router table top/ fence recomendations


wjffineww

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I am looking to up grade my router table top and fence. What I have now is ok, but not great. I do have a Jessem router lift which I plan to use in the new table. With regards to the fence, I was thinking that I would like to be able to do some edge jointing with the fence. Does anybody do this and what kind of results do you get? My jointer is fine for facing boards and edge jointing for ripping, but not the greatest for edge jointing for glue ups. I've heard good things about the Woodpeckers set up. but there's just so many options I don't know which way to go. Thanks in advance

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I am looking to up grade my router table top and fence. What I have now is ok, but not great. I do have a Jessem router lift which I plan to use in the new table. With regards to the fence, I was thinking that I would like to be able to do some edge jointing with the fence. Does anybody do this and what kind of results do you get? My jointer is fine for facing boards and edge jointing for ripping, but not the greatest for edge jointing for glue ups. I've heard good things about the Woodpeckers set up. but there's just so many options I don't know which way to go. Thanks in advance

I have the Incra router table and fence system with a Master Lift 2 and it is fast and easy to joint rough lumber. 2-3 quick passes and the edge is glass. The initial investment for Incra is pricey but the precision is great. Mark Mueller has all of the great videos on YouTube about the Incra products - 3 videos for the router system. I scanned them but the jointing is not on there so it must be on the instructional video that comes with the system. It's super easy because the LS Super System has a fence system that is in 2 halves, and each half is 'offsettable'. so (for instance) you can adjust the out feed side of the fence to be .0005, .0010, or .0020 offset from the in feed side with the turn of a couple screws so your work is supported as it exits the bit..
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thank you all for responses, I will definitely be doing some research into the incra set up, I don't mind spending more money for a superior product.

dwacker, I have an older rockwell 6'' jointer (37-220), and I think the tables need to be shimmed into alighnment. I just don't think I have the patience to take on that kind of project (nor do I really know how to do it). It really does fine with everything except when I edge joint boards to be glued together, I just can't get a nice straight glue line edge w/o gaps. I thought I could easily solve this problem with a nice router table fence, until I can upgrade the jointer.

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+1 for incra fence is the most versatile fence with its precision its turns the router table into a through dovetail and boxjoint machine. Nice table eric did you make it?

Thanks man. I bought the table last year and built the cabinet a couple months ago. My one complaint about that Incra package was the stand it comes with...too tall and skinny with spindly legs. But they're nice extruded aluminum with t-tracks...so they'll probably turn into jig parts eventually. :)

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Thanks man. I bought the table last year and built the cabinet a couple months ago. My one complaint about that Incra package was the stand it comes with...too tall and skinny with spindly legs. But they're nice extruded aluminum with t-tracks...so they'll probably turn into jig parts eventually. :)

Anything that is pre-built out of metal is going to be expensive and it's going to be lightweight. One of the best things I ever did was buy a Lincoln wire welder. I saved and saved but now, whatever I need to build, I just get my guy at Fastenal to get me some metal and I build it. You can build things for 1/4 the cost and literally, 3 times as sturdy. If you can squirt toothpaste on your toothbrush in a consistent line, you can weld using a wire welder.
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thank you all for responses, I will definitely be doing some research into the incra set up, I don't mind spending more money for a superior product.

dwacker, I have an older rockwell 6'' jointer (37-220), and I think the tables need to be shimmed into alighnment. I just don't think I have the patience to take on that kind of project (nor do I really know how to do it). It really does fine with everything except when I edge joint boards to be glued together, I just can't get a nice straight glue line edge w/o gaps. I thought I could easily solve this problem with a nice router table fence, until I can upgrade the jointer.

Something to keep in mind is you will still need a jointing face for the incra. They are not a split fence so you will need something like formica for the outfeed side for jointing. Or you can "t" bolt on two differnt thickness faces.

Don

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I've done edge jointing successfully on an inexpensive, dinky no-name router table. You should be fine as long as it has a split fence so that you can adjust the outfeed side to be level with the cutter, and the infeed side for your depth of cut. If not, you can always add a spacer (like formica as Don suggested) to the outfeed side.

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Yes they are. At least, mine is.

A split / offset fence has two faces with a depth adjustment on each face. Picture two incras side by side or of course a shaper fence. With the incra you apply a thin surface to the outfeed face and adjust the bit to just that face for jointing. The applied surface supports the outfeed cut just like a jointer. Or just shim out one face with formica.

OOPS sorry i guess the newer wonder fence the higher end model is supposed to be adjustable , my apologies. Looks like they come with their own shims or wedges to offset the fence.

Don

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