# Router Table Suggestions



## pd417 (Mar 25, 2015)

Birthdays are always a great excuse to make a purchase for my little shop and with mine coming up soon, now is the time to add that router table.

I've spent weeks researching the dizzying array of makes, models and specs. There are so many options that just when I think I finally decided on a setup, some manufacturer comes out with something "new and improved" and I start the process all over again. My original idea was to go with the Kreg stand, table, fence and a JessEm Mast-R-Lift II, using a DeWalt DW618 router.

I've looked at the tables, fences and lifts from Rockler, Kreg, Incra, JessEm and even the custom setup from Infinity tools.

This is not a tool that will be used daily, I'm just an intermediate level woodworker, but I want something that will last.

My questions are:

1. A lot of folks are using the Triton TRA001 router in place of a dedicated lift, but some have said the Triton's lift is a bit sloppy and not as precise. Thoughts?

2. The router table package from Infinity tools looks good, they even include a Triton router, but I'm concerned about the stability of their stand and never heard of their "micro-dot" surface on their table. Will this surface build up dust to the point it will become un-level? Is it as stable/level as phenolic or at least laminated MDF?

As a side note on the Infinity site, the guy in the imbedded video has his hat backwards, not terribly professional looking especially if you're trying to sell a $850 tool system. Sorry, just a pet peeve...

http://www.infinitytools.com/Profes...age-4-With-Triton-Router/productinfo/RTP-103/

And finally, the stand must be mobile, as my "shop" is just half of our two car garage (with the other half dedicated to my wife's car, cabinets, kids bikes etc. etc.).

Any input/suggestion/ideas would be greatly appreciated.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Sure is a lot of money to spend on a router table. 

Al


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

If you are spending that kind of money I would get an Incra. I love my Incra table, but I have about $1,000 in it. I had a plunge router in it, but that was a pain to adjust. I bought a lift, and it is much nicer to use.


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## Marv (Nov 30, 2008)

I'm pretty sure you'll get some answers stating "build your own" however you asked about pre made so I'll answer that based on my experience. I have/have had many shop made tables, pre-made tables, tried numerous routers and a few router lifts.

To make a long story shorter, of the tables I have made/purchased I like the microdot surface on the Kreg best as it really does allow material to slide over it smoothly. I also like the plate leveling system of the Kreg and the fact that the plate is screwed down in all 4 corners. 

My favorite lift is the INCRA Mast R Lift ll since it allowed use of any size round router motor without having to buy extra mounting pads and had a lock to keep the bit from dropping in use. I don't have any need for the precision of a lift these days however if I find a need in the future I'll probably try Al's precision lift for it's simplicity.

Of all the routers I have used under tables without a lift I prefer the Porter Cable 890 series fixed base. There are many fixed base routers out there that will allow you to adjust bit height from the top however you still have to reach under to unlock the base and most require you to remove the motor from the base to change bits. The PC 890 is the only fixed base I am aware of that allows height changes from the top, bit changes from the top AND the ability to lock/unlock the base from the top.

As far as stands go I have the Kreg and Jessem. The Kreg is very stable when assembled and has about a 6" height adjustment range between the leg and feet adjustments (even higher if you add casters). The Jessem below is the older aluminum version however I am in the process of replacing that with the new heavier version steel tube stand (BTW, for those interested in the Jessem stand I'll let you know you can buy the identical steel stand from MLCS for about $65.00 less with free shipping)

edit: almost forgot about the fence. The Kreg T-square design works similar to a table saw fence and has a lock down on the opposite end making it very solid. It slides easily and small accurate adjustments are possible with the adjustable measuring scale and optional micro adjuster.

As usual there will be lots of different opinions and what works best for "you" can only be decided by "you" once you receive enough info for comparison!


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

*Router Tables*

PD
As Marv said, somebody will say build your own, and that will be me. 
I think it's very obvious that Marv has a lot of experience with router tables and is a great source if you want to buy a deluxe pre-made set-up. 
Marv gave as complete a router table review as I've ever read and you will not go wrong in following his advice. 
But, if you decide to build your own, it's not difficult. It becomes a good project. There are many component parts you can buy and you can make as much or as little of the parts yourself as you choose. 
I prefer a table with drawers. The drawers can hold all your router bits, router accessories, wrenches etc. 
You can buy a ready made table top if you choose not to make your own. 
Then it's just a matter of what type base you want to mount it on. 
Homemade fences are very easy to make. And I used large plastic knobs (like the ones you might find on a lawnmower handle) to adjust the fence. 
My router table was really made quick and cheap, but I've made a lot of stuff on it. If I were to replace it, I'd make the same plan again, only slow down and take my time to make the cabinet prettier. It's already as functional as I'll ever need. 
Whichever way you go, the router table is a very useful addition to your shop. 
Jim


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Toolman50 said:


> PD
> As Marv said, somebody will say build your own, and that will be me.
> I think it's very obvious that Marv has a lot of experience with router tables and is a great source if you want to buy a deluxe pre-made set-up.
> Marv gave as complete a router table review as I've ever read and you will not go wrong in following his advice.
> ...


And, if you need a plan to build your own table, Al Thayer's got a great one on this forum.


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## Marv (Nov 30, 2008)

Toolman50 said:


> PD
> As Marv said, somebody will say build your own, and that will be me.
> I think it's very obvious that Marv has a lot of experience with router tables and is a great source if you want to buy a deluxe pre-made set-up.
> Marv gave as complete a router table review as I've ever read and you will not go wrong in following his advice.
> ...


Thanks for the vote of confidence Jim! I have also built many tables from the basic piece of plywood on a pair of sawhorses to the built in one below. With the type of work I'm doing these days I figured it was more beneficial for me to buy than build however I do use router tables commercially so my needs in relation to the amount of time to build may be quite different than others!

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/router-table-build-pics-54980/


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I have the Triton in one end of a table and a Bosch 1617 in the other end. I built my own table. It is an adjustable height table designed not only to be a dual router table, but a work surface suitable for clamping jobs, assembly jobs, even a secondary table used as an extension for my main work bench on big projects.

I have no complaints about the Triton. It loafs along doing it's job.

Build a table you would be proud of. It's not rocket science and can be a simple or as complex as you like. Or buy one, if you can figure out which one you want.

Question? Do you need a lift or is it just something you want. You don't need a lift with the Triton or the Bosch. The height can be adjusted from above the table and bits changed with one wrench. The spindle locks when you crank it up all the way. :thumbsup:

Hope this helps.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I get by very well with a small, portable router table with a Craftsman professional router mounted in it. The router is adjustable from above the table and is very accurate.

When apace is limited, there are tools that will do the job very well even though they are not ideal.

George


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Used shaper fences are available on evilbay,sometimes,very cheap.Some even come with the rest of the machine attached(sorry for the cheap shot,ba-bing).But was serious about the fences,keep an eye out.Good luck.

PS,I like our ho-made table,it pivots up to gain access,under.If a new design was worth our effort(we have 3 shapers),I would insist on being able to tilt the router with some kind of hinged arrangement.


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## pd417 (Mar 25, 2015)

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions, very much appreciated. 

I did consider building my own table and still may if I can't find exactly what I need. In fact, I will probably order a set of Al's plans. But for now I think purchasing one may be the way I will go. And Al is right, it can be costly, but I think if I can find some good deals, I may be able to keep costs down.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

The store bought router lifts are based off the plunge routers we used to hang from the bottom of our tables. They just took some of the problems out of using them by making the adjustments better and more accurate. But still using the rods and bearings to ride up and down on. Which work great but require a locking devise. This is what drives to cost too high for so many woodworkers. The ask the wife limit was exceeded just for the lift.

This brought on a few more problems. They're heavy and require a Ft Knox type of top. Bit changes are still time consuming and require a change in height or a lift out. I know you can spring some to the surface but now you've lost the height setting. And still don't have the best position to change the bits. 

How many threads have we had on cutting in the big router plate? Anything short of perfect requires some way to level the plate. Which has to be done sooner or later with screws on four corners. The plate is also backward thinking from router tables we used to build. Had to be big enough to haul those 3 hp plunge routers through the hole for bit changes. Now the lift makers don't really need them but there are so many out there now, they're stuck with them.

Cost is really the biggest drawback. Sometimes higher than the table saw they sit next too. But they don't get used every day in most shops. This I believe is going to change in the near future. As tool prices and quality drop the cost of a good router table system will also. But unfortunately so will the quality.

I build a shop built router table and lift for just a little more than the cost of a good router plate insert. But you have to have some little scraps of wood laying around. 

Al B Thayer


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I have never purchased a router table and at this stage in my life probably never will, however I have run thousands of feet of material across a variety of plywood, MDF, plastic and aluminum with a router bit sticking up through it.
There have been times when I have had several on the go, each set up for a particular operation. Router tables can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make them, still waiting to see that ultimate design. 
There are so many plans out there today to get ideas from that I can't see putting money out to buy one that is manufactured.


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## 44260 (Aug 29, 2013)

This may not be what you are looking for but I came across this one the other day and I believe it is a really good price.
http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-RA1181-...8&qid=1436285071&sr=1-1&keywords=router+table


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## jbkennedy (Jul 27, 2015)

You have probably already purchased or built something at this point but while its fresh on my mind I thought I'd throw my two cents out there. I found myself in the same spot on deciding whether to buy or build. I was leaning towards buy, mainly because I don't have the time right now to build and I didn't want to force something that needs to be accurate. 
Settled on this Kreg one from eBay. 









It was $30 cheaper than from Amazon and had free shipping. 

It is a bench top setup but has great tabletop features and a smooth surface. I was also able to drill an extra hole in the top so I can adjust bit height from above (still have to unlatch router from below).

Plus, if I ever do decide I want a table with more features, drawers, etc., I can take the table top off the Kreg and mount it on a custom stand.


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## woodchux (Jul 6, 2014)

Great advice from all previous posts! You may be more confused now with the additional info, but it may help in making a better decision. BTW, early B' Day Wishes to you! Have been researching the same issues about routers - size, fixed or plunge, tables, - buy or build, etc. Info I found, especially with larger plunge type (DeWalt#625) being inverted in a table can & does cause the motor to overheat due to sawdust falling on the motor casing. Also because of the router weight (18lbs), it can cause "sag" to some insert plates. Only CNC machined aluminum seems to keep a precise flatness. You should consider choosing a router that accepts both 1/2" AND 1/4" collets, as some bit styles are only manufactured in 1/2"shanks. Another handy router item is a set of insert rings, & IMO worth the $, but should fit the insert plate. Since you are limited on space, and probably won't use the router for every project, the Kreg bench top table is a good idea. Hoping you will find what is comfortable for YOU & your budget. Be safe.


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## larry0846 (Feb 20, 2013)

i bought the kreg a year ago -- with the lift -- and couldn't be more pleased -- very precise and reproducible -- have a milwaukee 325 that i leave in the table -- the kreg router table setup bar accessory is worth it's weight in gold -- only problem with the lift has been that the set screw to lock the fine adjustment stops locking and the router will creep -- i take out the lift, clean it up good -- and problem goes away --


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## pd417 (Mar 25, 2015)

Thanks all for the responses and advice. Surprisingly, I still haven't purchased a table just yet. Our small and quick remodel of one of our bathrooms morphed into a remodel of our living room, new recessed lighting, paint and tile. I'll be finishing soon and then can get back to getting my table!


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

If you want something a bit simpler, the steel plate router table top from LeeValley: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=41793&cat=1,43053,43885 is what I have and what we use in our furniture design shop where I work. You can put any router under it. If you want to use a Triton it will work but you'll need to board a hole in the metal top to access the top bit height adjustment. Tritons work fine if you remember to lock the router in place before using it.

The top comes with plans for a simple base you can make.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

I've got a few router table videos on YouTube. This one will mount a router vertically and horizontally. Which gets you some really fast easy M and T joints. But you have to watch the other videos to see how it works. 


http://youtu.be/Y7SekLyEQyo

Look me up under my name Al B Thayer.

Al


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## Tchouken (Jul 2, 2016)

Here are some intermediate router table reviews which you can use to help you make that decision.
But if you happen not to worry about money, I will suggest you go for an Incra.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

woodchux said:


> Great advice from all previous posts! You may be more confused now with the additional info, but it may help in making a better decision. BTW, early B' Day Wishes to you! Have been researching the same issues about routers - size, fixed or plunge, tables, - buy or build, etc. Info I found, especially with larger plunge type (DeWalt#625) being inverted in a table can & does cause the motor to overheat due to sawdust falling on the motor casing. Also because of the router weight (18lbs), it can cause "sag" to some insert plates. Only CNC machined aluminum seems to keep a precise flatness. You should consider choosing a router that accepts both 1/2" AND 1/4" collets, as some bit styles are only manufactured in 1/2"shanks. Another handy router item is a set of insert rings, & IMO worth the $, but should fit the insert plate. Since you are limited on space, and probably won't use the router for every project, the Kreg bench top table is a good idea. Hoping you will find what is comfortable for YOU & your budget. Be safe.


I also own a DeWalt 625 and agree with you, it's not the best router to turn upside down under a table. It heats up really fast. Produces enough heat to heat up the top plate, making it hot to the touch. I leave the door of my cabinet open to allow maximum air to the router when I run it. Still, I cut it off after every 10 minutes of run time to allow for a few minutes of cooling time. We shouldn't have to do this. I think there are better table routers.


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