MCLS Heavyweight Router Table & Fence Anyone?

I’ve got the Sommerfeld table and fence and I like it a lot. The table is extruded heavy aluminum, as is the fence. The thing I like most is that the fence has a pivot pin. When using a bearing bit, I can just flush up the bearing to the fence using the pivot point and clamp down the opposite end. Really quick. I’ve got the 3 1/4 hp Triton screwed into the bottom of the table. It’s a real good setup.

-- Measure twice, cut once, buy extra stock.

Thanks Rileysdad, I had not seen theirs before. I like their stock fence better than the MCLS and the size of the tabletop. I will put it on the my list for consideration but I don’t know if I like it $330 better than the MCLS. (when you add in the table legs.) That would buy a lot of router bits.

Sure would look pretty with an Incra fence on it :)

-- Woodworking shouldn't cost a fortune: http://lowbudgetwoodworker.blogspot.com/

When MLCS offers there new motorized lift system in conjunction with a steel table top I am going to get real interested.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

Yeah, that cast iron top would be nice.

-- Ohh mann...pancakes and boobies...I'll bet that's what Heaven is like! ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

I have this table but with the sliding table. It does somethings well – like building cabinet doors. But like you said the fence is cheesy. Mine is older and i don’t have the gas struts but think that if they work they would be good as the top is frigin’ heavy. What I don’t like is the access to the router for bit changes. It’s a real cumbersome B#$%#. Maybe the offset wrench might help there. I am actually planning on buying the incra tablesaw fence/router table combo in the next few months. We’ll see if this works better then this table. But having the router table combined with the tablesaw might be a pain too if you need to use both. Time will tell.

Just to follow up, I decided against the table. I went ahead and picked up a little Ryobi table/router combo to start working with to make a decent one. Ordered an original Incra positioner and figure I will build myself a decent one instead of buying.

-- Woodworking shouldn't cost a fortune: http://lowbudgetwoodworker.blogspot.com/

You can always make your own router table

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

Hi Jim.

Actually, I will probably make two (or one table with two router positions – one horizontal). I was thinking of the MCLS only because the nice cast iron top was interesting but when I thought about it more, it doesn’t add that much benefit over the home made and in some ways was more limiting by the lack of compatibility to better fences. Also, the cheap Ryobi was a lot nicer than I had expected. I was most surprised by the through table adjustment that it has. Since the router alone is $60, I figured that the $40 extra for a starter table to work on to build a better table with was well worth the price. The lack of storage on the MCLS one was a factor as well. I have enough tool storage problems to deal with to take that too lightly.

-- Woodworking shouldn't cost a fortune: http://lowbudgetwoodworker.blogspot.com/