Oh Where, Oh Where Should My Router Go?

[Beechwood Chip]

People tell me that I'm very decisive, but when it comes to woodworking I just seem to dither about everything.

So, I got one of the Chinese JessEm lifts, and I'm trying to figure out where to put it. I had pretty much decided on a stand-alone table with dust collection designed in. The alternative was the extension table of my saw, but that's against the wall, so I wouldn't be able to stand across from the fence. So, it's a standalone table. Definitely. And it will go right next to my extension table, in the "L" between the outfeed table and the extension table.

Then I saw The Waggoner Family Woodshop tour, and he had the router in the extension wing, with a pillar so he could only approach it from the side. Hmmm.

Then I saw a David Marks video, and he had his router in the extension table and was working it from the side. Seeing it in operation convinced me. Save space by putting the router in the extension table. Done.

Then Rmac goes and posts pics of a gorgeous outfeed table with a router table built in, and I think, "So, what's the advantage of putting the router on the extension table instead of the outfeed table? Well, you can share the fence with the table saw." And that got me thinking about how I would design a router fence that would work with my table saw fence. And how dust collection would work. And that's got me thinking about a standalone table again.

Does anyone have a good example of dust collection for a router table? Can anyone share their opinions about where the router should go with respect to the table saw? I'd especially like to hear stories that go, "I used to have my router mounted ....... but I moved it to ......... and here's why."

[klousiajp@gmail.com]

Extension table seems the most logical place to me. It saves space in your shop, it allows you to use the table saw's fence, and presumably you already have a run from your DC to that spot in your shop.

Folks here have reminded me a couple of times about an article in the latest Tools & Shop edition of Fine Woodworking (216) that details adding a router to your extension table. The article desccribes built in dust collection that seems like it would work well. My shop is so small that there is no way I could have a standalone router table so I'm a bit biased.

[rmac]

I'd especially like to hear stories that go, "I used to have my router mounted ....... but I moved it to ......... and here's why."

My story almost fits your template.

I wanted to put my router in the extension table so that I could use the table saw's fence. But, the best layout for my shop has the right-hand side of the table saw jammed up against a wall, so there's no way to stand over there where you normally would to use the router. So I put the router in the outfeed table as the next best place.

When you really think about it, though, sharing the table saw fence with the router isn't really as great an idea as it first sounds. For one thing, you very often want to bury the router bit in the fence, so you're going to have to add something to the table saw fence to allow for that. Next, any decent dust collection system is going to have some suction right there by the router bit, so there's a bit more modification. Third, the fact that the table saw fence stays parallel to the miter slots doesn't buy you anything when you use it as a router fence.

So when you get right down to it, it's not that much harder to build a router fence from scratch than it is to modify the table saw fence to suit. And when you do that, part of the advantage of putting the router in the table saw extension goes away.

For my fence, I bought a monster four-foot length of 3" x 3" x 3/8" aluminum angle to act as a straight, stiff backbone, if you will. Then I use a couple of Rockler universal fence clamps to attach stuff to the angle as needed depnding on what I'm trying to do. This is pretty low tech compared to some fences, but it works for me. I would definitely need to do more in the way of dust collection if I was using this thing a lot. As it is, it makes a mess and I clean it up.

-- Russ

[Vic]

I still have my router mounted on a couple of pieces of mdf and plywood on two sawhorses. I have DC in the fence, but it leaves much to be desired. I plan on putting mine on the back side of my Excalibur sliding table extension and building a box under it. I need to find the old article, but it was one that use a piece of aluminum sheet metal to deflect the downward chips from the motor housing. I hate dust and will experiment until I find a solution.

[rmac]

I need to find the old article, but it was one that use a piece of aluminum sheet metal to deflect the downward chips from the motor housing.

You may be thinking of a FWW article called "The Ultimate Router Table", by John White. It showed up in the 2001 Tools and Shops issue, a.k.a. #153.

-- Russ

[Vic]

That's probably it, Russ. How in the heck do you keep them all straight? Do you have some kind of cataloging system?

[Vic]

Sweet!! Thanks Russ. That's the one!! It even has the cool horizontal router setup.

[gilliom]

Here's a couple photos of my setup.

I once used a freinds incra system where the router fence attaches to the table saw fence. From that time on I knew I wanted two separate fences. I like keeping my router set and still being able to rip. Even with the router fence set, I have about 33" rip capacity. You could easily put your fence on the far side of the extension table, facing in, and use close to the full capacity of your saw.

I built a box around the router with dust collection and also draw from the fence. Almost no dust escapes. I love space saving benefit I get from the router being in the extension table and that I can still use my tools without resetting fences and cranking down bits.

[rmac]

That's probably it, Russ. How in the heck do you keep them all straight? Do you have some kind of cataloging system?

If you'd clear your mind of all that silly energy efficiency stuff, you'd have room for trivia, too.

-- Russ

[Mike G]

I originally planned on making an extension for the tablesaw, but I wanted to be able to have it mobile as well.

What I have finally decided to do is build Norm's router station, and make it so it sits on the right side of my TS, inside the rails.

The table height wil match the TS, and have its own fence. I already have the Incra fence system, and I'll build the router plate at work. Still need to buy the MDF and the laminate.

I'll post pics when I have it completed. Might be this fall.

[jHop]

If you'd clear your mind of all that silly energy efficiency stuff, you'd have room for trivia, too.

-- Russ

According to my wife, every time she learns something interesting, it pushes something needed out. Considering she's a paramedic, I'm careful not to overload her with too many interesting things in one day. (Considering I like to push buttons and see what they do, I try to find lots of interesting things that have no relevance to anything.)

as for fences, I believe Wood magazine publishes an article every thirteen issues or so about 5 things to make your router easier to use. They have a version of a router fence with integral dust collection and two bases with dust collection (for your hand held) listed. As I don't have space for a router table, I am planning on this project. I just have a few things I need to do before I can get to that point.

[Vic]

If you'd clear your mind of all that silly energy efficiency stuff, you'd have room for trivia, too.

-- Russ

LOL..I don't remember which publication has what article in my field either. I'm lucky to remember to go to work in the morning.

[petersb]

How about adding the router table to the left of the blade where the small wing sits?

A possible disadvantage could be when you have bits mounted that stick up in the way when you want to rip wider stock. No biggie to drop the bit below the top. Mine is mounted on the right side of the blade and I have a 52" fence and I also have a separate fence for the router, vs. using the saw fence.

Just another option for sharing space already taken up by the saw, in case you hadn't thought of that yet. I am assuming that the right side of your saw is up against the wall.

Like this.

[Beechwood Chip]

How about adding the router table to the left of the blade where the small wing sits?

It's a good idea, but it doesn't work for me. I can't put it in the left wing because the wing is cast iron. And I can't put it next to the left wing because I don't have space in that direction. My shop is long and narrow.

I'm leaning towards a standalone table - on sawhorses to start and eventually on a nice cabinet. I appreciate all the advice and experience - keep it coming!

Also, I'm thinking of putting a standard T-track on the router table, so that I can use the same miter gauge in the table saw and router table. Any reason to use the "mini" T-track instead?

Thanks, everyone, for the ideas.

[petersb]

I can't put it in the left wing because the wing is cast iron.

I was thinking of putiing to the left of the blade in place of the cast iron wing. It would serve the same purpose as the wing and be a router table. You can see it in the link from the response. It could be made of wood instead of trying to mangle the cast wing to get it to work. I wouldn't want to do that either.

Here it is again in case it was overlooked. http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?Offerings_ID=21598&TabSelect=Details

[Beechwood Chip]

I was thinking of putiing to the left of the blade in place of the cast iron wing. It would serve the same purpose as the wing and be a router table. You can see it in the link from the response. It could be made of wood instead of trying to mangle the cast wing to get it to work. I wouldn't want to do that either.

Here it is again in case it was overlooked. http://www.rockler.c...bSelect=Details

Got it.

I think I'm arriving at the idea that I can save space by putting the router into the left / right / outfeed tables of the table saw, but then I can't leave one set up for multiple cuts while using the other. Also, although I have a great precision fence on the table saw, there's no real advantage to using it for the router as well. So, since I have the space, I might as well make a separate router table.

Thanks everyone!

[morty343]

I see that this thread is a few days old, but I thought I'd join the forum and pitch in. My Jet cabinet saw came with a router attachment plate on the extension table, with an auxiliary router fence that fastens to the plate. However, when working with acrylic sheeting, I instead use the router side of the Xacta table saw fence for final dimensioning of acrylic pieces on the router. This works beautifully. I upgraded to the Jet Xacta-lift (much more versatile and convenient) and added a miter slot to the extension table. I also laid in a section of t-track that allows me to use the router as a precision circle cutter (after doing rough cuts on the band saw). For dust collection I made a hinged acrylic box that attaches under the table and completely houses the router and lift mechanism. The box has additional blast gates that allow for quick connection of hoses leading to the auxiliary fence (if in use) or to a modified floor sweep that attaches to the table top and collects the sawdust when I'm edging acrylic. This all works very well and I would be willing to take some pics and post them if anyone is curious.