# New to Board. Building a shop & need advice



## KevinLamb (May 2, 2020)

Hello forum, 

My name is Kevin and I am new to this board. I have been a rookie builder / woodworker for a few years now working on items like tables, floating shelves, a king size bed, etc... I will share a few pictures in a follow up to this thread as I have read that people like pictures. A little about myself. I have 4 boys, my oldest is 8, then 6 and a set of 2 year old twins. While I have my hands full, my escape is often the garage where I get to work on projects for our house. My oldest 2 are starting to catch the bug and love helping with some of the projects.

I am starting to build a new shop in my extra bay of a three car garage. I currently work off a 4x8 workbench with a dewalt table saw that I dropped in and a dewalt 12 miter saw with a custom table I built 2 years ago. I am at the stage where we have several projects to build in the house, most of which includes building cabinets (Lockers, full wall of desks, Full set of built-in bookshelves, and a media center). I would like to finish my shop and get a router and router table set up prior to starting inside. I am thinking about donating my miter saw table (pictured attached) and building an L shaped row of cabinets and work table that would house the miter saw in the same spot and a router table built in on the short side of the "L". The cabinets on the long side is about 120 inches this would run under the wall tool storage in picture and the miter saw would be in the same place as it is now. The short side of the L shaped cabinets would be 76 inches, which will be on the right side of the picture. To left where we have the cube shelves will be floor to ceiling cabinets to house large items and safety gear.

Here is my question. Would you add the built in router table into the custom cabinets on the short side of the L or would you build it into the 4x8 workbench that already has the table saw or would it be best on the built in 76 in stretch of cabinets. By the way one piece of info is that edge of the cabinet tabletop will be open so to the right of the router would be open for longer stock. Let me know if this doesn't make sense and I will provide a picture of my thoughts. 

Also sorry for the messy table top. My workbench has built in cabinets on side and stores my paint and it is under construction getting new 5 in casters this weekend.

Again happy to be a part of the forum and excited to learn a lot and make a lot of new friends.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Hello and welcome to the router forum,Kevin


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Welcome to the Forum, Kevin...and congratulations for all the fine stuff you've done with a few tools...! ! !

My vote would be to make a small standalone cabinet style router table on wheels. I would not combine it with the table saw for those instances where they will each get in each other's way. Consider setting up the router only to have to lower the bit all the way down when you need it's surface for cutting with the table saw...and vice-versa. There are quite a few folks that have added a router to the end of their table saw so you might get different opinions.

The floating router table will also help with dust control...wheel it outside for messy jobs, for example.

And speaking of dust control, you might need more room for a stationary dust collector which will take up some dedicated space and make you reconfigure your space...

I would suggest that until you collect all the tools you might put into the shop that you keep things as mobile as you can. Keep in mind also that you've done a lot without it and, except for raised panel work, you'll be able to take the router to the workpiece...

...just some thoughts to start you out in a small space.

Oh...you're going to want to start negotiating for throwing the cars out of the garage and use all three bays for the shop...plan your strategy well, it won't be easy...:grin::grin::grin:


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Hello Kevin and welcome to the forums...

KUDOS on spreading the bug...
I'd donate nothing... I'd repurpose.... 
for an RT
free standing, on casters and independent... 
there's more here *at this link* on RT's than you'll digest at one sit down...

one more thing.. actually two..

we have put some helpful information together * at this here link * to help you get up and running in the world of routers... We hope it to be useful to you... Enjoy...
do take some time and read the safety PDF's... *PLEASE!!!*
Blood and trips to the ER, we find, are very annoying... Not to mention – expensive...

There is some information on dust collection *at this here link* if it you need it...

my idea of an RT...

.


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## Bstrom (Jan 2, 2020)

I’m with Nick and Stick - go mobile! Most of my tools are on casters and when you need to make a cut on the TS and go back to the router, it’s much easier with discrete tool locations. Your projects look first rate - keep it coming!


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

Yes, make a standalone table. 
If you build it into your "L" shaped counter, you'll most certainly have the need to route something longer than your counter will allow.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Bstrom said:


> I’m with Nick and Stick -


oh Lord!!!!


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Bstrom said:


> I’m with Nick and Stick



Rut-Roh...


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Welcome Kevin. You are going to like it here. We already like what you are doing. 

Charley


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Hi Kevin and welcome. My router table is on wheels too and just in case I needed an outfeed support for bench or saw I made it the same height as they are. One rule about machining everything is that when you are working on something large it's usually easier to take the tool to the work as in using a handheld router. If the work is small it's usually easier to take the work to the tool (router table) so planning a table to do really big, long work isn't necessarily a good idea.

You also want to set it up so that you aren't reaching out very far to work on things, either feeding in or out or reaching across.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Welcome to the forum,
I like your work, you are well on your way. teaching the kids is important, for safety sake and they will always remember in the future and be able to do things themselves. 
Herb


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## sreilly (May 22, 2018)

Welcome to the nut house....I mean forum. As most have said, wheel make sense especially when space is limited. I have half a basement and I make everything mobile so I can open larger spaces when needed. Hanging jigs and other stuff comes in handy too allowing that valuable wall space for the most often used tools and such.Looks like your well on your way and have a crop of good helpers coming along the way.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

sreilly said:


> Welcome to the nut house....I mean forum. As most have said, wheel make sense especially when space is limited...


sure glad you didn't mention anything about the gladiators or lions...
BTW..
Have ya finished fixing those chariots????


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Welcome to the Router Forums Kevin.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Kevin.


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## dman2 (Sep 4, 2019)

> my idea of an RT...
> .


Nice! I may need to rebuild mine to be more efficient!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

dman2 said:


> Nice! I may need to rebuild mine to be more efficient!


cruise the RT forum....
so many ideas...


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

Welcome Kevin,

Nice furniture !


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## KevinLamb (May 2, 2020)

*kevinlamb*

Wow, 24 hours later and I already have 2 pages of conversation, this place is GREAT!!! Thanks everyone for the warm reception to the board and the kind words on what I have already built. Also thanks for the links with all the great information. I appreciate the lessons on routers and safety. It is something I hold near and dear as the last thing I want is to endanger myself or my boys (in future when they start using power tools). 

As for the RT, I think the plan is going to be a stand alone table on casters that will allow for moving it around. Thanks for all the great suggestions. if there is any good designs with free plans that anyone would like to share that would be great

Ok next question - Which router for the table. I will primarily be doing rabbits, Dado's, and a few other things for cabinet making and built-ins. 

Thanks again for warm welcome.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

I have a Triton in the table, Bosch 1617 (and a couple of others) for freehand. The Triton has lots of power for all jobs. Later, if you decide to do raised panels, it will be able to sling the big bits with no problems. It has above the table fine height adjustment and below table gross.

Lots of folks use the 1617 in the table and some have a separate lift for the 1617 motor. Some consider the Triton to be too heavy for freehand and once installed in the table (plunge spring needs to be removed) it makes it tough to take out and use freehand (put spring back in). The Bosch 1617EVSPK (plunge and fixed kit) is great for single router shops as you can leave the fixed base in the table and take out the motor and use it in the plunge base for freehand. 

But who wants a shop with only one router anyway...:grin:


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

KevinLamb said:


> As for the RT, I think the plan is going to be a stand alone table on casters that will allow for moving it around. Thanks for all the great suggestions. if there is any good designs with free plans that anyone would like to share that would be great
> 
> Ok next question - Which router for the table. I will primarily be doing rabbits, Dado's, and a few other things for cabinet making and built-ins.
> 
> Thanks again for warm welcome.


for the RT... *https://www.routerforums.com/table-mounted-routing/17212-wanted-pictures-your-router-table.html*

Nick pretty much covered ''Which router'' question...


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

Welcome to the forum


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## KevinLamb (May 2, 2020)

Thanks Nick and Stick for the information. 

Thanks Roxanne for the welcome


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## marecat3 (Nov 30, 2010)

Welcome to the forum


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, @albertvadas .

Kevin has not been on the forum since May 2020...


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum @albertvadas


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, @DaniellGibbs ..


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum @DaniellGibbs


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## Red (Sep 1, 2021)

I too say a free standing router table on wheels is better. I have a full shop and many pieces are on wheels. Good luck and keep making stuff!

Red


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