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Bench top router table

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Re: Bench top router table

Postby MY63 » 13 Jul 2021, 10:19

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.
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby sunnybob » 13 Jul 2021, 11:24

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:
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby MY63 » 13 Jul 2021, 17:06

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.

Image2021-07-13_05-01-25 by my0771, on Flickr
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby novocaine » 13 Jul 2021, 17:18

I did promise a picture of my router table.
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby sunnybob » 13 Jul 2021, 18:07

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

Postby novocaine » 13 Jul 2021, 18:22

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. 8-)
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby sunnybob » 13 Jul 2021, 19:42

I really, really, hope you have that metal table earthed :shock: :shock:
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby novocaine » 13 Jul 2021, 20:06

sunnybob wrote: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.
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby sunnybob » 13 Jul 2021, 20:17

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:
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby novocaine » 13 Jul 2021, 21:07

sunnybob wrote: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. :D

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.
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby sunnybob » 14 Jul 2021, 04:39

Good to know. :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap:
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby Andyp » 14 Jul 2021, 07:12

MY63 wrote: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.

Image2021-07-13_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.
I do not think therefore I do not am.

cheers
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby MY63 » 16 Jul 2021, 07:57

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.

Image2021-07-15_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.

Image2021-07-15_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.
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby sunnybob » 16 Jul 2021, 08:17

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.
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby MY63 » 16 Jul 2021, 09:41

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.
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby Trevanion » 16 Jul 2021, 09:44

sunnybob wrote: 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.


That’s not incorrect Bob, but it isn’t true for every situation either. Although it sounds counterintuitive some timbers that are prone to tearing out a deeper cut can actually help prevent the fibres being torn out, by having a deeper cut the finished cut surface is supported by the timber behind it and doesn’t get torn out, whereas a very thin cut has no support behind the cut surface and can be prone to tearing out.

The main factor for the quality of cut (aside from sharp cutters with the correct geometry for the task) though is feed speed, keep it at a pace where it’s not burning from going too slow but not so fast that you’re tearing the surface up. A thinner cut can also promote faster cutting as the router isn’t working as hard to cut, so the operator tends to push the timber through quicker which causes tear out.
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby sunnybob » 16 Jul 2021, 11:35

I've learnt my method the hard way, by tearing up oak especially, and also walnut.
Even with a new cutter, oak sheared and chattered across at only 1 mm. That table I finished a while ago, by the end I was taking shavings so thin I couldnt measure them. :o
Beech, maple, and even bubinga, on the other hand, cut clean to several mm depth.
Other hard woods I have no experience of. 8-)
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Re: Bench top router table

Postby Eric the Viking » 19 Jul 2021, 14:25

Trevanion wrote:
sunnybob wrote: 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.


That’s not incorrect Bob, but it isn’t true for every situation either. Although it sounds counterintuitive some timbers that are prone to tearing out a deeper cut can actually help prevent the fibres being torn out, by having a deeper cut the finished cut surface is supported by the timber behind it and doesn’t get torn out, whereas a very thin cut has no support behind the cut surface and can be prone to tearing out.


I think this is true, and the geometry of the cutter makes a huge difference too. I recently had to cut some seat stringers to replace the rotted ones in my mum's garden seat, so "S" curves in hardwood. Using up scraps I had three pieces of something Mahogany-ish, one of something Teak-ish (glued-up lengthwise from two slats), and an unused 1/2" Silverline template follower (bottom bearing) that's been sitting around from when it was "last few, must go" at Toolstation some years back.

I am careful with RPMs, also the feed speed. I test, etc.

Bandsawn to within around 2mm of the line/template, It did cut the Mahogany, but with a lot of vibration, and yes, tearout. When I started on the Teak, I was sensible enough to realise what was happening and stop before getting to the wanted part of the workpiece. Very nasty vibration, and equally nasty result.

The rest of the story is predictable: Wealden web site; bought one of these:
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https://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Down_Shear_Trim_23.html
It's a monster, but it does work superbly.

The Teak looked like it had been planed (which I very cautiously tried to do, but couldn't but spoil it - so I stopped).

Interestingly, although I had a very sharp plane iron, I couldn't do much to the mahogany tearout either, and ended up sanding it. I am morally certain this was down to the damage done by the Silverline cutter, as I have a de-arrising cutter (again from Wealden, which I used on all the pieces, as they might well get enquiring fingers. That worked beautifully on the Mahogany, even though it had a few bits of tearout near the edges.

So apart from the cutters (the biggest difference, obviously), the other big thing was the amount being taken off. I was more cautious with the bandsaw when cutting the Teak, so it was a deeper 'trim' run against the template. I think that helped. There was one spot where there was a distinct sharp angular change in the profile, at one end, and that came out sharply on the Teak, but rounded/torn on the Mahogany.

Just my twopence.

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