OF2200 DIY router table with Incra fence

[sgryd]

Hi all.
I'm looking for input/comments on a router table project I'm starting.

Background:
I have a 1400W Bosch router in an Incra PRL/2 lift in an MFT with an Incra fence.
I was very pleased with the setup from start but some things have started to annoy me:
- I want more "heft". I don't know if the 1400 W power is limiting me, but I want a more hefty feeling, i.e. more mass.
- The holes must go away. I admit it was a bad idea to build a router table with holes. Workpiece tends to catch in the holes.
- I'd like to have a larger smooth surface with absolutely nothing to catch the wood, i.e. not even a plate from the router lift
- I do like (love) the magna-lock concept

I recently bought an OF 2200. I couldn't resist it at 30% off. But After some routing I realise that I'm reaching for the OF 1400 every time. The 2200 is to heavy for me. Now that I have it I could as well take advantage of if's "heft" and build it into a dream table.

The dream table would be one big smooth surface wit nothing else than a hole for magna-lock rings.

I'm thinking:
- 30mm thick MDF
- Routed recess for the OF 2200 on the underside so I won't lose to much routing depth
- Routed recess on the top to fit magna-lock rings.
- Lifting device built with bearing thread for really smooth operation from the side of the table
Here is some images from my tests:

The routing for the magna-lock
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Magna-lock ring in place
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Here goes OF 2200
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Snug fit
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All the way up
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[Jalvis]

Personally I think a 2200 permanently under a table is a poor use of the tool.  The only real advantage that I see for the CMS is being able to remove the 2200 easily for hand held operations.

If you are still planning on mounting under a table focus on keeping the table flat.  My experience with commercial and home made tables is 'cupping'  from the weight of the router.  If you use MDF you will need metal brackets to avoid this issue and even then you will still have some flex.  I have a Kreg table which comes with brackets and It has a Horrible amount of cupping.  Even the Jessem tables have too much cupping....although they are making an aluminum table thats suppose to eliminate the problem.

 

[sgryd]

Yes it's overkill to have that a great plunge router mounted under a table. But:
- We don't have round router motors in Sweden, other than the 1400 W bosch
- The built in down draft feature is great

I use the Keen Dust Router Dust Router for this purpose today. It works really great, but it's kind of bulky and the router doesn't come up as high above the table for bit changing as I'd like to. The OF 2200 has the same function built in and it's not bulky at all.

Of course I will make the router detachable. I'm not dedicating it to the table for a life time. But I recon I will seldom unmount it.

The table itself will be built with aluminum extrusions. I will put extra extrusions around the router mounting to support sagging.

 

[Elill]

I'm about to do the exact same thing - ordered the Incra plate. Still figuring out what to do about a lift. Its going to take a few months to get together, but will post the result

 

[Nick C]

The 2200 is a heavy router, so a heavy-duty table is important. Benchdog makes a cast iron table that should handle the 2200 without sagging. I think the biggest problem will be the lift. The products I have seen combine a plate, lift, and a sleeve to hold the router motor into one unit. The router has to be removed from its base to be secured in the sleeve, which problably rules out the 2200. You could forgo the lift and its mounting sleeve, and attach the 2200 directly to a plate, but then you would have to remove the router and the plate to adjust the cutting depth. If you intend to leave the router in the table, this will be a pain, but if the router is normally not table-mounted, you will have to attach it to the plate and drop it into the table anyway--so you might as well set the cutter depth before you drop it in. I must confess that I don't like the direction this approach is taking: Very expensive, and not very convenient. My opinion is that if the 1400 is seriously under-powered for what you need to do, and you can't use the 2200 handheld, then you should consider a shaper.

 

[semenza]

I'm about to do the exact same thing - ordered the Incra plate. Still figuring out what to do about a lift. Its going to take a few months to get together, but will post the result

Just curious... why not get a lift with built in plate?

Seth

 

[Elill]

Cant find one that'll fit the beast  [big grin]

 

[TomGadwa1]

I can not remember the exact post but some guy in Europe made a custom router table with the OF2200 unit. He made his own lifting  mechanism. I believe it was based on a scissor jack for the actual lifting device. It appeared to be silky smooth in its action and quite precise as well. It might have been Guido Henn but I am not positive about that. Also you might check out YouTube to see if the video about that table is still present. Good luck and enjoy your OF2200, I LOVE mine!

 

[peter halle]

Guido did two router tables.  Here is the deluxe version.



Peter

 

[sgryd]

Great!
Thanks Peter. I was thinking of building something similar to move my OF2200 up and down. Hadn't thought of a car jack. That simplifies construction for me. I'll start looking for a smooth running car jack.

Nick: I don't feel that my 1400 is under powered. But I think it's lacking heaviness. It "screams" sometimes even with little load. I think its because of vibrations. Everything about the 2200 is smoother. It starts nice and smooth, bit changing is smooth, "dust cup" is great, power is great, and it's heavy weight.

I've seen some reports that the of200 in CMS doesn't lift very smooth because the lift mechanism only engages one side of the router. If I put the lift mechanism centered under the router I think it will be great.

Yes, this will be a very expensive solution. But I consider it even more expensive to have the 2200 sitting in it's systainer 99% of the time.

//Michael