| Project by ellen35 | posted 1349 days ago | 2149 views | 4 times favorited | 18 comments | ![]() |
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A friend came to visit my little shop and I ended up giving her my $99 Sears router and table. So…lucky me, I decided to get a new one and build my own cabinet. I went to Rockler in Cambridge MA and purchased a laminate table and fence, an aluminum router lift and a PC router to fit the lift. The guys there were really great and when I told my salesman I was going to build the table, he asked me if I wanted a wooden table frame “really cheap” (last one, really didn’t want to put it on the floor – $33 took it away). Well, my thought was to put the wooden frame together and then build the cabinet around it. I made some modifications to the frame to make it a little lower (for us shorter folks) and put wheels on it. I bought some birch ply at the Borg (don’t even ask about voids!!) and designed this cabinet. I included only 1 drawer as I wanted plenty of room for the router and the ability to vacuum out the “router box” as needed. That’s a plexi door on the router box so I can see when it needs to be cleaned. Yes, I could do a vacuum but that will come later. I also included the 2 door cabinet on the bottom for bigger stuff. The box in there was the “mistake” on the drawer. I decided to use it for storage inside the cabinet. There is also some low flat storage on the very bottom… I have no idea what I’ll do with that now but I have never found storage that I couldn’t use! I made the face frame with my Kreg pocket hole jig and it really was pretty easy. I stained it a very light pine just to contrast the very “white” birch ply inside. Thanks for looking!
Note: That white thing in the back is my fridge but it can’t hold a candle to Degoose’s turquoise one!
-- Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
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18 comments so far
woodworm
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14104 posts in 1756 days
#1 posted 1349 days ago
Nice RT cabinet – looks solid & sturdy.

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
GMman
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3882 posts in 1863 days
#2 posted 1349 days ago
ellen you did the right thing sears router tables are not that good my son in-law has one and it doesn’t like it.
Now you have a real nice looking table and I know it is working the very best.
a1Jim
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86943 posts in 1743 days
#3 posted 1349 days ago
Hey Ellen
This looks great a router table much more fitting your skill level, a tool to serve for years to come congrats on a great new tool.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
whitedog
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649 posts in 1623 days
#4 posted 1349 days ago
i’m really envious of that whole set up … great job
-- Paul , Calfornia
cabinetmaster
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10874 posts in 1724 days
#5 posted 1349 days ago
Great looking cabinet Ellen. Sounds like you got a great deal.
-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps
pommy
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1695 posts in 1857 days
#6 posted 1349 days ago
Sweet looking RT Cabinet Ellen and see you got a good eye for a bargin
Andy
-- cut it saw it scrap it SKPE: ANDREW.CARTER69
hairy
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1763 posts in 1698 days
#7 posted 1349 days ago
Ellen, give me a shout when you’re ready to give this away to make a new one. Great job!
-- It must be jelly baby, cause jam don't shake like that...
firecaster
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557 posts in 1584 days
#8 posted 1349 days ago
Very nice.
If I stop by are you giving more stuff away?
-- Father of two sons. Both Eagle Scouts.
huff
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2549 posts in 1451 days
#9 posted 1349 days ago
Great job on your router table/work station. Can’t wait to see your next project using your new set-up.
-- John @ http://www.thehuffordfurnituregroup.com
Innovator
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3584 posts in 1579 days
#10 posted 1349 days ago
Great looking table.
Lots of useful storage as well.
Congrats
-- Whether You Think You Can or You Think You Can't, YOU ARE RIGHT!!!
Scott Bryan
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27262 posts in 1987 days
#11 posted 1349 days ago
Ellen, this is a really nice router table. I think you did the right thing in going ahead and buying the laminated table. I know with your skills you could have made one but with the time and materials that would have gone into it you are ahead by simply buying the top. This is a vast improvement on your old set-up.
-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine
kerflesss
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182 posts in 1533 days
#12 posted 1348 days ago
What a great job Ellen!! I’m sure you’ll enjoy your new toy. How ever let me share my story.
With my table, where I didn’t use DC/vacuum with my PC690 router, chips/sawdust fell into the fan and proceeded to destroy it. It never worked well again. So beware and don’t suffer the same fate I did.
degoose
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6588 posts in 1520 days
#13 posted 1348 days ago
Hi Ellen,, a great chef can cook a gourmet meal in a tin can.. but only for so long.. he needs proper cookware to continue to cook good food.
So it is with the Woodworker.. he can make anything with a hammer and a drill but to continue to learn and improve you need to upgrade the tools. Nice to see that you too have an altar to the inspirational liquid but I have not seen the inspirational chair.
Nice job on the Router table and I am sure we will see some really amazing posts from here on in.
Regards Larry
-- Drink twice... and don't bother to cut... @ larrysworkshop.wordpress.com For lovers of all things timber...
ellen35
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2439 posts in 1598 days
#14 posted 1348 days ago
Thanks to all who commented and made suggestions… especially about the dust collection/vacuum. I’m on it!!
SCOTT – I agree about the top. I think it would take me forever to make it and my frustration level at not getting it perfect would make me crazy!
LARRY – the chair is there… you just can’t see it for all the dust! I can only aspire to do your quality of work on it!
GMMAN – the little Sears did just fine for a year or so but I know what you mean.
FIRECASTER & HAIRY – I’m giving away a lot of sawdust… need any!!
Thanks again, everyone. Your comments are most appreciated!
Ellen
-- Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
PurpLev
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7729 posts in 1814 days
#15 posted 1348 days ago
looks great! a very good excuse to give the older one to your friend :) and a nice score at rockler!
Although the borg plywood doesn’t compare to Baltic Birch. I actually have good luck with the plywood at the borg for shop projects, and also for some projects at home where edges are not shown (and even some that they do). and I get the cabinet grade one ($20-$30 a full sheet depending on state you’re in – in LA it used to be 20, now in Boston it’s 30)
-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
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