Join the woodworking revolution: www.patreon.com/wordsnwood' ----- ----- ----- A Flat Top and a Decent Fence... everything else is gravy. Project web page: wordsnwood.com/2016/routertables I received a comment on my last video asking about the router table that I was using. Now, this caught me by surprise, because that router table is literally nothing more than a board with a hole in it. But the more I thought about it the more I thought it might be interesting for me to take a moment and talk about my router table solutions, because they are all basic, cheap, and simple. My main table cost less than $20 to build. it's made from a 2x4 sheet of half inch MDF, some small scraps of plywood, and a few electrical bits. I built it nine years ago as a "temporary" or "something to learn on" router table. And almost ten years later I'm still using it. ----- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- LINKS TO SOME OF THE ITEMS USED. (Affiliate links) amzn.to/1jlEmnL - Hitachi M12V router (I have an earlier version of this plunge router) amzn.to/2egwuDl - Porter Cable PC690 router with fixed base. This is in my router table. amzn.to/1WSNq1j - Stanley Leverlock tape measure - love these! amzn.to/1pFGjPk - Sensgard ZEM hearing protection amzn.to/1UegW3W - Hitachi 10.8v drill/driver kits ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- GEAR I USE TO MAKE VIDEO: amzn.to/1qPkvBp - Canon T5i amzn.to/1SSwOmS - Sony Action Cam. (I use the HDR-AS15 which is discontinued -- cheaper than a gopro.) amzn.to/267XM3M - Sony Live View video remote for Action Cam amzn.to/1XC2D7l - Joby GorillaPod (Flexible small tripod) amzn.to/2aK7jZX - Inexpensive Quick Release tripod ball head ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Thank-you! Many more woodworking projects: www.wordsnwood.com Follow me on Social Media: facebook.com/wordsnwood instagram.com/words.n.wood Check out my woodworking plans: wordsnwood.com/plans/

Thank you. Didnt want to buy an expensive router table made from plastic and a lot of people on youtube seem like they are just trying to show off and most of us just trying to get into woodworking dont even start a project because it feels so impossible. Thanks for showing that it doesnt need to be so complex at first. It just needs to work.

This is the first DIY router table video that seems to have actually been made for DIY folks. Wonderfully done!

I like the way you think, without overthinking. Simple is very often best. This video was reassuring to me in that way. I do believe I'm going to go ahead and throw together a SUPER simple fence and see how far it takes me. No more analysis paralysis, thank you!

Board with a hole. Perfect solution for my one time job!

a Board with a Hole. that is all I wanted when searching for cheap router tables. Thank You!

That's a really diy router table, clean and simple, unlike others building with fancy and expensive tools, 👌👍

Fabulous little router table, and router board. Easy to put together and very effective solution for the occasional router table user. I made one similar after watching your video about three years ago. I always planned to make another for the half inch router I have, and am now about to embark on a project where I'd rather use the larger machine. Once again, thank you so much for sharing this video.

I've watched a bunch of videos on building a Router Table. This is the only one that makes sense for my needs. I'm an artist and need to build shadow box and floater frames for my work at the lowest cost possible. The dust collection solution is what totally sold me. I will probably just start with the board with a hole (no stand/table) but also build the fence. The fence rocks and solved my dust collection problem since the shop vac needs to be easily moveable. Thanks a bunch for your simple solution!

@Wordsnwood

Жыл бұрын

comments like this make my days... thanks!

i like this. very humble and gets the point done.

Simple is usually best. Thanks for reminding me.

I will try it for my MDF ideas.

Great video. Simple straight forward and practical.

@Wordsnwood

3 ай бұрын

Thanks , always happy to hear that someone got value out of my work.

Great video, nice to watch something practical that doesn't call for a bunch of proprietary (sponsored) jigs! Cool stuff!

Best video for a diy hobbyist. Most videos aimed towards diyers seem to be using already established big workshops which defeat the purpose of a diyer building simple things for cheap. Subscribed!!!

This is perfect for my very occasional need to use a router on a table! I like how the table and the fence have a lip that makes it quick and easy to clamp the fence down.

Equally surprised and disappointed you didn’t turn those babies on and show us just how well they really work. Impressive you have not felt the need to upgrade in nine years. Well done sir! Now show me how the whole damn thing works! Thank you very much. Merry Christmas!

@Wordsnwood

3 жыл бұрын

Fair point.... I was worse video maker 4 years ago. I like to think I've gotten better. Here is the video referred to in this video, where I do show the "board with a hole" router in action: kzread.info/dash/bejne/f6OdsI-ej9bdXco.html This should take you right to the 8:30 mark to see it used.

Awesome idea. Thanks for sharing. I built and used a "board with hole" and a little fence this morning and it worked like a charm. Thanks again.

Definitely subscribed. I like simplicity and functionality.

When simple does what you need done, that is often the best way to go.

I think you do a really good job with your videos, better by far than many of the woodworkers on KZread.

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Thank-you, Duke. I'm not sure I agree, but thank-you!

Love it, that’s how things should be, powerful but simple

Very nice. Kept simple and inexpensive. Love it. Great job !!! 🙂👍🇨🇦

Thank you Art, nice presentation and it should help many people. Malcolm

I first noticed your "table" in your paddle-making post. I am about to make my 1st paddle so I thought I'd look on KZread for this exact thing - just in case there was more to it than simply drilling a hole in a board. Surprise surprise. I have a plunge router so I kind of figured this simple idea would work. Thanks!

I've checked out a few videos and I'm building yours. Simple, quick and practical. I like your style. Thanks. I'll use it to redo my front porch railing on a Victorian house. Here near Seattle outdoor railings are good for about 20 years. Next repair cycle I'll be 90.

Thanks very much for the video. I was looking for a simple solution as I want to start with a project where I need a router table and most videos on KZread may look nice but are real projects on their own. That table is what I need!

I enjoyed your video. It was very helpful. Thank you!

well said I like your perspective 👍

exactly what I was looking for. Thanks

Simple cheap you cannot beat it for us the DIY'ers, I cannot justify the cost for me anyway of some of the PRO stuff out there OK if it is you're in business or it's your job I rely on guys like you and Steve Ramsey etc for ideas keep um coming and Thank You for the share.

Very practical and AND affordable. Ha. Great job and thank you for sharing. Will attempt this myself.

A variation of what I did due to limited garage space with just a board with hole in it and two cleats on the bottom to clamp into my Workmate. When my work is done, remove the board, leaving the router attached and lean it in a corner of the garage. A simple fence like yours and that is ALL this amateur wood worker needs. I enjoy making the most out of as little as I can. Keep up the good work!

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Sounds like my first router table from 20+ years ago! Thanks for the comment

really good build the plywood support is key. i never thought about using the plunge base and slipping the router out to change bits thats a great idea ill use that. thanks

Thanks Art.. simple and gets the job done!

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Wayne

Very cleaver, I like your approach. Don't always need the expensive stuff!

I like simple and cheap!

i have been searching on a vid that would show a plunge router on a diy table ... thanks alot ..

Yes !!!!!! Just what I need !!!!!!!!!!! Thanks man !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is so simple. That is all I need.

Some great ideas thanks ...excellent video

Great job

Really nice solution. I really like the idea of the overhang for clamping. Thanks for sharing.

@Wordsnwood

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

I took the cheap Harbor Freight fixed base router (using the 20% off coupon), an old plastic cutting board for the top, plywood sides, and hinged the back. I prop it up with a cheap plastic speed square to change bits. I will make a video. Cost of materials - $50.00. I'm glad to find others that don't always need the newest or best router tables. i'd rather spend the money on expensive high quality bits & blades that last & cut like it's butter. I learned that many years ago doing finish carpentry before my back got bad. My boss would supply the very expensive blades and we had quality tools. But tables, work benches, etc were mostly homemade or stuff on sale.

Excellent Thank you for sharing

Wonderful! Just what I need. Thank you for taking the time share. Oh, a side note... your voice was made for KZread- it's quite pleasing to the ear.

So often the best answer are easy ones. Thank you.

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

You said it! Exactly. Thanks

Really like it...I've done loads of woodworking..and pretty much ran every tool I can think of..my shop doesn't have a thickness planer,,,which I really always wanted..but I don't want a little kid one..lol..anyways,I've also never been proficient at router work..I've just always cut rabbets and dado with a table saw....not even a dado blade,just ordinary 120 tooth eighth inch blade tons of passes,hàaaa...but yeah,since my hobby is becoming more a demand,and I realize I can make a good living doing what I do,I know need to add a router....love your video mate..I pretty much had the same idea but you have confirmed it..Thanx man..I'm a new subscriber now🤟

@Wordsnwood

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks and Welcome!

Great Video, Thank You..!!

Perfect and to the point...end with a little comedy..

I like this.

I like it!

Make a lot of sense to me - thanks

Brilliant!

In my experience, cheap and easy produced some of my best work and extremely cost effective

I like your simple solution. It helps a beginner getting to work. With some experience then try so advanced setup IF necessary.

Similarly I built my first table out of left over floor sheet approximately 3'x2' (915x610mm) with a very small 2x4 support stand which clamped on top of my workmates adjustable fence and all, which has just finally been replaced with a joint table saw mounted unit. Stephen Raby, NSW

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Sounds like it did the job!

Excellent Thanks for sharing

@Wordsnwood

3 жыл бұрын

My pleasure

Excellent

Keep being awesome!

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

DFTBA !!

VERY NICE .

You cant beat that price! I just built my router table extension wing for $40 better then the $500 my table saw manufacturer wanted.

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Sometimes I might want a better fence. but it's worked so far. My shop isn't big enough to built it into the TS wing -- you need space on that side of the saw to feed the other way.

Pretty cool and VERY Canadian solution. :) Subbed.

@DuncanRenovates

3 жыл бұрын

As a direct result of this post, I just built my own, and gave you credit. Thanks! kzread.info/dash/bejne/dYF4qLh7lLm5lJM.html

Awesome

thanks!

Thanks, I want the easiest setup to start. I can expand when I know the limitations of the simple stuff....

I bought a router table top and never did build a base, I just clamp it to my tablesaw. Keep the vids coming Art.

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Thank-you!

Wow, I have a little router table that I whipped up about 10 years ago that is very similar to your disposable one, just no torsion box. I keep thinking I should remake it, but never do.

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

As long as it does the job well enough...

simple is good

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Not everything needs to be "the ultimate!"

is the arbor long enough so you can use the whole router bit? The board is thick. Normally ive seen people use metal plates to mount the router to . When I tried it the bit wont protrude far enough out of the board to use the whole bit.

Great clear instructional video, I’m going to make something like it but I have never used a router & need to make some camper-van kitchen cupboard doors that have a knock on T trim that fits into a 3.2mm slot all around the edge & I'm not to confident, I’m borrowing a router from my brother and need to buy the bit, any guidance would be appreciated. Btw the doors have rounded corners.

@Wordsnwood

4 жыл бұрын

Sorry, I've never used T-trim. Go looking for videos on guys (ie: I like to Make Stuff) building arcade cabinets. Those often use T-trim.

I’d change the base so that the bottom pieces stick out a little so you can put a clamp on the outside of the base too. Otherwise it’s a great design and really simple.

Hi, very nice and simple DIY router table you've built there. Thanks. Is the router you are using there a simple plunge router and what is its power rating (watts), please?

@Wordsnwood

2 жыл бұрын

Porter Cable PC690 in a fixed base. No idea about the power, but google will tell you...

Back to the basics!🙉

My first router table was a piece of plywood with 4 2x3 scrap legs. 5 pieces and 4 screws. I think that piece of plywood is still lurking around somewhere.

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

You need to purge, Kevin!

I like it

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

thanks!

Hey Art, I've been watching this a few times now and I'm designing a table that's based on yours here. But before I actually make it, I need to ask you a few things; 1. Instead of torsion box, why didn't you laminate 2 tops to make it thicker, thus more stable? Is it because you don't have enough MDF or other reason? 2. What would you do differently the next time you'll build another router table? 3. Did you put any finish on there? Like wax or lacquer to protect it? I'll be waiting for your answer, thanks before!

@Wordsnwood

2 жыл бұрын

Torsion boxes were very "in" in the online woodworking world a while back. And I don't think that thicker is necessarily more stable. A torsion box is by design very flat and stable. I did not necessarily WANT it any heavier. I think I brushed on some boiled linseed oil or similar, but it's so long ago I'm not sure. This was designed as a quick, cheap, and "good enough" router table. Funny thing is, I still use it and have not bothered to replace it. Works in my small shop.

@adtymryd6295

Жыл бұрын

@@Wordsnwood I see, if even now after 6 years of use it's still good then I think it is designed pretty well... Thanks for your help Art! 👍

My electrical skills are quite basic so could you go into more detail on how you wired the switch with the extension cord or point me to a website/resource that could do so? Thank yo u so much for the video!

Thanks for sharing. One question. How to compensate the loss of half inch height (the thickness of MDF), of router bit. Do you extend the router bit height by 1/2'. Is it safe?

@Wordsnwood

6 жыл бұрын

Every router table has that issue to some extent. I make up for this a bit in that the base plate of the router is removed

great video. Thanks for the info. after using it for 9 years, is there anything you would change or add?

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Oh I suppose a lift + above the table bit changes would be nice, but that would dramatically increase the complexity of it.

@dukecarey6949

7 жыл бұрын

I purchased the Bosch 1617 router, which does a very nice job. For not much additional $$ you can get their router table base that allows you to adjust the height from above the table with a hex wrench. That works pretty well. However, their system for removing and returning the motor from/to the bases is awful, or I have a bad router. It takes an act of God to get the motor to slip back in without a half-dozen cuss words.

How did you mount it? The screws for my base aren't even long enough to get through the plywood much less thread into the router

@Wordsnwood

4 жыл бұрын

Far as I recall I just used the screws from my router. I might have been a bit extra aggressive in countersinking the mounting holes deeper, but I don't remember more. Might depend on your router, might need to buy some longer machine screws?

@vane5736

4 жыл бұрын

Ok thanks

Could you expand on how you use that plunge router under a table? I picked up a Bosch plunge router for $20 and I want to use it in a table somehow. But I'm not sure how best to set up a plunge router under a table?

@Wordsnwood

5 жыл бұрын

Remove the plastic sub-base from the router and screw the router to the board --- that's all I did there. Adjust the height and go. Sorry, that's about all there is to it. I'm using that 2nd router table two videos previous at this point: kzread.info/dash/bejne/f6OdsI-ej9bdXco.html

Did you use the same screws from the router, or did you get others that were longer with the same thread pattern? I'm looking at building this same table but my screws don't appear to be long enough to go through much material.

@Wordsnwood

6 жыл бұрын

honestly I don't remember.... I think I used the same screws. The top is not that much thicker than the router base plate which I removed.

@Rhaugz

6 жыл бұрын

Wordsnwood (Art Mulder) the top is 1/2" MDF, correct?

@Wordsnwood

6 жыл бұрын

yes

Why not put a pivot point on the fence? Seems like it would be easier to adjust if one end pivoted?

@Wordsnwood

4 жыл бұрын

It's not really that hard to adjust as is, and with a fully removable fence it is easy to pack away.

I wish we could get simple palmrouters here. That setup would work fine for me.

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

?? the PC690 is not a palm router. But I think Europe does not have the removable base routers?

@willemkossen

7 жыл бұрын

Thats it. Its all integrated. I would love to have one of your type of routers!

@gerrym4377

7 жыл бұрын

Willem Kossen there are a couple of 1/4 routers in the U.K. Like that - I have a makita with removable base which is also variable speed. Sometimes sold as a 'palm router' or 'laminate trimmer' here. Screwfix stock them👍 great video Art, I love simple!!!

@urtr1295

7 жыл бұрын

+ Willem Kossen You can find a Makita Router RT0700CX2J with removable base at amazon for 184 €, or the Trimmer from Maktec MT372 for 82€. I have the Maktec and it works great for small Jobs. And you can remove the base.

👍👍👍

Very cool router table. Just make it simple. By the way is your big router from Hitachi?

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Sure is, an older version of the M12v

@TradingFinances

7 жыл бұрын

I immediately recognized it by the shape and color because i work in a Hitachi main dealer in Portugal. I also do woodworking as a hobby, just recently i build your flipping cart. keep it up.

GREAT video Art. A classic example of how a "hobbyist" can get the job done without breaking the bank. Harbor Freight has a 2HP Fixed Base Router for $54.99 (20% coupon) = $44.00 (US) and a bit of wood/hardware and you can have a great router table for well under $100.00. My motto is to let the projects tell me what tools I need and then I can decide what quality I need based on the usage. Thanks again for all the videos.

I built these and the bit can't rise through the thick table, and I need an extension

@Wordsnwood

2 жыл бұрын

must depend on the router... my table is only maybe twice as thick as the router base plate which it replaced.

Nothing wrong with that board with a hole in it..I have one on my saw extension.

just a simple board like he is showing. Some mods to it, as and when required, and you will beat a lot of factory made router tables.

Can you tell how you bolt the router to the table?

@Wordsnwood

3 жыл бұрын

remove the plastic/bakelike baseplate of the router and use the screws to fasten it to the table.

@troybattle

3 жыл бұрын

@@Wordsnwood The screws are very short. Should I buy longer ones at a store. I think they are an odd thread size as I couldn’t find anything similar in my shop. Dewalt router.

@Wordsnwood

3 жыл бұрын

@@troybattle Sorry, no experience with DeWalt routers. Likely they are machine screws. If they aren't long enough then you're probably right about needing to buy some.

Just hope box and slide is square. Probably best to just spend $100 and buy a table. Small measurement out can make or break a project.

For variable speed on your porter cable router why not wire in a dimmer switch instead of a light switch

@Wordsnwood

3 жыл бұрын

you can purchase variable speed dials for routers. Pretty sure that they are NOT the same as a regular wall dimmer for a light.

You gave me options because the amount of money they want it’s ridiculous

But it has no guide ...

Can you show us one more time. maybe update the video .

@Wordsnwood

2 жыл бұрын

nothing has changed, so I don't see a reason to re-do the video. Is there something you think I need to add?

A hobbiest that has over $200 worth of clamps alone

Must every KZread video open with a superfluous "so?"

@Wordsnwood

5 жыл бұрын

so?

Id like to enjoy this video but cant get the Laguna banner off the screen. Cant see a damn thing the man is doing.

@Wordsnwood

7 жыл бұрын

Are you talking about the youtube overlay ad? youtube overlay ads should have a little "x" in the corner so you can close them if not interested.