# Homemade SIMPLE PORTABLE Bench Top Router Table



## Evil Scotsman (May 30, 2008)

Good Morning All,

Now that I have at least a good router "On the way" I am looking to make a "simple and portable" Benchtop router table. It NEEDS to be portable because I will be taking it away on the weekends AND bringing it back home. So I don't want to make something like Norm's with bit storage and d/c etc. I am not worried about sawdust. IS a fence MANDATORY? Or could I use a straight edge clamped to the base? What are some of the things that I SHOULD have and things I don't really NEED? You guys are a wealth of knowledge and I thank you for your time, expertise, and information! With your help I should be well on my way to enjoying a hobby I have always wanted! :thumbup:


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Free plans for a portable router table. :thumbsup:


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## Terry Beeson (May 29, 2008)

http://plans.the3house.com/pages/all_nophoto_Shop_Items_Accessories3.htm

Try these on for size...


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## Joe Lyddon (Mar 13, 2007)

Evil Scott,

You have some good input for tables...

Oak Park also has the portable tables that they use on the Router Workshop... every once in a while, they will have a good SALE... I think the Kit is the best buy. I also have their Spacer Fence jigs for box joints which are FANTASTIC!

As far as a "fence" goes... Have you watched all of those videos yet?

You will see just how simple a fence can be...

Yes, I would say that you'd want to use a fence...

My fence is a STRAIGHT scrap piece of 1x5 oak... works great!! Didn't cost me ANYTHING!!

If you route using a Pattern and Flush-trim bit, you won't use a fence... other than that, chances are you will be always using a fence. And you don't have to get fancy with miter tracks, etc. etc...

Don't forget those videos... they will help you see the little things like what they use for s fence, feeding speed, safety measures, etc. etc.

Take care... and enjoy your NEW tools! You will like that router... it has the Slow Start feature, which is super nice... and it runs SO QUIETLY!


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## user4178 (Apr 18, 2008)

Believe it or not makeing your own router table can get expensive and very time consuming once you know what you want. First of all the MDF top should be atleast 1 1/4" thick and laminated on all six sides with Formica to prevent warping, then you will need a router plate that will mount to your router, as far as a fence goes, you can use a board if you wish, but it will lack the abilities for dust collection if you ever choose to have it someday and the ease of attaching a featherboard. Then you still need to build a stand, buy some miter track if you want to use a miter gauge or another place for a feather board, If your looking for cheap I would like to suggest you try to find a used Craftsman router table, they are about a dime a dozen and do the job. I used one for about 20 years till I finally wanted something better and made my own benchtop the way I wanted it and with the plate and fence I wanted. One other option is their are alot of good prebuilt tables that will get you up and running in no time. Such as a Kreg, Benchdog, MLCS, etc. Only you will know what you want when you see it. The web is a wonderful place for finding things and information. Good luck on your decision, I know it can be a tough one.


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## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

After making my first table I realized what it was missing was stability and weight. I didn't want to trade convenience and portability for accurate milling so I bought one of these http://www.rousseauco.com/bRT3350dl.jpg and got both.

It's heavy and has a 24x44x1 1/8" top and includes everything you need except the router. I have a Bosch 3.25 hp router that stays in it all the time. It's a nice set-up that I can easily break down and take with me too.


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

Try this router table, it looks pretty good and they sell the plans on ebay. You can get the same plans for free here:
http://bobsplans.com/BobsPlans/RouterTable/RouterTable.php

Enjoy.


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## Evil Scotsman (May 30, 2008)

You Guys are ABSOULTEY INCREDIBLE! How in Gods name do you find all these links. I work with computers and use internet ALL DAY LONG, and then am on it ALMOST EVERY night all night. (Admittedly I haven't had the time to properly search for these plans) ALL of these links are GREAT! Even the sites with the plans I don't use have OTHER GREAT links from them or other GREAT plans! Once again you have all proven yourselves of :notworthy: my unworthiness!:yes: Seriously THANK YOU, I actually received my router Friday afternoon, (ordered it Thursday afternoon) and received my bits on Saturday. I have my router class with Woodcraft of De this coming Saturday and CAN'T WAIT! You will be seeing pictures shortly, can't promise they will be any good, but my heart WILL be in it!

Cheers!


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## Joe Lyddon (Mar 13, 2007)

Very good ES... Glad you're happy and learning alot of good stuff!

BE SAFE... while you're doing it.


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## Tom Clark NM (Jun 21, 2008)

The easiest way to make a router table is to just mount your router upside down in a box. My first table took a couple of hours to make, and it served me well for a couple of years. I was mainly using it for rounding over small parts, and for following templates with straight bearing bits. I didn't use a fence, but if one is needed, allow the top to overhang the base a couple of inches on all sides so you could easily clamp a temporary fence in place.

The simple box had a formica top to make sliding parts easy. The top had a 1.6 diameter hole, as that was the size of the largest bit I used. Bit changes were easy by just tilting the box up. 

By the way, the other box on the right is a jig saw mounted upside down, for cutting out the middle of parts. Just drill a small hole to start the blade in. It was a very useful tool also.

When I had time a couple of years later, I used all the same ideas , but enclosed the router to quiet it down, added dust collection, and filled the table with drawers to hold everything needed, and use all available space to the best use possible. Still using the table nearly 20 years later, and wouldn't change a thing…

Sorry, the bottom photo was susposed to be on top.


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## Evil Scotsman (May 30, 2008)

Tom Clark said:


> The easiest way to make a router table is to just mount your router upside down in a box. My first table took a couple of hours to make, and it served me well for a couple of years. I was mainly using it for rounding over small parts, and for following templates with straight bearing bits. I didn't use a fence, but if one is needed, allow the top to overhang the base a couple of inches on all sides so you could easily clamp a temporary fence in place.
> 
> The simple box had a formica top to make sliding parts easy. The top had a 1.6 diameter hole, as that was the size of the largest bit I used. Bit changes were easy by just tilting the box up.
> 
> ...


That (the second one) looks exactly like the type of table I am looking for. As I said I need it mobile. There are SOOOOO Many great ideas on this site it can be confusing. But A GOOD CONFUSING!:yes:


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

I know you asked for plans to build a bench but I have to share my experience. Today I went to Rockler since they are having their summer clearance. I picked a router table top that came with miter track, fence and aluminum mounting plate for the router. It was on sale for $99.00.

I also picked an additional kit of feather boards and vacuum port for it which was on sale as well. I payed a total of $125 and I used an old portable work bench from Harbor Freight. I mounter the table top and ready to go. Here are some pictures with the setup and the table ready to go into the closet. I am not a hardcore woodworker but for the hobby it seems to work great :thumbsup:


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

Here is a simple and versitile router table.

Jeff


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Thanks for calling this old thread to my attention, Jeff! That's an interesting simple approach.


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## Demosthine (Jan 18, 2011)

Hey ES.

I completely understand where you're coming from. The current table I am working on is a combination of two different designs. The first is the Portable Router Table and uses a cleat and clam lever to secure it to two sawhorses. You can of course modify the mounting option.

The second portion involves securing the router to the table. I purchased a router plate blank from Rockler, but I just found an easier and much cheaper design in my EMail last night. It is the the Space-Saving Workshop. If you open the link and click "Closer Look," you can see where the router table swings down and the arms lay on the bench top. But the really nifty part is actually how the router mounts to the underside of the table. It uses three high-strength toggle clamps. You can get these really cheap at Harbor Freight.

In regards to the fence, I would be very careful about how you clamp it. When I first tried doing mine, it was a very jerry-rigged setup using heavy-duty spring clamps and a straight edge guide. The router vibrated enough to move the fence and clamps. After I realized this (and ruined two pieces of wood in the meantime), I switched two some regular clamps and it went better, but they still vibrated some. I'm sure with a good set of clamps, it will work, but make sure they are a good set.

Hope this gives you some ideas.
Scott


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Shopnotes Magazine Issue #45 has an excellent plan for a benchtop router table with more features than you could wish for. Sliding, split fence that doubles as a handle, dual track aluminum extrusion for a miter gauge and featherboard, dust collection and a pretty compact size. Think i have the pdf for that issue hanging around if youd like me to send it to you


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## Joe Lyddon (Mar 13, 2007)

epicfail48 said:


> Shopnotes Magazine Issue #45 has an excellent plan for a benchtop router table with more features than you could wish for. Sliding, split fence that doubles as a handle, dual track aluminum extrusion for a miter gauge and featherboard, dust collection and a pretty compact size. Think i have the pdf for that issue hanging around if youd like me to send it to you


#45 !! 

The latest # is of mine is #130 !!

#45 must be a LONG TIME ago... 

Are you sure of this number?


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Wow, a 2008 thread back to life. I can vouch for #45... cover story in fact. They have another version in #113, that I posted once about and am still considering building (right now I still do ol' plywood-across-the-sawhorses thing)


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Completely positive its 45


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Do we really need a plan to build a router table? 30 years ago I built my first table to flip my router in. It was a sink cutout with two rails screwed to it. I made a base out of plexiglas. I left it on the router and all I had to do was clamp the sink cutout to my bench and drop it in. I wore that thing out. It worked great.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.


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