| Project by TheChucker | posted 1118 days ago | 2902 views | 5 times favorited | 14 comments |  |
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I finally completed my Norm Abram router table the other day. In the past I’ve used a router table built into the wing of my table saw, and while certainly adequate, it can’t compare to a dedicated router station. I was able to run a few boards through it and it was extremely solid and produced excellent results.
The router table is made primarily from maple, with the top and drawer fronts constructed from laminated MDF. The laminate produces a great surface on top that is quite durable and real slick. In total, I used about a 4×4 sheet of laminate for the whole project. There are six router bit drawers that are nowhere near full, and four full drawers for all kinds of accessories. This thing has a ton or room for all of my router accessories which is great.
The router table sits on 4 5” locking casters that make it very easy to roll around my paver floor, and when locked, it is very stable. There is a dual router dust port in back that connects both under the cabinet and to the fence which leaves very little sawdust.
Finally, I topped it off with a Triton 2 1/4 hp router. It’s great because I can adjust the height from above the table with the included crank, and I can change bits above the table too.
Overall, very pleased with the router table. I can’t believe I waited this long to finally build one, I didn’t know what I was missing.
-- Wherever you go, there you are.
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14 comments so far
Scott Burnette
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7 posts in 1121 days
#1 posted 1118 days ago
Nice job! Makes want to build one and I don’t own a router yet!
Ralphie9
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12 posts in 1122 days
#2 posted 1118 days ago
Great job! Also…I am having a hard time finding laminate sheets…where did you source yours?
TheChucker
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38 posts in 1310 days
#3 posted 1118 days ago
Ralphie, I searched a bunch of Home Depot’s in my area and found several sheets in stock at one of the larger ones. They had a rack of about 6 – 8 different colors near the kitchen area. I got the plain white color, and I think it was about $40 for a 4×8 sheet.
-- Wherever you go, there you are.
thatwoodworkingguy
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375 posts in 1127 days
#4 posted 1118 days ago
Norm couldnt have done better himself!
Great table
-- thatwoodworkingguy.com ~Eagle America~ ~Woodcraft~
a1Jim
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89108 posts in 1774 days
#5 posted 1118 days ago
Norm would be jealous very nice work
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
Jim Jakosh
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7651 posts in 1303 days
#6 posted 1118 days ago
Very nice router table. You have incorporated many nice features and you’ll love using it. I like the clear door in front . How does that little orange plastic guard work?
-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!!
lilredweldingrod
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2493 posts in 1304 days
#7 posted 1118 days ago
Great job, guy. Norm is grinning from ear to ear.
Knothead62
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1712 posts in 1158 days
#8 posted 1118 days ago
Looking good! Now, all you have to do is fill the router bit drawers. Then….......you will have to make a storage cabinet for more router bits and show us pictures in the projects section.
-- Regret- the feeling you get just after you do something really stupid.
TheChucker
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38 posts in 1310 days
#9 posted 1118 days ago
Thanks for the comments. Jim, the orange plastic guard came off of a Rockler router table fence I had. It’s a bit guard that is supposed to keep you from contacting the router bit. It doesn’t work too well in this case since it’s about 3” or so above the bit, so I might just ditch it or build one that sits closer to the bit.
-- Wherever you go, there you are.
mikedddd
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143 posts in 1427 days
#10 posted 1118 days ago
Looks great, the switch on the front is a very good idea.
-- Mike
hasbeen99
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183 posts in 1736 days
#11 posted 1117 days ago
I envy you, sir! My hope is to build one for myself in the not-too-distant future. Well done!
-- "The only thing that counts is faith, expressing itself in love." --Galatians 5:6
Skylark53
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2271 posts in 1257 days
#12 posted 1117 days ago
Nicely done. This one is one my “to do” list.
-- Rick, Tennessee, John 3:16
Bob Kollman
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1779 posts in 1388 days
#13 posted 1117 days ago
A most excellent norm!!!!
-- Bob Kenosha Wi.
toddbeaulieu
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271 posts in 1201 days
#14 posted 130 days ago
Now that you’ve had this design for a while, how do you like it? The two biggest concerns that I have with building a new table like this are a better fence adjustment system (that POSITIVELY locks and is easily micro adjustable when dialing it in) and whether to mess with the DC under the table (and even the center door).
I watched a video recently expressing an opinion that the lower DC isn’t necessary and I have to say I think he’s right. It seems that 90+ percent of my dust is above the table and the only reason I have 10% below was from when I had a clog or forgot to open the gate.
Any other changes you’d make?
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