# Just bought this router table, help me pick a router!



## toasterburn (Jan 3, 2012)

Just bought this router table on ebay; it's a "CRAFTSMAN INDUSTRIAL" (after some googling, I think it's a model 171.25490). 

I assume most Craftsman routers will fit it? Any idea what router I should buy for it? This will be my first router.


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

toasterburn said:


> Just bought this router table on ebay; it's a "CRAFTSMAN INDUSTRIAL" (after some googling, I think it's a model 171.25490).
> 
> I assume most Craftsman routers will fit it? Any idea what router I should buy for it? This will be my first router.


I wouldn't assume anything, especially when Sears is involved:thumbdown:. That looks like the table made by Vermont American. Odds are pretty good you will need to drill it out to fit whichever router you get, unless you shop for a router primarily based on its' baseplate bolt pattern. A lot of the Craftsman routers that vintage were made by Ryobi. Not sure who is making Craftsman routers now. Looks like a pretty decent little table. :thumbsup:


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

I guess any company can use the word "industrial"
If serious about woodworking, I would repost it on Ebay, buy a good router (not Craftsman) buy a router plate (I like 1/4" aluminum ones) and make your own table. 
I would rather have a decent router bolted to a piece of plywood, with a 2x4 fence, clamped on, that the CM "industrial" router table.

I had a CM table like that, that someone gave me, without the wings, (that look to be sagging)
The plate the router bolts to is so small, the router and plate couldn't be lifted out for bit changes.

Sorry to be so negative, but I hate to see people waste their money.
Been there, done that.


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## toasterburn (Jan 3, 2012)

Pirate said:


> I guess any company can use the word "industrial"
> If serious about woodworking, I would repost it on Ebay, buy a good router (not Craftsman) buy a router plate (I like 1/4" aluminum ones) and make your own table.
> I would rather have a decent router bolted to a piece of plywood, with a 2x4 fence, clamped on, that the CM "industrial" router table.
> 
> ...


Hope it's not as bad as all that. Isn't a router table basically just a flat surface with a hole in it? Seems like it would be hard for sears to screw that up too badly. I'll let you know when I get it, but I'm thinking it will work ok for my hobby projects. I could make a table, but that would cost me a weekend or two and I'd rather make things I'm interested in making.


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

The one I had that a friend gave me, had a 3hp Ryobi router in it. With the small plate, the router with handles, was larger than the opening for the plate, so, you couldn't remove the plate and router to change bits.
I didn't like the surface of the table either. A mdf table, with mica laminate is much nicer, and simple to make.


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