Ok, here’s the story ( and I’m sticking to it) , I needed to route some small parts. Router plate ( Flexan) was a bit too “flexy” in my regular router table. So, I came up with a simple little way to use the router AS a router table. It turned out to be quite stable and secure. See what you think. BTW, a “regular” router plate ( with NO flex) is on it’s way, via snail-mail.
” Although I have the right to remain stupid, I try not to abuse that right”
Replies
Back in the 60's when I first went to work in a cabinet shop, the cabinetmakers all had router tables. Outside the trade, many had never heard of a router. Their tables were nothing more than an L shaped assembly from scrap plywood, clamped in the workbench vice. A simple board was clamped or screwed on for a fence. When the first manufactured router tables showed up, we laughed. Why would anyone spend money for a board with a hole in it? It was the same for many shop made accessories from push sticks to feather boards. We aren't laughing anymore, just regretting that we didn't have the foresight to manufacture and market these items. Never figured even beginning woodworkers couldn't drill a couple of holes.
In my town, if you wanted a woodworking tool, you'd have to special order it at the hardware store. There weren't any chisels or handplanes on the shelves. Now we have numerous specialty woodworking suppliers who make profits from the sale of plastic copies of what we made in the shop out of scrap. The latest is workbench cookies, $20, at least they come with a coffee mug. LOL.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Get some hanger bolts that fit the base mounting hole in your router. Get a piece of laminated countertop or similar.
Thread the hanger bolts into the base mount holes. Chuck a 1/4" spiral cutter. Place the router on the underside, press hard so the wood threads mark the countertop. These will be your guides for drilling the mounting screw holes. Carefully bore a 1/4" hole using the router. You use this hole as a guide for a hole saw if you need a larger diameter opening.
Drill and countersink the mounting holes and mount your router.
Properly supported, you now have a nice smooth almost zero clearance table for about 1/2 the cost of a decent table. You can do this 3 or 4 times on the same top for different bit sizes.
You do have to move your router from time to time, but a small price for a smooth surface.
Don
Just got a "new" router plate the other day! I will need a day or two in the shop ( kind of hard nowadays, working 8 out of every 9 days) to set up the plate to both a router and my home-made router table. The "Bare Bones" was just a way to route some small parts. Here is a "shot" of that router table, somewhere under all of those tools. Table height is the same as my table saw, in case either table needs more support." Although I have the right to remain stupid, I try not to abuse that right"
It never hurts to have a clamp on fence!
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled