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"Traditional" router table

This is where we don't want anything but evidence of your finest wood butchering in all its glorious, and photograph laden glory. Bring your finished products or WIP's, we love them all, so long as there's pictures, and plenty of 'em!

Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 08 Nov 2021, 12:53

droogs wrote:Funny how a cabinet design made to house the shrieking banshee of death can be called "traditional". For me, if it wasn't in use either as a tool or process method before the Battle of the Nile then its "modern".
:lol:


Excellent quality of work being done though, superb tight M&Ts and attention to detail


That’s why “traditional” is in quotes!

It’s the joinery which is more old school. I was going to build the router table with a ply carcass (probably pocket holes and that sort of thing), but thought I’d have more fun and learn more making it like this. Making 10 “proper” dovetailed drawers is going to be good practice!
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 09 Nov 2021, 10:27

I did a bit more of the glue up yesterday attaching the bottom rails and the lower pieces of the front frame. The top rails aren’t glued in yet as there are some other pieces which need to go in first. It seems to be more or less square which is good!

Most excitingly, whilst we’re having our kitchen renovated and a lot of rewiring done, I got the electrician to put a light over my bench. What a difference! He has also put a heater in. It’s more to heat me rather than the whole workshop and I think I’ll use it sparingly.

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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 11 Nov 2021, 09:46

The front frame is now glued up and completed.

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Next job is to fit all of the drawer runners which will be a bit fiddly. As part of that, I also need to seal off the router compartment from the drawers to stop dust going everywhere. I'll probably add some dust extraction in due course as well.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby droogs » 11 Nov 2021, 11:44

looking very well put together. You must be pleased with how it's going
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby Malc2098 » 11 Nov 2021, 11:53

Coming along nicely.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 11 Nov 2021, 12:04

Thanks chaps. Yes, I'm pleased with it. Progress is a bit slow, but I'm enjoying it so that's fine.

I'm looking forward to having a solid router table but also some extra drawer storage.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby RogerS » 11 Nov 2021, 12:13

Excellent superb WIP, Nick. :eusa-clap:

Many thanks for posting.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 18 Nov 2021, 14:54

All of the drawer runners and (bar one) “dust covers” have now been made and fitted.

It’s fairly self explanatory how it’s done. I’m going to leave the vertical rear supports unglued so I can dismantle things if I need to make any changes. They’re a tight fit and will be held in place by the rear panel so they won’t go anywhere. The central section where the router will sit needs side panels. I’m going to make them from 6mm ply but I’m a bit worried that the whole thing will act like a drum skin, magnifying the sound of the router! If it’s a problem, I can experiment with something’s no that will absorb/deaden the noise. Anyway, before I do any of that I need to make a lot of drawer guides…

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Last edited by NickM on 22 Nov 2021, 08:45, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby droogs » 18 Nov 2021, 15:49

The manner in which the software on this site analyses, processes and then displays images on this site is rather discombobulating, it keeps making me think I need new batteries in my glasses. Other than that I am liking where this is going Nick
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby AndyT » 18 Nov 2021, 16:14

Excellent progress.
Thanks for writing it all up so clearly.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby Malc2098 » 18 Nov 2021, 21:47

Still coming along nicely.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 10 Jan 2022, 09:39

December saw my spare time time entirely taken up with decorating our refurbished kitchen to get it finished before Christmas, so I haven't done anything on the router table until this weekend.

Not many WIP photos to show because it was pretty dull stuff, making drawer guides (I decided to be frugal and use some scraps of MRMDF for the task) and boxing in the compartment which the router will live in:

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I could then fit the top. I'm using the top which came on my Trend bench top router table. As that's smaller than the unit I've made, I used a piece of MDF as a first layer. One day, I'll probably make a larger top or, if I'm feeling flush, splash out on a cast iron one. For now though, the MDF/Trend top adds a lot of weight and it's a really solid unit now:

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I haven't used it in anger yet, but I think it's going to work well. I've made start on the TEN drawers I now need to make and will probably use the router table for the first time in that process (cutting slots for drawer bottoms).

I also need to think about adding some dust extraction to the router cabinet (the fence has an extraction port on it already).
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby Malc2098 » 10 Jan 2022, 11:48

Looking good.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby MattS » 10 Jan 2022, 15:38

Looks good. If you've got more MDF, surrounding that Trend top would give a bit of extra surface and look neat
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 10 Jan 2022, 18:18

MattS wrote:Looks good. If you've got more MDF, surrounding that Trend top would give a bit of extra surface and look neat


Thanks Matt. That's a good idea, subject to my MDF matching the thickness of the trend top. I'll have a look.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby Dr.Al » 11 Jan 2022, 08:38

NickM wrote:
MattS wrote:Looks good. If you've got more MDF, surrounding that Trend top would give a bit of extra surface and look neat


Thanks Matt. That's a good idea, subject to my MDF matching the thickness of the trend top. I'll have a look.


If the MDF is a bit thicker than the trend top, you could always put some shims under the trend top. The gap would be hidden by the top layer of MDF and I doubt it would affect the operation at all.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 11 Jan 2022, 09:27

Dr.Al wrote:
NickM wrote:
MattS wrote:If the MDF is a bit thicker than the trend top, you could always put some shims under the trend top. The gap would be hidden by the top layer of MDF and I doubt it would affect the operation at all.


Good suggestion. I think I'll use it like it is for a bit and see how it goes. I don't think it will be long before I make a new bespoke top or buy something better.

I've made the first drawer:

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The design is such that it can be opened all the way to the back of the drawer which is important as this will hold a selection of router bits and I want to be able to see them all when I open the drawer.

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I decided I didn't want handles on the drawers because they'll get in the way a bit and it might look a bit "busy" given there are 10 drawers. I decided to go with finger holes. I think they look OK, although I think I could have put them a bit lower. They might let dust in but we'll see how that goes.

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I'll try to take more photos of the process when I make the next one/nine...
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby AndyT » 11 Jan 2022, 11:25

I do like that long drawer design, very practical.

I also note that it has good crisp dovetails, a pair of housings and neat wedged through tenons, all presumably hand made.

Are you sure you need a router at all? ;)
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 11 Jan 2022, 13:57

AndyT wrote:I do like that long drawer design, very practical.

I also note that it has good crisp dovetails, a pair of housings and neat wedged through tenons, all presumably hand made.

Are you sure you need a router at all? ;)


Yes, they were hand made but I did use the router table to cut the grooves for the drawer bottom and couldn't possibly have got the plough plane out of the cupboard to do that...
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 12 Jan 2022, 16:17

I've made another of the small drawers and took some pictures of some of the steps which might be of interest to some.

Shooting board used to square the ends of the various components:

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Drawer front cut to length (slightly over actually and then trimmed back on the shooting board):

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Drawer front fitted into the opening, leaving it on the large side so that it can be trimmed later in the process for a nice fit:

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Other components made to size. The back matches the front and the sides are made to fit each end of the drawer front/back:

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Dovetails marked sides. I copied the layout from the first drawer. They're not very even but it doesn't really matter:

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(I did make a dovetail jig, but later bought this Veritas one and it is better than mine.)

Cutting the dovetails (I sharpened my dovetail saw for the first time in 2ish years and it made a big difference) and removing some of the waste with a coping saw:

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I removed the rest of the waste with a chisel (no picture) and then transferred the lines onto the drawer front and cut from corner to corner to get the socket waste removal started.

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Then finished with chisels:

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Trying for fit. Good enough for a router table!

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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 12 Jan 2022, 16:25

I then used the router table to run some 1/4" grooves for the drawer base, making sure they're hidden within the dovetail at the front:

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I then marked out the rebate for the drawer back (the design means dovetails at the back aren't possible):

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There is a wedged through tenon at the back of the drawer. I chopped out the mortise for that:

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I didn't take any pictures of the finished rebate/tenon so I'm afraid it's straight from there to glue up:

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After some strategic planing to get a good fit, and cutting the rear ends of the drawer sides so that it stops flush with the front, the final job was to number the drawer (I'm deeply ashamed to say that they aren't interchangeable!!):

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Two down, eight to go:

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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby Malc2098 » 12 Jan 2022, 17:45

Nice.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby BucksDad » 12 Jan 2022, 18:25

Fantastic. Where did you buy your timber from?
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby NickM » 12 Jan 2022, 18:31

BucksDad wrote:Fantastic. Where did you buy your timber from?


Contrary all received wisdom, I bought boards unseen from Sydenhams (unsorted furniture grade redwood). I've done a couple of orders from them and both have been OK. There will always be knots and some splits, but it has been alright.
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Re: "Traditional" router table

Postby Phil » 15 Jan 2022, 12:01

Nick, that looks extremely good, nice work. :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap:

Question:
Where is the dust extraction going to be fitted?
Your design is similar to one that I found in a 'merican magazine.
See pics below for dust.

There is a baffle plate at the back of the router with a gap at the bottom which sucks into the dust chamber.
The dust chamber has a vacuum pipe hole with a pipe fitted that I just plug into the vacuum.
The top has a hole beneath the fence and the fence has a dust collection gap by the router bits. The vacuum also sucks this through to the dust chamber.
The front panel (big gap) is a slide in piece of perspex with a couple of 20mm holes for make-up air. I can adjust the volume using very expensive stoppers (wine bottle corks 8-) )

It is very effective catching about 99% of the dust and chips.

I also have a switch on the front for the router which also turns on the vacuum which is plugged into the back of the table.

Bottom Inside.jpg
Inside the router table with the duct chamber at the back
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Inside Cabinet.jpg
Showing the dust chamber and vacuum connection
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Top of Table.jpg
Top showing the dust suction hole and chamber on fence
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Open Drawer Extended Sides.jpg
Perspex panel for the front and the control switch
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