Cheapest Router Table Ever

Good job.

-- If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith. - Albert Einstein

Great job! I recently told another member about counter top cut offs as router tables “on the cheap”. This is what I used for my first one in 1992 and it worked like a champ. FYI Sam’s Club sells cuting boards without the hand hold opening in them. Thanks for the building one and I agree that this is “Best money saving idea of the year”. Cheers

-- Head to the shop its calling you – Todd

Cheap is best…...................Schloemoe

-- schloemoe, Oregon , http://www. woodrehab.blogspot.com

Nice work and very frugal work on a project you can use for many years. Congratulations!

-- Rick, Tennessee, John 3:16

I would say, that’ll work very good. Manufactured tops are priced way too high in my opinion

-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Kentuk55@bellsouth.net

That was my first router table too!! The only difference is that I used some lexan instead of a cuttiing board. The sink cut-out was the perfect size.

-- - Kevin from Cincinnati. All my work is guaranteed: Three minutes or three feet; whichever comes first.

Good Job! If it works, Why Not! Saving money is the way to go! More money to spend on tools!

-- Tony C , My high school shop teacher said "You can do it"... Now I can't stop!

Excellent !
My first table saw extension was from cabinet shop I worked at. Counter top cutoffs that were thrown out. I used it for many years !
I never thought of the LEXAN idea, I LIKE that .

-- "My mission in life - make everyone smile !"

Like the idea of the countertop. should be plenty flat and smooth for the purpose. I would caution about the Lexan. My last table I built I used a sheet of 3/8 acrylic for my insert and while it worked fine in the beginning with the weight of my PC 3 HP plunge it began to sag until I got noticeable poor results. You might get by and I hope you do. Just saying, watch it so it doesn’t sag.

Great find on the counter top. The cutting board is more of a HDPE, milk bottle plastic. If you can support it might work well. I have a 1/2” acrylic holding my 3hp and it works well. Good Luck.

-- Chris K

I have a top from a small desk waiting for a similar treatment. Thanks for sharing. Have you cosidered installing a metal track in the slot for a miter gage?

-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher

Nice to save the money for router bits. FWIW, I believe the cutting board is likely polypropylene; not as rigid as Lexan (polycarbonate) but easier to cut. You may wish to reinforce the span after you choose your router; perhaps some aluminum L-profile extrusion, close-set to the router hole, extending past the plate to secure to the underside of the table…
Good to be frugal.

Good use of inexpensive and free materials, better in your shop than a landfill somewhere.

-- Martin ....always count the number of fingers you have before, and after using the saw.

Use caution with plastics…they are not all the same and some can become brittle and shatter without warning.
If that board was Lexan , you would have paid a lot more than $3 for it : )
Nice way to save money though !! Keep up the good work .
I’m a re-purposer myself
LOL

-- When did quiet and quite become the same word ? I'm guessing about the same time as your and you're did.