I have a couple of Craftsman routers and I intend to make a smaller router table for the one in the worse shape..it was in a fire so the handles and top cover are somewhat melted..uncomforatble to use by hand. I was thinking of making an 18" x 18" top with the router set off center about 6" so that I could end up with about an
18" x 12" work area. The table would be about 12" tall and be able to be clamped to roll-arould workbench. Based on notes I have, I plan to use Formica to cover the 3/4" MDF top and use a 12" inside square, 1" x 1" x 1/8" angle frame, welded and blanchard ground, both to strengthen the top and to provide a mounting flange for the side MDF plates. The bottom of the side plate would also be attached to the same sort of frame. Anybody have a suggestions how to improve on this home workshop project? R. Wink
Seems like a lot of work for a router you say is already in poor shape. No matter how good the table, you will not get the accuracy, repeatability and smoothness with a junk machine.
The new issue of Wood magazine shows the internal workings of a Skil and a Bosch router. There are differences for the money you pay..
I also made my own router table (UK here) some while back. The main challenge I found was ease of raising the router, as it only had one sided adjustment - which worked fine when 'right side up', but not so good when it was upside down, trying to drag itself upwards.
However, I then mounted what in the UK we call a sissor (car) jack, undernearth. It presses upwards into the top (bottom when upside down) of the router, and therefore compresses it against its spring (which I left in place). That made it much easier to raise.
I used a scrap of mdf that extends from the router bit to the back of the table, cut a couple slots and used a couple wing bolts to clamp it down using a T-nut on the underside of the table top that the wing bolts thread into.
I made mine from MDF and its working fine, depending on the size the angle iron probably isn't needed, mine is small, 24" wide by 18" deep and the
3/4" mdf has proven to be plenty strong
One of the reasons I choose MDF is because it doesn't warp (unless you get it wet) so I think the angle is un-needed unless your panels are really big. But if your going big make some dividers ans those will increase the strength.
My old craftsman had some holes in the base. They seemed to be an odd size because I couldn't find any screws I had that fit so I took it to an ACE hardware and tried different screws until I found the ones that fit. I drilled holes in a board and bolted it in. My current PC router has enough depth adjustment that I just bolted it to the 3/4" mdf top and chucked my biggest bit and raised it to cut the center hole.
Now you didn't like it when someone else suggested buy a new router, but I'm going to strongly suggest the same. I used a Craftsman for years and thought any of the problems I ran into were my doing or learning experience until I bought a good router. If you do decide to use the craftsman be sure to not trust its depth adjustment/lock, make your own because the craftsman will adjust itsself right as you are on the last cut on a big project on the most expensive piece of wood :) Also Don't use any large bits in that router as it will throw them at you when you least expect it, the collet just doesn't hold as tight as it should. Don't try to use a spiral up cut in it as it will come out of the collet no matter how tight you get it. I learned my lesson the expensive way, I spent the money on a craftsman, then spent more money on workarounds for its many problems then had to buy a real router anyway. Been mad at myself ever since wishing I hadn't wasted my time on the craftsman as I could have spent that time actually woodworking instead of learning workarounds. I'm not a tool snob my any means, have my $88 Delta miter saw and $99 drill press for example but I have learned to not waste the $ on a craftsman power tool. I don't hate sears either, still buy hand tools all the time, just bought a lawn mower and weed eater from them to replace the ones that someone stole from my shed, I just have realized that their power tools are intended to be sold to a homeowner that will use them once to build a birdhouse one time for their kids school project and not someone who wants to build multiple projects and furniture and such who needs and expects repeatable cuts and accuracy.
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