# Building a router table top....



## Polarys425 (Mar 20, 2011)

Well, I'm nearing completion of my router table. It's constructed of two 3/4" layers of MDF, and topped/edged with Corian. I need to give a good final polish, and finish the router plate, otherwise its done. I'm still trying to decide on the fence. I'm contemplating making it out of Corian as well, though part of me wants to use some sort of high quality plywood just for the sake of ease. Finished dimension is 23.5" x 35.5" x 2" thick.


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## hehndc (Mar 20, 2011)

Real nice, wish I had thought of Corian for mine (a laminate top).  If you are not aware, Wood Mag had some plans for a fence with T track and adjustable spacing for different size bits.  I have been happy with that design, though I want to add a micro-adjuster.

Nice fit and finish.

Steve


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## Polarys425 (Mar 22, 2011)

Thanks Steve. I did check that out, and I'm thinking of making one on that order, and just use Corian for the whole thing. Having a solid piece of Corian that runs the length of the fence, and then have the adjustable two piece portion on the front of that with the t-track in it.

 I'm having to switch projects at the moment and get my dust collector in operation, even with using a dust mask a majority of the time, i still got a bad dose of it buliding the top. My sinuses arent too happy with me right now.


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## Lenny (Mar 22, 2011)

Wow! That's a nice looking top! 

Not as fancy as yours but I did make an adjustable (and replaceable) fence for mine. The less of an opening you have the safer the operation.


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## hilltopper46 (Mar 22, 2011)

That's a beautiful router table.  I have one in the works, but am planning to use laminate - already have it bought and cut as a matter of fact.

And Lenny's fence looks super - but then, anything Lenny does looks super.


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## Texatdurango (Mar 22, 2011)

Well that looks really nice!

It makes me want to stop my other projects and make me one!  Mine has seen many years of use and is ready for a replacement.


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## Polarys425 (Mar 23, 2011)

Thanks for all the positive remarks guys.

Lenny, could you post more detailed pictures of your fence? I want to make one fence and get the way i want it the first time. So i'd like to see a few ideas. Anyone else with a self-made fence, please post as well.

Kevin


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## Lenny (Mar 23, 2011)

Kevin, mine is a work in progress ... which is to say I haven't made much progress on it since getting it functional. 

I pretty much used whatever I had available. The sub fence is some Azak scrap I got from work. I will someday replace it with UHMW. 

I drilled through the Azak sub fence and into the main fence to locate threaded inserts. By loosening the four bolts with a philips screwdriver I can quickly adjust the opening for different sized bits. Each sub fence is mitered back at a 45 degree angle to allow them to get as close as possible to the cutter. You could close them right together and let them "trap" the bit .... It would be easy enough to trim them back for a clean edge later. I usually prefer just to add an auxillary plywood fence when I want to trap the bit.

The main fence is pretty much made up of Melamine pieces with a couple of thick pieces of Mahogany scraps thrown in. The dust chute will accept my shop vac hose but in addition I have a "cap" that fits over what you see there that will take a 4" hose.

Like I said, it is a work in progress that hasn't seen much progress as of late. Maybe when temperatures get up past 50 I'll get out there and try to make a path to it again and finish the edging, drawers etc.

Let me know if I can explain anything better.


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## Polarys425 (Mar 23, 2011)

Thanks Lenny. Thats pretty much the design i have in my head. Have you thought of anything you would do differently if you built a new fence after having made and used that one?


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## Lenny (Mar 23, 2011)

Polarys425 said:


> Thanks Lenny. Thats pretty much the design i have in my head. Have you thought of anything you would do differently if you built a new fence after having made and used that one?


 
To be honest I haven't used it much since I started it .... I guess I might make the main fence a little taller, at least in the center .... I have made feather boards that will fit in the t-slot but there are times I might want larger ones ... I guess I could always add a tall auxillary fence. 

Oh .... and a self dumping feature that automatically sheds all the crap that inevitably ends up on this and any other horizontal surface! :frown:


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## Polarys425 (Mar 23, 2011)

My horizontal surfaces suffer from the same disease, so I know what you mean.

One of my thoughts was a removable height extension for the fence....


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## Lenny (Mar 23, 2011)

Polarys425 said:


> My horizontal surfaces suffer from the same disease, so I know what you mean.
> 
> One of my thoughts was a removable height extension for the fence....


 

The beauty of the t-track is anything like that can be made to slip on and off easily.


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