Stable Router Table With Low Cost Wood

Hi all, this is the project of my router table, very usefully in all workshop.

I have a Draper Expert 45368 router now discontinued, with fixed and plunge bases.

When I buy the router, I search a combination router to use fixed base on a table, very important to do more difficult working.

I'm going to explain only the project of base structure, and specified part, because every people have different instruments and technique to realize this simple part (groove, tenons or mortises), for example for the top I recycle some laminate MDF panel of an old cabinet, for the doors I have a beautiful router bits buy on china and so on.

The video that explained how are made the panels, legs and junction in detail, especially the position of groove (I repeat that my english is bad, but image is clear).

Step 1: Material

I use to build this router table OSB panel (16€ at sheet 2.5m x 1.25m x 12,7mm) and in raw spruce woodboards (8€ 75mm x 75mm x 4m) this material is used in carpentry and It's quite inexpensive.

I cut raw spruce woodboards in 4 parts and when I smooth the dimension of 4 parts is 32mm x 32mm x 4m, so this dimension become my reference size for tenon, mortise and all other.

Step 2: Panels

To cut all panel I use my hand circular saw, a "levelling staff", distancer and clamps.

Step 3: Base and Middle Panel

The bases is 4 elements:

• 2 * 196mmx546mm
• 2 * 310mmx546mm

Step 4: Lateral Vertical Panel

Lateral panel is 2:

• 2 * 546mmx756mm

Step 5: Central Vertical Panel

The central dividers is 4:

• 2 * 546mm x 310mm
• 2 * 546mm x 424mm

Step 6: Back Panel

Back panel is 4:

• 2 * 196mm x 756mm
• 1 * 310mm x 310mm
• 1 * 310mm x 424mm

Step 7: Going to Show the Details of the Panel

With my bad english and without wake up my sons I try to show better the panel part.

I add video because some part are hidden from schema or difficult to see.

If the videos are valued when I have much time I redo the audio and add subtitles of the video :P.

Step 8: Junction

All junction is a square of 32mm, all tenon is 12mm large and 5mm depth.

The groove for panel at the same way is 12mm large and 5mm depth.

As you can see the panel is 12.7mm and the groove is 12mm, to insert panel in the groove I planed edge round with with my trust record hand plane.

Working process instruments (Not relevant, everybody must use what they want)

• I made the groove with a straight bit of 12mm of diameter on a temporary router table (a table with an hole) and a board as fence.
• Mortises with drill and chisel.
• Tenon with table saw.

Step 9: Back Legs

The back legs is 4:

• 2 * 840mm with 2 stopped groove (stopped at 30mm to the base), the grove one is front and left and one is front and right but the legs is square so they are equals.
• 2 * 840mm with 3 stopped groove (stopped at 30mm to the base)

Step 10: Front Legs

There are 4 frontal legs with mortises for doors and drawer:

• 1 * 840mm inside left legs have
  • 4 mortises on left:
    • first open mortise up with usual height of 32mm 12mm large and 5mm depth (as all mortises)
    • the second (in the middle top) at 100mm of distance from first
    • the third (in the middle bottom) at 168mm of distance from first
    • the fourth at 30mm from the base and 414mm from the second.
  • 3 mortises on the right
    • first open mortise up with usual height of 32mm 12mm large and 5mm depth (as all mortises)
    • the second (in the middle) at 300mm of distance from first
    • the third at 30mm from the base and 414mm from the second.
  • and have stop groove (30mm from base) in the back.
• 1 * 840mm inside right legs have
  
  • 4 mortises on right:
    • first open mortise up with usual height of 32mm 12mm large and 5mm depth (as all mortises)
    • the third at 30mm from the base and 414mm from the second.
    • the third (in the middle bottom) at 168mm of distance from first
    • the second (in the middle top) at 100mm of distance from first
  • 3 mortises on the left
    • first open mortise up with usual height of 32mm 12mm large and 5mm depth (as all mortises)
    • the second (in the middle) at 300mm of distance from first
    • the third at 30mm from the base and 414mm from the second.
  • and have stop groove (30mm from base) in the back.

• 1 * 840mm
  • 4 mortises on left:
    • first open mortise up with usual height of 32mm 12mm large and 5mm depth (as all mortises)
    • the second (in the middle) at 300mm of distance from first
    • the third at 30mm from the base and 414mm from the second.
  • and have stop groove (30mm from base) in the back.
• 1 * 840mm
  • 4 mortises on right:
    
    • first open mortise up with usual height of 32mm 12mm large and 5mm depth (as all mortises)
    • the second (in the middle) at 300mm of distance from first
    • the third at 30mm from the base and 414mm from the second.
  • and have stop groove (30mm from base) in the back.

Step 11: Going to Show the Details of the Legs

In the video I try to show better the details of the legs with the position of the groove.

I explained only the most complex part, the one with 4 mortises, neglecting the internal part with 3.

Step 12: Back Junction

All parts have vertical tenon.

• The upper part have bottom through groove on the bottom.
  • 2 * 196mm
  • 1 * 310mm
• The middle have 3 through groove (up, down, front).
  • 1 * 310mm
• The bottom have 2 through groove (up, front).
  • 2 * 196mm
  • 1 * 310mm

All lengths are tenon included.

Step 13: Frontal Junction

It's 11 element:

• 6 * 196mm
• 1 * 310mm
• 2 * 310mm with back through groove
• 2 * 196mm with back through groove

Step 14: Central Up Junction

I add this to sustain better the table, It's 310mm length without groove

Step 15: Going to Show the Details of the Back and Front Junction

In the video I try to show better the back and front junction.

I add video because some part are hidden from schema or difficult to see.

Step 16: Back to Front Junction

Up part have 4 elements:

• 2 * 546mm with through groove on the bottom
• 1 * 546mm with through groove on the bottom and a mortise at the right at 221mm from front and 288mm from back.
• 1 * 546mm with through groove on the bottom and a mortise at the left at 221mm from front and 288mm from back

Middle part have 2 elements:

• 1* 546mm with through groove on the bottom, left and up
• 1* 546mm with through groove on the bottom, right and up

Bottom part have 4 elements:

• 2* 546mm with through groove on the right, left and up (at the centre)
• 1* 546mm with through groove on the right and up
• 1* 546mm with through groove on the left and up

Step 17: Going to Show the Details of Front to Back Junction

In the video I try to show better the connection of front to back, and explain the groove position.

Step 18: Assembling

The assembling is not so simple, but with a good deal of patience you arrive to the result.

I following this steps but I don't know if there is a better manner.

1. I assembling the part starting from the 4 vertical panel
2. Glue left part (as pictures)
3. Glue right part (as pictures)
4. Glue the 2 part.

Step 19: Assembled Result

I'm satisfied of result, with a walnut paint on the exposed part, flatting in all part except for OSB panels that are already covered.

Step 20: Table

In parallel I started to build the top with 2 OSB sheet and an MDF with laminate surface (rest of an old cabinet), when glued all layers I cut the external waste and I add a frame.

Step 21: Adding Doors and Top

Then I add a doors and the top.

It's important that the router base is aligned, so I use T Nut to leveling It.

Step 22: Doors

To close doors I use magnets and inserted doors, but I think It isn't a good I idea, It's works but I find (as you can see in the photo) some others stuff I use in my wall mounted cabinets with swing doors, that are more stable.

Step 23: Drawers

For drawers I use old style guides, and they works very well and costs only patiece.

Step 24: Plexiglas Door.

I don't add electrical outlet inside the router table because I haven't a professional dust collector but only a drum-type vacuum cleaner so I use the table with the router door open and I suck the dust from the fence.

If you have a professional dust collector, I advice that you must add an hole to the back of router compartment to add tube (in addition to the hole you have placed on the guide) and add an electrical outlet inside so you can close the door, so when you power on the collector It can get all dust that go inside.

I add a plexiglas door for this purpose, to check if dust go away.

An alternative that I have in my mind is to add a tube that go directly to the base under the top, but I'll think better in the future.

Step 25: Plexiglas Base of the Router

The base of the router is 10mm plexiglas, I copy the screw holes from the original base.

In the centre of plexiglas base I create a circle with the max size possible (limit is the hole of the fixed base), then I remove with bearing router bit some material (3mm depth) to create an insert for interchangeable disc (3mm height) with various hole size for different router bits.

So with about 15€ I create a base to insert router on my table.

Step 26: Finish It

At the end I find It stable and usefully.

Step 27: Thanks

I add this PDF with the base picture schema.