Ok, I could have bought a saw/shaper combo. But the fact of the matter was that the extra cost was well beyond what I had saved for the sliding saw. I've been happy with a hefty router for the kind of things I do, anyway. But I also have been refining "space utilization" in my shop for a long time. What to do? Hmm...how about adding the router/shaper function to the slider? So I did. (And there are 40 pictures to follow to prove it...)
Admittedly, I put a few dollars into this project, but thanks to a great deal from Amazon and a little bit back from selling my other router table, it wasn't all that bad. (A really good expense check helped out a lot, too......48.5 center per mile pays off when you drive a hybrid) For this project, I opted to use the "most excellent" cast iron router top system from Bench Dog as well as their cast iron lift. A Bench Dog switch was also incorporated into the mix. My existing PC 7518 would move from the old table to this setup upon completion. Everything else used was scrap or inventory material already in the shop.
We begin by unpacking the cast iron top and removing the cosmoline that protected it through shipping. The packaging was excellent. As you can see, the basic cast iron wing/table is just a little bit smaller than the factory outfeed table on the Mini Max S315 WS sliding table saw. Once the 4" extension is added to the "back", it gets closer in size. Any remaining difference really isn't all that material, IMHO.
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The bottom of the table also needed cleaning, so that happened at the bench and then I proceeded to measure for a box/cabinet to house the lift and router for noise and dust control. Measuring directly from the top insured that the cabinet would be easily mountable to the existing tapped holes.
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After cutting what would be the "top" of the cabinet and removing material where the lift would drop down, I carefully laid out where the bolt holes would need to go.
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A quick test fit with the 1/4" bolts insured that things would work out later. It needed to be snug enough not to be sloppy, but have just enough play that the cabinet could be easily mounted and bound to the top once "hand clearance" was reduced by the cabinet sides, etc.
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A few quick cuts at the saw for the three fixed cabinet sides were made using scrap 1/2" birch plywood from the rack.
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) needs a door for maintenance as well as a place to mount a dust collection fitting to feed the fence. Unlike my previous router table, I will have to use a hose rather than just a hole in the table top for the fence pickup. The door and side panel were made from scrap 3/4" poplar and pocket screws used to assemble the door.
The picture sums up what the setup is for sawing with the router fence removed and just a clean surface in place. It also shows my old router table (sold today to Creeker Rob B) in the position that another planned shop project will slip into...a mobile tool cabinet for all my hand tools, router cutters, etc. But that's a story for a future thread...right now, it's just a gleam in my tired eyes.
