I recently decided that a new router table needed to be bumped up to first on the tool priority list. The old one was a craftsman self-adjusting router attached to a craftsman benchtop router table that was inlaid into a larger table top (a quick and dirty workbench). Covered with paint, glue, waaaay out of flat etc.... The damn thing vibrated so badly with the router running, you couldn't set anything else on the 24"x48" table or it'd vibrate off. Pathetic is an understatement for it. Wanting to build my own, I started googling router tables. I pretty much knew what I wanted as far a functionality, but wanted some "inspiration" on the form. This table caught my eye -
formatting link
Originally, I was going to "borrow" the design and build it myself, but after adding up the cost of materials, decided I might as well just buy it. Before it even got here, I picked up a few things to tweak it for some near future projects. I grabbed an Incra router lift with an adapter plate to hold my Bosch 1617 and a mobile base at the recent woodworkers show . Well, it's all set up now and I'm *really* pleased with it. The top is flat, the fence is great, the cabinet is really nice, and the height is right. The lift is the icing on the cake. I'm starting to feel like a "tool snob" or something with this nice table! Anyway, I have a few questions. Are those Incra positioners worth the price? Are they good only for dovetails and box joints? I generally hand cut dovetails (unless I have many to do) but I would like to make some small boxes and am curious if the Incra positioners are all that. I've googled and have found a bracket that will enable a positioner to be used on a center mounted router table (as opposed to the offset ones), and was looking at the Incra Pro 2. Anyone use one of these? Also, I have a set of panel raising router bits. Although I've raised many a panel on a 3 HP shaper, I've never done it with a router. Can a Bosch 1617 perform the task? Or should I consider a PC 7518 or something else in the table. I haven't tried the 1617 yet, but would hate to kill the thing trying to do something it wasn't designed to do. Thanks, --dave