Re: The Crapsman router saga continues

[Big Dog]

Good thing I have a 30' x 30' garage and no wife. WOO HOOOOOOOOO. Are you GAY ??? LOL

Dog

[Greg O]

I would save my money and build a router table. I just built one out of some MDF scrap and a section of counter top. Total cost, zip, nada, $0.00! Well ok, I did spend a couple of bucks for a switch and outlet, so I can turn off the router from the outside of the "box". I built a box with a removable front panel for access. I made a "plate" out of a piece of 1/4" aluminum plate I scrounged. Bored a hole in the side for my shop vac hose. About 90% of the dust goes into the box, about 75% of that makes to the shop vac. Damn thing is heavy! I clamp it to a couple of saw horses for a stand. I may build a stand yet. I may also splurge for a piece of track for a miter gauge. If persuaded I may post a pic or two on abpf or abpw. Greg

[Tim Simmons]

Tim S.:

Making one isn't feasible for a no-tools-having-newbie like myself. I haven't the tools nor the ability. It'd end up costing me 2 weeks of time if i did have the tools. Better to pay $120.

Tim

[Tim Simmons]

Tim S.:

Maybe YOU can make one for $80. I don't have the tools nor inclination. I will be happy with a smaller table since i intend to rout mostly small molding like picture frames.

Tim

[Tim Simmons]

Tim S.:

You're not my type.

Tim

[Mike S.]

Get the PC router and either build a router table or get one already made from Rockler or the Benchdog. I had that crapsman table, ha ha I sold it and the crapsman router to a used car salesman.

[CW]

[Wilson Lamb]

[Dave Balderstone]

I made one for $1 CDN plus the cost of the Veritas insert ($45 CDN)

For the buck I got a side runner off an old desk (laminate on pressboard with a metal frame. Converted it to a table using some screws and scrap wood. The Veritas insert was a breeze to install.

So with shipping call it $55 CDN - about $40 US.

The only tools I needed were a saw (hand saw), a drill, and the router.

djb

[Mark & Juanita]

If the C*man router table is still the corrugated top cast aluminum affair, I'd recommend that you either spring for the PC table or build your own. I got one of those in my early days of woodworking and found that the corrugated top was rough, not even and the fence that came with the table was pretty much useless because fine adjustment was a real bear.

[Robert]

Read the reviews for the PC table and it sounds just like the Sears model. If the router table you're considering has a fence that's split in half, and each half moves back/forth (not just side to side). independently, walk away. These are a pain to setup correctly.

We just bought the benchtop router table from Rockler last week for my shop at work. While it does use laminated "man-made" wood for the top, it's still a good deal for $99. We bought the accessory kit too. As long as the material doesn't get soaked, it should hold up fine.

I build a Norm type router table for home. Had it almost a decade. Worth the build.

[Tim Simmons]

I'm going to check the Rockler, Benchdog and PC tables.

Tim

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

Tim, you need _three_ tools, the router, a screwdriver, and pliers or wrench!

You can buy a pre-cut piece of formica laminated to MDF. Then you use your router to cut the hole for the plate. My first table was a sink cutout that was free for the asking.

Now the inclination is another thing, but let's not discourage others.

Barry

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

You go, Mike!

Most store bought plates come with installation instructions. All you'll need is a straight bit and some straight scrap wood to build a guide box. Size the guide box to have your router cut the inside, though hole. Next, move the box walls out about 1/2", or whatever your plate needs, and rout the mortise for the plate.

Your first fence needs to be nothing more than a straight board clamped to the table surface.

Barry

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

Sorry, I missed the fact that it was STONE!

I wonder how much a stone shop would get to install the plate?

Barry

[Charlie Spitzer]

take it to a headstone shop and have them sandblast a hole in it.

[Silvan]

Dunno, but if I ever figure it out, I'll have one hell of a router table. :)

(Cutting a miter slot would be even more interesting. Not too likely to ever happen, I don't think. I practically never use the miter gauge on my router table anyway though, so I doubt I would miss it.)

[Silvan]

Could they do that with a high degree of precision? That's a thought then. Though it would probably be far more practical just to continue to use this as a slippery stepping stone and go buy some MDF or something.

[Charlie Spitzer]

sure. you mask off what you don't what blasted with a resist, cut out the design from the resist, and go at it. you can get very sharp edges this way.

btw: this is the easy way to make holes in the bottom of glass bowl sinks. the hard way is to drill it, and you still have to sandblast the recess for the drain mechanism.

regards, charlie cave creek, az

[George Eversole Jr.]

This is true. I ended up bolting a peice of plywood between the independent halves and cutting a notch in the plywood for the bit. The corrugated top does suck. As does the miter gage (the bar is only ~ 3/8" x 1/4" and sloppier than my uncle on St. Patty's). And the router.

I eventually got a PC690 and had to build an adapter plate for it to fit the table. It shorted the maximum depth of cut by 3/4" but it served it's purpose until last month when I built a proper router/TS outfeed table similar to the design in one of Pat Warner's books (thank you local libraries). Side gloat; the router in the table is an older PC fixed base speedmatic which was.....Free! Damn thing sounds like a jet airplane though.

-ghe