Router Plate Table Saw Extension

[Bob La Londe]

Alrighty then... I have to say I have been suitably impressed with some of the table extensions for contractor size table saws that incorporate a mount for a router. There are some nice cast iron extensions like the Benchdog, and if you do a simple image search via Yahoo or Google for table saw extension you will find dozens of home shop built ones.

Now, my wife already gave me the go ahead to just buy the Benchdog, but I could certainly make my own.

If you have used such a contraption what would you saw are their biggest issues, other than not being a full on shaper. I considered having multiple drop in plates, so I could pre-setup two or three routers for different jobs or even different parts of the same job. Even if I bought a Benchdog or similar unit I could easily make additional plates including close fit plates on my bigger CNC mill. What else?

I saw the quick adjust setup BenchDog sells, but if you can lift the plate out easily (which you can) its not that hard to depth set a decent router before you set it in the extension table.

I was thinking maybe a tilted floor cabinet below for vacuuming chips that fall below the table instead of being sucked up thru the fence.

What else?

[woodchucker]

Fence suction is very important, when you are using the fence for edge stuff, it catches quite a bit.

I recommend you do not enclose the router and use dust collection on the closed router .. motors send air from the head to the bit, if you use a closed cabinet, and suck the air down, you can starve the router.

Instead come up with collection right below the bit.

[-MIKE-]

Here's a link to the pictures of the one I did recently. Maybe it'll give you some ideas.

[Markem]

I bought one from Rockler, attached to the Unisaw. This is not a metal one but MDF and Laminate. Gives a nice big work surface. My guess on a contractor saw maintaining balance is more important. I could not use the tables mounting screws though, so I have to run my hand over it and maybe tap it down a hair.

Mark

[Bob La Londe]

I figured if need be I'ld add an adjustable foot drop leg or two.

I could not use

Making more holes and drilling, tapping, and slotting as needed doesn't scare me in the least, but it is a good point. One of the reviews I read mentioned that holes in the BD extension don't line up right with the t-slots on his Ridgid (later version of the Ridgid I have) fence rails. I figured I was going to put it on the "wrong" side and drill and tap anyway. If I drill and tap for the table I might as well drill for t-nuts.

Thank you. Feedback like that helps me think through a project.

[Bob La Londe]

Very very good point. Thank you. I kind of knew that, but wasn't registering it for this project. Thanks again. I've gotten away from air cooled spindles for my CNC machines and gone more with liquid cooled. I have to remember where I started. LOL.

[Bob La Londe]

Simpley elegant. Thank you.

[Bob La Londe]

Well, I had some paying work to do today so I ordered one instead. I went with the MLCS 2397 cast iron table. The only thing it seems to be lacking compared to the BenchDog is the extra slots to make it easy to use finger boards. That would bother some folks I guess, but if it's a real issue for me I'll just cut some small slots between the webs for that.

I was considering adding an extension for the blade tilt, but I can't remember the last time I needed to tilt the blade. I just don't seem to use it that way, and I can reach the handle from the front if I have to.