need a new router table

[onedash]

I have the carftsman laminated table that was on here a while back for ~$30 and the fence that I saw here for ~$30. No way I would pay suggested price of over $300 combined. Anyhow Im trying to do raised panels with my new bits and after lots of tinkering I can not get the thing flat. I made a new insert plate out of 3/8" lexan and its pretty stiff but the table itself is out of wack. Took it appart tried everything and nothing is working. Either the middle is bowed up or down. Guess its still ok to route edges on smaller pieces.
So I think Im gonna buy a new table.
Is the JessEm overkill? Its gonna be about $400 for a fence, top, and insert plate. I will make a stand I guess instead of paying another $170. And get the insert rings later when I need em.
It appears to be top of the line. Is there anything comparable for less money? I was thinking about drilling out my extension table on my table saw but the fence will be an issue and size wont be to big.27x12. And im worried it will sag too. Its just laminated particle board.
Would that green coated plywood at woodcraft work to make a table top and stick an insert in it? Then I still have to figure out how to use my fence I have. I know that JessEm is a fortune but I dont think I would have any complaints other than the price.
Appreciate any advice.

Semper Fi

[cgallery]

I built an extension out of baltic birch, with down-draft table. Very flat, could be stiffened if needed (doesn't seem to), and uses the less-expensive Jessem (phenolic) lift. If I had money to blow I'd have used an aluminum lift.

[cgallery]

BTW, I looked at the phenolic-covered plywood at Woodcraft and wasn't impressed. It wasn't flat, and the lamination was very thin. I opted for some laminate from Menards (smaller piece was about $10 or $15). If you can find counter-top guys in your area you may want to do some dumpster diving.

[JimD]

My solution is far cheaper. I have two router table setups. In the extension table of my BT3100 I have a router table setup including a separate fence. The top is melamine particle board with stiffeners of plywood underneith. There is no router plate. I routed the shape of the PC 690 fixed base into the underside of the melamine to reduce the thickness to about 3/8 inch. It helps the reach of some shorter bits to not have the top the full 3/4 thickness of the melamine. The stiffness of the melamine is still good since this is only a 6 inch circle. The opening is 3 1/2 inches so I can use big panel raising bits. I have no way to reduce the size of the opening in this setup. To change bits, I remove the motor from the base.

My main router table is a separate table with a built-in lift using plans from American Woodworkers router issue a couple years ago. It uses about $50 in parts I bought from McMaster Carr - mainly two 3/4 machined rods and 4 oilite bushings to go onto the rods. The rest of the carriage that the router slides on is wood (plywood and MDF). A piece of 3/8 threaded rod moves the carriage and thus router motor 1/16 inch for every rotation of the rod. The top is a sink cutout backed by a piece of 3/4 plywood. It is kind of heavy but quite flat. It hinges with a piano hinge off the back of the cabinet. To change bits, I raise the top. Simple and quick. I have made pieces of scrap sink cutout that I can screw into the router table top to reduce the size of the opening when necessary. I have maybe $100 total in this router table. I would not trade it for any I have seen. It is heavy, stable, and precise. It is also 1/4 inch shorter than my BT3100 so it gets to be an infeed table for the saw when necessary (with the fence removed).

If you want to use inserts, you should look at Lee Valley's. They also have a steel router table top if you want really flat. Their inserts are round. They have a phenolic one that is small and made to quickly go into and out of the router table. The idea is you leave it on the router. They also have a steel one that is larger and comes with a pretty fancy looking setup to allow you to get it flat. It is held in place magnetically. Neither has a lift, however. They have a lift arrangement that works with a foot pedal. Different but worth looking at. Another thing to check out would be the Woodpecker lift.

Jim

[charliex]

I have the Jessem Master-lift excel. When I first decided to go that route I thought I was spending way too much but I have not regretted it. If you can find it for that price and you can afford it by all means go for it. The ability to adjust the height from the front is it's strongest point. The mount is made for the PC 7518 and it fits perfectly and adjusts with repeatable precision. The fence is terrific but the miter slide is over kill. You will need the insert rings so you might as well get them. I got the rockler frame but if I had it to do over I would build my own cabinet. Good luck.
Chas

[Whaler]

I bought the Bench Dog 40-001 table and have been very happy with it. I run a PC895PK with above table adjustment.

[Stormbringer]

Jim, Can you post a pic or two of that setup? I can try to picture it but a pic always helps.

Whaler, nice space saving strategy with your setup there.

Oh, and CG, love the built in downdraft!

Be well,
Greg

[Black wallnut]

Why not build one?

I would think that for less than $400 you could build one. That's including buying an aluminum plate and router lift.

New Yankee Workshop has plans for a well thouhgt out model IMHO.

A router fence of great design can be made with the scraps form building the cabinet.

You could also incorporate your router station into your wide table on your saw as many have done. Popeye has come up with a method of attaching a router fence to the BT3 rails, I've used a fixed point and pivot system with t-nuts in the past, and I and many others have used t-track and t-bolts to attach a router fence to a table.

[onedash]

I think what ruined mine was sitting out in the garage baking and then freezing this winter. It might not have got below freezing but either way its subject to some extreme temp variations and since the table is made out of MDF I think thats what messed it up. I think it was pretty flat when I first got it. At least I didnt notice any problems like this.
So thats why I didn't want to use MDF or particle board to make one. Don't remember what Norm used but it looks like laminted something and wouldnt a kitchen counter do the same thing?
I only have a 12x27 space on my table saw to go that route the winges are cast iron. I seen a cast iron replacement with router setup but that was about $350 too.
I searched the internet to try and find sheets oh phenolic but no luck. I emailed one company to see if I could get a piece to make an entire top with it and if I could get that I would just cut a hole in it.
I don't mind spending $$ on something that will last forever. My wife is another story. But the only reason i got the craftsman was the price and its ok for edging small pieces but this defect is gonna cause problems when I make my raised panel doors I think.
If I have a 2" wide by 20+long board it wobbles up and down (to cut the rails). Right around the T-track is where the high point seems to be. Or maybe the router is the low spot. When I put the blank top upside down on my table saw there is the smallest amount of bow in it.
Maybe i am missing something on how to get it flat. I'd rather save my money and make this thing work but im stumped.

[Ken Massingale]

If you are going to buy, do yourself a favor. Call Woodpecker and ask for Justin.
ken

[softop41]

Woodpeckers

I second the call to Justin at Woodpeckers. I have their 27" x 32" tabletop, LE fence and aluminum plate-based Quicklift for the PC890 series router on a cabinet and stand that I built. I can't think of anything that Woodpeckers stuff could do better for me. Woodpecker's quality and workmanship are great and their help has been superb the once or twice I have needed it. I've had the tabletop and fence for over a year and the Quicklift since they came out a few months ago.
Granted, their stuff is not cheap but I venture a guess that there is stuff out there costing as much or more that isn't as well made. I will never have to replace their stuff, only add more if the need arises.
HTH,
Jerry

[onedash]

I think I'd have to disagree with the woodpecker solution in my case. I am pretty sure the humidty and temp extremes are what did my table in. It wasn't from over use thats for sure. So thats why I dont want another MDF or particle board top. So even though it might be technically flatter than phenolic at first I don't think it would stay that way in my garage. And the bigger it is the worse it could change I'd think. I also have trouble getting the insert flush both side to side and front to back. If its perfect side to side there is a problem front to back or vice versa.
And they are still selling these for $180 at sears. I'd be pretty mad if I paid full price. At the price I got it for I can't complain though. The bits were worth more than the whole thing cost.

[softop41]

re: Woodpecker's table

FWIW....
My table is in my unheated, unairconditioned garage in the humid midwest and hasn't deflected the least bit in over a year. Woodpecker's puts melamine on all sides; there is NO exposed MDF for the weather to work on.
Jerry

[cgallery]

FWIW....
My table is in my unheated, unairconditioned garage in the humid midwest and hasn't deflected the least bit in over a year. Woodpecker's puts melamine on all sides; there is NO exposed MDF for the weather to work on.
Jerry

Are you sure they are using melamine and not high-pressure laminate? I would hate to pay those bucks w/o getting high pressure laminate.

Thanks,
Phil

[Ken Massingale]

Are you sure they are using melamine and not high-pressure laminate? I would hate to pay those bucks w/o getting high pressure laminate.

Thanks,
Phil

Copied from the Woodpecker site, a good read:

Phenolic vs MDF Router Tables
In today's market, there are basically two different materials used to manufacture router tables, MDF and phenolic.
Phenolic isn't new to router tables. The material used to cover the top and bottom of Woodpecker router tables is phenolic, commonly known as Formica, Wilsonart, etc…At that, there are a variety of thicknesses ranging from .018” thick vertical grade to .048” horizontal grade.
Woodpeckers uses .048” thick horizontal grade on both sides of ALL our MDF router tables.
The advantage of using phenolic laminated to MDF versus solid phenolic is flatness.
MDF as a core material is about perfect, all things considered. It has a thickness tolerance of +/- .005” for a Ύ” thick sheet versus .034” for a similar thickness piece of solid phenolic.
In addition to all that, phenolic is substantially more expensive, roughly double the price, for less flatness.
That's why all Woodpecker Router Tables are made with multiple layers of MDF for the core, and horizontal grade phenolic laminate for the surface. In fact even the adhesive we use is special. Contact cement can leave unwanted surface contours that compromise flatness, so we use a compound that is as thin as water and when subjected to 50 tons of pressure and heat, actually welds the laminate to the MDF without any measurable glue line.
That quality process yields the flattest possible router table with all the benefits of a phenolic wear surface without the negative drawbacks of a thick piece of laminate.
WHAT ABOUT MELAMINE? We only use melamine for shelf products. Melamine is a mica based paint like coating that is only slightly better then bare MDF. We do not recommend using Melamine for a router table, unless it is only needed for a one-time project.