router on saw or dedicated table?

[SandhillMike]

Hello guys, newbee here. I bought a BT3100 at HD while they were on sale in Dec (still haven't seen the $50 rebate) as it seemed too good a deal to pass up. My question is on the router attachment. As a semi novice, would I be better off with a dedicated router table, or is mounting it to the saw a reasonable alternative. I'm sure this gets asked a lot, but since I'm new here....[:I]

[RodKirby]

Welcome!

If you have the space - Dedicated Router table is MUCH easier to use - no fence sharing.

[Pappy]

I have, and use, both. If I hd to eliminate one, it would be the BT mounted router.

[softop41]

Dedicated router table is the ONLY way to go
Jerry

[Whaler]

I bought the router kit for the BT and returned it. As my space is at a premium I had to come up with something that didn't take up anymore floor space. Here is my set up. If I need the extra cutting capacity the router table is easy to lift off.
Bench Dog 40-001 table

[SandhillMike]

Thanks fellas, I suspected as much, but wanted some experienced feedback. I have the room, so I guess I'll buy or try to build a table.

[drumpriest]

I will mirror everyone else's response. I like my seperate setup much better than I did when I had it in the bt3100. Having said that, I am thinking of building a router setup into my extension (1/2 extension rails), because I am running out of room in my shop for tools.

A seperate fence can make a bt mounted router table just as nice as the one that I have seperately.

[LCHIEN]

This is another frequent question.
the pros and cons of this are listed in the BT3 FAQ.
A permanent clickable link to the FAQ is found in the first post under "Getting Started" here on BT3 central.

[gmack5]

Add another vote for a free-standing Router Table.

If you have the room, that would be the better way to go.

One of the first things you need to do is get a good book on Routers and their use. There are several good ones out there, you just need to look for them.

Bill Hoylton is one of the better authorities on the subject of Routers, as well as Pat Warner who, I believe, wrote the Router Handbook.

[monte]

If you have the room build yourself a dedicated router table.

[Tool Fool]

The primary advantage of having the RT in a TS wing is space savings. If you've got the room there are advantages to a separate setup/

[LarryG]

The book George (gmack5) mentions is "Woodworking With The Router" by Bill Hylton and Fred Matlack. Get this book. As I have said many times, it's the best router "accessory" you'll ever buy (sidebar to Loring: can we get this into the FAQ, please? Thank you).

EDIT: There's a new edition of this book coming in late March. It might contain enough new information to be worth waiting for; OTOH, it may only be available in hardcover for a while and will cost more.

Also see www.patwarner.com ... tons and tons of good info there.

A lot of guys use the BT's router mount to help them build a standalone router table (which, I agree, is the hot ticket if you have the room). Like Pappy, I still use my BT mount. I keep my old 1HP Craftsman in there, with a 1/4" roundover bit chucked up. Roundovers are a cut made frequently and don't usually require a fence, so for this the BT mount works great. All my "serious" routing is done on the big table, though.

[kyle.w]

i have a Dedicated Router table they are better

[vaking]

I guess I am a minority here.
I have a router mounted into BT and I have a stand-alone router table (Craftsman Mid -size pro table, not a high end though). Craftsman table gets very little use, Router in BT is a work-horse. There are few key points however:
I have a wide table kit, so the router and the saw have real space to share. Without the wide table kit I tried router in BT - not comfortable.
Do not share the rip fence of BT with the router fence. Make a separate router fence.
Even though the router in BT is mounted into the accesory table I put some thought into setting router conviniently.
The miter slot table is mounted in such way that it can be used with the saw blade or with the router depending where you need it. The SMT can be placed next to accessory table and then the SMT becomes the sled that is so convinient with the router. Many places sell router sleds separately - I don't need it.

[gmack5]

quote:Originally posted by vaking

I guess I am a minority here.
I have a router mounted into BT and I have a stand-alone router table (Craftsman Mid -size pro table, not a high end though). Craftsman table gets very little use, Router in BT is a work-horse. There are few key points however:
I have a wide table kit, so the router and the saw have real space to share. Without the wide table kit I tried router in BT - not comfortable.
Do not share the rip fence of BT with the router fence. Make a separate router fence.
Even though the router in BT is mounted into the accesory table I put some thought into setting router conviniently.
The miter slot table is mounted in such way that it can be used with the saw blade or with the router depending where you need it. The SMT can be placed next to accessory table and then the SMT becomes the sled that is so convinient with the router.

If you have a digital Camera, I'd like to see a photograph of your setup and I would think others would too. [^]