I don't have a lot of electric powered tools but in the past I have used routers and liked their versatility. I usually build smaller projects and have been using a trim router for a while but wanted to build a router table to make routing safer and easier. 

I started to design the table on the computer but eventually it became a design as you go project. Here are some shots of the final result...

The router table sits on a rolling table that was specifically sized so that the top of the router table matches the height of my bench. I have a very small shop and rolling the router table up to the bench comes in handy when I need a larger surface to work on.

This shows the front of the router set up with the fence attached. I also made a few accessories like the push hold downs. I cut up an old mouse pad for the bottom of the hold downs and they work very well. The dust port was fashioned from galvanized duct pipe rescued from a dumpster (yeah, I dive now and then). The top is two 1/2" ply sheets sandwiched together. The box is constructed from 1/2" ply also.

This shows the other side of the fence. Lots of knobs to cut out! Actually this is the side I usually work from as the router adjustments are easier to access, I just reverse the fence. The router lift adjusts vertically and horizontally making for some interesting router bit profiles. The vertical lift adjustment works with a split nut release to quickly raise or lower the router before any fine adjustments.

A close up of the lift. The "button" on the left, midway down, is pushed in to release the split nut enabling the lift to move up and down quickly. The wheel on the bottom raises and lowers the router for fine adjustments. The knob at the top left is used to position the router laterally. It will bring a bit from dead vertical up to an angle of 48 degrees from vertical.

Here is a close up of the router tipped about 45 degrees in towards the fence. The fence has split faces made from melamine shelving. I am quite pleased how it turned out and since all mating surfaces are lined with window insulation there is no vibration and it's very quiet, at least until wood meets a bit.

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www.benchtopwoodworkingtools.com

That is some mighty fine work, there Robert. Quite ingenious, too.

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Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Very nice and very functional.  I love the detail on the knobs.

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Ron Dudelston
Site Administrator

Above and Beyond WoodWorks

I love the lift and tilt. That is sooooo cool! That is some great work. Thanks so much for sharing it and all the pictures.

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John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

That's gotta be one of the nicest home built tables I have seen Robert, what a truly wonderful job you did on this. I can appreciate the time and patience it must have taken for all the do dads and gadgets to line up everything fall in place just right. I love the tilt feature. My hat off to you sir, wonderful job!!!!!

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker

Thank you all for the kind words. Trust me when I say I racked my brains over this project to make it work like I envisioned. That effort paid off in many ways. A major thing that i learned through this project was to have a detailed plan before attempting a project like this, it would have made the build easier and quicker. 

Now I feel a need to thoroughly learn Sketch Up.

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www.benchtopwoodworkingtools.com

Sketchup is indeed a cool tool Robert, I have played with it and loved it. It is user friendly and if you have any back ground in cad at all, it does help the learning curve a tad.

But I do not see how your build could have gone any better!!!!!! But then I was not there next to you while you were cursing and throwing a chunk of wood across the room when you realized it should have been that instead of this way! LOL

Look great man, I love it. Time to market the plans now!

Robert Tutsky said:

Thank you all for the kind words. Trust me when I say I racked my brains over this project to make it work like I envisioned. That effort paid off in many ways. A major thing that i learned through this project was to have a detailed plan before attempting a project like this, it would have made the build easier and quicker. 

Now I feel a need to thoroughly learn Sketch Up.

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www.benchtopwoodworkingtools.com

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker

That is by far the nicest most efficient home made router table I believe I have ever seen.  The neatness of the construction shows your ability to end up with what you probably had in mind before you started.  I too have had ideas, but they usually ended up not ever fulfilling my dream.

Thanks for sharing. Hope you get tons of projects using that fine setup.

My sentiments exactly Leo, there is an engineer in Robert, and most of it on the fly!

Leo Pedersen said:

That is by far the nicest most efficient home made router table I believe I have ever seen.  The neatness of the construction shows your ability to end up with what you probably had in mind before you started.  I too have had ideas, but they usually ended up not ever fulfilling my dream.

Thanks for sharing. Hope you get tons of projects using that fine setup.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker

How creative !!! and great woodworking. Love It

Dennis Mitchell

Buckeye, AZ

I have wanted to add a router table to my shop. Your's looks like it has some great features.  I would like to see more on how you made the lift and tilt mechanism.  Do you have any pictures or diagrams or instructions on how those were made?

William, I have a few drawings but overall they wouldn't help much as some of the key parts were made multiple times adjusting parts until I got it just right. A Canadain woodworker, Matthias Wandel came up with his own tilting router lift and I borrowed his idea for mine. He used a gear mechanism for raising/lowering the router but I opted for a split nut version for mine. You can see his version here Hope that helps.

William Thompson said:

I have wanted to add a router table to my shop. Your's looks like it has some great features.  I would like to see more on how you made the lift and tilt mechanism.  Do you have any pictures or diagrams or instructions on how those were made?

Sweet build! Love those hold downs!!

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Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time Traveler and Purveyor of the Universe's Finest Custom Rolling Pins!

Very fine project indeed, Robert!  Would be a proud addition to any shop!   I was going to ask whether you prepared "a detailed plan" along the way that could be made available to others at an appropriate price?
 
Robert Tutsky said:

Thank you all for the kind words. Trust me when I say I racked my brains over this project to make it work like I envisioned. That effort paid off in many ways. A major thing that i learned through this project was to have a detailed plan before attempting a project like this, it would have made the build easier and quicker. 

Now I feel a need to thoroughly learn Sketch Up.

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www.benchtopwoodworkingtools.com

WOW~!!!

I don't think you left a single stone unturned.

So many things about that I lile.  I really like your take on hold downs.  Gotta love a tilting arbor too.