How to Build Table to Use With Versatile Router

According to the statistics, the router has become the do-it-yourselfer’s second-most popular electric woodworking tool, right behind the electric drill. There’s a good reason for that. The router is one of the most versatile tools you can own. Combine it with the right assortment of bits and it can make moldings, cut intricate joints, shape fancy edges, cut curves and circles, trim laminates, and so on.

But it’s a safe bet that most do-it-yourselfer don’t make full use of its versatility. And one reason they don’t is that they only use the router freehand. Freehand operation is OK for some jobs, but in many applications it’s a lot easier to use a router mounted upside-down under a router table.

Any good hardware store will have (or can order) a router table. Porter Cable makes one. So does Sears. But if you know enough about woodworking to own a router, you can make your table out of scrap wood for less money and in less time than it would take to go buy one.

The sketch shows one way to go about it. The design is very simple--just a small table with a separate fence that you secure with clamps. I haven’t included any dimensions, because you should choose your own to suit the size of your router, the size of your available lumber and your needs.

Ideally, the bigger the better, but for practical purposes, a table about 12-by-24 inches is convenient to use and store. Height? High enough to take your router. You can build the whole thing out of three-quarter-inch pine or plywood, whichever is handiest, with a top surface of quarter-inch hardboard.

To start, cut out the table top. In the center, cut out a hole big enough to accept the base plate of your router, which will probably be 6 inches in diameter. If your router has a square plate, you can make a square hole.

Next, glue and screw on the two skirts shown in the sketch. Make these about 2 inches wide. Now you can cut out the two legs and screw them to the table top. Reinforce this connection by screwing through the skirts into the edges of the legs as shown.

Next, top off the table with a layer of quarter-inch hardboard. Cut this the same size as your top and put a hole in its center large enough to clear your larges bit. This hardboard top serves two purposes: First, it gives your table a super-smooth top and, second, it’s the “plate” to which you’ll screw your router to mount it in the table, as you’ll see in a moment.

The fence. Make this by gluing together strips of pine 2 inches wide. Note that the center section is cut away to provide bit clearance. I have also included a bit guard made of quarter-inch plexiglass. This will help keep your hands away from whirling bits. Fasten it to the fence with two screws as shown.

Setting up. First, you need some way to keep the table from moving around when it’s in use. One way to do this is to glue and screw a 1-by-2 cleat across the bottom of one leg as shown. You can then clamp this cleat down to your bench to hold the table in place. Another approach, if your bench has a vise, is to make one leg longer than the other. You can then set the short leg on your bench, and clamp the long leg in your vise.

You have to mount your router in the table. To do this, remove the screws securing the plastic base plate to your router. Lift off the plate and use it as a pattern to drill mounting holes through the hardboard surface of your table. You can now hang the router upside-down under the table, using the same screws that secured the plastic base plate.

Using the table. This is mostly a matter of common sense, but if you don’t know what you are doing, you should consult a good book on using routers, such as “Router Handbook” by Patrick Spielman.

At any rate, using a router in a table does create the opportunity for accidents, so here are some pointers to help you keep your fingers intact:

--Don’t make heavy cuts. It’s safer to take two or three light passes. You’ll also get a better result.

--Keep your hands well away from the cutter. You may not need the fence for all operations, (working with piloted bits, for example). But it’s still a good idea to clamp the fence near the bit anyway, This lets you use the blade guard even if the fence isn’t guiding your cut.

--When you do use the fence, secure it at both ends with C-clamps. Never pass your work between the fence and the bit. If you do, the bit can grab your work and send it flying. Instead, place your fence to the left of the bit, with the bit in the gap of the fence. Then run the right edge of your stock along the fence.