LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Cast Iron Coffee Mill Mechanisms and Coffee Mill Well Kits, with FREE Downloadable Plan!  |  Makita Makita Recon LCT203W 10.8 Volt Lithium Ion Impact Driver 2 Pc Kit

Router Table/Cabinet

Project by ellen35 posted 77 days ago 769 views 1 time favorited 18 comments Add to Favorites Watch

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!

-- Ellen on Cape Cod


18 comments so far

View woodworm's profile

woodworm

8232 posts in 485 days


posted 77 days ago

Nice RT cabinet – looks solid & sturdy.

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

View GMman 's profile

GMman

1361 posts in 591 days


posted 77 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.

-- --<<<<<< I will not stop until I get it right. >>>>>>--

View a1Jim's profile

a1Jim

16769 posts in 471 days


posted 77 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.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

View whitedog's profile

whitedog

165 posts in 351 days


posted 77 days ago

i’m really envious of that whole set up … great job

-- Paul , Calfornia

View cabinetmaster's profile

cabinetmaster

8533 posts in 452 days


posted 77 days ago

Great looking cabinet Ellen. Sounds like you got a great deal.

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

View pommy's profile

pommy

954 posts in 585 days


posted 77 days ago

Sweet looking RT Cabinet Ellen and see you got a good eye for a bargin

Andy

-- cut it saw it scrap it

View hairy's profile

hairy

293 posts in 426 days


posted 77 days ago

Ellen, give me a shout when you’re ready to give this away to make a new one. Great job!

-- I'm a lumberjock and I'm ok, I sleep all night and I work all day!

View firecaster's profile

firecaster

482 posts in 313 days


posted 77 days ago

Very nice.

If I stop by are you giving more stuff away?

-- Father of two sons. Both Eagle Scouts.

View huff's profile

huff

1616 posts in 179 days


posted 77 days ago

Great job on your router table/work station. Can’t wait to see your next project using your new set-up.

-- John @ Myrtle Beach

View Innovator's profile

Innovator

3125 posts in 307 days


posted 77 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!!!

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

20640 posts in 716 days


posted 77 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.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View kerflesss's profile

kerflesss

132 posts in 262 days


posted 77 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.

View degoose's profile

degoose

1994 posts in 249 days


posted 77 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 once, cut twice. New website up.... lazylarrywoodworks.com.au

View ellen35's profile

ellen35

533 posts in 326 days


posted 77 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

-- Ellen on Cape Cod

View PurpLev's profile (online now)

PurpLev

2745 posts in 543 days


posted 77 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.

View Woodwrecker's profile

Woodwrecker

490 posts in 470 days


posted 76 days ago

Ellen, that came out SUPER nice!!!
That thing is ten times nicer then mine and I bet you’ll get tons of use out of it!
Way to go !!!

-- Eric

View Dusty56's profile

Dusty56

3460 posts in 582 days


posted 65 days ago

One of the handiest tools you could ever have , Ellen….just think of all of the great profiles you can add to your cutting boards : )
Is your version of Larry’s suds vault full of XXXX brand as well ? LOL
It was my pleasure to meet you today at the gathering in Lexington : )

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

View Beginningwoodworker's profile

Beginningwoodworker

4154 posts in 567 days


posted 52 days ago

Nice Router Table/Cabinet.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

You must be signed in to post the comments.

  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase