To Build or Buy?

jeff__130 · Post by **jeff__130** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:36 pm

Hello, gents. I'm new to the forum (very excited to have found it, though) and I'll be returning home from deployment soon. I got my SS a few months before I left (only had time to make a loft bed for my daughter) so I haven't had a chance to build much. My wife already has a "honey-do" list that's going to require some routing. I've looked around online and found some really expensive router tables, some less expensive kits, and a couple of plans to make your own. I think I'm leaning towards the kits and making a bench top router table. I also need the router table to take up as little space as possible (will be moving soon). Does anyone have any advice on any of the above? Thanks for anything you can pass along.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:16 pm

Jeff, welcome to the Shopsmith forum and thank you for your service to the country. Here are a few options for building your own router table, with one of them even using a Shopsmith accessory -- the shaper/drum sander fence.

http://www.kevinsbrady.net/kbradyrouter.pdf

http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/pnc ... index.html

http://www.bobsplans.com/FreeDownloads/RouterTable.pdf

anmius · Post by **anmius** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:52 pm

I too thank you for your service and want to issue a welcome!

I have found that over 90% of my router needs are satisfied by using the shaper function of the Shopsmith (even using router bits in place of shaper bits). Yes, your stock feed rate needs to be a little slower because of Shopsmith's slower speed. But with care the finish is pretty darn good. Something you may wish to check out to get even more use out of your Shopsmith.

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:10 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum.
I have a router table that I made a couple of years ago and fastened it to the end of my main workbench. The workbench is from plans on the Woodsmith Shop TV show. The table can come off if necessary but I leave it on because it lengthens the bench.
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Bill V

jcraigie · Post by **jcraigie** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:51 pm

or you could always do this and really save space:D

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fjimp · Post by **fjimp** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:04 pm

My first Shopsmith Router set up was one of their router tables that attaches to the Mark V

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... rtable.htm

I used it for nearly a year until I found more space and set up both a free standing router table and an over arm pin router. Jim

n2blues · Post by **n2blues** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:34 pm

[quote="jcraigie"]or you could always do this and really save space:D

is this as straight forward and easy as it looks? Or are there problems to be solved? This project would solve a lot of my storage issues

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:36 pm

I like the idea of using the Shopsmith drum sander/shaper fence on a shop-built router table!

jcraigie · Post by **jcraigie** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:40 pm

You need to cut/grind out the bottom of one of your aux tables so the router will mount flush to the bottom of the table.

Then you need to drill the center hole to allow your router bits to come up thru the center of the table.

Finally you need to drill the holes needed for your specific router mounting plate to mount the router to the bottom of the table.

hdoilcan · Post by **hdoilcan** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:37 pm

jcraigie wrote:or you could always do this and really save space:D

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Really like this idea!!