| Project by Cantil3v3r | posted 63 days ago | 1152 views | 16 times favorited | 19 comments |  |
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Here is my new router table I finished this weekend. I still need to add the leveling screws to bring the plate up 1/64”, as well as build an auxillary fence but the table is all set. This was a lot of fun to build, and I can’t wait to actually use it.
The process:
I used 2 sheets of 3/4” MDF and glued them together. I then cut that slab down to size as I knew the glue would cause them to slide around a bit and not be completely square.
Once that was done I used contact cement to glue an oversized piece of white formica on the top. Once it was dry I used a flush trim bit to get the formica the same size as the MDF. (I knew I was going to put a border of 3/4” maple around it so I obviously adjusted the size of my table accordingly.)
The next step for me was to cut all of these maple border pieces and miter them. They are 3/4” x 2” x Length Needed. I lined them up in a dry fit to make sure they fit together. I then drilled 5 5/16” holes in the edge of the cast iron where the maple border was going to connect to. Once it was drilled I lined up the maple that was going to be there and made it flush with the table top and traced out the holes on the maple so I could see exactly where to drill. I also measured where the T-bolts were going to slide in on the rails and marked off the two side pieces of maple so I could drill them at the same time. I used 3 bolts for the front fence and 2 for the rear fence.
After drilling the holes and dry fitting just the 3 border pieces of maple to the saw using the bolts, and making any adjustments, it was time make a slot for the nut, bolt, and washer under the table. This part was a little tricky for me to figure out but I kind of did it as I went along. I used a forstner bit to drill down (from the bottom of the table) about 3/4” to allow enough room for the nut to spin on the bolt and enough room for the bolt to go past the maple. The big question for me was going to be ‘how do I tighten the nuts once I slide the bolts table onto the fence. I ended up using a chisel just wider than the nut and pared away at the MDF (which was very easy) to create angles on each side to move a combination wrench at least 1/6 of a turn so I could pull the wrench out and do it again.
Once these were set I needed to secure the maple to the table. I ended up using my Kreg Pocket Hole jig and did 8 screws each on the 27” sides, and 6 screws on the 20” sides. I clamped everything down to my table saw to actually screw it together, being the flattest surface, in order to try and get the table and maple border flush with each other.
At this point I put the bolts in and slid it into the table and tightened it down. I also used lock nuts on every other bolt. It may be overkill but I didn’t want the vibration of the table saw or the router to cause the nuts to get loose. After all of this I just routed out a place for the miter/ttrack as well as the router plate.
Edit: Added retractable/folding legs to the router table for support.
To make both of these legs I ended up getting 1” aluminum tubing that is 1/16” thick, leaving 7/8” inside diameter. I then bought a 7/8” poplar dowel to fit inside of it. I used 2 feet of each material so it would overlap by 1 foot, but still be able to fold up to just over 2 ft total. I used some angled aluminum as the brace with a coupld of #10 screws and a nyloc nut. On the bottom of the poplar I also added a t-nut so I could thread in an adjustable foot depending on where I move my saw and how level the ground is. Once I got the basice height set I drilled a 1/4” hole through both the aluminum and poplar to put a pin which will hold it steady until I want to fold it up. Let me know if you have any questions.
19 comments so far
RexMcKinnon
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676 posts in 89 days
posted 63 days ago
I have this same table saw and was looking for some good instruction to add the router table. Great job. Only question would be do you have any concerns about weight on the rails and the rails bending?
-- If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!
Cantil3v3r
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62 posts in 70 days
posted 63 days ago
Rex –
I have thought about this, and once the table saw was on the ground (read not using the Herculift) I leaned on the end of the router table to see how much weight it would take and how much it would bend. It seemed pretty sturdy, however I am thinking I might make some adjustable legs or braces for it to make sure. I will probably make them retractable because it seems fine on its own, but if I am going to be working on it a lot it would probably be helpful from the pressure of the wood, the router, and leaning on it. Not sure exactly what I will do but I’ll let you know when I come up with something.
Blair Helgason
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31 posts in 308 days
posted 63 days ago
Great Job! I have the same saw and have been thinking about making the same upgrade. This post answers a lot of questions, maybe I’ll actually do it now. Thanks!
-- Blair
CharlieM1958
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7623 posts in 1112 days
posted 63 days ago
I have the same saw as well, and this looks fantastic! I have to add, though, that I just wouldn’t feel comfortable unless I figured out a way to add some support.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
BigBard
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82 posts in 308 days
posted 63 days ago
wow nice, I have the same saw and i will copy this. I have been contemplating how will I go about a router table set-up. My only question is how Do i go about the router plate?
-- I'm inspired to build a Bombe one day!
treeman
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149 posts in 343 days
posted 63 days ago
Very nice job.
I also have the same saw and keep debating between adding one to the saw or a stand alone router table. I keep leaning toward a stand alone but you might have persuaded me different.
Kent Shepherd
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813 posts in 180 days
posted 63 days ago
Great job. You’ll get a lot of good work out of that
Thanks
-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!
Todd A. Clippinger
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5639 posts in 993 days
posted 63 days ago
A sweet addition to the shop and the table saw. Very nicely done.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
Cantil3v3r
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62 posts in 70 days
posted 63 days ago
Thanks for the nice words everybody, I had a lot of fun building this!
BigBard – I ended up buying the Rockler router plate template, but if I were to do it again I probably wouldn’t use it. The cleanest cuts and best fits came when I just used a straight bit and a fence. I would measure from the largest edge of the router bit to the edge of your router and add a new line at that distance away and clamp a straight edge (i used a piece of straight mdf). you can actually do this the entire way around if you wanted to with a straight bit that has the same corner radius and do it in one pass. Also I set the depth a little more than the 1/4” thickness of the plate. It recommended 1/8” but I did about 1/32” to 1/64” and I’ll level off that little bit with some screws underneath.
I also chose the Benchdog miter/t-track guide because for one they had both, but also the miter track accepts the wheel on the table saws miter guage so I can simply use the one from my Ridgid TS3650.
Hope this helps!
jockmike2
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7302 posts in 1140 days
posted 63 days ago
I would deffinately support it with at least one extra leg in the middle.I had a router mount on a saw and it did warp the side rails after a year or so.
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
Wingstress
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211 posts in 409 days
posted 63 days ago
Great job! You are going to love it!!!!
-- Tom, Simsbury, CT
Cantil3v3r
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62 posts in 70 days
posted 63 days ago
jockmike2 – thanks for the heads up. i plan on putting something in place, just trying to figure out what would work the best.
NedB
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257 posts in 459 days
posted 63 days ago
a router wing is on my very short list of ‘to do’ projects in my shop. Thanks for the excellent photo of the underside of the table.
-- Ned - 2B1ASK1 http://nedswoodshop.blogspot.com
a1Jim
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16717 posts in 471 days
posted 63 days ago
Nice useful well done
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
Joanne
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82 posts in 91 days
posted 62 days ago
Must be alot of us with the same table saw because I also have this one. I will also be making a router table for my saw. Great job!
-- Joanne, New York, www.creationhollow.com
Cantil3v3r
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62 posts in 70 days
posted 62 days ago
Don’t know if anybody is interested but I just finished the leveling aspects of the router plate last night. I ended up using #10×32 machine screws from underneath threaded into those ‘thing-a-ma-bobs’ (technical term). First I used a forstner bit to get them below the existing surface, then drilled the diameter of the screws, then drilled about 3/4” down the diameter of the ‘thing-a-ma-bobs.’ Then I just had to put the screws in from underneath. I currently have nuts on there to tighten it up once I get it set, but I might get some lock nuts so they don’t slide around.
Llarian
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73 posts in 501 days
posted 62 days ago
I’ve been planning on doing something like this to my 3650 for a while, nice job and a great inspiration!
How many bolts do you have securing the table to the fence rails?
-- Dylan Vanderhoof - General hobbiest and reluctant penmaker. http://llarian.etsy.com
Cantil3v3r
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62 posts in 70 days
posted 62 days ago
I used 3 bolts for the front rail, 2 bolts for the back rail, and 5 bolts to the cast iron table.
Bob A in NJ
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522 posts in 893 days
posted 61 days ago
I’ve got the same saw also. I like your design better than mine. I outfitted mine with a piece of phenolic plywood I bought on ebay. They make bowling alleys with this material. Very ridgid and durable material. I don’t use the crosscut fence, I simply use a piece of squares plywood to support end grains.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/20810
-- Bob A in NJ