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After replacing my dining table last week I had to find use for the old laminated table. I put it on Craigslist in the free section for all of 2 hours…I had an idea. I have wanted to replace my first router table for a while but didn't want to invest any money on a table considering I am still using my cheepo Skill router. Nothing fancy but it gets the job done. So my idea was to take the old table and make a router table out of it. The top has a few imperfections but is night and day better than my old one. The plate is from a pallet of laminate floor. Often they put a 2.5'x3.5' piece of laminate scrap on top of the pallet for shipping. This piece worked out great for a plate. In the rabbit I have 10 flat head machine screws to level the plate. I currently do not have a cabinet for it. My original idea was to just clamp it to a set of sawhorses. I am in the process of building a roll around shop cabinet for my key cutting machine so I figured I would test it on the table to see how I like it. I like it a lot so I suppose a cabinet build will be in the works. A benefit to not having a cabinet yet is I can use the spare cabinet to find out everything I do like and dont like and what I can add or remove before I even build it. The bit hole in the plate was the only thing that went wrong. I put in the largest bit I had and gently screwed the router down (upside down with the plate clamped to sawhorses) and up to get a zero insert hole. Unfortunately I did this with the clamp relesed on the base so it was not centered. After round two I was left with an elongated hole. No biggie. The second half of the table will double as a high fence that will come in handy for any tennon work. Its kinda overkill but then again it works great. I now have a rock solid large surface router table and the best part…100% FREE and one less item to the landfill! The table was completely recycled. The leaf guides will be used on a bed slide for my truck. The 4 legs are going to be used for an upcomming hall table. And the plate was recycled laminate scrap. I have to say, the round shape of the top is great. longer surface areas perpendicular to the fence and on the infeed side. More support where you need it most.
- Jay
EDIT: I just posted this and showed my wife her old table..she just shook her head and walked away lol

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· Registered
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20,030 Posts
Very clever and good use of resources
 

· Registered
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66 Posts
Very good use of old material.
 

· In Loving Memory
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10,077 Posts
I can relate. My wife shakes her head and walks away A LOT! I like your router table.
 

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1,171 Posts
I really like your creative use of recycled material. Woodworking does not have to cost a fortune . . . and you have proved it!

L/W
 

· Registered
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2,025 Posts
Fantastic! We should all have such a fancy router TABLE!
 

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11,255 Posts
Now that's different, I like it though.
 

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112 Posts
That's a great idea. I was really wondering what you had in mind when you posted your farmhouse table project earlier. This is a great use of wood. I already have a router table but do have a table my wife wants to sell on CL. I also have that same identical Skil router 1 3/4 hp. Have listed it for sale on CL for $25 and not a single person interested in it. Think I'm too high?

jarod
 

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235 Posts
Great thinking! I really like it. one suggestion, is to hinge the other half to lay flat or hinge up as a fence. In the laid flat position, it would give you one hellofa table surface for large pieces. Just a thought….
 

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Good idea repurposing the table. Jed Clampett would have been proud of you. :)

Looks like you have enough table left over so you could cut off part of it and make a regular fence out of it and still have enough to use as a tall fence.
 

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1,517 Posts
A great save

My wife does the same but with

mutterings added in.

The back fence would be good to attach

the router horizontal.

jamie
 
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