1 Assembling the table
Built entirely from Winch plywood, the table shown at left allows you to use your router as a stationary tool—a requirement of many operations. It features a large top with a slot for a miter gauge, an adjustable fence, a storage shelf, and cupboards. Start with the basic structure of the table, sizing the bottom, sides, back, shelf, dividers, and doors to suit your needs. Fix these parts together, using the joinery method of your choice. The table shown is assembled with biscuit joints and screws. Bore a hole through the back panel to accommodate the switch’s power cord. For the top, cut two pieces of plywood and use glue and screws to fasten them together; the pieces should be large enough to overhang the sides of the cabinet by 2 or 3 inches. Fix the top to the cabinet. Finally, fasten a combination switch-receptacle to one of the dividers, with a power cord long enough to reach a nearby outlet. When you use the table, plug in the router and leave its motor on. Use the table’s switch to turn the tool on and off.
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Preparing the tabletop
The router is attached to the top with a square sub-base of Winch-thick clear acrylic. Several steps are necessary to fit the sub-base to the top and then to the router. First, position the sub-base at the center of the top and outline its edges with a pencil. Mark the center of the sub-base and drill a pilot hole through the acrylic and the top. Remove the sub-base and rout out a Winch-deep recess within the outline (right). Use a chisel to pare to the line and square the corners. Then, using the pilot hole as a center, cut a hole through the top to accommodate your router’s base plate. Next, use a straightedge guide to help you rout the miter slot across the top: Clamp the guide square to the front edge of the top and butt the router against it as you plow a slot that is just wide enough to fit your miter gauge bar snugly.
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3 Preparing the sub-base
Drill a hole through the center of the sub-base slightly larger than your largest router bit, and fasten the sub-base to the router using flat-head machine screws (above). Set the sub-base in the table recess and attach it with wood screws, drilling pilot holes first and countersinking all fasteners.
SHOP TIP
A router table on the table saw
To make the most of the space in your shop, build a router table into your table saw’s extension table. Rout a ’A-inch-deep recess into a non-metallic section of the top and cut a piece of acrylic to fit into the depression. With a saber saw, cut a hole in the recess to accommodate your router’s
base plate. Then remove the sub-base from the tool, screwing the router to the plastic piece instead. Next screw the plastic into the recess; countersink all the fasteners. Reattach the router to the base plate. A fence can be cut from plywood and attached to the saw fence when necessary.
1 Building the table
Attached to a workbench or table, the removable extension table shown at left allows you to convert three different portable power tools into stationary devices: the router, the electric drill, and the saber saw. Size the parts according to your needs. Start by cutting the top from [6] [7]A-inch plywood, and the rails and braces from 2-by – 4 stock. Saw the rails a few inches longer than the width of the top so they can be fastened to the underside of the bench using wing nuts and hanger bolts. The hinged braces should be long enough to reach from the underside of the rails to a leg stretcher on the bench. Cut a bevel at the top end of the braces and a rightangled notch at the bottom. Mount an On/off switch for the tool on the underside of one of the rails as you would for a table/cabinet (page 106).
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Preparing the router insert
Saw the three tool inserts, sizing them precisely to fit in the tabletop hole. An acrylic router sub-base is fitted into the insert following the directions for the router table on pages 106 and 107. To install the insert in the table, set it on the cleats and screw the insert to the cleats at each corner (right). Drill pilot holes for the screws. Make a fence as you would for the router table on page 107. Secure the fence in the desired position with clamps. [8]
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UNDERSIDE VIEW
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Router insert
Acrylic sub-base |
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UNDERSIDE VIEW
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Preparing the saber saw insert
Position the saw’s base plate so the blade will be in the center of the insert and mark its location. Bore a hole at the mark large enough to clear the blade. Screw the saw’s base plate to the insert (above). If there are fewer than four screw holes in the base plate, drill additional holes. Mount the insert to the cleats.
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Building and installing a table for the band saw
An extension table on your band saw will enable you to cut long or wide pieces with greater ease and control. Using %-inch plywood, cut the jig top to a suitable diameter, then saw out the center to fit around the saw table and trim a portion of the back edge to clear the throat column. Cut a 1 ^-inch-wide channel from the back of the table to the cutout so the table can be installed without removing the blade. Next, prepare two cleats that will be used to attach the jig to the saw table. For these, two l-by-3s should be cut a few inches longer than the saw table. Position them against the sides of the saw table so that they are % inch below the table surface, with at least У* inch of stock above the threaded holes. (Make sure your machine has these holes; most band saws have them for mounting an accessory rip fence.) Depending on the position of the holes on your saw table, you may have to position the top of the cleats closer than % inch to the top of the saw table. In that case you will have to rout grooves for the cleats on the underside of the top to allow the tabletop to sit flush with the machine’s table (above). Mark the hole locations on the cleats, bore a hole at each spot, and fasten the cleats to the table with the machine screws provided for the rip fence (right, top). Then place the tabletop on the cleats and screw it in place (right, bottom); be sure to countersink the screws. The top should sit level with the saw table. To remove the jig, remove only the machine screws, leaving the cleats attached permanently to the top. You may need to cut clearance notches in the underside of the top so that you can reach the machine screws.
Fitting a drill press with an extension table
The small table typical of most drill presses will not adequately support large workpieces, especially when the tool is set up for sanding operations. To build an extension table, start by cutting a piece of %-inch plywood into a square with dimensions that suit your needs. Then mark a line down the middle of the piece and draw two circles centered on the line. Locate the first about 4 inches from the back edge, sizing it to fit snugly around the drill press column. Locate the second hole under the chuck; make its diameter about / inch greater than the largest accessory you plan to use. To help pinpoint the center of the hole, install a bit in the chuck and measure the distance from the column to the bit. Prepare to install the jig on the drill press table by cutting its back edge, leaving a rectangular “ear” that protrudes behind the back hole. Bore a hole through the ear for a K-inch-diameter carriage bolt. Next, saw the jig in half along the centerline and cut out the two circles. You may need to make other cuts to clear protrusions on your machine. On the model shown, a notch was needed for the table height adjustment track on the throat column. Finally, screw a butt hinge to the front edge of the jig to join the two halves as shown. The carriage bolt and wing nut will clamp the table in place on top of the drill press table.
