Replies

1. 
   efarmer4 | Mar 19, 2003 12:47am | #1

   Look at Woodpecker Precision Router Lift, it is the overbuilt tank of router lifts. Search for other threads on router lifts, some say you may as well get a low end shaper.

   http://www.woodpeck.com/precisionrouterlift.html

   Edward

   Edited 3/18/2003 6:00:15 PM ET by EF

   
   

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   Edited 3/18/2003 11:57:41 PM ET by EF

2. 
   RW | Mar 19, 2003 01:30am | #2

   Build your own. Cheap, easy, rewarding, custom made to fit your whims. You want drawers, doors, whatever, you got it. The Rousseau insert I like fairly well. If you hunt the web you'll find them (identical thing) from $30 to $60. You can also make it for your particular working height. Since I'm 6'4" barefoot, I tend to go for taller working heights.

   " An example from the monkey: The higher it climbs, the more you see of its behind."  Saint Bonaventure

1. 
   woodguy | Mar 20, 2003 12:21am | #11

   Thanks to all for your input, RW makes a good point. I'm 6'6" so his point about making it to my own needs makes a lot of sense. thanks again to everyone for weighing in. Woodguy

3. 
   wrick2003 | Mar 19, 2003 01:33am | #3

   ditto. make your own.  

1. 
   rholland54 | Mar 19, 2003 02:04am | #4

   I agree that making your own table is worth it.  I used a plate purchased from Woodhaven, the insert rings fit well and they have a good plate leveling system.  My router is the 2 HP.  Bosch, it has an easy to use adjustment knob, so I did not find the investment in a router lift necessary.     I made my top from birch plywood with support cleats to keep it flat.   I made the fence from a plan in American Woodworker.   My total investment was about $125.00 + the router.

        regards,               Robert

4. 
   RANGERP75R | Mar 19, 2003 04:10am | #5

   woodguy

      Ditto make it. Design it with what you want, not what is available or a compromise.

   sarge..jt

   
1. 
   wrick2003 | Mar 19, 2003 04:19am | #6

   nice job.

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Mar 19, 2003 05:38am | #7

   ricky

      Thanks.. It does a nice job. It's well worth the time to build a cabinet. Cuts down noise with the router inside and is just a pleasure to use. Storage underneath.

   Have a good evening...

   sarge..jt

2. 
   Lar55 | Mar 19, 2003 06:55am | #8

   Nice, like your choice of Sunhill blue!!!

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Mar 19, 2003 07:24am | #10

   Lar

      I like to paint. I paint when I get frustrated. I have a teen-ager. The colors in my shop change often. ha..ha..

   Evening...

   sarge.jt

3. 
   BrianMcG | Mar 20, 2003 07:35am | #17

   Way cool Sarge...source of plans? Or yours from the git go? Brian

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Mar 20, 2003 11:57am | #18

   Brian

      Table, fence and cabinet. The source of plans?

     Bic pen, a legal pad and a fresh pot of Maxwell House coffee. ha..ha..

   Have a good one...

   sarge..jt

5. 
   TRIGGER | Mar 19, 2003 06:58am | #9

   I dropped my roughter into my ts extension, bored holes for clamping assorted fences down. My besem. fence works also, if I attach a sub fence.

6. 
   brazik | Mar 20, 2003 03:14am | #12

   I too got sick of fighting the sears table.  One item that should not be overlooked when you build that new table is to buy a decent on/off switch.  I was not going to put one on and see how it went but in a moment of weakness bought a switch with a bar from Rockler.  What a stroke of luck.  First try with new featherboards not tight, wood started to fly.  Lucky that switch was in position and I was positioned properly!

7. 
   billl6 | Mar 20, 2003 03:33am | #13

   Take a look at Pat Warner's web site for great information on routing. He has vast experience and is a geat source of information. He has suggestions for Router tables and fences that are superb. Yumay have to get one of his three books ( I have them all) to get the info, but well worth it. I wish I had had that information before I spent a lot on a comercial table and fence that I'm not all that satisfied with.

8. 
   Turbo | Mar 20, 2003 03:50am | #14

   Dear Woodguy,

          Hi!  Good thoughts above, including yours.  I, too, started out with a Sears table (and their 1 HP router in the 1970's).  You may also wish to ask Jointech to send you their catalog at 800-619-1288 (or E-mail at http://www.jointech.com).  Though I designed and built a larger cabinet, much more detailed and user friendly (height, etc.), I was still able to get some very good ideas and instruments from these courteous and helpful persons.  Best of luck and happy woodworking!

                                                                          Turbo

9. 
   DonC | Mar 20, 2003 07:25am | #15

   Like the other fellas say, Make you own.  The router table can be supplemented by also making a horizontal router table.  I made the horizontal router table that was published by Woodsmith. They also sell a kit. You will be surprised how many times the horizontal table is superior to the router table. I use it for tounge and groove, rabbets,rectangular raised panel with narrow factory bit, mortising, tenon cutting, and any job that benefits from having the lumber surfaces laying flat on a horizontal surface and being fed past a horizontal cutter. The Woodsmith table vacuum port also collects 95% of chips and dust created during milling.

   Be sure and get a inexpensive aftermarket precision router table fence positioning system like Incra or Jointech,ect. I am still using the 1st generation $30.00 INCRA jig that I bought years ago. It works just fine. I see them now at the woodshows and there are definite improvements BUT you only really need the basic stuff.

   Don

10. 
    BrianMcG | Mar 20, 2003 07:33am | #16

    Definitely make your own. Customize to your whims. Lots of good plans out there. I put the The Rousseau plate in mine and it's great. Brian

11. 
    richardgeist | Mar 20, 2003 12:17pm | #19

    You can build yourown table, but I have found the benchdog fence to be superb.Solid, flexible, easy to adjust and clamp.

12. 
    rick3foxes | Mar 20, 2003 11:10pm | #20

    Woodguy, I retired my Sears router table a couple of years ago, too.

    Here's a look at my table.....

    http://home.att.net/~rick3foxes/

    Rick

    Apex, NC

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Mar 20, 2003 11:39pm | #21

   Rick

      Does your wife know you took her dining room server?

   Nice set-up and good work. ha..ha..

   sarge..jt

2. 
   woodguy | Mar 24, 2003 06:07pm | #24

   Rick, very nice table! I took everyone's advice and am in the process of building one. I did cheat a little and bought a top and fence from Rockler.The cabinet is in the clamps as we speak. Thanks to everyone who pointed me in the right direction, Woodguy

13. 
    TomFerreira | Mar 22, 2003 04:24am | #22

    Woodguy,

    I'm currently in the process of making one from Norm's plan. Just waiting for the lift from Woodpeckers. It has been a great project and well worth the effort. Much more storage than a shaper would offer. I would highly recommend making your own whereever you get the plans. Sarges method sounds like fun.

    TDF

14. 
    Steve1 | Mar 24, 2003 12:23am | #23

    i bought the freud router table top and fence system

    the fence is a work of art and functionality

15. 
    peterg62901 | Mar 24, 2003 10:48pm | #25

    I decided to get the Benchdog table as well (it is a really nice unit).  I decided that I could build a dining room table or build a router table.  But this might be related to my speed of work. :)

    If you are going to make your own.  I would still consider buying the Benchdog fence.  It is really the part that makes their table.  The Benchdog's dust collection is also really good.

    Good luck.

16. 
    TomFerreira | Mar 25, 2003 03:38am | #26

    woodguy,

    this is my new table built from the NYW plan. It's not quite finished yet. Stil waiting for the lift from Woodpecker.

    TDF

    
1. 
   RANGERP75R | Mar 25, 2003 05:09am | #27

   Tom

      At it again. Don't let your wife see it. She might want it in her dining room for whatever women want things in their dining room. I'm not sure what that is as mine banned me from there right after I banned her from the shop. ha..ha..

   sarge..jt