A Table Router Table...Part 1 (October 2012)

After replacing my dining table last week I had to find use for the old laminated table. I put it on Craigslist in the free section for all of 2 hours…I had an idea. I have wanted to replace my first router table for a while but didn’t want to invest any money on a table considering I am still using my cheepo Skill router. Nothing fancy but it gets the job done. So my idea was to take the old table and make a router table out of it. The top has a few imperfections but is night and day better than my old one. The plate is from a pallet of laminate floor. Often they put a 2.5’x3.5’ piece of laminate scrap on top of the pallet for shipping. This piece worked out great for a plate. In the rabbit I have 10 flat head machine screws to level the plate. I currently do not have a cabinet for it. My original idea was to just clamp it to a set of sawhorses. I am in the process of building a roll around shop cabinet for my key cutting machine so I figured I would test it on the table to see how I like it. I like it a lot so I suppose a cabinet build will be in the works. A benefit to not having a cabinet yet is I can use the spare cabinet to find out everything I do like and dont like and what I can add or remove before I even build it. The bit hole in the plate was the only thing that went wrong. I put in the largest bit I had and gently screwed the router down (upside down with the plate clamped to sawhorses) and up to get a zero insert hole. Unfortunately I did this with the clamp relesed on the base so it was not centered. After round two I was left with an elongated hole. No biggie. The second half of the table will double as a high fence that will come in handy for any tennon work. Its kinda overkill but then again it works great. I now have a rock solid large surface router table and the best part…100% FREE and one less item to the landfill! The table was completely recycled. The leaf guides will be used on a bed slide for my truck. The 4 legs are going to be used for an upcomming hall table. And the plate was recycled laminate scrap. I have to say, the round shape of the top is great. longer surface areas perpendicular to the fence and on the infeed side. More support where you need it most.
- Jay
EDIT: I just posted this and showed my wife her old table..she just shook her head and walked away lol

-- Jay - http://www.jayscustomcreations.com or YouTube.com/jayscustomcreations