# Incra Offset Router Table



## SWM (Jan 10, 2010)

*Layout, Design, and Building an Heirloom!*

So I've been playing with the idea of building a "real" router table for a few years now. Like many of you, I have drooled over the marvelous work and attention to detail of previous LJ's offset router tables for a few years now.

Many thanks to Blake and his blog series, http://lumberjocks.com/Blake/blog/series/358. I also really liked the gold/red design of "treeman" at http://lumberjocks.com/projects/26690. And finally the designs of 559dustdesigns just gave me something to aspire too! http://lumberjocks.com/559dustdesigns/blog/11080

I used this project as a good excuse to learn Sketchup and the cutlist plugin. It took a couple of late evenings at the computer, but I'm really glad that I spent the time to get the basics down. I'll post some sketchup screenshots just as soon as I figure out how to. I highly recommend http://sketchupforwoodworkers.com/

So now to the router table layout.

I had a 32" incra TS LS wonderfence combo from my old table saw. A new router table was just the excuse to get that bad boy back to work! I wanted to build a monster table that could take advantage of the fences length. I started with the 32" x 53" laminated table from woodpeckers. For $200, it's hard for me to justify spending $100 and a weekend to make my own table, just to screw up the plate inset. So, now I have this giant offset table that definately needs a little extra bracing. As usual extra bracing may have gotten taken to the exteme. I didn't want to take any chances given the size and weight of this table top.

I read a few LJ entries that contemplated a torsion box style brace. I'm not sure what to call the joint? Half lap maybe? I also integrated two pieces of 1/4 angle iron that I had laying around for that little extra touch of over the top. Let me know what you think?

All the joints were glue, clamped, and screwed together. The joints in the stretchers was really pretty tasking to my limited skills. I used the band saw to cut the ends just because it was easy. The middle mortises were trimmed out on the sliding miter saw using the depth stop, which turned out to be much more accurate than I expected. I removed the rest of the waste at the table saw with a entirely too high dado blade (multiple passes of course) and the miter sled. I used a #6 woodriver plane to level everything out for the table top before assembly.




























Here's a couple of pictures of the cabinet assembly. And to thank that my wife thought I would never used all those clamps! The main cabinet is 48" wide and 29" deep included drawer fronts. It all rides on 4" locking casters that are slightly offset from left to right so that I can use a pair of heavy duty toggle clamps to stabilize and bring to level. I'll post more as I finish that part up.

I used MDF for the main cabinet structure mainly b/c I had two sheets in the shop already. I have since learned to regret this decision. Let me just say that the stuff doesn't hold screws and splits alot easier than plywood. After a couple of glue/clamp emergencies later and the cabinet is finally assembled with 3/8" dado's and rabbets at every joint possible.



















The face frame is some of the finish grade douglas fir that is sold in Lowe's. I caught the stuff on a 75% closeout and it's been in the shop for almost 18 months. It turned out quite nice for "cheap lumber". All joints are pocket screwed and glued. Finished with two coats of 2lb shellac and 3 coats of GEL Poly from General Finishes. Light sanding and praying between each coat!










Like I said. I really like red. After a coat of oil primer, the whole cabinet assembly got a coat of high gloss "regal red" enamel from Ace.




























I still need to build the drawers on the right side. I originally planned to stack the drawers, but I'm concerned that I'll get a lot of dust inside without the face frame to seal each one. Any thoughts? Should have thought about that first, huh? I contemplated just building doors to cover a set of 4 pull out drawers. Has anyone tried this. I would think that the doors could get in the way?

I'd certainly welcome any comments or suggestions. I'll try to keep some updates out as the project progresses.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

SWM said:


> *Layout, Design, and Building an Heirloom!*
> 
> So I've been playing with the idea of building a "real" router table for a few years now. Like many of you, I have drooled over the marvelous work and attention to detail of previous LJ's offset router tables for a few years now.
> 
> ...


I too have this on my "list". I'll be following your story with interest…


----------



## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

SWM said:


> *Layout, Design, and Building an Heirloom!*
> 
> So I've been playing with the idea of building a "real" router table for a few years now. Like many of you, I have drooled over the marvelous work and attention to detail of previous LJ's offset router tables for a few years now.
> 
> ...


Glad I could help. Enjoy your new router table.


----------



## BigTiny (Jun 29, 2010)

SWM said:


> *Layout, Design, and Building an Heirloom!*
> 
> So I've been playing with the idea of building a "real" router table for a few years now. Like many of you, I have drooled over the marvelous work and attention to detail of previous LJ's offset router tables for a few years now.
> 
> ...


To get a SketchUp screen shot, go to the file menu ans select export. This will prompt you to make a choice. Choose 2 d image and click on it, then proceed as you would with saving a file.

Hope that's clear enough, it's so much easier to show than to explain.


----------



## ChristopherRobinson (May 30, 2012)

SWM said:


> *Layout, Design, and Building an Heirloom!*
> 
> So I've been playing with the idea of building a "real" router table for a few years now. Like many of you, I have drooled over the marvelous work and attention to detail of previous LJ's offset router tables for a few years now.
> 
> ...


Was the table big enough for your needs?
I'm trying to find a bigger table as Incra recommends minimum "56-3/4" x 27"

- 44-3/4" from the centerline of the router to the edge of the table where the base assembly mounts
- 12" from the centerline of the router to the other edge of the table (opposite edge where the base assembly mounts).
- 27" from the infeed edge to the outfeed edge of the table.

Just curious if you found a need to make your table bigger….or if you are totally satisfied…

What are your dimensions in regard to the measurements from end of table to insert etc?


----------



## SWM (Jan 10, 2010)

SWM said:


> *Layout, Design, and Building an Heirloom!*
> 
> So I've been playing with the idea of building a "real" router table for a few years now. Like many of you, I have drooled over the marvelous work and attention to detail of previous LJ's offset router tables for a few years now.
> 
> ...


I have used the table for a few large panel projects, which I presume is why you're worried about size. My typical setup on the Woodpecker's 32×53 table allows for almost 19 inches of one-way cleareance from router center point to the wonder fence's edge. I could get another 4 or 5 inches by taking the wonder fence off but I haven't had the need yet. I think the largest panel that I routed was maybe 24 or 25 inches wide. The repeatability of the Incra system makes it easy to just flip the panel and start from the other edge, which really gives you about 38" of workable material handling.

Also if it helps, my Incra LS32 was originally purchased for a table saw setup that I ultimately dismantled. Incra markets the LS positioner for router tables in 17" & 25" lengths,if I recalll correctly. My 32" LS does have some additional unused capacity of about 6 to 7 inches. I have contemplated adding some sort of extension bracket to the table, but that project waits for another day.


----------



## ScottKaye (Jan 19, 2013)

SWM said:


> *Layout, Design, and Building an Heirloom!*
> 
> So I've been playing with the idea of building a "real" router table for a few years now. Like many of you, I have drooled over the marvelous work and attention to detail of previous LJ's offset router tables for a few years now.
> 
> ...


anyway we could get you to update your photo bucket account? It seems the link to your pictures has expired.


----------



## SWM (Jan 10, 2010)

SWM said:


> *Layout, Design, and Building an Heirloom!*
> 
> So I've been playing with the idea of building a "real" router table for a few years now. Like many of you, I have drooled over the marvelous work and attention to detail of previous LJ's offset router tables for a few years now.
> 
> ...


Sorry. Photobucket now requires pay subscriptions to host 3rd party content. Not sure where these old photos are at the moment.


----------



## ScottKaye (Jan 19, 2013)

SWM said:


> *Layout, Design, and Building an Heirloom!*
> 
> So I've been playing with the idea of building a "real" router table for a few years now. Like many of you, I have drooled over the marvelous work and attention to detail of previous LJ's offset router tables for a few years now.
> 
> ...


they are working now


----------



## SWM (Jan 10, 2010)

*Sketchup Pics*

I should have posted this first, but like most of my projects, I got a little ahead of myself.

This was my first experience using SketchUp. I watched a few videos on www.sketchupforwoodworkers.com a couple dozen times and now I have a router table. It's not perfect, but I was able to get a cutlist with the cutlist plugin, so I was satisfied for now.


----------



## SWM (Jan 10, 2010)

*Doors, Drawers, & Other Details*

This project has really turned into a labor of love. Although, my work is far from what I'd consider craftsman level, I can tell that boxes are getting more square and my work more precise. What else can you ask for right?

What better first project for a new router table and fence than to build it's doors and drawers.

The unit has 4 drawers on the right side: 4", 5.5", 6", 9". The bottom left drawer is 12". No real science to the apportionment, just measured a few items that I planned to put in each drawer. The drawers are 26" wide and 28" deep, so I opted for 3/4 plywood sides with a 3/8 plywood bottom for strength. I rabbeted the bottoms to fit a 1/4 dado on the drawer sides.

I decided to use a drawer lock joint because 1) I had never used it before and 2) it was supposedly fast and strong. I had all kinds of trouble with the plywood tearing out on the drawer side piece. That little hook was just too small, especially by the time that I dry fitted each joint.

Any thoughts here? I presume that solid wood would not have the same problems. Has anyone tried these joints in ACX Home Depot plywood? Maybe this isn't a problem with the more expensive baltic birch cabinet shop plywood.

The finished project turned out ok, but only after putting the better looking pieces on the drawer top. Here's a look at a finished joint.










I decided to finished the drawers with some tung oil. I'd never used the stuff before. I wanted something on the drawers, but didn't want to take the time to stain and poly. The tung oil was easy to apply and left a waterproof matte finish. Works good enough for this project.

Each drawer was mounted on 26" full extension slides that I picked up on ebay. Like I said, my measurements were precise. So precise, that I had to remove about a 1/32 from each drawer side to allow for clearance on the slides. oops?

I made the dust cabinet door out of some of the same douglas fir that was used on the face frame. Same finishing formula, 2 coats of Zinnser Seal Coat and 3 coats of general gel poly.

I decided to miter the door joints and glue with a biscuit, again because I'd never tried it that way before. I used a biscuit sized slot cutter on the router table because I don't have a regular handheld biscuit cutter. I used a miter gauge at 45 degrees and Incra shop stop to prevent the biscuit from going outside the frame's outer edge. Worked pretty good for a first time.










Here's a pic of the glue up. The parallel clamps on two sides, coupled with standard f-clamps to "tweak" alignment made for the easiest miter joint glue-up that I've ever attempted.










Here's a pic of the mounted/finished door with 3/8 plexi glass. I drilled a few holes along the bottom to encourage air flow. I'm not sure if this will be enough, but I can always drill a few more/larger holes if the need arises.


----------



## wisconsinjimmy (Sep 22, 2009)

SWM said:


> *Doors, Drawers, & Other Details*
> 
> This project has really turned into a labor of love. Although, my work is far from what I'd consider craftsman level, I can tell that boxes are getting more square and my work more precise. What else can you ask for right?
> 
> ...


Looking good!!!


----------



## SWM (Jan 10, 2010)

*Finishing Touches*

I feel like I need a cigar with a big red bow on it! I have almost 6 weeks in this bad boy from design to finish product. It was my excuse to "practice" lots of new (to me) methods and techniques.

The drawer fronts were made from MDF and sealed with two coats of Zinnser seal coat. This worked pretty well at smoothing up the rough mdf edges. I chamfered the sides of the drawer faces and painted to match cabinet body. Each drawer was stacked right on top of the other with only a paper thin clearance between each. I wanted to makes sure that I kept out any dust. In hindsight a little more clearance would have been better as two of the drawers barely skim the one below. Otherwise chalk this project up to finished!



















I am thinking about adding an elbow to back DC hose. This setup requires about 12" of clearance between wall and cabinet.









This is the toggle clamps that I used to stabilize and level the cabinet while in use. They are bolted through the cabinet wall.

The 4" locking casters on the opposite (left) side of the cabinet are 1/2" lower than the two casters on this side (right). A 3/8" bolt with a leveling foot (not pictured) inserted into these toggle clamps allows me to keep things mobile and stabilize the whole thing when needed. The toggles are rated about 1200 lbs each. Lifting the weight of the table has not been a problem.










All the required Incra fair.









2nd drawer with jigs/ plates/ templates / etc.










Router bit heaven! 1/4 peg board for alignment, glued to 1/2 ply and drilled with 33/64 carbide bit. Most importantly, there is room to grow the collection!










I was curious how dust would gather in the cabinet. Several of the other tables utilized various methods of encouraging airflow, ie baffle boards, sloped bottoms, etc. This is a pic with just a painted rectangular box. You can see the accumulations. I may try a few modular walls/floor to help shape things up. Has anyone else found a design/shape that seems to work better?










Thanks again for following this project. I appeciation all questions/comments/critiques.


----------



## 559dustdesigns (Sep 23, 2009)

SWM said:


> *Finishing Touches*
> 
> I feel like I need a cigar with a big red bow on it! I have almost 6 weeks in this bad boy from design to finish product. It was my excuse to "practice" lots of new (to me) methods and techniques.
> 
> ...


Nice job, Swm. 
Very well designed.
Its good to hear you challenged yourself with new methods and techniques.
I have found new abilities by trying new things and procedures.
Keep up the great wood work and enjoy your time doing it.


----------

