Router
Table Plans for Woodworking
A router table is a great
addition to any shop and I don't know what I'd do without mine. It lets you use
a wider range of bits and since the bit is stationary, you can make cuts that
you just can't do with a hand-held router.
Even though I've upgraded to a
router table with a cabinet base, a large top, and a fence with all the options,
I still have my first router table and use it as my "traveling" model. It's not
much to look at, but if you don't have a router table yet, it's simple to build
and will make a big difference in the work you can do with your router. It also
makes a great portable table, or for those times when you could use a second table
in your shop so you don't have to change the setup on your main router table.
Start with an 18" X 18" piece
of 3/4"-thick plywood (or MDF). Draw diagonal lines on the bottom surface from
corner to corner to locate the center of the table. Remove the baseplate from
your router, position it over the table's center and mark the location of the
mounting screw holes. Then drill out the center hole and drill holes for the mounting
screws. You'll want to countersink the screw holes on the top side so the screw
heads fit just below the table surface. (You'll probably need to buy some longer
screws to attach the router to the table.)
The fence consists of a 1x3 face
and two 2x2 base pieces. Cut a 2"-wide X 1 1/2"-high notch in the face piece to
provide clearance around the bits. Attach the base pieces to the the face with
glue and screws.
To use the router table, clamp
the top to your workbench. You can also clamp the top to a pair of saw horses,
letting the router hang down between the horses. You position the fence and hold
it to the table with a clamp at each end.
The push block is wide
enough to hold work pieces square to the fence. When it gets chewed up, simply
remove the handle and screw it onto a new base. |
