Router Fence Recommendation?


Fxguy

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So I'm planning on mounting my router to a table I made and so I need a recommendation for a router plate and a router fence. I have a Ryobi R-53 Router that is currently mounter underneath the ryobi router table, but for space I need to mount it to the table I made that sits next to my table saw. 

 

 

Any recommendations? 

 

Thanks! 

 

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I made my own and it works nicely, just make sure it's straight and 90 degrees to the table. Mine has T-track in it for feather boards and an adjustable guide, but I plan to make some panels that I can slide open and closed for use with big bits when I get a decent router.

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I have found slight errors in both of my purchased fences. Shimming with playing cards to achieve the face of the fence being dead square to the table and both the in feed and out feed fences are aligned.

You can also use several playing cards to shim out the outfeed fence to compensate for a cut that removes the entire edge of a part. Doing this prevents snipe at the end of your cut.

One of my fences is from Rockler and another was a generic aluminum extrusion. Both have replaceable wooden faces with "T" slots.

It all depends on the accuracy of your straight edges and squares plus your vision . I use one of those jewelers magnifying headbands ,Machinist squares and straight edges and a bright led flashlight to do the most exact setups. I only get this obsessed when I have lots of parts to route, think about the sanding time saved by getting each cut just right.

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Ideally the budget is $0 but lets say I could spend up to $150 on this part of my project. I thought about the homemade route, but I'm very new to things and haven't the slightest idea how the fence attaches to the tabletop. The plans I have used a Freud fence and called for 5/8" counterbores 1/16" deep with a 7/16" shank hole centered inside for the router fence inserts. 

 

I never thought but I could use the fence from the table I have. My concern is that I don't want to drill multiple holes into my tabletop. Are the inserts for the fences a standard distance and the same across the brands? 

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 Are the inserts for the fences a standard distance and the same across the brands? 

 

No, they alter things so you have to buy their stuff..

 

You could go with some standard T Track and a jointed piece of hard wood.  The issue with that is that the wood will move over time.  You'll need to keep an eye on it.

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Ideally the budget is $0 but lets say I could spend up to $150 on this part of my project. I thought about the homemade route, but I'm very new to things and haven't the slightest idea how the fence attaches to the tabletop. The plans I have used a Freud fence and called for 5/8" counterbores 1/16" deep with a 7/16" shank hole centered inside for the router fence inserts.

I never thought but I could use the fence from the table I have. My concern is that I don't want to drill multiple holes into my tabletop. Are the inserts for the fences a standard distance and the same across the brands?

this would, IMHO, be a wonderful early project. There are a lot of skill builders in building a good, square fence. For ideas on attaching the fence just check out YouTube, there's a ton and a half of videos about making router tables. I can post a pic of mine if you'd like for an idea.
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I can post a pic of mine if you'd like for an idea.

 

That would be very helpful. I'm not the most mechanically inclined but am spatially/visually oriented so pictures help me a lot! 

 

Any other recommendations for skill builder projects ? I love projects that are practical / useful while teaching skills at the same time. 

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That would be very helpful. I'm not the most mechanically inclined but am spatially/visually oriented so pictures help me a lot!

Any other recommendations for skill builder projects ? I love projects that are practical / useful while teaching skills at the same time.

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This is right after I built it, about a year and a half ago, and the fence is still true. As far as the other projects, shop cabinets, wood rack, design a tool stand with a drawer in it, build the stuff so you'll be proud of it when people see it and you'll be amazed how much you'll learn.

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