NYW router table fence

[John Piwaron]

Has anyone here built the NYW router table?

If you have, how satisfied are you with the T bolt in a through slot method of guiding the fence back and forth? Would you do anything different about it if you were to do it over?

[Brad Townsend]

You picked up on what I consider one of the major flaws in Norms plan. I did mine that way and worked with it for nearly a year with sawdust going down the slot into the accessory drawer on one side and into the wiring recess on the other side. I finally routed dados from the back of the table up to the miter slot in the same line as the T-bolt slots and installed T-track. It works better and keeps the sawdust out.

[Matt Meiser]

My Rockler top has the same design. The drawer does fill up with dust depending on how well the dust ports pick up the dust. I solved it by putting a piece of duct tape over the bottom of the slots (attached to the underside of the table.) Now I have to vacuum the slots out, but its not that big a deal.

[Cecil Arnold]

My table is the one Norm used as the basis for the NYW table and uses a clamp type lock for the fence. They look like this:

[glenn bradley]

I collect dust via a DC / shopvac combination setup above and below my Rockler table with minimal loss of (dust) control ;-).

[John Piwaron]

My purpose in asking about this is that this is the same method used on the Woodsmith router table I built many years ago.

It's the single worst thing about that table.

Today, I don't even use the T-bolts on my existing table. I clamp it the the tabletop at each end. But using clamps is a hassle.

So now I'm going to be buying the stock this weekend for the NYW table. I of course have been studying the plan and note the same method being used here.

I going to change it. I'll use T-track to guide it fore and aft.

Thanks for your input guys. It's nice to see that great minds think alike.

[Brad Townsend]

So now I'm going to be buying the stock this weekend for the NYW table. I of course have been studying the plan and note the same method being used here.

Since you are still in the planning stage, another change I would recommend is using a "T" style miter track, instead of the straight track used in the plan. That way, if you want to use your table saw miter gauge for example, you don't have to fiddle around removing the retaining device from the front of the gauge bar.

I might also suggest a different DC fitting on the back. I was never thrilled with the plumbing PVC "Y" that is called for in the plan. IMHO it restricts airflow too much to allow for really good dust collection. I changed it out for a regular 4"x4"x2 1/2" DC fitting (example: Woodcraft #144930) and it works MUCH better. Since my table was already built, I didn't even bother changing the baffling inside the cabinet, but it was still a huge improvement. You could design your internal baffling to make it even better yet.

[HR masters]

A little off subject but I built my RT combining a bunch of ideas, some yours, some mine, and the DC was solved with an old 1hp DC in the bottom compartment with hose going to fence and the 4" hose from main DC to the compartment housing the router, since doing that I have for the first time enjoyed almost dust free routing. the track fo the fence is inca"s T-Track plus with the built in ruler on both sides of the fence for instant reference points. The track is available at Woodpeckers. I would send a pic but like most of the stuff around here I started using it before I really finished it. HR

[Charles Wilson]

I have the plan and am going to be building it this summer. Can someone post pictures of the problem areas and maybe some pics as to the solutions that you came up with?

Brad thanks for the tip on the DC out the back.

Thanks,
Chuck

[John Piwaron]

another change I would recommend is using a "T" style miter track, instead of the straight track used in the plan.

I don't think a "T" style miter track will work for me as a guide for a miter gauge if I use my TS miter gauge. I was thinking of a simple U shape just like the TS. However, since I'm not that far, I'll consider a "T" guide, though it does mean a different miter gauge. Not a big deal since the one on my TS isn't that great. It's still the stock gauge that came with my Craftsman TS. Though I did add a long plywood face to it. And a longer custom bar to better fit the TS slot.

I might also suggest a different DC fitting on the back. I was never thrilled with the plumbing PVC "Y" that is called for in the plan. I changed it out for a regular 4"x4"x2 1/2" DC fitting (example: Woodcraft #144930) and it works MUCH better.

Good idea. I'll look at that.

Both items are a little farther down the construction road. Right now, the basics will be covered.

[Bart Leetch]

I going to change it. I'll use T-track to guide it fore and aft.

Don't use T-track use the method recommended in Cecil's post it is a much better way to clamp your fence. I have T-track & my buddy did it Cecil's way much better & smother to use.

[Brad Townsend]

I don't think a "T" style miter track will work for me as a guide for a miter gauge if I use my TS miter gauge. I was thinking of a simple U shape just like the TS. However, since I'm not that far, I'll consider a "T" guide, though it does mean a different miter gauge. Not a big deal since the one on my TS isn't that great. It's still the stock gauge that came with my Craftsman TS. Though I did add a long plywood face to it. And a longer custom bar to better fit the TS slot.

Just to clarify, the "T" miter track I'm suggesting is not standard "T" track. It's a standard 3/4" U-shaped miter track with T slots in it. Any standard miter gauge should work in it, including your present one, even if it doesn't have a front hold-down. With the T miter track, you can still use your present gauge now and be all set should you upgrade to something else in the future.

[John Piwaron]

I going to change it. I'll use T-track to guide it fore and aft.

Don't use T-track use the method recommended in Cecil's post it is a much better way to clamp your fence. I have T-track & my buddy did it Cecil's way much better & smother to use.

Cecil's way is vaguely the way I came to hold mine still now, only I'm using those hand squeeze clamps to do the job instead of wooden parts like Cecil's.

But here's the real crux of the matter. More than just using T bolts in a long slot, T-track or even clamps at each end, the one big problem I'm thinking about is simply guiding the fence straight back and forth. Actual clamping is important too, but isn't the whole story IMO.

What I'm thinking of is in addition to using T-track and the associated screw and big wing nut is to have a rib extending from the fence assembly and riding in the slot at the top of the T-track on both sides. I'm thinking that this will cause the fence to move straight back and forth and fix the "racking" problem my current fence has/had. This "racking" seems like a problem inherent to any system that guides a fence on only two points.

Using Cecil's clamp at either end looks like it has potential to fix that problem by guiding along the edge of the table, but how well it does that depends on exactly how those clamps attach to the fence and how well they grab the table.

[John Piwaron]

Just to clarify, the "T" miter track I'm suggesting is not standard "T" track. It's a standard 3/4" U-shaped miter track with T slots in it. Any standard miter gauge should work in it, including your present one, even if it doesn't have a front hold-down. With the T miter track, you can still use your present gauge now and be all set should you upgrade to something else in the future.

I'll look into that. It sounds like a good idea.

[Hoa Dinh]

On RT dust collection.

I believe downdraft dust collection at the fence is the tidiest setup. Mine is not a separate RT. But you can get the idea here. The fence doesn't need to be an Incra Ultralite either.