optimal router table set up

[Aaron carter]

So I am setting up my first real router table. I am sick of fooling around with my router taking 15 minutes to change bits and adjust just right for height and get the fence right. I don't have a lot of spare time and the time I do have I want to spend woodworking not setting up my tools. It makes woodworking more work than fun. So I just purchased the Incra Master lift II which is based on the jessem lift and I am going to pair that with the 3.5 hp 7518 porter cable router. I am now thinking about getting the incra ls super fence system at 17" and building my own mdf tabletop and base with angle iron supporting it with a sheet of hdpe plastic over the top. I was considering getting the steel benchdog table but I would have to build and extension for it anyway and I could save the $400 for another tool. Anybody else have any other recommendations for a more optimal set up? I want this to be my last set up that I have to buy.

[pat warner]

Machine set up is part of the game. Every operation requires your setup attention.
With hand tools you're faced with the same, sharpening, setting guides, isolating
the work and so on.
Would only comment on the PE; it's not flat nor of uniform thickness.
It may a problem. Your cuttings may not be as accurate as you'd like.
And I would pay attention to the ht. of your table. Too low or too high not good.
Use the variable ht. of the drill press table to find your comfort zone.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Pat. While it's relatively easy to speed up the rough setup, fine setup still takes time and test cutting to be sure things are as you need them. It's the nature of woodworking, regardless of the tool. I like his comment about table height, too.

[larry senen]

just get one of those wrench less collets for the router and a 1/4" insert for it. on only the largest bits have i had to change to the old wrench collet.
BIG frustration saver.

[John TenEyck]

If you'd rather spend your time woodworking than building/setting up machines, then you should buy the Benchdog router table and fence, or something similar. Building a router table that's flat, true, and smooth is not trivial. You did say you want this to be your last set up.

John

[Prashun Patel]

I have the Incra LS Positioner, MastrLiftII, the Wonderfence, and the Incra table.

The positioner requires longer table to accommodate the carriage mount.

It might be simpler just to buy the Incra table and just build a base for it. Mine hasn't sagged yet.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

I also have the Incra LS positioner along with the Incra router lift and porter cable 7518 router. I can tell you from experience that it's a dream to work with (once set up properly) and will do exactly what you're wanting.

Example- I make a lot of drawers and use the same joinery for most of them. I use the drawer lock router bit set up for 1/2" thick stock. I bought the template for the router bit and it took me less than 3 minutes each for drawer front and sides. I logged the the position of the fence on the test piece I used for future reference. Now when I go back to make the same joinery again, I just side the fence to the measurement I had written down, do how ever many clicks of the micro adjust and I'm back exactly where I was the first go around. Total time, less than a minute. It takes me longer to change out the router bit than it does for me to set it up.

My router table is mounted on my TS so I do have to slide on the wonder fence every time I use the router table. Now that I'll be moving to a new shop soon with more room. I'm thinking of having a dedicated stand alone router table. If I do, it will still be an Incra.

[Robin Frierson]

My first router table was MDF and it sagged over time. My second router table was phenolic and it sagged over time. My third router table is cast iron and has not sagged. So I say go for a cast iron table.

[Myk Rian]

You will be taking time away from your busy schedule to set up tools, no matter what you do to mount them.

[Andy Giddings]

I have had both the Bench Dog original MDF table and now have the Phenolic version. Both have stayed flat even with the Bench Dog Lift/PC 7518 router permanently attached. As long as you support the top correctly with cross members as well as at the edges you don't have to go to the expense and weight of cast iron. Other suppliers also sell phenolic tables. I wouldn't recommend raw MDF - covered with a laminate both sides and edged would be a lot better

[Aaron carter]

Machine set up is part of the game. Every operation requires your setup attention.
With hand tools you're faced with the same, sharpening, setting guides, isolating
the work and so on.
Would only comment on the PE; it's not flat nor of uniform thickness.
It may a problem. Your cuttings may not be as accurate as you'd like.
And I would pay attention to the ht. of your table. Too low or too high not good.
Use the variable ht. of the drill press table to find your comfort zone.

I understand that regardless of what I am doing I will have some tool set up. However right now I am working with a bosch RA1181 table and a hitachi m12vc which really limits me in my accuracy and efficiency.

I also have the Incra LS positioner along with the Incra router lift and porter cable 7518 router. I can tell you from experience that it's a dream to work with (once set up properly) and will do exactly what you're wanting.

Example- I make a lot of drawers and use the same joinery for most of them. I use the drawer lock router bit set up for 1/2" thick stock. I bought the template for the router bit and it took me less than 3 minutes each for drawer front and sides. I logged the the position of the fence on the test piece I used for future reference. Now when I go back to make the same joinery again, I just side the fence to the measurement I had written down, do how ever many clicks of the micro adjust and I'm back exactly where I was the first go around. Total time, less than a minute. It takes me longer to change out the router bit than it does for me to set it up.

My router table is mounted on my TS so I do have to slide on the wonder fence every time I use the router table. Now that I'll be moving to a new shop soon with more room. I'm thinking of having a dedicated stand alone router table. If I do, it will still be an Incra.

I considered getting an incra table setup but did it does not accommodate the incra master lift II, the plate is too big for all incra tables it will only fit the bench dog table. That is reassuring that you like the LS fence system.

I have the Incra LS Positioner, MastrLiftII, the Wonderfence, and the Incra table.

The positioner requires longer table to accommodate the carriage mount.

It might be simpler just to buy the Incra table and just build a base for it. Mine hasn't sagged yet.

On black friday Rockler will have the cast iron table top, the porter cable 7518 router, and the bench dog lift for $899. I asked if they would substitute the incra lift for the bench dog lift and they said they can't. So I ordered the incra lift on Amazon and may get the Rockler package too and sell the bench dog lift on Ebay then I would get the tabletop and the router for $549 minus any fees I pay to sell the bench dog on Ebay they usually sell for around $340. I can get the LS fence for $399. I paid $339 for the incra lift. So $1287 for everything plus I would need to build the base cabinet and add an extension to the cast iron table top to mount the fence.

[Jim Dwight]

I've built several router tables but plan to stay with my current one indefinitely. It has a home made lift that slides on two 1 inch machined rods fastened to the 3/4 plywood back and raised and lowered with a piece of 3/8 all thread (or is it 5/16?) with 16 threads/inch. I got the basic design from an old American Woodworker article (which is still available). Another idea from that magazine is that the top is hinged so bit changes do not require the height of the router to change. I altered the magazine design, however, to have drawers for the bits from Norm Abram's on New Yankee Workshop. The fence is held in place with very short pipe clamps. It is the same height as my table saw and workbench - 38.25 inches. It rolls on 4 totally locking casters. The on off switch is a light switch in a metal double box with an outlet. So you plug the router into the outlet and the switch turns the router on and off. Nothing fancy about it but it works great. Dust collection from the fence and the router compartment. The top is a sink cutout (high density particle board with formica attached), backed with a piece of 3/4 plywood and edged with maple. It has stayed flat.

[Frankie Hunt]

On black friday Rockler will have the cast iron table top, the porter cable 7518 router, and the bench dog lift for $899. I asked if they would substitute the incra lift for the bench dog lift and they said they can't. So I ordered the incra lift on Amazon and may get the Rockler package too and sell the bench dog lift on Ebay then I would get the tabletop and the router for $549 minus any fees I pay to sell the bench dog on Ebay they usually sell for around $340. I can get the LS fence for $399. I paid $339 for the incra lift. So $1287 for everything plus I would need to build the base cabinet and add an extension to the cast iron table top to mount the fence.

Pay particular attention to lift plate size. You don't want the plate to be a different size than the table top hole!

[Brian W Evans]

I have the benchdog cast iron top and I love it. I also have the woodpecker lift and the woodpecker fence. I highly recommend both. I had to drill two holes in the fence base to make it work with the benchdog top but it was no problem - just aluminum.

It's nice to know that I will never have to think about changing my router setup again. Changeovers and setups are about as quick as they can be as well.

[Mark Furjanic]

I've got an Incra table, the Incra Mast r Lift 2 and the LS17 with Wonderfence and couldn't be happier. I built a cabinet for it and added the dust box and clean sweep rings. The whole unit is a pleasure to work with.

Someone above mentioned that the Mast R Lift 2 won't fit the Incra table but mine fit perfectly.