THE

T BUY
BES

ROUTER

TABLE
COPYRIGHT 2003 HOME SERVICE PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Y ou wont find this

router table in any store or catalog.
But, it incorporates all the best features found
in those store-bought systems at half the cost!
At AW weve had the opportunity to study and use most
of the router-table systems on the market. From that
experience weve designed our own fully featured, easy-
to-build router table. Commercial cabinet-based tables
sell for $400 to $500; you can build ours for a little more
than $200.Youll save enough to buy yourself a new router! BY DAVE MUNKITTRICK
A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r 1
 Check Out These Great Features
The All-Important Fence Q uick, rock-solidfence set tings are made possible by
At the heart of any great router-table system lies a well- T-tracks in the table (Photo 3).For fine adjustments,leave one
designed fence. Ours offers all the best features identified in hold-down tight to create a pivot point for the fence.
our router table tool test (AW #92, February 2002, page 64): Fence-mounted T- trackforat tachingaccessories(Photo 3).
Aneasy-to-use,tool-freefencecan be set and adjusted in A dustportfor picking up the debris that routers kick out.
an instant (Photo 1).
Easy-to-makesacrii fcialsubfencescan be adjusted for any The Sag-Free Top
size bit or used to create zero-clearance openings (Photo 2). In this article well show you how to build flatness into your
Theyre easy to make from plain old 3/4-in. MDF. top and keep it there. Our tops features include:
A dead-flattopthatwillneversagbecause its supported
by braces built into the cabinet (Fig.A).
A versatileof fsetrouter mountputs the router near the
front edge for easy access and easy stock feeding.This is where
youll do 90 percent of your routing.The other 10 percent will
be at the back of the table, which offers more table support
for routing large stock, such as door panels (Photo 4).
Plasticlam inatefor a slick, durabletop.We put the
laminate on both surfaces to protect and stiffen the top.
KNOBS, NOT O ur Best Buyrouter-mounting plate (from AW #85,
WRENCHES

A totally tool-free fence. Forget about wrenches,

1 February 2001,Tool Test: Router Table Plates,page 86) allows
easy removal of the router for bit changes and hand-held work.
screwdrivers or clamps for fence adjustments.
A Large, Easy-to-Build Cabinet
Made from heavy, vibration-absorbing MDF, the cabinet
goes together with butt joints and screws. Theres plenty of
SUBFENCE storage plus the following features:
Thecapacityto handlethelargestroutersonthe market
ZERO for a router table that approaches the capabilities of a shaper.
CLEARANCE
A pair ofdoors on the front and back cut noise while
giving you access to the router from either side of the table.
An externalpowerswitch (no wiring required) makes
routing easier and safer. Easier because theres no fumbling

Easy-to-make, sacrificial subfences allow you to make a

2 under the table to turn on your router. Safer because who
wants to be opening doors and groping for the power switch
zero-clearance opening for super-clean, super-safe cuts. in an emergency?
Simply slide the infeed fence slowly into the spinning bit.

T-TRACKS
LARGE
SETBACK

4
BACK SIDE

T-tracks provide slide-and-lock adjustments for

3 OF TABLE

You can work at the back of the table to take advantage

maximum versatility. They make for super-smooth fence of the large setback to support big stock, like this door panel.
adjustments and convenient attachment points for That way youre not having to divide your attention between
accessories. feeding the stock and keeping it from falling off the table.

2 A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r
Fig. A Exploded View of Cabinet and Top
The router table is made up of three elements;
the cabinet, the top and the fence. None of the
woodworking is difficult, but the fence and the
top require you to work carefully so you end up
with a precision tool.

All the
features of a
commercial table
at a fraction of the cost
A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r 3
Build the Base and ToP
Youll need a tablesaw, router, jigsaw, belt sander, drill 1
and drill press to build this table.
Well build from the bottom up, starting with the
cabinet. It serves as a solid foundation for the
working parts of our table. Ready? Here we go:

Build the Cabinet

1. Start by cutting the cabinet and top parts TOE-KICK
according to the Cutting List on page 7.
2. Assemble the cabinet with butt joints and screws
SPRING
(Fig.A). Use the toe-kick (F) as a spacer for setting CLAMP
the bottom shelf (Photo 1). Make a similar
12-1/2-in. spacer to set the middle shelf. Check for Assemble the cabinet with butt joints and screws.
square as you build. Use the toe-kick as a spacer for locating the bottom shelf.
3. Add the braces (E and G) to support the top. The Spring clamps are like having a third hand for supporting
cabinet parts during assembly.
narrow brace (G) at the front of the cabinet makes
it easier to adjust the router. Cleats (R) are glued
at right angles to the support beams to provide a
flange for screwing the top down onto the cabinet.
2
4. Hang the doors with self-closing, surface-mount
hinges.

Build the Top

5. Glue together the two MDF pieces (C) that make
up the top (Photo 2). Then, trim the substrate
flush and square (Photo 3). Important: leave an SANDBAGS

extra 1/2 in. on the width to be trimmed after the

hardwood edges are applied.
6. Glue on the two short pieces of hardwood edging Glue together the two top pieces on a flat surface,
(Q). Trim to finished width on the tablesaw leaving such as your tablesaw. Sandbags (wrapped in plastic to
avoid spills) provide the clamping pressure. Be sure to offset
the hardwood flush with the front and back of the the two pieces by about 1/4 in.This will give you two clean
substrate (Photo 4). edges to place against your tablesaw fence as you cut the top
7. Glue the long hardwood edge (P) to the front to final dimensions (see Photo 3).
and back of the top. Trim and sand the hardwood
edges flush with the MDF. Then, round the corners
with the belt sander. Now youre ready for the 3
THIRD
plastic laminate. CUT
8. Glue the plastic laminate (S) to the top and bottom
of the substrate with contact cement (Photo 5). FIRST
LENGTH CUT
Trim the laminate flush with the top using a flush-
trim bit. File a slight bevel along the laminate
edge to remove the sharp edge and prevent
SECOND
FOURTH
chipping. CUT
CUT
9. Cut the recess for the mounting plate with a router
OFFSET
(Photo 6). Cut the hole for the router with a jigsaw. EDGES
For greater detail on cutting the opening for your
mounting plate, see AW #85, February 2001, Hang
a Router...Perfectly, page 90. Trim the built-up top on the tablesaw using the two
10. Rout the channels for the T-tracks (Photo 7). offset edges against the fence.Youll have to make four cuts
to get the whole top square with flush edges. Leave an extra
1/2 in. on the width for trimming the hardwood edges (see
4 A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r
Photo 4).
4 5

HARDWOOD
TRIMMED ON
FIRST CUT

HARDWOOD SHY
OF ONE EDGE

SLIP
STICK

Cut the top to final width with the hardwood edging glued Apply the plastic laminate. Slip sticks prevent the plastic
onto the sides.The hardwood is placed just shy of one edge laminate from sticking to the top before you have it properly
on the MDF core.This leaves a clean edge to reference against positioned.When the laminate evenly overlaps all four edges
the tablesaw fence for the first cut.The second cut is made to of the top, slip one stick out at a time and apply pressure to
final width and leaves the hardwood perfectly flush with the the laminate using a block of wood or a roller.
edges of the MDF.

6 7

EDGE
GUIDE
STOPPED
RABBET
TEMPLATE
FULL-
LENGTH
DADO

Rout the recess for your mounting plate. Build the Rout channels for the T-track with a 3/4-in. straight
template to fit snugly around your mounting plate. Use a top- cutter and an edge guide. Cut the full-length dado at the
bearing flush-trim bit to cut an exact-size opening. Make sure front of the table first; then cut the stopped rabbets on the
the template is deep enough to accommodate the bit length. two edges.
Use a jigsaw to cut a hole in the center of the recess, leaving a
1/2-in. ledge for the mounting plate (Fig.A).

A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r 5
Build the Fence
8 Build the Fence
11. Cut the MDF parts for the fence (H through K).
1/4"
HOLE Carefully lay out the location of the supports,
cutouts and slots on the base and face pieces.
12. Rout the slots in the fence face (Photo 8) and at
1/4" the ends of the base. The slots in the face allow the
STRAIGHT
CUTTER subfence to slide back and forth to create the
adjustable opening. The slots in the base allow the
fence to skew and pivot for fine adjustments.
TEMPORARY They also facilitate attaching and removing the
FENCE
fence from the top.
13. Cut out the bit opening in the face and base of the
fence (Photo 9).A 45-degree bevel at the back of
Rout slots in the fence parts using your newly built table the cutout on the base (Fig. C) helps with dust
and a temporary fence. Drill a 1/4-in. hole at the beginning
and end of each slot.With the router turned off, set the collection.
blank against the fence so the 1/4-in. straight cutter 14. Assemble the fence with screws (Photo 10). Drill
protrudes through the first hole of the slot. Hold the blank your pilot holes a little deeper than the screws to
firmly and turn on the router. Push the blank forward until prevent splitting the small support blocks.
the bit reaches the second hole. 15. Drill and countersink holes for each subfence.

9
Tp As long as youre making two
subfences, you may as well make a
dozen.That way youll always have a
fresh one when you need it and you
FACE
BASE wont be tempted to make-do.

Fig. B Cutting Diagram for Base, Top and Fence

NOTCH
FOR BIT
OPENING

Cut notches in the fence parts with a jigsaw. Once the

fence is assembled, the notches form an opening in the fence
to accommodate the router bit.

10

LAYOUT
MARKS
SUPPORT
BLOCKS

Assemble the fence with screws. Check each support block

for square before you use it. Perfectly square support blocks
ensure a perfectly square fence. Special thanks to Richard Tendick for his help in engineering
this router-table fence and accessories.
6 A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r
 Fig. C Exploded View of Fence
Take the time to accurately lay out
the position of each support block,
slot and screw hole on the fence
base and face. Moving parts require
precise construction.

Router Table CUTTING LIST

Overall Dimensions: 37-1/4"H x 34"W x 25-1/2"D

Part Name Qty. Dimensions Material Notes

A Base Sides 2 22" x 35-1/2" 3/4" MDF
B Base Shelves 2 22" x 26-1/2" 3/4" MDF
C Top Top 2 24" x 32-1/2" 3/4" MDF Add 1" to length and width and trim to final size after lamination.
D Base Doors 4 13-3/8" x 17-1/2" 3/4" MDF
E Base Top Brace 2 4" x 26-1/2" 3/4" MDF
F Base Toe-Kick 2 3-1/2" x 26-1/2" 3/4" MDF
G Base Top Brace 1 3" x 26-1/2" 3/4" MDF
H Fence Face & Base 2 4" x 36" 3/4" MDF
J Fence Subfence 2 3-3/16" x 18" 3/4" MDF Make a dozen while youre at it.
K Fence Support Blocks 5 3-1/4" x 4" 3/4" MDF Cut one block in half diagonally to create supports for dust port.
L Base Back 1 13-1/2" x 28" 1/4" Hardboard
M Fence Shim 1 3/4" x 36" 1/4" Hardboard Use to shim out fence T-track.
N Fence Dust Port 1 5" x 5-1/8" 1/4" Hardboard
P Top Maple Edging 2 1-1/2" x 34" 3/4" Solid Wood Rough cut 1/16" over in width and 1" in length.Trim to final size after gluing to the top.
Q Top Maple Edging 2 1-1/2" x 24" 3/4" Solid Wood Rough cut 1/16" over in width and 1" in length.Trim to final size after gluing to the top.
R Base Pine Cleats 3 1-1/2" x 26-1/2" 3/4" Solid Wood Edge glue to top of each top brace.
S Top Surface 2 25-1/2" x 34" Plastic Laminate Cut 1" oversize in all dimensions and flush trim to substrate after glue down.
T Fence T-track 1 36" T-track Cut to fit from 48" stock.
U Top T-track 1 34" T-track Cut to fit from 48" stock.
V Top T-track 2 24" T-track Round the exposed ends with a file to eliminate catch points.

Accessories (See Soup Up Your Router Table, page 8)

A Stop Block Block 2 3" x 4" 3/4" MDF
B Guard Base Bottom 1 5" x 5" 3/4" MDF
C Guard Base Sides 2 2" x 4-1/4" 3/4" MDF
D Guard Base Front 1 5" x 5" 3/4" MDF Cut half circle in top of front for 2-1/4" vacuum hose.
E Guard Hood Back 1 3-3/4" x 5" 3/4" MDF
F Guard Bit Box Sides 2 3-5/8" x 5" 3/4" MDF
G Guard Bit Box Back 1 2-7/8" x 3-1/2" 3/4" MDF
H Guard Bit Box Front 1 1-7/8" x 3-1/2" 3/4" MDF
J Sled Base 1 5" x 6-1/4" 3/4" MDF Cut parts J, K and L from a single 5" x 16" board.
K Sled Vertical Support 1 3" x 5" 3/4" MDF
L Sled Fence Block 1 2" x 5" 3/4" MDF
M Sled Bottom 1 9" x 16" 1/4-in. Hardboard
N Guard Hood Sides 2 3-3/4" x 9-1/2" 1/4-in. Hardboard
P Guard Dust Port 1 3-3/4" x 5" 1/4-in. Hardboard
Q Featherboard Fence 2 4" x 11" Solid Wood Use poplar or pine. Cut angled ends to measure 10-3/4" long point to long point.
R Featherboard Table 2 4" x 18" Solid Wood Slots are 6-1/2" long and angled ends are 17" point to point.
S Tall Fence Top 1 5-1/2" x 36" 3/4" MDF
T Tall Fence Sides 2 4" x 7-1/2" 3/4" MDF
U Tall Fence Brackets 1 2" x 2" 3/4" MDF Cut in half diagonally to form the two brackets.
V Stop Block Wood Runner 2 1/8" x 5/16" x 3" Solid Wood
W Guard Guard Shield 1 3-1/2" x 5" 1/4-in. Polycarbonate
Plastic

Sources See page 10

A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r 7
Soup Up Your
Router Table
Your router table will really sing with these designed them specifically for the Best Buy
great accessories. Like all good tools, our Router Table on page 1, theyre easily
accessories will increase safety and adapted to use on almost any router-table
improve results. Even though we system. Dave Munkittrick

Stop Blocks
A stop block is indispensable for cuts that dont
go the entire length of the board. Ours mounts on the

ART DIRECTION: VERN JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY: BILL ZUEHLKE ILLUSTRATION:FRANK ROHRBACH CONSULTANT: RICHARD TENDICK
fence T-track for quick
settings that wont budge.

STOP
BLOCK

Cut hardwood runners (V) wide enough to just fit into the
T-track slot, but not as deep. Glue the strips on the blocks,
and drill out for the 1-1/4-in.1/4-20 hex bolt.

Featherboards
Featherboards make routing safer and better. Safer
because they hold the work against the table and fence
instead of your hands. Better because the constant pressure
holds the piece on both sides of the bit for smooth,
washboard-free profiles.

FEATHERBOARD

The featherboards are made from clear, solid-wood stock like pine or
poplar. There are two sizes (see Cutting List, page 7). The longer ones
are mounted on the table and the shorter ones on the fence. Cut the
45-degree angles first. The 1/4-in. slots can be cut on the router table
and the feathers are cut using a bandsaw.

8 A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r See Cutting List on page 7.

Freehand Guard
A freehand guard and a starting pin are a must for
routing curved profiles, such as this arch-topped door panel. FREEHAND
GUARD
Dust collection isnt perfect, but it keeps the bit area clear.

STARTING
PIN

Assemble the base (parts B, C and D) with glue and screws. Then
build the hood (parts E through H, N, P and W). Slip the hood over
the base and glue the two 1/4-in. guide dowels into the base. The
winged bolts allow you to adjust the height of the hood. Drill two
1/4-in. holes at the back of the base for the hold-down knobs.

Router-Table Sled
A router-table sled replaces the miter slot found on many
commercial tables. It allows you to safely perform end-grain
CROSS-
CUT SLED cutting, such as the cope cut on this rail, without having to set
your fence perfectly parallel to a miter slot.

The only tricky part to making this accessory is getting the holes
for the bolts just right. Simply hold the completed jig up to the
fence with the base on the table and mark the T-track opening.
Then, drill your holes in the center of the marked opening.
UHMW T-track slides guide the sled along the fence.

Tall Fence TALL FENCE

ATTACHMENT
A tall fence makes vertical routing safe and accurate.
It provides plenty of support for work that must be stood on
end to rout, such as drawer joints, lock-miter joints and
vertical panel raising.

The tall fence fits between the two outside supports of the main
fence. Build the two supports (U and T) and attach them to the
main fence. Use a square to align the top (S) with the face of the
main fence and secure with screws or winged bolts.

A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r 9
Sources Where to buy all the stuff we used.

Soup Up Your Router Table

Hartville Tool,
(800) 345-2396,
www.hartvilletool.com
Part: #60866, #60876
TWC,
(800) 892-4866,
www.thewoodworkerschoice.com
Part: #3083, #3076, #4320, #0959
Home Depot
Part: 1/4-20 T-nuts; 25 each
Stop Blocks
#3083 Two 1/4"-20 female knobs; $1each
Featherboards
#3083 Eight 1/4"-20 female knobs; $1each
Freehand Guard
#4320 Two 1/4"-20 female knobs; $1 each
#60866 Two 1/4-20 x 1" stud knobs; $1 each
Two 1/4-20 T-nuts; 25 each
Router-Table Sled
#60876 Two 1/4-20 x 1-1/2" stud knob; $1 each
#3076 One UHMW T-track slide; $4
#0959 Toggle Clamp; $12
Tall Fence
#60876 Four 1/4-20 x 1-1/2" stud knob; $1 each
Four 1/4-20 T-nuts 25 each.Blanket Chest

MLCS, (800) 533-9298, www.katanabits.com

Three-wing slot cutter for 1/2" deep grooves, 1/2"
shank, #18648; $26
Bearing for 1/4" deep grooves, #12113; $7
1/4" straight bit, 1/2" shank #17750; $20
V-groove bit, 1/4" shank, #5426; $10
Flush trim bit, 1/2" shank, #17803; $15.
Rockler, (800) 279-4441, www.rockler.com
Single wrap-around slotted piano (continuous)
hinge, 48" long, #19423; $19
Lid supports, #33027; $16/pair.
UGL, (800) 272-3235, www.ugl.com to find
your nearest dealer.
Zar wood stain, #120 Teak Natural; $8/qt.

10 A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r