Shopsmith Forums

Shipwright's thread on making a router table insert to fit between Model 510 rails has inspired me, but I am uncertain about how to proceed.

I am new to woodworking, and one of my first purchases was a Skill router and table. I am trying to decide whether it is worth it to salvage/repurpose the table top of the Skill router table to be part or all of the SS insert table for my 510. The Skill table has some decent features: a relatively new melamine surface covering MDF, a miter gauge slot that accepts the SS miter gauge (with some noticeable slop), and it has a useful (but plastic-based) fence that is removable at the base of the "J" in the first image below.

The problem is that the Skill table was built for the Skill router, which I do not intend to use on the SS insert table. I intend to mount on the SS insert table a Bosch 1617 router that came with a router table base. I also have a Rockler table plate (8 1/4 by 11 3/4) to which the Bosch router table base attaches (as it is the photos), and I intend to use the Rockler table plate on the SS insert table. The layout of the Skill table top does not match up well with the Rockler table plate. Here are some photos:
[ATTACH]18762[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]18763[/ATTACH]


The Rockler plate is too wide to fit between the slots that attach the fence, and you will see that the a large area of the table's underside MDF has been cut out. I could rotate the Rockler table plate 90 degrees from the layout in the photos; any reason not to consider that? It would take care of my problem on the top side, but the missing MDF on the underside could be a problem, and the plate would be crowding the miter slot:
[ATTACH]18764[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]18765[/ATTACH]

My question: is the Skill table surface worth using in making a router table something like Shipwright's? Should I just start from scratch with a new table top that could include slots to accept the fence from the Skill table?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Hank L.

Hank:

I don't like to be the bearer of bad news but this time I think that is what I am.

It is my opinion that you would be better off if you built your router table from scratch. The nicely surfaced MDF table would be great for this project if you were going to use a router/router plate that fit in the existing recess but you are not.

You also have to address the issue of hanging that table between the front and rear rails of your Shopsmith. Give that some serious thought before you make the final decision on the table itself.

There is an old thread that discussed repurposing hardware that was left over after upgrading from 510 to 520 configuration. You might want to visit that for some ideas. I will attempt to find it.

I agree with Dusty. The insert table that I made was easy enough to build that there would be little if any advantage in using the Skil table especially if it needed modifications.
One of the design features of mine was to keep it as narrow as possible to allow the SS fence to be used with it. This means that you don't need the fence feature of the Skil top. Also the melamine surface would be minimal by the time you cut the top down to size.The surface of the mounting plate on the Bosch is quite large so if you built an insert that was the width of the plate, it's length would cover most of the insert top.
Lastly, if you go from scratch you will still have the Skil router and it's table to use as a separate unit.

I had my doubts, and you two experienced hands have convinced me to abandon the Skil table top. I will start thinking about building a table top that can incorporate the fence from the Skill table (to run parallel to the way bars) and the SS rip fence that runs perpendicular to the way bars). How about that idea?

hjlssfor1 wrote:I had my doubts, and you two experienced hands have convinced me to abandon the Skil table top. I will start thinking about building a table top that can incorporate the fence from the Skill table (to run parallel to the way bars) and the SS rip fence that runs perpendicular to the way bars). How about that idea?

I believe that building your own table is a wise decision.

You will have to route out an indenture for the router plate. This is not a difficult task but it can be frustrating. I suggest a couple practice runs on scrap before you begin working on the new table.

Keep checking the HD cull pile for melamine covered cutoffs. I have acquired a few that way for $$.

Reading through this inspired me. Not about a router table, but about a couple of formica countertop cutoffs I have been saving for about 8 years. Too good to trash, don't have a fireplace… I will cut off the backsplash and bullnose and use them as glue tops on a couple of small tables I have. Thanks a bunch. (My scrap pile looks in the mirror liking her new svelte shape!)

I had a day of driving today, and I thought some more about building the router table insert, but I was away from my 510, so I could not take any measurements.

Is a melamine top surface the way to go?

Any advice as to how to build the insert table? I haven't built anything like this. I am thinking that I should build a sturdy plywood base unit with cross members and then attach (to the top of of the base unit) the melamine table surface (that would hold the Rockler router table plate). Should I plan to make the table surface a bit proud of the adjacent SS table surfaces and then gradually plane the bottom side of the table surface to get the height just right? Is planing melamine not a good idea? I do not have a planer, but I have ordered one.

Shipwright, do you have any dimensions from your build?

Any need to worry about fine tuning the points of attachment to the SS rails to make sure that the insert table is properly aligned with the adjacent SS tables?

Thanks everyone for your assistance.

Hank

I wouldn't bother with melamine. I used plywood and it was fine. I don't remember the sequence that I used but when I look at the photos I see it this way.

1) Cut two "bearers" out of 3/4" solid stock that fit around the tube on one side and have a friction fit inside the tube on the other.

2) Cut a top out of an appropriate thickness of plywood (close to level with table but proud rather than low) and screw it to the bearers. Hinge it up and down to check fit.

3) Unscrew the top and, with a plane or table saw, trim the tops of the bearers by the amount needed to get the top level with the SS tables.

4) Rebate the router plate into the top and re-screw the top to the bearers.

5) Make up a dust collection / spacer fence to span the space between the nearest available spot for the SS fence and the router bit.

You'll have to take the measurements from the SS but it should be pretty straight forward.

Good luck

Paul M

I had hoped to report about my progress on the router table insert for my 510, but I am a snowbird who has left his shop in Montana for the warmer weather of Texas. I was not able to get much done on the project before I left Montana, and it will have to wait for my return to Montana in April. Hank