Router table on top of table saw...

Something has to go to make way for a lathe. I'm thinking about dumping my Crapsman router and router table. The router is an absolute POS, and I figure the table isn't much worth saving either.

Space is at a real premium, and I was just thinking that maybe I could make a shop-built router table out of MDF or something, sized to sit on top of my table saw when in use.

Has anyone done something like this? Where are the gotchas?

Reply to
Silvan
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I was considering building a fold down extension to my table saw that the router would mount to. That way it would serve as extra area for the saw when I wasn't using the router, and possibly be able to use the saw's rip fence for the router.

It was just an idea that I never developed any farther......space is at a premium like you said.

Ron

Reply to
Ron S.

Yes I have but a variant that sits/sat on saw horses. These are kinda cool onna 'count of they only take a couple of hours and you have something when your done.

What you are contemplating is a Go To Hell Router Table, or, The Anti-Ultimate Router Table. These come in many flavors.

The Ultimate (lowest ranking that is) Go To Hell Router Table is a router clamped in a bench vise. Some people don't like these onna 'count of its not too hard to deform the router casing. A step up from this would be to build a small cradle to nest the motor in thus distributing the pressures.

Next up comes the Slab Style Go To Hell Router Table. This is nothing more than a 3/4" sink cut-out from a kitchen counter with a router screwed to the underside and the bit poking through the top. Use drywall screws to attach for that Real Go To Hell Router Table Look. In use you simply clamp this to a bench. Some people will warn you against the motor being too heavy and bending the top. This is true but for most cuts not a deal breaker. Also note, you will need a little extra material out the back side to clear the clamps and your fence.

After this comes the Re-Enforced Slab Style Go To Hell Router Table where you re-enforce the slab all around with some lumber set on edge and glued and screwed to take the flex out. Really anal Go To Hell Router Table makers will even go so far as to build a torsion box for this. That's too much work and the end up with something that's not Go To Hell Router Tableish.

Now we move into the style you are enquiring about. Personally I like to avoid these at all costs because the user soon finds out that they work just fine and they never get around to building An/The Ultimate Router Table. Anyway, four sides (no bottom required if the top is attached) is all that's needed. Really only two sides need to be all the way from the underside of the top and the surface it sits on. The other sides (usually front and back) can be just rails to stiffen things up and allow access to the motor/switch. One caveat, be sure to make it tall enough to allow your longest bit to retract below the table. The down side to being too tall is it may be uncomfortable after its placed on top of a surface at

34"-36" off the floor. In reality many people find higher surfaces more comfortable to work at.

As for side to side and front to back dimensions, it need not be any bigger that it need be to take the router. Even something 12" X 12" would work depending on whether or not your router handles will fit. If you go the small box route be sure to implement some sort of means for clamping the box to the table in case you ever do anything large that might scootch the table across the bench/saw top. The small box also insures that you won't have any sag from the motor though depending on how big your overall top is you may have sagging on the infeed/outfeed sides. It doesn't sound though that your table will be mistaken for an aircraft carrier so you'll more than likely be Okee-Dokee.

That do it for you?

UA100, builder of An Ultimate Router Table (The Tom Watson Model) in between things like getting his Powermatic 141 14" (pre-made in Chiwan by children/prison labor), finishing up the 2002 kitchen remodel, eBaying old tools for fresh tool cash and general day-to-day life stuff...

Reply to
Unisaw A100

I just installed a Bench Dog router tabletop to my table saw (a Ridgid 2424). The directions said to remove the left wing and replace it with the table, but I eyeballed the situation and decided there was no reason why the existing cast iron wing couldn't support the table. I drilled four mounting holes and bolted it on. Works great without a bit of sag and I still have the use of the original wings. A very slick installation, I think. The downside? Price.

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Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

Should work...but check the resulting height to see if would be too tall for you. If so, you can put it on a shorter worksurface, like this:

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Reply to
Chris Merrill

Other than price, are you happy with your investment?

Reply to
Wade Lippman

I've got it mounted on the left. That worked out well for me since the table saw is towards the edge of the garage. Putting the router on the left side of the saw puts me deepest in the garage. If I put it on the other side, I'd have to open the door and stand in the opening to use it.

That was my preference. I don't think it would really make any difference which side you mounted it on. If you have lightweight aluminum wings, you need to remove one of them and replace it with the insert. Since I had the heavyweight cast iron ones, it's stout enough where you can just mount it on the end instead of replacing the wing. The manufacturer expects you to replace the left wing, but then again the manufacturer mispelled "Ridgid" (even though they had several photographs of a Ridgid saw with the nameplate clearly visible in their instruction booklet).) I figured things were open to interpretation.

Other than price? Hell, yes; I think it's great. My old router table was pretty light weight. I don't have to worry about this one slipping away from me.... it also makes for a wider support surface for the saw. I'm delighted with it.

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

Thanks for the information. It is pretty much what I am looking for, but I have no access to the left so I need to put it on the right.

The picture does not show a duct collector port. Is that below the table, or is it just not shown.

Reply to
Wade Lippman

table height, but that workmate idea looks to be worth thinking about anyway. That might be just the ticket. Easier to make than the gizmo I had in mind too.

Good thought!

Reply to
Silvan

Space to the sides is too tight for an extension though. I'd have to move the saw outside to use it. I have to do that sometimes anyway, for working on big stuff, but I'd rather keep my shop set up so that I can do my usual boxes and other small projects without moving anything around.

It's not a bad idea though. Good way to make use of space in my next shop, which will be bigger, but not that much bigger.

Reply to
Silvan

I can't take credit for it...my BIL is very short on space in his shop, so I pointed him to that article because I _really_ regret putting my router table into my TS extension wing. Why? On many of my projects, it seems that the TS and the router table are the primary tools I use, so I kept having to reset my router table fence each time I used the TS, or vice versa.

I decided I'd rather have them separate - and this idea appealed to me. Also, I have several other tools that would sit nicely on the workmate - a disk/belt sander, grinder, spindle sander, etc.

Reply to
Chris Merrill

I don't see any reason why that wouldn't work.

You just couldn't see it. There is a lexan triangular shaped port on the backside of the fence where you plug in a standard vacuum hose

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

That's what I'm thinking too. My JET mini lathe is going to be too stout to swap on and off the bench as much as I intended when I bought it, so I need to liberate some room for it to stay put. That means I'll have to swap out the router, sander, and maybe the grinder too. Though I might just mount the grinder to the lathe stand. Seems like I'll probably wish I had done that eventually if I don't go ahead and do it.

Reply to
Silvan

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