Router table question for everyone...

[pacwind3]

I will be building a new router table soon. I am going to adapt a wall mounted cabinet and fold down workbench, into the router station.
I don't have a lot of floor space, that's why the wall mounted station will work the best for me.

My question is: can you think of any reason I really NEED to have the miter slot/miter slot and t-track across the front?
I've been thinking about it and the only two things I see the track for is: to make miter cuts and to hold down feather boards.
I can use a sled for the miter cuts and the feather boards can be clamped to the front of the table.
Please point out any other reason you'd see for having the tracks on the table.
I don't want the time and expense of putting one in if it really isn't needed.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[JR]

Yeah, IMHO the best use for t-track in that application is for feather boards. As long as you have the ability to clamp something down you'll be ok.

JR

[MikeMcCoy]

I put T-track in the table I built 5 years ago and to this day it's never had anything in or attached to it. I constantly use the T-track installed in the fence though.

[pelligrini]

It's not necessary, especially if you can clamp stuff down. I did find that I liked not having clamps getting in my way after I put a miter slot in mine. I'd use quick grips and the bars would make it a pain to get to the switch on the router.

I did add a T-track next to my miter slot. Now I don't have to keep changing the T-slot hardware out with the miter slot hardware on my featherboards anymore.

Pretty easy to install. I just put a flat bottomed bit im my plunge and used the router fence as a guide.

[Uncle Cracker]

My table doesn't have a T-slot. There's not really anything I can remember that I couldn't just clamp to the table, including featherboards. I do use a top and side T-track in my fence, however.

[dkerfoot]

I have a front t-track and use it for feather boards, but if I had to do it again, I'd probably skip it.

[RodKirby]

No T-track on either of my router tables - never found a need.

(Of course, t-track/s on the fence).

[pacwind3]

Seems like the general opinion is what I figured: not really needed.

I plan to build this as the router station: http://www.plansnow.com/dn3035c.html

I'm going to mount the router plate in the middle of the bench and put T-track on the right and left sides for a fence I'll make.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Mitre slot on router table

I put the mitre track on the router table I just built (http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...+table+project), and DARNED glad I did - not just for the featherboards, which are important - but for sleds. I've already built and used two sleds that use the mitre track, one for edge-jointing boards (http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...=edge-jointing), and another to use for cope-cutting rails.

I don't think I'd have any use for T-track on the router table, what with the mitre track I put on.

[poolhound]

Mine has a slot but I hardly ever use it.

[pacwind3]

Thanks for the feedback Bill. That's a great looking table. I love the use of the pool hose, I've been eyeballing it at Wal-mart and wondering if it would work as a vaccum hose.

I see the sled you've made, looks like it works well. But I think the same thing can be accomplishe with a split fend and spacer.
And for coping rails, a sled can slide up against the fence. Rockler sells one designed for that use.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...&filter=coping

It just butts up against the fence, no miter slot needed.

[Bill in Buena Park]

That's a slick little coping sled they have; my sled design is a little more versatile in that it stays clear of the bit, which it would for coping anyway due to the bit height, but if I want to use it for other bits, I don't risk chewing up the sled base.

Yes, you can do the split-fence with spacer for edge-jointing, but that looked like more trouble to set up correctly, rather than throwing the sled on and fastening the board to joint in a manner that suited me. (e.g., jointing at a taper)