Shopsmith Forums

I'm re-examining my assumptions about the Shopsmith router table and wanted to solicit input from everyone. I have a stand-along router table of a generic kind. I also use a Shopsmith Overhead Router, which I enjoy a great deal. In watching Nick use the Shopsmith Router Table added to the main platform, I was wondering if I couldn't save some space and do away with my fairly cheap stand-along router table and simply use the SS router table instead.

Advantage: The Shopsmith Pro Fence would be excellent, ample table space, accessories for holding the piece in place while routing, ease of adjustment to the router height and bit replacement.

What are everyone's experiences with the SS Router table?

The catalog mentions a special fence for use with the router table, but the regular Pro Fence works well, I would think. Again, what are everyone's experiences?

Is the Shopsmith Router table an improvement over a stand-along router table?

I will attempt to get back with some photos but no promises. I have gotten deeply involved with a torn down computer that is giving me fits.

I have and use on a regular basis, the Shopsmith Router Table. In the past, I had it (almost permanently) mounted to the left end of the Mark V. I have now moved it to the Crafter's Station where it will probably live permanently (except when the CS is offsite).

I find it to be a very stable table (no warping or twisting) and when used with the Pro Fence it is excellent. Yes, there is another fence available and it appears that it would be a fine addition but what I have serves well. Should that no longer be the case, I will obtain the Shopsmith Router Fence.

RECOMMENDATION: Do not leave your router hanging in the table for long term storage. I believe it contributes to table warpage (twisting). I live in fairly dry climate and don't have much trouble with excessive moisture change but in some climates I believe the tables get tortured by the change in moisture content. Supporting extra weight, I suspect, just exacerbates that process.

I'm in the process of making my own.
Picked up a set of 520 rails on ebay.
Left to do is cutting the opening.

I think there are pluses and minuses.

Pluses
Rock solid
Less space to store (table top versus whole router table stand)
Excellent fence
Shopsmith quality
Usually a less expensive option
Extra table space on SS if needed.

Minuses
Ties up SS while your routing
Very little if any dust collection (no enclosure)
Very little noise surpression (no enclosure)
No really good way to mount a router lift if you ever want one.

For many the two biggest minuses are noise and dust control and they aren't problem to me. The biggest pluses are the increased table surface when not using router and storage.

The choice is yours

I use the Shopsmith Router table with the Incra System and it is one of the best router set-ups I have ever used.

Using the actual router fence, that attaches to the Shopsmith fence, will greatly help in the many projects you can make. The router fence allows you to slide the fences away from each other and place the router bit between them, increasing the possibilities for joint making and cutting profiles on the edge of your wood. Using just the regular fence will allow you to cut grooves and dados, but not do too much edge profiling due to the bit extending beyond the front of the fence.

I find the SS router table easy to remove and attach to my Shopsmith. For height adjustment of the bit, buy a router that has the built-in above-the-table height adjustment feature. That way you can forgo the seperate mechanism. With a router with this feature, you simply drill a small hole in the router table. This feature comes on many routers now and it doesn't increase the cost of them very much. Most of the seperate height mechanisms can cost as much as the router itself.

If you can, purchase a router with at least a 3-hp motor. This will allow you to route just about any type of wood you desire, use the larger router bits that are sold these days, and will greatly improve your efforts if you ever decide to buy the Incra system and start making dovetails on your router table.

Hope some of this info helps.

To each his own, but I prefer the stand alone router table. I have the Jointech system which includes the router table for the SS and I still prefer the system set up on my stand alone router table. Mainly because of the lack of dust collection and the noise. Also, it's one more thing in the way when I need to use the saw table.

I don't like to step on anyone else's advice, but sometimes it is just mis-information that needs some correction.

Just to let everyone know (if they don't already), both the Shopsmith router fence and the Incra router fence come with dust collection ports that work marvelous in keeping everything clean and dust free.

Also, you can keep your router table set-up on your Shopsmith and still use the table saw. You can actually use the router table as a floating table extension if you lower the router bit below the table's surface, or remove the router while still attached to the router plate. I have never needed to remove my router table when using my Shopsmith in the table saw mode.

I have also found that it isn't that much louder than my old stand-alone router table I used to use. Unless your router table has an enclosure that the router resides in (most router tables on the market do not have this feature) it is no louder than the average router table.

woodburner wrote:I don't like to step on anyone else's advice, but sometimes it is just mis-information that needs some correction.

Just to let everyone know (if they don't already), both the Shopsmith router fence and the Incra router fence come with dust collection ports that work marvelous in keeping everything clean and dust free.

Also, you can keep your router table set-up on your Shopsmith and still use the table saw. You can actually use the router table as a floating table extension if you lower the router bit below the table's surface, or remove the router while still attached to the router plate. I have never needed to remove my router table when using my Shopsmith in the table saw mode.

I have also found that it isn't that much louder than my old stand-alone router table I used to use. Unless your router table has an enclosure that the router resides in (most router tables on the market do not have this feature) it is no louder than the average router table.

Yep! The fence has dust collection, but there is also a hole for the bit to pass through on the table and an awful lot of "dust" falls through there. Also there are a lot of times when you (I) don't even use the fence, so where does the dust go then? My post wasn't meant to be any kind of advice... it was simply Only My Humble Opinion and observations. I don't see where any of my statements or personal observations warrant being called "mis-information that needs correction". What makes you think that your opinion is more correct than mine?

curiousgeorge wrote:Yep! The fence has dust collection, but there is also a hole for the bit to pass through on the table and an awful lot of "dust" falls through there. Also there are a lot of times when you (I) don't even use the fence, so where does the dust go then? My post wasn't meant to be any kind of advice... it was simply Only My Humble Opinion and observations. I don't see where any of my statements or personal observations warrant being called "mis-information that needs correction". What makes you think that your opinion is more correct than mine?

Apparently One Man's Opinion, is another's mis-information. Stay COOL!

JPG40504 wrote:Apparently One Man's Opinion, is another's mis-information. Stay COOL!

I am not trying to start a confrontation here. I simply asked a question as to why he thinks his opinion is any more correct than mine. If that is being "UNCOOL" then, that is your opinion, isn't it?