Ryobi Router Table

[alebrewer]

While looking around HD yesterday, I saw a Ryobi Router Table selling for $99. I checked it out on-line and its model number 6146461. It includes a safety shield; fence; miter pointer & guide; adapter plate; various sized tabletop inserts; and featherboard. I'm thinking about getting this to use with my Ryobi 3 based router set and I was wondering what opinions there are here regarding this table.

Bob

[Mainemarc]

Welcome to the forum, alebrewer. You could be a popular guy at BT3Central gatherings if your forum name is at all descriptive.

I'd just be a little concerned about that particular router table until I see a reassuring response to the following topic over at the Ryobi Tools forum:

http://www.ryobitools.com/cgi-bin/ht...ID26/394.html#

[alebrewer]

Thanks for the link Marc. I guess I'll hold off for awhile on the table until more positive info comes thru. I figure I'll use the route on the BT3100 in the meantime.

And yes, I am a homebrewer, and particulary enjoy making (drinking) good ales!

Bob

[Jim-Iowa]

Yes, I too would like to hear from someone who has one and used it before jumping on it.
I looked at one Saturday night as well.
$100 bucks looked too good to be true?
I know I spent most of that on a Craftsman table W/o Router some 15 yrs ago. Which made me wonder?
Incidently that table is not one buy I`m proud of. The Table is fine but the sheetmetal wings are far too flexible and can not keep them aligned.

[JohnnyTest]

There are other tables out there you can get for $100 bucks that you'd be more happy with.

I was shopping for a router and table last year around this time, when I found the Ryobi table, and they also had the router with it as well as a set for I think $150.

I decided on getting a PC 890 and a table off ebay that is ade out of mdf. Its a great table and I had the guy who built it cut the opening to fit a rockler plate. So now I have a aluminum plate in there and its great. I will try to find a link.

[JohnnyTest]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=4365246708

Here is a link to one he sold, if your interested you could probably get in touch with him.

[vaking]

I had a craftsman "pro" table before I got my BT3100. The table that still sells everywhere for $100 - $120 and is advertised as "more than 340 square inches of surface" - I don't remember the model now. After I got BT3100 with router kit and a wide table kit I like the router in the BT a lot more than in a craftsman table. I still have that table but it is collecting dust now. My advice - unless you are prepared to spend few hundred dollars on a high end router table - don't waste money at all. Get a router kit for BT and a wide table kit and make the best of those. It will beat any table you can get for under couple hundred dollars.

[alebrewer]

quote:Originally posted by vaking

My advice - Get a router kit for BT and a wide table kit and make the best of those. It will beat any table you can get for under couple hundred dollars.

Sorry if this is understood by others, but being a newbie, I'm not sure. What specifically do you mean by getting a "router kit for BT & a wide table kit"? I want to take advantage of the best options possible, and if that means saving money (& space), I'm all for that! [^]

Bob

[JR]

Bob,
The router table kit has a router mounting plate for attachment to the accessory table, two fence thingys for attachment to the BT rip fence, a dust collection tube thing, and I think the rear lockdown for the accessory table is in that kit, too. All this makes a great way to get started on table-based routing. I use this setup today, but eventually will want to build a proper free-standing router table.

The wide table kit consists, IIRC, of an extra set of fence rails, brackets for connecting them to the standard rails, and a pair of legs. The idea is to extend the width of the BT, offering more space for wide-panel ripping as well as router operations. It is implied that you'd build a table surface filling the newly-made gap to the right of the main table. I do not have a wide table kit.

Together these kits make for a pretty sweet setup. The big benefit is extra table space for both routing and sawing operations. I notice that David Marks of WoodWorks has a similar, if somewhat higher-zoot, setup in his shop.

For those inclined to this "big combination" configuration, it would be wise to search the site for "router fence" and "UTS". You will find ideas specific to fence enhancements for routing in the former, and ideas for combination-table setups in the latter.

Good luck,
JR

[Whaler]

I used one of those Craftsman Pro tables for years, it was better than nothing.

Here is the solution I came up with recently to get a good router table and fit into it the space I have.

[Jim-Iowa]

Whaler, I just have to ask how you like that Bench Dog table??
I have been eyballing it at the Woodsmith Store and had not ran across anyone using it yet.
It looks to be a solid unit with lots of good features for the price?
I`ve yet to warm up to the idea of mounting a router to my BT?

[Whaler]

Jim

I love it. It's very well made and sturdy. I have my PC895 fixed base mounted in it.
I didn't have the room to make my mobile base any wider so if need be I just lift the router table off for wide rips.

[Jim-Iowa]

Thanks for the response! I keep eyballing that one.
Looks like need to start saving again.
My Craftsman routers ar 1/4" collet and I need a 1/2" router too.
That PC is the Cats Meow.

[vaking]

Alebrewer,
Regarding saving money and space - Router mounted into BT is a good way to get started and learn what this is about. There is a chance you will outgrow this setup after a year or two - but then you will know exactly what you don't like about Ryobi table and what your ultimate table must provide. You will either buy a high end table or make a table yourself but you will not buy a table for $99 because you will be able to make a better one with your own hands.
Wide table kit you will never outgrow. People who use it cannot imagine themselves being without. BT out of a box gives you cutting capacity of 24" to the right of the blade and less than that to the left. This is not enough for a good project. Wide table adds 42" to the right giving you more than 60" of cutting capacity. This is a real surface you can share with router. If you can afford to have a 7' long table saw in your workshop (including router table in that space) - get that wide table kit. People who cannot aford the full 7' often buy the kit, cut rails in half and sell the other half. Even extra 20" of rails make a difference but a full 7' table saw is awesome.
One correction to the description JR gave- wide table kit does not include legs. It includes plan to make a wooden set yourself and mounting hardware. You can buy addionally legs from ryobi but that is just silly. Making wooden legs is so easy - it's a qualifier. If you cannot do that you don't get to keep the BT - you are in the wrong field.

[monte]

The new Ryobi router table doesn't look that impressive for the price.