Why spend 50 hours building a router table?

[Ryan Gallo]

Why not? I had a couple router tables sitting around, so I conglomerated them. One table had a fancy Incra top and components, but a rough cabinet made from plyboo. I decided to salvage the plyboo (it's $250 a sheet here in Seattle) and, using my clamps as spreaders, I carefully ripped the cabinet apart. Here's how it looked before destruction:

01.jpg

I'm a fan of SketchUp, and the metric system. So, I built the entire project in SketchUp before starting, just to make sure I would have enough material. (And it's great for generating cutlists, too.) Here's how that looked (credit goes to a few people that did the Incra modeling and posted to the SketchUp warehouse):

Drawing.JPG

Because the original cabinet was oversized (very tall), it made for an awkward chest-level working height. When I rebuilt it, I built the plyboo cabinet into a metal frame (that's the other router table I had sitting around), resulting in a standard-sized cabinet. I was able to salvage just about everything, including the fancy Blum under-mount soft-close drawer slides. I added some Philippine Mahogany for the cabinet faces, stained them dark to contrast against the lighter plyboo, and finished in poly. Here's how it ended up:

BlueRouterTable-1.jpgBlueRouterTable-2.jpgBlueRouterTable-3.jpgBlueRouterTable-4.jpgBlueRouterTable-5.jpg

Now maybe I'll use it to build something.

[Mike Bigfoot]

Very nice Ryan, I dig the router bit storage on the end of the cabinet. Now that you merged the router tables you picked up more space. Totally worth the effort.......

[william watts]

Good looking router table, looks like it has a really big table, the see thru door is cool. What's plyboo?

[Bruce Page]

Good looking router table, looks like it has a really big table, the see thru door is cool. What's plyboo?

It looks like bamboo plywood.
Awesome table!

[Jim Becker]

Why not spend the time? It's enjoyable making something that you know will also get used. Heavily. Nice work!

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

I'd never heard of plyboo. Looks nice!

[Andrew Kertesz]

With the enclosed router dust collection: Do you find it causes heating issue with your router?

[Jim Becker]

With the enclosed router dust collection: Do you find it causes heating issue with your router?

Enclosing the router should have no impact on the tool, itself, if it's done correctly. That means insuring that there is, in general, the same air inlet area between the table opening, fence collection and additional air inlet in the cabinet as your collection port supports. That's usually a 4" port in most folks designs. Typical way to add/increase the air intake is small holes near the bottom of the cabinet access door. It lets are come in and also acts as a "sweep" for the bottom of the cabinet, itself.

So the bottom line...this is really a math/geometry exercise.

[jack duren]

Nice build. You'll get your time back with its use. I did.....

[Saleem Hodge]

Amazing project! Where did you get the plyboo from, crosscut? I'm just starting and wouldn't dare attempt to use that at the moment but it would be cool, once I learn something Lol.

[Bruce Page]

Saleem, we were all in your shoes at one time. Enjoy the ride!

[Bill McNiel]

Amazing project! Where did you get the plyboo from, crosscut? I'm just starting and wouldn't dare attempt to use that at the moment but it would be cool, once I learn something Lol.

Saleem- Yes, Crosscut carries Bamboo Ply along with a semi impressive number of other veneered plywood of course none of it is free. Compton currently has some multi-ply (not Balti Birch or Apple) Birch or Maple 3/4" on sale for around $40 per sheet I think. Looked OK for shop cabinets.

[jack duren]

Bamboo is about a $100 a sheet.