Treecycle pens aka Dallas has been PDG chatting advice and comments since I ditched my Triton gear and bought a super Hitachi Router to replace the Triton. That introduced the question of a new Router Table. There is a thread "Challenge to Create the Ideal Router table" 14 pages long full of advice comments and innovative ideas ...if you are like me and want it the table to be a practical means to use the Router upside down its a great thread. If you are a Cabinet maker ...different story. I'm just a retired Seafarer who would have been a cabinet maker if I hadn't gone to sea, still got the Seagrass stool I made as a 12 year old at secondary school in UK so my table is evolving as fairly basic .... Treecycle Pens aka Dallas has told me to put the makings on a thread ...so ... here goes.
First off SWMBO controls the purse strings and, like any other devious Male I have various means of slipping the credit card here and there or embarrassing her by telling everyone I only get $5 pocket money per month. Generally I win ... but y'gotta be careful.
So that apart I want the table according to my experience and wants. Most folk seem to think a through table height adjuster a must and my experience with the Triton modified my thoughts....I came across a video on You Tube which showed a tilting top, giving great access to the Router .. so why have a lifting device when easy access negates it. That generated the basic idea for my simple Router table.
A trip to the local woodworker/builders premises produced a nice large 950 x 550 x 32mm MDF offcut already laminated with a light shade of laminate. Also gathered from them was a super offcut of powder coated Alloy Angle 75 x 50 to make the fence out of ...total cost $20.
To make the base unit I got a 12mm 'Special' of double side sanded ply and 11 metres of 75 x 50mm dressed 'finger jointed' kiln dried and prepped pine. $75.
The insert plate is 3mm Alloy cut to size by the engineering shop ... $18 ( twice as I stuffed up the first).
I edged the MDF with Macrocarpa I had in the 'shop' this to stiffen the MDF and put a nice edge on the table ... 2 pot epoxied that. The insert plate and router opening was done and the Hitachi M12V offered up and screwed to the alloy insert plate ... all fits nicely.
The last week I have dutifully taken SWMBO into town, The Quacks and Nelson to see our new born Granddaughter who arrived prematurely .... interrupting the morning's work on the table .... its called offering no resistance, Brownie Point gathering or just plain crawling.
Needs must as I have a shopping list which actually needs money. 
Thus the base has taken time to get to assembly stage but we progress. Gluing the framework to take the Ply sides caused a few thoughts. Epoxy is my preferred sticky stuff but I bought a tube of 'Elephant'/ Gorrilla polyurethane stuff some time ago for a job. Weird stuff as it expands as it sets .... not my cuppa tea really but it has to be used so ... thats done the job under the constraints of cramps everywhere. Seems to have done the job ok. Has anyone else used the stuff??
Yesterday I offered up and hinged the top to the base, tried the Hitachi in place to see if everything cleared which it does. At that point you ruddy Aussies shoved a whole mass of freezing cold wind, rain and SNOW over the South Island so I packed it in and retreated to the Coal Range.
One thing I had contemplated was using gas struts from a car's window/boot lift to hold the table top in the raised position .... Boy! are they strong ... so I have given that idea away. Tried a super hatch stay in SS with a neat gizmo which locks open and by lifting the top a touch trips the latch allowing the lid to close ... too small unfortunately so a wooden prop seems simple, cheep and effective.
I can now bolt the Hitachi in place to once again check and review how bih to make the cupboard which the rear supports have been cut and routered ready for as per photos ... they are not fixed in to allow the partitions to be adjusted to best suit.
Thats where we are at for the time being...I will attach some pics to illustrate the job at present. Comments will be greatfully received, read and either rejected or inwardly digested and suitably regurgitated later as my ideas.
David in Westport NZ....
First off SWMBO controls the purse strings and, like any other devious Male I have various means of slipping the credit card here and there or embarrassing her by telling everyone I only get $5 pocket money per month. Generally I win ... but y'gotta be careful.
So that apart I want the table according to my experience and wants. Most folk seem to think a through table height adjuster a must and my experience with the Triton modified my thoughts....I came across a video on You Tube which showed a tilting top, giving great access to the Router .. so why have a lifting device when easy access negates it. That generated the basic idea for my simple Router table.
A trip to the local woodworker/builders premises produced a nice large 950 x 550 x 32mm MDF offcut already laminated with a light shade of laminate. Also gathered from them was a super offcut of powder coated Alloy Angle 75 x 50 to make the fence out of ...total cost $20.
To make the base unit I got a 12mm 'Special' of double side sanded ply and 11 metres of 75 x 50mm dressed 'finger jointed' kiln dried and prepped pine. $75.
The insert plate is 3mm Alloy cut to size by the engineering shop ... $18 ( twice as I stuffed up the first).
I edged the MDF with Macrocarpa I had in the 'shop' this to stiffen the MDF and put a nice edge on the table ... 2 pot epoxied that. The insert plate and router opening was done and the Hitachi M12V offered up and screwed to the alloy insert plate ... all fits nicely.
The last week I have dutifully taken SWMBO into town, The Quacks and Nelson to see our new born Granddaughter who arrived prematurely .... interrupting the morning's work on the table .... its called offering no resistance, Brownie Point gathering or just plain crawling.
Needs must as I have a shopping list which actually needs money. Thus the base has taken time to get to assembly stage but we progress. Gluing the framework to take the Ply sides caused a few thoughts. Epoxy is my preferred sticky stuff but I bought a tube of 'Elephant'/ Gorrilla polyurethane stuff some time ago for a job. Weird stuff as it expands as it sets .... not my cuppa tea really but it has to be used so ... thats done the job under the constraints of cramps everywhere. Seems to have done the job ok. Has anyone else used the stuff??
Yesterday I offered up and hinged the top to the base, tried the Hitachi in place to see if everything cleared which it does. At that point you ruddy Aussies shoved a whole mass of freezing cold wind, rain and SNOW over the South Island so I packed it in and retreated to the Coal Range.
One thing I had contemplated was using gas struts from a car's window/boot lift to hold the table top in the raised position .... Boy! are they strong ... so I have given that idea away. Tried a super hatch stay in SS with a neat gizmo which locks open and by lifting the top a touch trips the latch allowing the lid to close ... too small unfortunately so a wooden prop seems simple, cheep and effective.
I can now bolt the Hitachi in place to once again check and review how bih to make the cupboard which the rear supports have been cut and routered ready for as per photos ... they are not fixed in to allow the partitions to be adjusted to best suit.
Thats where we are at for the time being...I will attach some pics to illustrate the job at present. Comments will be greatfully received, read and either rejected or inwardly digested and suitably regurgitated later as my ideas.
David in Westport NZ....
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