Shopsmith Forums

Earlier this year Ace Hardware had a 20% off anything you can put in one of their bags. I ran across a router on their clearance table which also had a 20% off the clearance price. Put it in the bag and bought a new $110 router for under $40.

Of course that means I needed a router table so I am in the process of making one for my 510. I’m posting the pictures early for two reasons:

In the picture the PCV is thick wall and the dowels are 1 ¼ oak from HD. When I finish the project I’ll post pictures and measurements. I also plan to make a screw jack that will fit on the top way tubes.

The fence fits perfectly. Just loosen it 1 ½ turns. This also gives me an extension for cutting wide lumber.

Now, the second reason for posting. Before I go further what do you suggest to improve the design? Anything I need to know before I rout the for the table insert? Other suggestions.

Just acquired 510 table tubes, which I will adapt to my router table (work in progress). I won’t give you the details but they came from the same source and were free. Seems he was saving them for a project. He had upgraded to a 520. They moved into a house in the neighborhood that had a 3-car garage, which was what he had before. His wife used the 3rd one for her stuff and he had a storage shed. He can’t have one in this association and she seemed to think she still had the third garage. After a discussion they reached a compromise (I’d liked to have been a fly on the wall to hear that one). They will share and he will get rid of stuff and so will she; one for one. She picks what is most important to her and then he does. Everything else goes. These tubes were not on the top pick list.

So, I picked them up and have removed the tubes previously attached to my work-in-progress router table and will replace them with these. The PCV tubes are free, along with the spacers, to anyone who wants them. Pay-it-Forward and I’ll ship free. They are the same width as the 510 table.

One of the members here traded me spacers and jack-screws for two tubes so I didn’t have to order them from SS. I’ll post pictures of the change along with exact measurements and recommendations for anyone who wants to duplicate this. Thanks to Glenn C. I may be able to sell the extra tubes I have on eBay and recover the outrageous price I paid for the tubes from my neighbor. With the longer tubes I got I think I got a good deal.

Do tell, is that hardware securing the wooden fence to the 510 fence from an old timey hold down set?

JPG40504 wrote:Do tell, is that hardware securing the wooden fence to the 510 fence from an old timey hold down set?

Yes it is. Came with my Mk. VII.

You were asking for recommendations for improvements. How about dust / chip collection? FWIW this is my router table insert if you haven't seen it before.
Any way you build it, it makes sense to me to mount it on the SS and use the SS fence.
Good work on this.

Paul M

Do you still have 3 pair of tubes left?

Also, does anyone know of I can make these work on a pre-1986 floating table without alignment issues. I have 1 newer 510 main table, 1 newer extension, 1 older extension, and 2 older floating tables. I'd like to replace all the older 510 rails to new ones. I assume I'll have to drill out the holes and put nuts/washers and find new jack screws?

I finished attaching the tubes and here are suggestions if you want to do something similar:

Make the length of the table exactly the length of the main table. Width can vary but I made it the same. When attaching the tubes I could have used a forstner bit to drill in the back of the 3/4 plywood and attach them with nuts but opted to provide more support with additional plywood (see pics). The measurement from the top of the table to the center of the holes to be drilled is 15/16. Make a template and be sure everything lines up before drilling into the table. You must exactly match 5 points (or 3 if you are using end-table tubes). You will need t-nuts for the jack screws (Ace Hardware) and 1/4 inch standoff nuts (HD $1.24 for pkg. of 3) as well as screws and washers.

I used a forstner bit to sink the t-nuts so they would be flush with the table edge. If you don't do this you will need a wider washer or probably two. Drill with the forstner before drilling the holes for the standoffs to go through, otherwise you might not center exactly. You will need a washer between the spacers and the table edge. The jack screws protrude into the tube just enough to block it if you don't. I didn't use the bolts pictured as they were too long so went with wide pan head screws. You'll note that I had to use a dremel to rout out the back of the table a bit to get the screws in. While I could have used narrower head screws I didn't think they would provide enough support on the back.

Drill all the holes one size larger than you think you will need.

I was going to give the exact measurements but when I made my first template it was ever-so-slightly off. Take your own measurements from the main or end table; that way if things don't fit exactly you don't have me to thank.

joshh wrote:Do you still have 3 pair of tubes left?

Also, does anyone know of I can make these work on a pre-1986 floating table without alignment issues. I have 1 newer 510 main table, 1 newer extension, 1 older extension, and 2 older floating tables. I'd like to replace all the older 510 rails to new ones. I assume I'll have to drill out the holes and put nuts/washers and find new jack screws?

I believe the shorter tubes are the same except for the screw(& hole)/stud difference. The long tubes(main table) have a different location for the center screw/stud.

If you do upgrade and need to 'disperse' the older tubes, PM me.

Tis a good idea to have all old or all new tubes(the wall thickness is different and can lead to misalignment between the two sizes).