Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 21

Thread: Router table heat build up.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    6,981

    Router table heat build up.

    If I enclose my router with a plastic door with vent slots, how big of a concern is heat build up?

    My present setup has all the dust collection done from right behind the bit on the fence.
    Where the router sits underneath, it's open on the front and back.
    I was thinking of adding a back and a door with vent slots and moving the dust collection to down below the table.

    Should I be concerned about heat?

    I'm using a Milwaukee 5625-20 in the table.
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  2. #2
    Rich, I enclosed my router compartment and ran my dust collection to the back of that compartment. Then, after dust caused a failure in the router I went to both the fence and the cabinet and its been good since. Regarding heat, I would be very surprised if you have vents that you would have a heat issue.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,675
    Unless you are running for hours on end (which isn't a good idea for a router anyway), I doubt you'll have an issue. But you can further reduce the risk by collecting from the enclosure as well as from the fence. A 4" port on the box with the combination of some ventilation holes down low to "sweep" debris from the box as well as the opening in the table and a connection to the fence will provide good air flow to cool the motor.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Okotoks AB
    Posts
    3,495
    Blog Entries
    1
    I have DC run to the fence & motor enclosure with no heat or dust accumulation.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    N CA
    Posts
    1,279

    Box

    I built my own box and collect from below and the fence. It is leaky air wise but does not pool dust in the box and the old PC stays pretty clean as well.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #6
    I used a router table set up on the side table of my table saw for awhile. I put a box around the router, a PC690. I had a 4 inch dust collection point on the bottom of the box. I noticed the router was getting what I think was too hot. I thought about it and the DC was pulling air in the opposite direction the router was trying to pull it. That does not seem good to me. So when I built my current dedicated router table, I put the collection point for the in cabinet hose up in the collet area. That way the DC helps the router fan move air through the router. I think it works better this way. I also have a 2.5 inch collection point on the router table fence (the hose in the cabinet is 4 inch).

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    1,592
    Should I be concerned about heat?
    ABSOLUTELY.

    The router's motor (and electronic if present) is cooled by air passing over it. If you restrict/choke off the air available to cool it , what do you think is going to be the result ?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    McKean, PA
    Posts
    15,593
    Blog Entries
    1
    My router cabinet has a 1-1/2" x 20" slot cross the top of the door that is open. Running the 2Hp Freud router for as little at ten minutes without the cabinet dust collector running the air in the cabinet gets very warm inside.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    6,981
    The router's motor (and electronic if present) is cooled by air passing over it. If you restrict/choke off the air available to cool it , what do you think is going to be the result ?
    I'd be concerned it would cause it to run too hot - which is why I'm asking about it & trying to gather information based on others' experience.
    From the responses so far, it looks like I should add a dust collection port to the underneath and make sure the door has some way of letting air through - slots or holes.
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  10. #10
    Remember that the cooling air for the router motor flows from the end opposite the collet to the collet area. You do not want to reduce that airflow. Air collection on the router table fence tends to increase the cooling flow. Collection from below can reduce the cooling flow unless it also is applied at the collet area (not the other end of the router). It was not hard for me to arrange it that way because my router table has a home made lift with a carriage around the router motor that closes off the interior compartment. I just had to put a 4 inch flex hose so it ends at the same level as the collet. On a simpler cabinet, I think I would just hard pipe up to the collet end or run flex up there.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    1,592
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    I'd be concerned it would cause it to run too hot - which is why I'm asking about it & trying to gather information based on others' experience.
    From the responses so far, it looks like I should add a dust collection port to the underneath and make sure the door has some way of letting air through - slots or holes.

    Correct.

    The difficult part is how much air to let in, and where. Like Jim mentions , you could be shooting yourself in the foot by placing it in the wrong spot. Trial & error / experimenting with your setup will be necessary to find the balance

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    N CA
    Posts
    1,279
    The picture of my box doesn’t show another 1.5” hole I drilled for the power cord. The next time I do a run, I think I will flip the plexiglas to see if there is a difference in DC. That would introduce the air to the collet area. This is the SS router table and I also pull of the SS fence. My question is, how would you know the system is/isn’t cooling adequately. Seems it is kinda “hit and hope”, like my golf game. If you are carrying sufficient air to clear the debris that would seem to indicate adequate air flow. As routers were not really designed for table use you just have to make sure you aren’t over burdening the equipment and looking for build up. Correct?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    6,981
    If you are carrying sufficient air to clear the debris that would seem to indicate adequate air flow. As routers were not really designed for table use you just have to make sure you aren’t over burdening the equipment and looking for build up. Correct?
    More or less correct.
    My table at present is open underneath. I have a box with a hose connection right behind the bit & it does pretty good at catching a lot of the chips/dust. I was thinking of adding a back & a door in order to reduce the amount of stuff it puts out as much as I can.

    I don't push the router by running it for more than a half hour at a time - if even that.

    My question is, how would you know the system is/isn’t cooling adequately.
    Good question. I can only think of one way - touch it and see how hot it is. Not real scientific, but, unless there's a better way that's all I got!
    I guess I could always put my basic electronics training to some use and build a digital thermometer to monitor the temperature. I might do that one of these days.
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  14. #14
    how would you know the system is/isn’t cooling adequately.
    From experience, I can tell you, you'll first notice it on the mounting plate if it's metal. Gate to bottom enclosure inadvertently got closed on my table one day. Almost done routing - maybe 20minutes, and man, I could not hold my hand on the top. This is on a cast-iron table with aluminum lift insert, large porter-cable motor. Totally shocking how much heat can build in a box like that in short order.
    Vents not enough- they were still open. Active flow through from dust collection source is a must.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,492
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    I'd be concerned it would cause it to run too hot - which is why I'm asking about it & trying to gather information based on others' experience.
    From the responses so far, it looks like I should add a dust collection port to the underneath and make sure the door has some way of letting air through - slots or holes.
    I have a 4" duct at the rear of the compartment and a door with holes in the front. Between the vents and the throat opening of the router (which varies with your insert) you want about the surface area of your exit port. In my case is about 12 sq in.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •