Router tables

[Paul Atzenweiler]

I love the whole thought process of building your own table from thick stock and I think it would be very rewarding. Before you reinvent the wheel there are some free standing cast iron tables from MLCS and Grizzly tools. When making your own you just have to be sure the fabrication process doesn't alter the top such as warping from welding. I will be interested to see pictures of your progress! Also depending on your frabrication skill level there are also extruded stock "systems" that are user friendly with a lot of clamps and bolt on accesseries that allow you to construct very sturdy and professional looking frames and fences. One company is Alufabinc.com. I have not used these systems so I can't say how expensive they might be. If there is a "metal by the foot" source in your area I would try there as well. Here in Kansas City there is a company called (of all things) Metal by the Foot that I have used many times. They have a great variety of metal profiles and there is no minimum quanity.
Good building!!

[Chris Pyle]

Thanks Paul,

I'm still digging into the options. Going to see if I can find a machine shop to give me some estimates on machining flat stock or simply flattening one of the commercially available tops.

Chris,

I have a website indexed that I believe you recommended a while ago. Did you ever use these collets?

[http://www.precisebits.com/products/eq ... it!!!PG!!!


as a side note: My wife and I have also found a couple homes with promise. They have a bit of land for a nice garden and each has a freestanding garage/shop space separate from the automobile garage. Trying to temper my expectations but this will be the first home I've ever purchased so I'm hopeful.

[Chris Hall]

Yes, I do use those collets and highly recommend them.

Good for you buying your first home - congrats!!!!!


Your only limits now will be money and time

[Chris Pyle]

Yes, I do use those collets and highly recommend them.

Good for you buying your first home - congrats!!!!!


Your only limits now will be money and time

Ha ha. We also have a son projected to join us Sept. 27th.

What does time have to do with anything? Where there is a will there is a way!

[Chris Hall]

One can always reduce sleep I suppose, or keep conversations to a few words...

[Chris Pyle]

Circling back to this, as we finally found a home and I have some options on the horizon.

I've ordered the excalibur cast iron top 32" x 24" and I found a tool and die shop that said they have a couple grinding options. The owner was very helpful on the phone. I'll be taking the top to him next week. Does anyone have a suggestion on what type of grind is preferred? He said he can do blanchard grind or....another (but the name eludes me).

I've also found a dimension drawing of one of the cast iron router tables and I'm going to take that and ask what it would cost to have him machine some mic-6 Al. Probably more cost intensive but I'll at least have the quote to share back with the group should anyone be interested in going down that path.

Since Chris H has been so displeased with his wixey, I've been searching for an alternative that won't break the bank. This has promise, although I'm still not quite sure how I'll mount it to the lift.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151472739210?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141468074524?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

**and I have found that reducing sleep is a viable option

[Chris Hall]

The idea of having some aluminum tool plate machined into a suitable table is a good idea, depending of course, upon the cost. You could draw it up in CAD and obtain some stiffening plates to add to the underside.

Thinking of doing something along those lines (Mic-6 tool plate) to deal with the bowed sliding table on the Wadkin...

I'd be keen to see how things turn out with the i-gauging DRO if that's what you choose. They look to have made some improvements to those models since the last time I looked at them.

[Chris Pyle]

The idea of having some aluminum tool plate machined into a suitable table is a good idea, depending of course, upon the cost. You could draw it up in CAD and obtain some stiffening plates to add to the underside.

Thinking of doing something along those lines (Mic-6 tool plate) to deal with the bowed sliding table on the Wadkin...

I'd be keen to see how things turn out with the i-gauging DRO if that's what you choose. They look to have made some improvements to those models since the last time I looked at them.

Thanks Chris, I am going to purchase the i-gauging DRO shortly. I received the excalibur table and to my surprise it was within .002 mm across it's width. I thought the feeler gauges could fit a bit more on the infeed side of the table but wasn't able to make anything else fit.

The only other issue I've run into, is the ribbed cast iron has four holes for a mounting bracket for the fence. I bought the Jess'em fence and it directs one to mount the bracket 3" advance of the midline but the holes are such that the bracket would only be 1.5" proud of the midline. Have you ever come across a reason to move your fence beyond the cutter more than 1.5"? Or is there another reason for this? I was just going to install the brackets and fence as is, if there is no reason to change.

Should I need to change to the full 3" in front of the cutter, I'll need to buy some steel plate and drill it appropriately and attach it to the underside as there isn't enough meat in the castings to drill/tap the four new holes needed.

[Chris Hall]

I would think that 1.5" in front of the midline - if by that you mean the cutter centerline (or do you mean the table centerline?) would be a workable arrangement. I can't think of when I've ever tried to put mine that far forward of the cutter.

Give it a try in the convenient configuration that the main bolt holes allow.

[Chris Pyle]

I would think that 1.5" in front of the midline - if by that you mean the cutter centerline (or do you mean the table centerline?) would be a workable arrangement. I can't think of when I've ever tried to put mine that far forward of the cutter.

Give it a try in the convenient configuration that the main bolt holes allow.

I meant cutter centerline. You are the 2nd person to suggest 3" may not be necessary. I'll be attaching the fence this afternoon.

Thanks for the reply, takes away some of trepidation.