# Pros and Cons of a Table Saw/Router combo table?



## ColonelTravis (Mar 19, 2013)

I've got a portable TS and the fence is awful, so I was going to get a good fence and then I thought - if I'm going to do that I really should build a wing for the saw at that point, then I thought maybe I should combine the router table with the saw table and there's my wing. My garage isn't huge but the space of two tables would be pretty much the same as one combo table especially since I've got longish router table to fit and Incra positioner on there.

But using one top-notch fence for both tools would be fine instead of getting the Incra for the router and another fence for the TS fence, and two fences is not what I'd like to spend my $ on right now if one nice one is sufficient for both. Fancy pants dovetails are nice but honestly I don't need to have them.

Been reading about combo setups and I've gotten some general information but I'm not sure if this would be the best idea. I think it could be, but I wanted to know specifically why people combine the router and TS and what are the shortcomings.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I discarded the router table/tablesaw combo as it made the router table MUCH too low for my bad back and near sighted vision. I also wanted a router table that was longer than my TS wing. I did a blog on my router table but it may not be as fancy as what you are looking for!


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## HillbillyShooter (Feb 15, 2012)

If you have room, I'd go with a separate router table. The separate table is easier to use and gives you more options. I have a table saw/router table combo and have used it for almost 20-years, so I've adapted, but still find limitations.


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

What brand TS and Rout Tbl do you have?
Any pics?
I, myself prefer to separate the two.
I have been using a 32×24" router table.
IF…and I say with emphasis…Build your own router Table…to your specs…I did…buy the important parts…I bought the top…from Rockler - 3/4" 15-ply Phenolic Finnish Birch (or whtever), and glued it to 3/4 MDF…a JessEm plate wpattern, an extruded aluminum backing brace for fence, a vac port, and misc. knobs, T tracks, Incra miter slide, and such…I built the cab, it's only 3/4" ply…most of the ******************** they try to sell is worse, or close, ha.
And my TS is always available without being cumbersome from a router extension….with just the TS fence to roll away, and cross-cut at my will.









these are old pics, but it should explain my feelings about having separate working areas.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

I like my machines to do the purpose they were intended for. If powermatic had intend for my PM66 to have a RT then thew would have put it there. Just sayin.


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## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

I had my router table on the table saw for a while as well. I loved the space savings and larger table it provided. I hated using it though because at 6'1", it was killer on my back. I just removed it about two weeks ago.


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## Nygiants77 (Jan 15, 2013)

I have the incra ts ls system with the router table on the table saw. I just got it so im not sure if im doing everything right but it seems like i have to flip the fence to go from router to table saw and then flip it back afterwards. I dont have a lot of space so it helps me. Definitely not something i will use for ever.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I have my router mounted right of the cabinet on my unisaw and have an auxiliary fence that goes over the unifence. It saves space, but it's too low and a but cumbersome to use at times. When I have everything in my shop set up as I'm envisioning, a dedicated router table will be there.


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## ColonelTravis (Mar 19, 2013)

Interesting, I've seen the combination so many times I thought there would be more of a consensus it's a good thing.

Ænema - my saw is a Porter-Cable portable. A Portacableble. It's so portable I can't even move it around the garage! But I've got a nice paper towel stand! Glad I bought it!









Actually I'm in the middle of a garage overhaul everything is a mess. To the right of the saw is the router table I'm in the middle of constructing:









I own that whole part of the garage in the back of the photos. A car owns the part where I took the photo. I also own the wall to the left you can't see where I'm gonna hang a cabinet for planes, measuring tools, bits, chisels, knives, guns, canons, whatever. A workbench on casters also goes back there.

I went back and forth for a long time about whether to build a router cabinet or just a boring table. Because I had a bunch of brackets leftover from a time when I didn't know a mortise from a tenon, I went the lazy man's route and started a boring table. Sometimes I think - you are not being a good woodworker here. You know what? I don't care. It was easy. Now, if I had read that a table saw/router combo station was the way to go, I would incorporate what I've got into something with the saw.

There's a good black table I like to keep but with the garage filling up with more stuff there's just not any room. I had thought about cutting the legs so I could fold it up like a card table and store it against the wall.

The guy next door to me has his entire garage as a wood shop. I would kill for that but the wife would kill me. So trying to figure out how to best use the space is what I'm doing now.


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