Beginners Router Table

RTD Basic

Ships for 5 bucks

The beginners router table.

Are you new to woodworking?  Are you new to router tables?  If so, this might be a way to ease into woodworking without breaking the bank.  Introducing our newest and most economical router table, the RTD Basic.

Any carpenter or craftsman will tell you that you can make a router table out of a hunk of plywood, mount your router to it and you have an instant table.  We embellsihed a bit on this principle and CNC routed a insert ring into 3/4" MDF to give you a better basic table.  The ring allows you to have three different size openings to choose from.  You simply screw or bolt it into the top and you have a flush flat surface to use.  Installing your base plate to the mdf is as easy as lining up your base plate and drilling the holes.

You can take any router and mount to this for a quick head start.  Use it on:

• put it on a set of saw horses
• mount it to our bench top leg sets
• put it on a cabinet
• fits our standard large stand

So now you are thinking, ok, what about the fence.  Well along with the same thought mode, you can use almost anything for a fence.  Most beginners start with a piece of straight wood because they used router bits that have profile bearings.  The profile bearings set the space between the bit and the wood, so a fence is not really needed that much in beginning woodworking.  If you want to use one you can see some basic pictures that show some various ways to make an adaptable fence.

• clamp up a piece of wood (shown)
• bolt on our bench sized fence core
• clamp on our large fence core
• you can use extensions if you want to get a little fancy
• fixed or split fences will work.

This basic kit comes with

1. Top, which is 19" x 27", fits our large stand for future reference
2. Insert snap ring, 2 5/8" and 1 1/4" opening. (fits standard guide bushings)
3. 3 wood screws, 3 flat screws and nuts for your choice of mounting options
4. Expansion gasket

FAQ's

How do I mount my router?   Remove your routers base plate and place it over the ring assembly that is mounted into the table.  Use a pencil to mark the attachment holes that the manufacture uses to mount to the router.  Drill those holes through the top and countersink the hole so that the screw sits flush to the top.  Mount your router underneath the top.  Directions will be available on the site under the "Directions" tab.

Can I mount t-track in the top to guide a fence?  It is not a good idea since T-track is 1/2" high and the MDF is 3/4" thick, this leaves only 1/4" of working material and weakens the top.  You would move to a thicker top later down the line.

Do you keep the base plate on the router while you mount it to this top?  No, you remove it and set it aside.

Do you include the screws to mount my router to the top?  No, there are so many different routers out on the market today.  Each manufacturer has decided their own thread size and thickness of the mounting lip.  It becomes darn near impossible to include a screw that will fit every router on the market today.  You would have a hardware bag that would cost an extra $10, which would make the attractive low price on this table higher, which defeats the purpose.

Whats the Expansion Gasket thing?  MDF is wood fibers and glue, contrary to popular belief it does move with the changes in season.  We  cut these tops at various times of the year.  Your insert ring maybe perfect right out of the box, or you may see it go slightly past flush certain times of the year.  You simply put the gasket into the insert hole and screw it down till the insert is flush.  This gives you some leeway and keeps the top flush.  You can make your own as well.

Will I lose any of the travel in my router bit since I am bolting it to the 3/4" top?  Yes you will lose 3/4" of travel on your router.  Most bits are longer today or you can use a router extension collet.  Most routers today have enough travel to accomodate the extra thickness.

What this top will do:

• Profile cuts, (perfect for using profile bearing router bits)
• Gets you started for a little bit of cash
• Basic Joinery

What this top will not do:

• precision work, (if you want to cut raised panel joinery, pony up and buy a table that does that type of work!)
• No miter gauge
• No t-track
• No insert plate

Directions for installing your router and the insert ring can be seen here.