Bob J., thanks and I hope I are someone I pass it on to, gets as much use with mine as well!! 

Thanks Warren, and I am indeed in the New Orleans area. Actually in metro N.O. on the westbank of the Miss. Well, we call it the Bestbank! I have a couple of customers in Hammond, so I'll have to go check out PMC Machinery. And I also travel to or through Brookhaven, so I'll have to stop by their HD as well! 
Also, I was up in your neck of the woods a couple of weeks ago. In Jarreau, working at a power plant. 

Tom, there's about a half to three quarter of an inch crack between the table and the cabinet, caused by the leveling system. At first when I saw that I began thinking on how I was going to close that off, then I thought about the airflow. I've also got a big hole in the back where the power cord goes through. And If I notice the router getting warm, I'll drill some additional holes in the back. 

Thanks, Rick and David. Well I've got it, don't know how much I'll really use it. But it was one of those things that I wanted to have.


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## alchapman (Mar 1, 2011)

Very Nice and it looks like it has good storage space.


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks Al, and yes it does. It's housing both my routers and all their gear, and some on the way!!


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## Rick in Pittsburgh (Jun 23, 2009)

N'awlins77 said:


> Hey Bob J., thanks and I hope I are someone I pass it on to, gets as much use with mine as well!!
> 
> Thanks Warren, and I am indeed in the New Orleans area. Actually in metro N.O. on the westbank of the Miss. Well, we call it the Bestbank! I have a couple of customers in Hammond, so I'll have to go check out PMC Machinery. And I also travel to or through Brookhaven, so I'll have to stop by their HD as well!
> Also, I was up in your neck of the woods a couple of weeks ago. In Jarreau, working at a power plant.
> ...



I often questioned if it would be worth having a dedicated table. I always figured that it's not much of a job to set it up to use it. Boy, was I wrong!

It got to be a hassle to get it out and I avoided using the router table. A few weeks ago I needed the table router so I set it up. I put it where it wouldn't be in my way too much and I left it up. It surprised me how many times I have used it since. You may think you might not use it much, but when it is easily available, you will turn to it more than you realize. 

So after this "experiment" I am now "chomping at the bits" to build my table (even though I really don't have the room right now).

Good Luck with it


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Yep Rick, know what you mean. I found out that with my scroll saw. At first I questioned myself if I really needed one, but since I've purchased it I've used it not only for projects, but just with everyday stuff. Instead of having to pull out a jig saw, or a skill saw, or make a big mess with the table saw, I go to that scroll saw for little jobs and its saved a lot of time.


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

*Modify fence*

*I had to modify my fence. I'm finding out, as I'm tooling up, that my table leaves a lot to be desired. Oh well, only payed 180 for it, and I needed something to start out with. 

I've ordered 2 t-tracks, should be in soon. Ones going on the fence, and the other is going to replace a piece of shallow channel they put in place for the miter gauge, and or horizontal featherboards. 

Anyway, while I wait for the t-tracks I just clamped on the featherboards on to the modified fence and did a little test cutting on the thing! It's all working like a champ! Gonna start doing some rabbets and dados for this towel rack for my master bath. Fixing to re-model and I'm making a new vanity, towel and misc storage unit and another small storage cabinet with a towel rack. Give it (bathroom) some fresh paint and a new floor covering. *


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## Tiototo (Apr 8, 2011)

Im new to this have a porter cable 690 router looking for table top..Do you like the hart table top and fence I was looking at it..and why you added the wood fence to it..Sorry if its a s*@$% question


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Hey Roberto, welcome to the forum! And no such thing as a $#@& question here. If there was, I'm sure I've asked a few myself! ;o)

The only problems I found with the table, and they were easily fixed, which will answer the question about the fence. The fence was too short. I ordered a feathboard set for the table, and the fence was too short to mount them on the tracks. Plus if I ever wanted to do ANY kind of vertical cuts, there would have been hardly any support to do the job. Then the track for the miter gauge, I replaced with a t-track. I now wish, and I can still add it back (and will), but I should have just put the t-track along side the miter track. I could have used a miter yesterday on a project. I see a lot of tables, and I could have also bought a combination track with both the miter channel and the t-track for the finger boards. 

But other then that, it's a good sturdy table. Something to start with. I will definitely build a new one later on, a little larger with a larger cabinet. I'm running out of storage with router gear I've purchased already, and I'm just starting!!


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## CML757 (Jan 28, 2011)

I'm looking at the Incra jig with the Wonder fence to handle the height issue that you mention. Are there any other issues that you have found that you would do differently next time around?


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

Hey Lee is it still working with the new modifications , and I was wondering if having any problems with dust or air flow with the closed in top?? I was wondering if router would get hot, but guess You would have to do a lot of routing for that to happen


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Hey Chris. No, the height with the fence, and the only other thing, like I posted, was I replaced the U channel with a T-track, but I wish I would have just added the T-track in front or behind the u-channel, for a miter. But I can, and will, do that later. 

Hey there Warren. I've been using it (router/table) a lot lately and it's working great! No heat problem, been checking it regularly. But remember, I have those 4 leveling pads that keep the table off of the cabinet by at least a half inch, all the way around the cabinet. Pluse there's an inch, inch and a quarter hole I made in the back to get the plug for the router through. Which I really didn't have to make, because I then added the outlet in the cabinet to plug both the router and vac in there, and ended up using a plug you add the wire to it. So I could have fed the wire throught first, then added the plug. But it worked out to give it a little more air flow. Plus, I usually forget to close the cabinet doors all the way, anyway! LOL 

Hey, did you see, on another post somewhere's I told you I finally made it to PMC's in Hammond? You were right, that place is awesome!! I did control myself and only spent a little over a hundred in there on this trip. But man, could I do some damage to my credit card in there!! LOL


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

Yea YA rite About doing some damage, I almost went there today but ended up picking up some treated lumber at HD. Started planning to build a new Mudbug (crayfish) eating table , need to have it biult by mid May Youngest son coming home for a a few days and wants to boil 2-3 sacks with family and some freinds ,so I may build 2 after this first rough draft Haha


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

Hey again ONLY $100.00 must have had some self control, did they still have the router bit sets on sale last time I was there I they had a heck of a deal on some box sets they were closing out....


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

*I just tried to order some mudbugs for Easter. No one here is taking orders yet, as they not sure they will be able to fill them. ( And they said the price could go up 50 - 75 cents a pound before Easter. I hope the season gets better soon!

Yea, they still had some box sets still on sale. I almost bought one of them. But it would have put me way over my budget for that trip. They got some bits in that place!! And the machinery!! Man, they have some equipment in there!! I wish I had the room and the money for some of those table saws. If I hit the lotto, look out PMC!! LOL*


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