Router Table

[ehillen]

I am planning on making my own router table extension for my table saw.

I have a few questions regarding the fence/table and router mount.

For the fence, I was on using a 6" high piece of plywood with a t track on the side about 4" high (from the bottom). I was going to use two 3/4" layers of plywood plus one 1/2" sandwiched to provide enough space for a 3 1/2" raised panel bit. I will mount this wooden fence to my table saw's rip-fence. Does this plan seem ok? Should I have a top track? I'm thinking most featherboards and hold downs could mount to side track?

As for the table, I was going to make out of plywood and use one t track piece about 8" from router shaft... is this a good distance?

Finally, I'm not sure howto mount router (I have a ryobi plunge). I used the mounting plate that came with BT3100 kit with that table. For my new saw, I'm going to try and reuse that plate into plywood by routing out the thickness of that plate to make it flush. Sound right?

I'd appreciate any thoughts.

[JimD]

I tried a fence like you describe on my BT3100 but I didn't like it. It seemed like I needed to rip something, then rout something, then rip again = too many changeovers.

What I ended up doing instead was building a fence out of scrap plywood with a face of melamine particle board (cheap, flat and slick with a coat of wax). The piece that is horizontal (flat) when in use has slotted holes for adjustment. I put a T-nut on the underside of the extension table and have knobs with studs to go through the fence and extension table into the t-nuts. You can see pictures in my article "Spruce and Sandeply" in the old articles link. That makes routing separate from ripping so you can still use your saw with the router table set up (at least for small stuff).

The same spot will provide you some pictures of what I did for attachment. My extension table is also melamine particle board and I thinned the underside to about 3/8 thick in the shape of my router base (PC690 in my case). Then I put screws through the mealamine to hold the router in place. A hole in the center and you can start using it.

Jim

[JR]

I built the Wood magazine fence, as did a number of other people. It provides a lot of flexibilty and answers some of your questions.

At first I clamped the router fence to the rip fence, as you suggest. I found that to be ineffective for the reasons JimD mentions. Additionally, I found that the fence wasn't firmly fixed enough to use feather boards on the face of the fence. It would tend to rise up. I eventually modified the assembly to allow the base of the router fence to be fixed to the table saw rails. You could also install t-track in the router table, oriented perpendicular to the fence, to hold it down.

JR

[pelligrini]

I will mount this wooden fence to my table saw's rip-fence.

As for the table, I was going to make out of plywood and use one t track piece about 8" from router shaft... is this a good distance?

Mounting it to the rip fence works, but it is a pain if you need to use the saw, and don't want to setup the router fence again. I ended up getting a second rip fence.

I used some phenolic faced ply from woodcraft for my extension/router table. It's pretty slick, durable, and water resistant.

I used a t-track and a miter slot in my router table extension. I like having the miter slot for coping jigs, etc. Sometimes I'll use my miter gauge that came with my saw too. The T-track is handy for featherboards and the like.

[tbarn]

I just finished my router table extension for my table saw.
Here is the link to the post.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?p=450499#post450499

I did not use a router plate to mount the router since I already had 1/2" phenolic.
Otherwise I would have used a plate because it would have been easy to remove the router.
I didn't use the plate from my BT3100 because I think it would only work well in a situation exactly like the BT with an aluminum table.
you might find it helpful to check out mlcs. I bought a rouseau plate and returned it because it had a crown in it.

[Black wallnut]

Here is a great fence from before BT3Central was online. https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles...k-router-fence

There are many others including my own design as on my site. Lots of ways to do this.

[phi1l]

As for the table, I was going to make out of plywood and use one t track piece about 8" from router shaft... is this a good distance?

I'd appreciate any thoughts.

More typically, you would want a miter about 6" from router shaft. IF you want a t-track too, they make combination miter/t-tracks you can use.

[ehillen]

I built the Wood magazine fence, as did a number of other people. It provides a lot of flexibilty and answers some of your questions.

At first I clamped the router fence to the rip fence, as you suggest. I found that to be ineffective for the reasons JimD mentions. Additionally, I found that the fence wasn't firmly fixed enough to use feather boards on the face of the fence. It would tend to rise up. I eventually modified the assembly to allow the base of the router fence to be fixed to the table saw rails. You could also install t-track in the router table, oriented perpendicular to the fence, to hold it down.

JR

This fence looks simple. Do plans include table or just fence?

[JR]

Just the fence.

JR

[ehillen]

Fence

Ok, I'm convinced. I wont use rip fence.

For the router table fence, should I have it slide in two t-tracks or should I just make two parallel key hole slots through which bolts/knobs fit through?

How does this style fence stay parallel w/ miter gauge... do you have to adjust both fence knobs with a square each time?

Another thing, my table saw came with a miter gauge that fits in table's t slot (in cast iron). I see there is miter gauge track and t - track... could I use t-track everywhere?

Any recommendations for good/cheap router plates?