This is a $10 set of shelves from Goodwill that I bought this week to convert into a router table. With those steel diagonal rods welded to the corner post it is quite solid. It is also pretty heavy. The bottom drawer is missing but will be easy to make. All of the shelves attach tightly but are adjustable. I will put a larger top on it and mount a new Bench Dog router lift I have in the top. I'll make a drawer to go between the two closely spaced shelves to store router bits and another drawer just below that. I'll probably move them down a bit. It will get a pair of wheels at the back and a handle to tip it back to move it around the woodshop like a two wheeled dolly.
I bought the Bench Dog router lift new still in the box at auction about a year ago or so when nobody there had a clue what it was. They sell for about $350, I paid $5 at auction... I'll do some playing around with how I want to build in a 4" dust collection connection. This stands a bit taller than I usually see router tables but I have a back full of arthritis that will not allow me to work bent over well. This will be just right for me.
I know some will say that I should build it from scratch with wood but one of my eccentricities is that I get great enjoyment from adapting and repurposing things and I enjoy being able to look at something of low value and seeing multiple possibilities. For many years I worked very hard at trying to teach our 4 kids (half of who are now grandparents) to function that way.
When I spotted this thing and felt its heft I said "Hey, here is my new router table". I'll have some fun playing with it.
My router table start.jpg (87.1 KiB) Viewed 2048 times
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farmer
Francis Robinson
I did not equip with Shopsmiths in spite of the setups but because of them.
1 1988 - Mark V 510 (bought new), 4 Poly vee 1 1/8th HP Mark V's, Mark VII, 1 Mark V Mini, 1 Frankensmith, 1 10-ER, 1 Mark V Push-me-Pull-me Drillpress, SS bandsaw, belt sander, jointer, jigsaw, shaper attach, mortising attach, TS-3650 Rigid tablesaw, RAS, 6" long bed jointer, Foley/Belsaw Planer/molder/ripsaw, 1" sander, oscillating spindle/belt sander, Scroll saw, Woodmizer sawmill
