I built a router table that I installed into my Ridgid table saw, and I really liked it. I am in the process of assembling my new SawStop with a 36" fence. The fence comes with a table top that inserts between the fence rails to the right of the blade. The table is 6" longer my home built router table, so I guess that the SawStop has smaller cast iron wings and/or top than my ridged saw.
I am considering:
- Build a new top. It would fit well, be well built, but take more time than I care to use.
- Install the old router top and step between the rails a few inches to use the router.
- Modify the side table to be my router table.
I am considering option 3, but I don't know what is under that shiny black surface and I would need to reinforce the bottom to prevent sagging. I measured things late last night, and I believe that top is probably 3/4" thick material. Will probably enforce the entire center section between the existing support beams, but I might simply add some more support beams so that the supports are directly under the area that would support the router lift. I am a bit concerned as to what the hard shiny material is and how it will route. I hope that the laminate trimmer bits and pattern bits that I have should be able to cut it smoothly, it worked well for laminate on my shop made router table.
My current router top does NOT have track, which is probably good, because track would not work in the SawStop (because heavy steel angle brackets are used for the fence, and it goes almost to the top of table.... and I don't really want to cut a path like they did for the saw tracks).
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.