Router and Table Suggestions - Help

[Mike Vsoika]

I am new to the router world and I would like to solicit suggestions if I could.

I want to buy a router and a router table. What would be a best of breed solution to accommodate most situations ($400 to $500 range)? I'm looking for a combo I won't want or need to upgrade after 6 months. Looking for a robust/versatile system right off the bat.

Are there any other must have accessories I also need to consider that are typically sold separately from a router and table?

Plunge router + Router lift table + ?

Thanks for the help,

Mike

[Don Baer]

Mike,
I am sure other will chime in but whenever I have questions on routers I go to www.patwarner.com. He is the Router Guru.

Welcome to the creek, don't forget we like pictures and you get extra points if they shows your shop.

[John Kain]

Well, I'll be the first of many to suggest you build your own router table. It's easy and cheaply done. You can design it however you see fit. I always thought most commercially sold tables were way too small, so I built a nice big one that doubles as an assembly table for me.

There are many examples of tables the members here have built. Just search it.

For a dedicated table router I'd go with any of the popular 3 1/4 HP routers available.....PC, Milwaukee, Hitachi, Triton, etc... They all work well.

I also think you should consider an above the table height adjuster (Router Raizer if cost is an issue), but it's obviously just an option.

If you are planning out taking the router out of the table, I would recommend a 2 1/4 HP router. I think you could get away with using a 1 3/4 HP one, but you need to be careful about how much you stress the router (I broke one about a year ago).

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...t=33429&page=2

[glenn bradley]

Welcome! You should mention if this will be a stand alone table or a tablesaw extension-type. You will get different sets of answers. For example:

Stand alone tables are usually longer / larger. An extension is usually limited by the depth of your TS, around 27" BUT, you can use the RT surface combined with the TS surface for a greater area.

Here's some to look at:

http://www.woodpeck.com/routertopsmain.html

http://www.ttrackusa.com/Router%20Table%20Systems.html

www.rockler.com

http://www.ptreeusa.com/router_list.htm

and the big boys:

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops...t_table_anchor

http://tinyurl.com/huc48

and my favorite and planned upgrade:

http://www.benchdog.com/promax.htm

When it comes to routers to put in the table you will get just as many if not more suggestions. I use a Milwaukee 5625. The thing is a locomotive. There are many folks who have this and other routers that they are very happy with. I apologize in advance that you will probably get buried in more goodwill recommendations than you can handle. Enjoy!

P.s. Another thread on the same subject:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=35931

[Mike Vsoika]

I really don't want to build one at this point in time but would something such as this be reasonable?

Router Table, Fence with 690 Variable Speed Router Motor Package

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...Router%20Table

[scott spencer]

Hi Mike - A router in a table is an incredibly versatile tool. Most of us find it's easier to own a second router for hand use and leave the table router put. A 3hp table router will give you plenty of power to spin even the largest bits (panel raisers).

With your budget you should be able to pick up a 3hp Hitachi or Freud, a 1-1/2hp PC 690 or Hitachi for hand use, and build a reasonable table to trim some costs.

[glenn bradley]

The PC 690 is a great little router but you mention that you don't want to have to upgrade in 6 months. I can only relay my experience and that doesn't make this right for you; I started with a 1 3/4HP Milwaukee, went to a 2HP Ryobi and then to the 3 1/2HP Milwaukee. I enjoy having a few spare routers around (and the router plates). But I would have rather spent the money I would have saved getting the big router in the first place on something else like bits.

[Bob Childress]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the Creek! This is a favorite topic around here, so you'll get plenty of responses.

My take on it, based on my own experience, is this: if you will have only one router, get a plunge/fixed combo. Use the fixed base in the table and the plunge for the hand-held operations. Then, you are only removing the motor and not the whole router from the table when you need it.

IF you can afford it, get two routers--a fixed base for the table and a plunge for hand held. The table router should be 2 - 3 HP, but the hand-held can be less. I have a PC 890 in the table (not big enough for panel bits) and a Festool OF1010 for hand-held routing. It just got to be too much trouble to take the 890 out of the table base.

I have the Rockler table and it's pretty good, but wish I had gotten the larger one, so now I'll have to build my own extension.

The 690 is a good router, but limiting. You can do better for a reasonable price.

[Steve Clardy]

Welcome Mike.

[Eddie Darby]

I have the Veritas/Lee Valley table system. There is some building (assembly if you buy their base) of the base involved, but on the whole I am very happy. This is the stand alone unit with the iron top. It was quick and in the right price range. I only have 1 router ( Bosch 2 hp micro-adjust ), so I can remove it fairly quickly from the base.

[Kevin Blunt]

Wlecome to SMC Mike.

I own the Freud ft2000e with the freud router table and stand and I love it for my hobbiest shop. It has done eveything I have asked of it and more. Lots of power and it now comes with an even longer warranty at 5 years instead of two. I would buy the whole setup again in a heartbeat especially with the new warranty.

Kevin

[Mike Vsoika]

Thanks for the suggestions evryone. I really don't want to build a table at this point so I will end up buying. So many options out there and now I'm totally unsure what I want or need. I kind of like the MLCS and Bench Dog tables but I just can't decide so at this point I think I'll exercise some patience, slow down and think it through. However, I will go ahead and get a 2.25 to 3hp router that will go in a table when I decide what I want.

re: Pictures of my shop

I really don't want to get laughed at but my corner of the garage is my kingdom. No special power tools just table planer, band saw, Compound Mitre Saw, homemade but effecive dust collection system and a cheap and dangerous table saw. My special tools are chisels, hand planes, and hand saws. After the router and table I'm going after a thickness (drum) sander.

Mike - Building guitars and soon to be making plantation shutters from my corner of the garage.

[Jerry Olexa]

All good advice above but if u don't want to upgrade later, get a 3 plus HP router right off. Then u can handle panel bits etc

[Mike Vsoika]

What Makers/models should I look it in the 3hp range under the assumption that most of the time it will be mounted to a table of some sort?

Also, get one in a plunge combo?

Again, thanks for the help everyone!

Mike

[Aaron Beaver]

I have the PC 7518 in my router table and have the Dewalt 3 base combo router for my handheld. Like you I didn't have the time or the materials to build a router table so I went with the Bench Dog router table and a Jessm router lift. Both work very well for me.