Table saw router table

[tvgordon]

Have any of you guys replaced the side wing on your table saw with one to mount a router?  I have a floor model router table, but was thinking of getting rid of it to make room in the shop for a Festool work table. I was looking at the Bench Dog model that comes with a fence and mounts in place of the left side wing. I didn't want to spend $300 only to regret getting rid of my router table.

Any comments or opinions?

Tom

 

[kfitzsimons]

Tom, I'm considering the same thing. I have the Bench Dog bench top router table which is fine, but I can use the space. The BD cast iron table that mounts to the table saw is nice, but boy it's expensive. Plus, if you need to cut piece of wood, you have to take the fence off and lower the bit. It's certainly a compromise. I'd also like to hear from folks who have the BD table extension.
    Kevin

 

[upscale]

Have any of you guys replaced the side wing on your table saw with one to mount a router?  I have a floor model router table, Any comments or opinions?

Any setup that conserves space works for me. I put a 3612BR Makita router in my cast iron table saw wing a number of years ago. It took me a full day to grind down the underside of the wing so the router would sit flat against the underside. It worked out quite well and I used that setup to rebuild my mother's kitchen which also included my making the cabinet doors with a rail and stile bit.

 

[GreenGA]

This is about #1 or #2 on my list of shop projects.  [cool]

As one who likes to dwell on things before laying hands to the tool, so to speak, I've been running various configurations through my mind the past couple of weeks. (I need something to think about while I row).

So far, it would be either, the LS-TS setup from Incra.  It's kinda expensive, but everyone that has remarked about their setup, loves it.  And if I were honest with myself, the cost of the Incra may not be all that much more than building my own.  [embarassed]

Or, something home grown and if this comes to pass...

It will be on the right side of my table saw (SawStop ICS) to replace the included side-table
Built-in dust collection.
Kreg clamping rails around the three outside edges
Of course, tracks to accommodate differing types of mounting hardware.
Storage station underneath to hold all my routing accessories and some table saw goodies
Built-in clamp for the Kreg pocket hole do-hicky (technical name)
Since the right side of the TS is, I think 52" long, I may, may..., install a second router table station on the rear.

I have been scouring the net looking for sample images and/or articles, as well as looking through my library of past editions of various woodworking magazines.

Have any of you guys replaced the side wing on your table saw with one to mount a router?  I have a floor model router table, but was thinking of getting rid of it to make room in the shop for a Festool work table. I was looking at the Bench Dog model that comes with a fence and mounts in place of the left side wing. I didn't want to spend $300 only to regret getting rid of my router table.

Any comments or opinions?

Tom

 

[rnt80]

What seems like ages ago I had the obligatory Norm Abram's router table.  I sold that and replaced it with the BD wing.  While the up front cost was hard to swallow I've never had any regrets.  I also have router table at the other end of my ts and it has the Kreg fence on it.  I actually prefer the BD fence that comes with the extension.
While it was nice having a stand alone router table it certainly was not a necessity for me.  Going with the extension freed up a lot of space for me in my already cramped shop.

 

[GaryLaroff]

I too went through this decision cycle, bought a quality router insert for the table saw but found too many negative issues and then went to a stand-alone router cabinet and couldn’t be happier.

My cabinet saw is the Inca 2200 which is a large 12-inch model with the customary over four foot table on the right hand side.  The right hand wings were modular and apparently made by Woodhaven so I replaced one of them with the appropriate Inca-centric Woodhaven router table insert.  Woodhaven makes excellent products and it performed perfectly to their specifications.  I have Porter-Cable 690 and 892 routers as well as the larger PC 7518.  The insert was set up to work with the PC 892 and performed properly.

The only way to set up a router fence was parallel to the table saw rip fence, or to use the rip fence.  I would have preferred a fence that went right to left and not front to back.  Dust control was impossible and the router mess went all over the place and into the area below the table, where I choose to store things.  Using the saw table for the router essentially made under-table storage impractical.  The final straw was when I installed an Excalibur combination over-arm guard and dust collector on the table saw as it got in my way when I wanted to lean over the router area.

I now have an enclosed router cabinet with Woodhaven router table top, Woodhaven router fence and Woodpeckers router lift.  There is nearly perfect above- and below-table dust collection, the table is strong enough to support the PC 7518 in the Woodpeckers lift and the noise level is greatly reduced.  Clearance around the router is excellent because it is a dedicated cabinet with extensive clean storage.  Having separate cabinet saw and router cabinet allow me to use either tool whenever it is needed.

The cabinet saw extension table route didn’t work for me.  The dedicated router cabinet did.  Your mileage may vary.

Gary

 

[PaulMarcel]

Or, something home grown and if this comes to pass...

It will be on the right side of my table saw (SawStop ICS) to replace the included side-table
Built-in dust collection.
Kreg clamping rails around the three outside edges
Of course, tracks to accommodate differing types of mounting hardware.
Storage station underneath to hold all my routing accessories and some table saw goodies
Built-in clamp for the Kreg pocket hole do-hicky (technical name)
Since the right side of the TS is, I think 52" long, I may, may..., install a second router table station on the rear.

I have been scouring the net looking for sample images and/or articles, as well as looking through my library of past editions of various woodworking magazines.

Green, I have a SawStop PCS and installed a Woodpecker's top in the right wing.  Which top doesn't make much of a difference... it's what I had previously so I re-used it.  Anyway, my setup addresses some of your list and may I saw the dust collection on it is superb.

All the individual parts of the router table, dust collection, single pigtail for TS and router are described in different articles on my blog, but rather than read, go to this video tour of the modifications (so, router table and DC) and see if any of it is of interest.  From there, there are links to the individual articles.

But naturally what I have may not be what you're looking for (so post what you come up with!)

 

[Brice_Arnold]

For my setup, I started with a Delta cabinet saw. with a single 10" cast iron extension and a Jessem Mast-R-Slide on the left side of the blade. On the right I have two 10" cast iron extensions and a Jointech router table top. I had to rig the table top to make it work with the table saw. I also shifted the table saw fence to the right to get more cutting capacity to the right of the blade. For about 75% of the work I do I can keep both the table saw fence and the router table fence on at all times. The router fence comes off within 30 seconds if I need more room for the table saw fence.

Lately I have been looking at a new router table because my current table is far from flat. I still need to investigate what exactly is not flat. But, in me research I have found that most of the extensions have the fence parallel to the table saw fence. With my current set-up I can use my entire table saw surface to support a workpiece. If the fence is parallel to the table saw fence you basically loose all this surface behind the fence that could otherwise be used to support the workpiece. Maybe that space isn't really needed but it sure is nice. The one thing I don't have on my router table that I wish I had is some t-sots and a miter channel.

I think I have settled on the woodpecker table because it has the slots, and it is the same depth as my table saw so it would fit between the fence rails.

http://www.woodpeck.com/rt2432phen.html

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

All the money spent on those router lifts, fences, table inserts, etc., you spend more then what a nice used shaper would cost.

Put it back to back of your TS and you have out feed surface and something better then a router table.

 

[Todd]

About a year ago I bought a little used Sears Professional Hybrid saw at a very reasonable price.  It had a BD insert, Bosch 1617 router and fence. I removed the BD router plate, (which I still have if anyone is interested),  and installed a Jessem Router Lift. This was a bit pricey but worth it. The fence hangs under the table when not in use and raising and lowering the router with the Jessem lift takes no time at all. I have the room so I still have the original router and table. Having two router table setups has come in handy at times.

 

[tvgordon]

They must not be very popular items.  I went to several woodworking shops this weekend hoping to see a Bench Dog or other brand, but couldn't find any.  I do like that BD sells an accessory strip so it can be removed from the tablesaw and attached to a router table.

I did look some more at the Festool MFT and it looks like it would be best to have it in a place where I could get all around it.  So even getting rid of the router table won't give me enough room right now.  Looks like I'm going to have to start selling stuff [sad] (or move to a bigger shop! [big grin]).

Tom

 

[Kevin Stricker]

It isn't rocket science to put a router in your extension wing.  My first was a PC 890 that could be adjusted above the table, all you needed was a plate and template to cut the hole.  Currently working on a cabinet for extra storage with my Incra/Woodpeck setupon my TS extension, I'll post some pics if you want for ideas.  You can also get a bunch of ideas from Sawmill Creek as it is a popular project.

The way I see it is why have the table space un-utilized when you can make it multi-purpose.  For some operations you want a stand alone, but for many the TS combo works well as you already have a big surface, accurate fence, and outfeed support.  I feel like the more router tables you can have set-up without impacting your work space the better.  Many operations require multiple cuts, it sure is nice to have workstations ready to go so you do not need to change bits and re-dial in each setup.  I am building a second drop in router table in a MFT worktable.  Plan to have the 890 and a simple fence as well as second fixed base router set up just for 1/8" round overs.

Shapers are real nice but just not as convenient and multi-purpose as a router table.  Much easier to swap out bits and dial heights with a good router lift. 

 

[upscale]

Shapers are real nice but just not as convenient and multi-purpose as a router table.  Much easier to swap out bits and dial heights with a good router lift. 

There's an easy fix to that. Just buy yourself multiple shapers.  ;D

 

[GreenGA]

Thank you for the reference.  I'll take a look-see when I get home later this evening.

Green, I have a SawStop PCS and installed a Woodpecker's top in the right wing.  Which top doesn't make much of a difference... it's what I had previously so I re-used it.  Anyway, my setup addresses some of your list and may I saw the dust collection on it is superb.

All the individual parts of the router table, dust collection, single pigtail for TS and router are described in different articles on my blog, but rather than read, go to this video tour of the modifications (so, router table and DC) and see if any of it is of interest.  From there, there are links to the individual articles.

But naturally what I have may not be what you're looking for (so post what you come up with!)