Disappointing Accessory: Router Table

[leehljp]

I am late in coming in on this. There are two things I would like to add.

1. IF / Since you have it upside down, under the table, IMHO it would probably be better to REMOVE the shield. The shield is primarily for above the table to keep chips from flying in one particular direction or even help in sending the dust chips in one specific direction. But UNDER the table, it is my opinion that the shield should be removed to allow every chance for chips to fly outward instead of downward into the motor.

2. I have two plates and used two different rounters on my BT at a couple of different times. Both routers that I used did not line up with the holes in the manner that I wanted to use them. I measured and measured and finally drilled my own holes. I figured out which way the router would work best for me and drilled accordingly. Worked fine, except I soon learned that preferred a dedicated router table, which I made about a year after buying my first BT and trying two different routers.

The reason that I didn't like the routers on the BT:
1. The PC was too heavy; making changes to the rails were very cumbersome with a heavy router on it.
2. I like the rail adjustment feature so much that even with the small Makita router, I was still limited when I needed to slide the rails to the left side. Solution, give up the flexibility of sliding rails or give up the router.

I gave up the BT router table and made a dedicated table with two routers on it so that I could have two bits at a time and not having to change depth of cut or bits for either.

[Brian G]

Brian,

BTW, thanks for all the obvious trouble you put into this thoughtful reply.

I don't have the router just now, as it's in the shop. But that doesn't look like what I have. I wonder if different bases are rotated, one from another? That would REALLY be a crazy piece of engineering.

You're welcome.

Which of the following three bases is/are different from the kit you own? I'm not aware of any other version than what's shown below.

Front view:



Back view:



The dust extraction fitting shown above mounts (via screws) to the back of the standard and D-handle fixed bases. I included it in the photo so that there's no confusion about whether either of the bases look different from yours.

Each base has exactly the same hole pattern.

If you come in from the front, after removing the dust shield, it could be done. But I have the dust shield in, and need to both depress the pin and use the wrench in the same opening, which is away from me and between the body of the saw and the router body. I don't think anyone would see that as convenient. Also, as I remember, the wrench is too long to fit between the router body and the saw. Or, if not, it is so close to too long that it gets in the way.

I'd go as far to suggest, politely, that having the collet locking pin in the front (as shown on the first page of this thread) is the wrong way to mount these router bases to the mounting plate.

The dust shield simply snaps in and out, no tools are required. I can't envision a justification for leaving it in when changing bits.

If I take out the shield, that might be better, but then I will be coming in from both sides, under the table. Maybe I could get used to this.

That's the the way I do it. The fingers of my left hand depress the collet locking pin, and my right hand "runs" the wrench. I leave the dust shield off.

You could always slide the rails of the saw all the way to the right, like this (pardon the mess, it was a busy shop day today)



The piece of MDF that you see is just a filler table to occupy space. This would give you enough room to change the bits the way you would like.



Note that in the preceeding photo, that I have a different router (RE180PL) hanging from the table. I was using the 3-base kit today with bushing guides so that all I had to do was swap the motor in and out of the bases.

There's plenty of room for a wrench between the router and the saw, there.