Straightforward to construct router desk

Furniture

Straightforward to construct router desk

incomestreamsurfer@gmail.com

February 24, 2023

Straightforward to construct router desk

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Synopsis: Designed for a compact router, this small router desk can even go well with midsize fashions. Its open design permits for straightforward clamping to a piece floor and straightforward changes to the bit peak and elimination of the motor. It’s designed so you’ll be able to customise it to fit your router, your workspace, and your work. The highest is melamine for a clean floor, and the break up fence is laminated to maintain it steady.

This router desk was born as a result of I used to be sick of devising advert hoc methods of securing my compact router the wrong way up after I wished to do some fast roundovers on small items. An enormous router desk isn’t a part of my workflow, however I turned bought on the advantages of a small one with out all the flamboyant bells and whistles. So I designed this one, which requires a small quantity of supplies and doesn’t take a lot time to construct. Though I made it for my compact router, it’s going to additionally go well with midsize fashions.

I designed this router desk so the perimeters are strong however the back and front are open. The decrease stretchers present a straightforward strategy to clamp the desk to a piece floor. The open space is sized so I can simply change the bit peak or take away the motor from the bottom; should you’ll use a distinct router than the one I take advantage of, measure yours and regulate the scale. Equally, should you are likely to work with bigger workpieces or sled-style jigs, chances are you’ll need to improve the scale of the highest or the width of the stretchers. A part of the fantastic thing about this design is its adaptability. All of the components go collectively shortly with screws.

I like to recommend making the highest from melamine for friction-free routing. Plus, its white floor clearly exhibits pencil traces, that are additionally simply erased. Simply make sure to ease the perimeters to scale back the chance of these horrible melamine cuts and splinters.

Easy open base

locating holes for table stretcher — **Use the stretcher’s predrilled holes to mark the facet, then drill.** Find these holes within the stretchers so that they fall within the middle of the facet’s thickness. The higher stretchers also needs to be drilled now for screws that may safe the highest later.

drilling holes in side of table for stretcher — **Assemble the bottom.** Having the perimeters predrilled makes it straightforward to align the stretchers and flippantly maintain them in place whilst you drive screws. As you assemble, be certain that the stretchers are flush with the highest and backside ends of the perimeters.

An upgraded high

Though the highest could possibly be only a board with a gap drilled in it for the bit and a clamped-on fence, I improved mine with detachable inserts for the bit opening and particular {hardware} for a sliding fence.

marking router base on table top — **Use the router’s mounted base to mark the highest for mounting screws.** Huff locations the middle of the bottom roughly one-third the gap from the again fringe of the highest and centered alongside the size. If potential, orient the router so the on/off swap faces the entrance and the ability twine goes out the again. In case your router’s mounting holes are asymmetrically arrayed, mark them on the highest’s backside face, then switch these areas to the highest by drilling small through-holes.

Start by finding the router base. I hint the bottom’s mounting holes onto the highest earlier than counterboring and drilling for the screws. In case your base’s gap sample is symmetrical, you’ll be able to mark these areas on the highest face of the tabletop. If the sample’s not symmetrical, mark the underside face (since that’s the place you’ll mount the router), then drill small through-holes from the underside to the highest. Use these holes to find your Forstner bit as you counterbore for the screws.

drilling holes for mounting screws on router table — **Drill holes and counterbores for the mounting screws.** Drill counterbores deep sufficient that the screw heads sit under the tabletop. With a twist bit, end with through-holes, utilizing the dimple left by the Forstner bit to line up your bit.

routing dovetail slots on table top — **Use a straight bit and fence to take away many of the waste for the dovetail slots.** Clearing many of the waste with a straight bit minimizes put on in your dovetail bit and router motor. Huff routs each slots by pushing ahead and with the fence to her proper, utilizing the bit’s rotation to assist preserve the fence tight to the board. This requires plunging in initially of 1 slot.

finished dovetail slot in router table top — **Dovetail slot suits Matchfit {hardware}.** Another excuse to excavate the waste with a straight bit is to make the dovetail cuts simpler to manage. In one of many cuts you’ll be routing with the bit’s rotation, which is able to encourage the bit to wander. You decrease this danger by minimizing the fabric to take away.

The subsequent step is to create the opening for the bit. Earlier than drilling a through-hole large enough to suit your largest bit, drill a big counterbore to simply accept the ring-shaped inserts. The inserts shrink the opening while you’re utilizing smaller bits, enhancing each security and value. I make the counterbore’s diameter 1/4 in. bigger than the through-hole can be. Because the inserts must be flush with the highest, drill the counterbore exactly to the thickness of your insert inventory. Be finicky right here. Then reduce the through-hole.

drilling a stepped hole for router bits — **Drill stepped holes to your inserts and largest bit.** First, drill a counterbore so the inserts sit exactly flush with the highest. Then drill a through-hole to suit your greatest bit. Middle these holes throughout the router base space.

creating insert blank — **Create the blanks for the inserts.** That is ideally finished with a gap noticed or fly cutter, however chopping on the bandsaw and sanding to suit works in a pinch. Huff makes use of 1/4-in. melamine for insert inventory.

drilling out the middle of an insert blank — **Drill out the center of the insert blanks to fit your router bits.** Use the opening from the earlier step to middle the drill bit. These blanks are small, so Huff makes use of a hand screw to carry them each securely and safely.

finished insert blank on the router table — **Inserts should match snugly and flush.** If the inserts are undersize, they’ll dangerously transfer round throughout a reduce. In the event that they sit above or under the desk’s floor, they’ll intrude with the reduce.

For the inserts themselves, I create disks utilizing 1/4-in. melamine or MDF. You need them to suit snugly. As soon as they match, drill holes via their facilities sized to fit your assortment of router bits.

I used to only clamp the fence to the highest, however I’ve upgraded to MicroJig’s Matchfit {hardware}. It really works equally to T-track, however as a substitute of monitor, it makes use of dovetail slots you rout into the highest and dovetail-shaped nuts that slide within the slots. The depth of the slots have to be exact, so house in in your reduce in a scrap earlier than routing the highest.

screwing the router table base to the top — **Screw the bottom to the highest.** With the highest and base finished, it’s time to safe them collectively. 4 screws in every higher stretcher preserve the highest tight to the bottom and guarantee a inflexible construction.

Laminated fence with mud assortment

The fence is straightforward however thought of. To begin, I laminate two lengthy items of three/4-in. plywood, which I favor as a result of strong wooden can warp. Laminating them makes the fence beefier and provides it extra reference floor on the underside, serving to it keep sq. to the tabletop. The fence’s backside edge must be straight and sq..

cutting router table fence into sections — **Reduce the laminated fence clean into sections.** Make three sections for a break up fence, two longer ones for the bearing floor, and a shorter one for mud assortment and bit clearance.

drilling hole of dust collection in router table fence — **Drill the brief part for mud assortment.** Select a bit that permits for a cosy match together with your vacuum hose or hose adapter. Place the opening excessive sufficient from the underside edge that the hose or adapter doesn’t catch on the router desk’s high.

screwing router table fence together — **Assemble the fence so the underside edge is flush.** Whereas gluing and screwing the brief part to the longer ones, Huff presses all three tight to a flat floor, making certain the meeting stays true alongside its backside edge.

After the glue dries, crosscut the laminated clean into two lengthy items and a brief one. Screw the brief piece to the longer items to create the break within the fence for router bits. Use your widest bit to find out that opening.

adding cleats to router table fence — **Add cleats with Matchfit {hardware}.** To work correctly, the cleats have to be positioned precisely. To find one, set up the dovetailed nut, insert it within the slot, and press the cleat to the fence. Mark the screw areas with an axe. Then drill the fence and mount the cleat.

MATCHFIT Dovetail {Hardware} Selection Pack – 12 Piece

Create jigs and store fixtures with the versatile MICROJIG® MATCHFIT Dovetail {Hardware}. Now it’s potential to rout your personal tracks, eliminating the necessity for an aluminum T-Observe. This {hardware} strikes via the dovetail tracks under the floor, permitting you to create a wide range of jigs that transfer freely and tighten down anyplace you’ll be able to rout a groove. Create your personal fences, stops, hold-downs, and meeting fixtures.

Value: $13.99 on the time of writing

The cleats for the Matchfit {hardware} must line up precisely with the slots on the desk. To make sure that they do, first clamp the fence to the desk. Set up the {hardware} within the cleats, insert the dovetail nuts of their slots, and slide the cleats up the fence. Then mark their areas on the fence.

As a ultimate step, I wax the fence’s entrance face so workpieces slide easily. Then I rout away.