Bench top router table

[MY63]

I am looking for a Bench top router table, It does not need to be huge in fact the smaller the better I have been looking at this. For the Makita plam router it is mainly for boxes.

https://www.axminstertools.com/ujk-tech ... ita-103571

It seems like a lot of money for very little kit.
If anyone has a reccomendation or has a good plan for making one.

 

[9fingers]

Router tables need only be the simplest of things.
A dead flat surface with inset plate to adapt to the router.
A 90 degree fence with sliding faces
A selection of feather boards to clamp to the table , fence or both.
Tee slots are rarely needed. I've not fitted one to either of the tables I've made over the last 12 years

For a palm router then you possibly won't need a selection of rings for the plate as you will only be able to swing small cutter. Possibly a 25-30mm opening will be all you need
Check that the working surface won't be too high for comfortable use if you are going for a bench top design, otherwise build it under the bench and raise the router through the benchtop when needed.

hth
Bob

 

[Woodbloke]

I am looking for a Bench top router table, It does not need to be huge in fact the smaller the better I have been looking at this. For the Makita plam router it is mainly for boxes.

https://www.axminstertools.com/ujk-tech ... ita-103571

It seems like a lot of money for very little kit.
If anyone has a reccomendation or has a good plan for making one.

That is a very, very nice little bit of kit. I was working for Ax when that was introduced and Tim (shown in the Ax video clip) and I were muchly impressed with it. It’s only suitable for small stuff though and would be ideal for box making or similar. If I didn’t already have the large UJK cast iron top router table, I would have considered getting hold of one of those.

I also got hold of some Otoro clamps which are equally excellent. They’re now out of stock but Ax will be getting some more in and when they do, grab some! - Rob

 

[sunnybob]

I'm a router table man, and I really, really like that. :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap:
I have UJK stuff and its very well made.
It would cost you a lot more than that to buy all those gizmos from anyone else.

Obviously, you can make your own table from a bit of kitchen worktop, a few bits of wood, and lots of sticky backed plastic :lol: if you have a lot of experience and a lot of patience, but if making jigs is not your thing, and an occasional router project is all you need, then that is the kidoo for you.

 

[Malc2098]

Michael,

An online search shows there a a few available from the likes of Rutlands, Trend, UKJ, Silverline, even Banggood if you don't mind buying from China. Some of them appear to be good value for money.

I imagine that if the router is not going to be in use everyday, then if the cheaper ones are well set up, I think one of them should serve you well.

 

[sunnybob]

Have you ever bought equipment from any of those companies? I have. I wont again. :eusa-naughty: :eusa-naughty:

 

[Malc2098]

Have you ever bought equipment from any of those companies? I have. I wont again. :eusa-naughty: :eusa-naughty:

Yes. I believe there may be some members who, like me, although aspire to top quality machinery and tools, cannot afford to buy them, or possibly can't justify the expense, and make do with what we can afford.

 

[sunnybob]

I have to justify what I spend on my hobby, but there are times when I just have to save a little while and then buy something that will actually do what it says on the box, rather than spend the rest of my life fiddling with poorly made things.
If I had seen that 7 years ago when I started making boxes, I would have bought it without a moments hesitation. :eusa-doh:

The extras offered with that set up, adjustable fence, extra fence, adjustable lift, feather boards, solid well cast aluminium, make that an extremely attractive package for someone who doesnt want to make their own.

 

[MY63]

Malcolm and Bob's discussion is exactly what has been going on in my head. One side is telling me I dont use this often etc. And the other side is telling me to buy the best kit I can.
I already have the cheap Aldi one from 5 years ago I find it very difficult.
One of the attractions of the UJK one is it will square up edges and has a lift. Space is also an issue.

 

[9fingers]

Malcolm and Bob's discussion is exactly what has been going on in my head. One side is telling me I dont use this often etc. And the other side is telling me to buy the best kit I can.
I already have the cheap Aldi one from 5 years ago I find it very difficult.
One of the attractions of the UJK one is it will square up edges and has a lift. Space is also an issue.

I think your first decision has to be are you going to build or buy? I would always build if it were feasible and in that way can build in features I want and potentially leave out others although that is dangerous as the next job will almost certainly need that feature. Self build has the advantage of being able to adapt/improve features that don't end up working as well as you want. Also the sense of satisfaction is a great motivator.

Secondly you are in a great position of having had a router table with things you don't like about it. This can then be either a basis to set a requirements list for the new one or indeed a device that you can perhaps modify to make it do what you want but beware of silk purses and sows ears. Sometimes you do need to start afresh.

Bob

 

[Woodbloke]

Malcolm and Bob's discussion is exactly what has been going on in my head. One side is telling me I dont use this often etc. And the other side is telling me to buy the best kit I can.
I already have the cheap Aldi one from 5 years ago I find it very difficult.
One of the attractions of the UJK one is it will square up edges and has a lift. Space is also an issue.

I normally wouldn’t recommend stuff from Ax but you did ask for one True enough, you may not use it often, but when you do, you’ll find it’s exactly the right tool to do the job. There’s very little worse (apart from appalling kiln dried timber :evil in woodmangling; if you ain’t got the right tool you’ve then got to faff about finding ways to ‘adapt and overcome’ which is tiresome and extremely irritating. When not in use, it will (as shown in Tim’s clip) just store away on a shelf in a cupboard.
It is a fair bit of wonga, but you get what you pay for; it’s a nice bit of kit and I personally would go for it - Rob

 

[RogerS]

Have you ever bought equipment from any of those companies? I have. I wont again. :eusa-naughty: :eusa-naughty:

This does not compute because earlier you said "I have UJK stuff and its very well made"

 

[sunnybob]

I was (of course) referring to the alternatives offered to UJK.
Keep up Roger

 

[RogerS]

I was (of course) referring to the alternatives offered to UJK.
Keep up Roger

Mmmm... :eusa-think:

 

[Trevanion]

Mmmm... :eusa-think:

What’s with all the sunnybob negativity at the moment Rog? I seems every other post of yours I read is some kind of dig against him.

 

[AndyP]

Malcolm and Bob's discussion is exactly what has been going on in my head. One side is telling me I dont use this often etc. And the other side is telling me to buy the best kit I can.
I already have the cheap Aldi one from 5 years ago I find it very difficult.
One of the attractions of the UJK one is it will square up edges and has a lift. Space is also an issue.

Michael, how you choose to spend your money and amortise the costs of equipment is of course up to you. My missus told me a long while ago that as I do not drink nor smoke, I do not have gym membership nor any other club membership, I do not splash out on flash clothes nor cars so why not spend some money on the things that give, not only you pleasure but pleasure to others by way of the things you make as gifts.

 

[sunnybob]

Mmmm... :eusa-think:

What’s with all the sunnybob negativity at the moment Rog? I seems every other post of yours I read is some kind of dig against him.

I'm not taking life seriously enough, thats all it is. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I went to my best friends funeral yesterday. (true, not a joke) He was a week younger than me. Dropped dead of a brain bleed.
I havent got time to dot all the Tees and cross all the EYES.

 

[MY63]

With a lot of help from my son I extracted the old NUtool router table from the back of the workshop.
The main issues we encountered was setting it up. The fence did not move easily even after cleaning out all of the slots. Adjusting the height of the router was very difficult involving a lever and ruler. My router looked to be central however the fence guide marks did not match with either the front or middle of the cutter.
But it worked and I think I am a convert to router tables.

2021-07-09_09-12-07 by my0771, on Flickr

All of these issues would be addressed by the Axminster unit the only drawback I can see is fitting it to the edge of a bench but I think I could make a unit for it to sit in.
As I have just bought a domino machine that is still in its box I need to wait a little while before making the purchase, I would have used the money from the box but it is a gift.

 

[sunnybob]

Router tables rule, OK! :lol: :lol:

I made my own, its a metre square and its by far the most used machine in my little workshop.
I have a UJK pro split fence and micro adjusters (I made about 4 different fences before I accepted I could not get near the precision of the UJK) :shock:
Its also a very useful layout and glue up table as well. :eusa-clap:

 

[novocaine]

Router tables rule, OK! :lol: :lol:

I made my own, its a metre square and its by far the most used machine in my little workshop.
I have a UJK pro split fence and micro adjusters (I made about 4 different fences before I accepted I could not get near the precision of the UJK) :shock:
Its also a very useful layout and glue up table as well. :eusa-clap:

I shall, at some point later take a picture of my homemade router table.
if you want to imagine it, think about the most over built design you can, then add a bit. your suggestions of what it will looks like are more than welcome.

 

[sunnybob]

I never "overbuild" a tool or machine, or even jig.
Unfortunately I have to be like a bean counter, "how cheap can I build this" and "can I use chipboard and not hard wood" are my main objectives :lol: :lol: :lol:
So anything built well is overbuilt to me :eusa-doh:

Dr Al's movable bench is an example, he overbuilt that to a standard I would like aeroplanes I travel in built to. :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap:

 

[MY63]

As I said if anyone has any plans or pictures of routertables they have made. Especially if anyone has sorted
fine fence and height adjustment.
Thanks

 

[RogerS]

As I said if anyone has any plans or pictures of routertables they have made. Especially if anyone has sorted
fine fence and height adjustment.
Thanks

Just looked at the video and it does look a nice bit of kit and I think that you have rather a lot of different functions for the money. I especially like the thicknessing mode especially for small items of timber that simply wouldn't safely go in a normal thicknesser. The split fence is neat and the opposite way round to the one on my table where you adjust the outfeed fence.

But if the thicknessing function is of no use to you then I'd go the self-build route.

Regarding plans, not sure if the JigMeister (Steve Maskery) has done one but would be worth looking at the way he goes about making jigs etc for the fine fence adjustment.

Regarding fine height adjustment. usually this is built into the router but I have one of the clone Makita's and fine height adjustment isn't its strong point

If it were me I'd probably go for the Axminster one because I like kit especially that thicknessing function.

 

[9fingers]

My table top is Formica kitchen worktop. For fence adjustment I draw a pencil line near to the current fence position and the slacken one fixing a little and tap the fence as needed to adjust the position. Every now and then I consider recessing a ruler into the surface but never found it worth the effort.
If you crave calibrated movement a stop with a bolt is one method. M6 bolt with 1.0 mm pitch or a M14/M16 with 2mm pitch can be useful.
If your router does not have controlled height adjustment then take out the spring to make it easier then make a set of shims in the ratio 1:2:2:5:10:20with those you can move in steps of 1 over the range 0 to 40. For even finer control buy a set of cheap feeler gauges.

Bob

 

[MikeJ460]

I'm in the same camp as Bob as I also use pencil lines. I made my table out of birch ply and have been using it almost daily whilst building a new greenhouse and it works very well. I have since replaced the mitre rail with a wider one to take my new mitre gauge and I'm also contemplating adding a split sliding fence across the present one in order to close up the dust extraction gap when using smaller cutters and to allow smaller pieces to feed across without moving. It is fixed to the end of my old bench but it can be easily removed. The router is a Triton TRA001 with overhead adjustment (spring removed) fastened to an Incra insert plate. It is a superbly powerful under-table router. The only problem I am now experiencing is with the raise and lower due to saw dust getting into the mechanism. I don't yet have a split dust extraction that takes saw dust from the provided port on the router, I've just relied on the fence extraction port. To overcome this I simply take out the insert plate and attached router when it becomes a problem, turn it upside down and vacuum it out. However I will modify the dust extraction shortly

 

[MY63]

Thanks for the input everyone, I realise a lot of this is personal preference and my own requirements.
Mikes photographs and Bob's description have shown me what is possible and Roger reminded me that the ability to plane an edge would be very useful to me. I looked at it yesterday and the sliding wedge fences with their easy fine adjustment sold it to me.
So I am off to Axminster this morning to buy it.
I cant tell you how helpful it is to have input from people who know what they are talking about.

 

[sunnybob]

You know your next problem dont you :shock:
Youll find it so useful that youll soon wish youd bought a bigger one :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[MY63]

Dont worry SunnyBob If i ever need a larger one then I will build one the fences were the crucial part of this one.
I did not get to Axminster today as I had issues getting the lid to close, then I remembered I cut the slots for the hinges before I added the veneer. I popped the hinges off and inserted a piece of veneer under each one and fixed the issue.
Here is the finished box.

2021-07-13_05-01-25 by my0771, on Flickr

 

[novocaine]

I did promise a picture of my router table.

 

[sunnybob]

If we've reached the show and tell stage, this was my mark one router table :lol:

 

[novocaine]

More info on my table. Its a sheet of 3mm steel plate with 3x 40mm steel webbing in a grid beneath it. The fence is 100mm aluminium angle at 10mm thick.

I did say it was somewhat overbuilt. :lol: i guess when you have access to a fabrication shop then everything becomes steel.

 

[sunnybob]

I really, really, hope you have that metal table earthed :shock: :shock:

 

[novocaine]

I really, really, hope you have that metal table earthed :shock: :shock:

Via the 2 great big trunions of the router base, yes. 10 ohm impedance. I tested it. :lol: not that it matters, all the dancing pixies are at the other end of the router with only an earth path to the tabme. even if the bit did become live due to a failled winding or some such it would trip the elcb or rcd in the consumer unit of the workshop. Its no different to the tablr saw, band saw, piller drill or scroll saw in terms of protection.

 

[sunnybob]

TEN OHM???????????????????????
Please tell me thats without deducting the leads impedance?
Man, you would be fried before that tripped anything. :shock:
A lot of my last twenty years of work was checking safety in commercial and catering kitchens. Stainless steel tables as far as the eye could see.
I failed anything that went above 0.2 OHMS above lead measurements. :eusa-naughty: :eusa-naughty:
I bet the trunnions are greased?
Run a separate 4 mm earth wire from the steel table to the nearest mains loop earth, or the next exposed steel machine (which should also be 0.2 ohms or less).
trust a risk assessor to ignore his own workshop :eusa-whistle: :eusa-whistle:

 

[novocaine]

TEN OHM???????????????????????
Please tell me thats without deducting the leads impedance?
Man, you would be fried before that tripped anything. :shock:
A lot of my last twenty years of work was checking safety in commercial and catering kitchens. Stainless steel tables as far as the eye could see.
I failed anything that went above 0.2 OHMS above lead measurements. :eusa-naughty: :eusa-naughty:
I bet the trunnions are greased?
Run a separate 4 mm earth wire from the steel table to the nearest mains loop earth, or the next exposed steel machine (which should also be 0.2 ohms or less).
trust a risk assessor to ignore his own workshop :eusa-whistle: :eusa-whistle:

10 ohm impedance between table and router not 10ohm earth loop continuity. Meets requirements of bs6430:2011 for acceptable earth continuity. having said all that ive just tested it and its 0.25ohms at 25amps so meets electrical appliance requirements too (which it doesn't have to) Id grab the PAT unit from work but that wont test the table to router continuity, which is all im interested in.

I might be a risk assesor but im also CompEx certified for electrical inspection (ex01-ex04 and ex11) in hazardous areas. I know what i need to test to for machinery earthing for both static diserpation and in terms of identification of earth continuity.

Edited to add test from today. Also, if i change the router and it doesnt meet requirements ill be running a seperated earth that does.

 

[sunnybob]

Good to know. :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap:

 

[AndyP]

Dont worry SunnyBob If i ever need a larger one then I will build one the fences were the crucial part of this one.
I did not get to Axminster today as I had issues getting the lid to close, then I remembered I cut the slots for the hinges before I added the veneer. I popped the hinges off and inserted a piece of veneer under each one and fixed the issue.
Here is the finished box.

2021-07-13_05-01-25 by my0771, on Flickr

Gorgeous box Michael.
When you do get hold of the router table I hope you will be able to give as a review.

 

[MY63]

I am not sure I have enough knowledge to do a review of the product, But here are my first thoughts.
Please remember I am comparing it to a £50 Aldi special.
My son wanted to make a special box for a gift for his GF, We got a great deal on some bog oak from MikeG. He was very kind and supplied it almost to size, It only needed trimming and squaring up.
My first option was a hand plane, then I considered a planer thicknesser before discovering this option.
Edge planing only requires the rear fence, the instructions are a little cofusing but once we figured it out it was ok.

2021-07-15_07-17-32 by my0771, on Flickr

In this picture we have the rear fence added for dimensioning the oak it works on a 10 : 1. It is very easy to remove small amounts of wood.

2021-07-15_07-18-04 by my0771, on Flickr

What does not work.
Adjustment knobs are so close to the to the frame it makes turning them difficult.

What works
Everything else, I am not an expert and neither is my son he wont even touch the CMS and would not go near the other router table. Once we had set it up he was away, we are using a cheap bit from a box set I bought many years ago.
Fine tuning the adjustments is simple other than the tricky knobs which need to be undone to allow the sliding wedge type fence to move.
I cant think of anything else to add other than it is very well made and I am well impressed with the new toy.

 

[sunnybob]

Bravo :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap:

On a small machine like that compromises have to be made, so as long as you can actually adjust stuff accurately, you can live with it.
Just remember that 3 thin cuts will always give you a better finish than one big swipe. In hard woods, I never take off more than 2 mm at a time, and a finishing cut will be a half mm.

 

[MY63]

Thanks SunnyBob
We are currently removing 1 mm per pass the instructions tell you to start by placing a flat edge along the feather boards and bring it inline with the body of the cutter not the blade. then lock the rear fence in place and you will have a 1mm cut. Being unsure I did check how far the blade projected and it was near enough 1mm.
The finished edges are perfect the corners actually feel sharp.
I am going to start a wip for the box because I need some advice.