Easy, Reliable Router Table

T his router table was born because

I was sick of devising ad hoc ways
of securing my compact router
­upside down when I wanted to do some
A versatile and
effective design
I made it for my compact router, it will
also suit midsize models.
I designed this router table so the sides
are solid but the front and back are open.
quick roundovers on small pieces. A big
router table isn’t part of my workflow, that won’t rob you The lower stretchers provide an easy way
to clamp the table to a work surface. The
but I ­became sold on the benefits of a open area is sized so I can easily change
small one without all the fancy bells and of time or materials the bit height or remove the motor from
whistles. So I designed this one, which the base; if you’ll use a different router
requires a small amount of materials and than the one I use, measure yours and
doesn’t take much time to build. Although B Y L A R I S S A H U F F adjust the dimensions. Similarly, if you

46 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Barry NM Dima. Drawings: Derek Lavoie.

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 BASE Simple open base

Use the stretcher’s predrilled holes to mark the side, then Assemble the base. Having the sides predrilled makes it easy to align
drill. Locate these holes in the stretchers so they fall in the center the stretchers and lightly hold them in place while you drive screws. As you
of the side’s thickness. The upper stretchers should also be drilled assemble, make sure the stretchers are flush with the top and bottom ends
now for screws that will secure the top later. of the sides.

Fence is laminated from two Dust port Size fence opening

layers of 3⁄4-in. plywood. to largest bit.

Cleat, 3⁄4 in. thick by 11⁄2 in. Rear fence, 3 in. wide by 6 in. long
wide by 5 in. long

Front fence, 3 in.

wide by 11 in. long

Insert is 1⁄4-in. melamine. Make

multiple insert rings with center
holes in various sizes.

Hole for router 5 in. Tabletop, 3⁄4-in.

from back edge melamine, 16 in.
wide by 25 in. long

Dovetail slots, 41⁄4 in.

Dovetailed nut, from ends
MicroJig Matchfit
Size through-hole
to widest bit.

e A DIY ROUTER TABLE

DONE BETTER
This straightforward design is easily
modified to suit your router, your
space, and your work.

Sides, 3⁄4 in. thick by 121⁄4 in.

Stretchers, 3⁄4 in. thick by wide by 13 in. long
2 in. wide by 22 in. long

. MARCH/APRIL 2023 47
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W302HU.indd 47 1/20/23 1:26 PM

 TOP Melamine for a smooth top
tend to work with larger workpieces or
sled-style jigs, you may want to increase
the size of the top or the width of the
stretchers. Part of the beauty of this design
is its adaptability. All the parts go together
quickly with screws.
I recommend making the top from
melamine for friction-free routing. Plus, its
white surface clearly shows pencil lines,
which are also easily erased. Just be sure
to ease the edges to reduce the risk of
those horrible melamine cuts and splinters.

An upgraded top
Although the top could be just a board
Use the router’s fixed base to mark the top for mounting screws. Huff places the center with a hole drilled in it for the bit and a
of the base roughly one-third the distance from the back edge of the top and centered along the clamped-on fence, I improved mine with
length. If possible, orient the router so the on/off switch faces the front and the power cord goes
removable inserts for the bit opening and
out the back. If your router’s mounting holes are asymmetrically arrayed, mark them on the top’s
bottom face, then transfer those locations to the top by drilling small through-holes.
special hardware for a sliding fence.

Drill holes and counterbores for the mounting Use a straight bit and fence to remove most of the waste for the dovetail slots. Clearing
screws. Drill counterbores deep enough that the most of the waste with a straight bit minimizes wear on your dovetail bit and router motor.
screw heads sit below the tabletop. With a twist bit, Huff routs both slots by pushing forward and with the fence to her right, using the bit’s rotation
finish with through-holes, using the dimple left by to help keep the fence tight to the board. This requires plunging in at the start of one slot.
the Forstner bit to line up your bit.

Dovetail slot fits Begin by locating the router base. I trace

Matchfit hardware.
the base’s mounting holes onto the top
Another reason to
excavate the waste
before counterboring and drilling for the
with a straight bit is screws. If your base’s hole pattern is sym-
to make the dovetail metrical, you can mark these locations on
cuts easier to control. the top face of the tabletop. If the pat-
In one of the cuts tern’s not symmetrical, mark the bottom
(shown at right) you’ll face (since that’s where you’ll mount the
be routing with the
router), then drill small through-holes from
bit’s rotation, which
will encourage the
the bottom to the top. Use these holes to
bit to wander. You locate your Forstner bit as you counterbore
minimize this risk for the screws.
by minimizing the The next step is to create the opening for
material to remove. the bit. Before drilling a through-hole big
enough to fit your largest bit, drill a large
counterbore to accept the ring-shaped

48 FINE WOODWORKING

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 Drill stepped holes
r for your inserts and
biggest bit. First, drill
a counterbore so the
inserts sit precisely
n flush with the top. Then
r drill a through-hole to fit
your biggest bit. Center
these holes within the
router base area.
,
Create the blanks for the
inserts. This is ideally done with
f a hole saw or fly cutter, but cutting
. at the bandsaw and sanding to fit
works in a pinch. Huff uses 1⁄4-in.
melamine for insert stock.

a
h
d

Drill out the middle of the

insert blanks to suit your
router bits. Use the hole from
the previous step to center the
drill bit. These blanks are small,
so Huff uses a hand screw to hold
them both securely and safely.

e
p
e
-
Inserts must fit snugly and
n flush. If the inserts are undersize,
- they’ll dangerously move around
m during a cut. If they sit above or
e below the table’s surface, they’ll
m interfere with the cut.
o
e
Screw the base to the top. With
the top and base done, it’s time to
r secure them together. Four screws
g in each upper stretcher keep the
e top tight to the base and ensure a
d rigid structure.

MARCH/APRIL 2023 49
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 FENCE Stout split fence

Drill the short section for dust collection.

Choose a bit that allows for a snug fit with your
vacuum hose or hose adapter. Place the hole
high enough from the bottom edge that the
hose or adapter doesn’t catch on the router
table’s top.
Cut the laminated fence blank into sections. Make three sections for a split fence, two longer
ones for the bearing surface, and a shorter one for dust collection and bit clearance.
inserts. The inserts shrink the opening
Assemble the when you’re using smaller bits, improv-
fence so the ing both safety and usability. I make the
bottom edge is counterbore’s diameter 1⁄4 in. larger than
flush. While gluing
the through-hole will be. Since the inserts
and screwing the
short section to
need to be flush with the top, drill the
the longer ones, counterbore precisely to the thickness of
Huff presses all your insert stock. Be finicky here. Then cut
three tight to a flat the through-hole.
surface, ensuring For the inserts themselves, I create disks
the assembly using 1⁄4-in. melamine or MDF. You want
remains true along
them to fit snugly. Once they fit, drill holes
its bottom edge.
through their centers sized to suit your col-
lection of router bits.
I used to just clamp the fence to the top,
but I’ve upgraded to MicroJig’s Matchfit
hardware. It works similarly to T-track,
but instead of track, it uses dovetail slots
you rout into the top and dovetail-shaped

Add cleats
with Matchfit
hardware. To work
properly, the cleats
must be positioned
accurately. To
locate one, install
the dovetailed nut,
insert it in the slot,
and press the cleat
to the fence. Mark
the screw locations
with an awl. Then
drill the fence and
mount the cleat.

50 FINE WOODWORKING

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 USING Setting up and using

PIck the right insert. The insert

closes up the space around the
bit, increasing the table’s bearing
surface and, more importantly,
All router adjustments are done under the table. Changing bits requires removing the motor from the base, your safety, since stock could tip
which stays fixed to the table. Changing the bit height is done via the router’s onboard height adjustment. into this otherwise large opening.

Clamp the table to your bench. Clamps keep the table from scooting Don’t skip the dust collection. The dust port is an easy addition that
around while you’re routing. The open base with lower stretchers on the will keep particulate out of your lungs, eyes, and shop.
front and back allows for options when securing the table.

nuts that slide in the slots. The depth of longer pieces to create the break in the
the slots must be precise, so home in on fence for router bits. Use your widest bit
your cut in a scrap before routing the top. to determine that opening.
The cleats for the Matchfit hardware need
Laminated fence with dust collection to line up exactly with the slots on the
The fence is simple but considered. To table. To ensure that they do, first clamp
start, I laminate two long pieces of 3⁄4-in. the fence to the table. Install the hardware
plywood, which I prefer because solid in the cleats, insert the dovetail nuts in their
wood can warp. Laminating them makes slots, and slide the cleats up the fence.
the fence beefier and gives it more refer- Then mark their locations on the fence.
ence surface on the bottom, helping it stay As a final step, I wax the fence’s front
square to the tabletop. The fence’s bottom face so workpieces slide smoothly. Then I
edge needs to be straight and square. rout away. ☐
After the glue dries, crosscut the lami- Add a hook for cable management. This
nated blank into two long pieces and a Larissa Huff is a woodworker and teacher based keeps the power cord tidy and out of the way
short one. Screw the short piece to the in Philadelphia, Pa. when you store your router in the table.

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