Best Router Table Setup - Woodworking Talk

FarFromTheNorm · 06-20-2007, 03:44 PM

Any thoughts on the best router and table for a reasonable price say £200 ($400)? I'm currently think of a 1/2" collet 2000W router and making the table myself? Which brands/models/features would you recommend? Thanks....

Corndog · 06-20-2007, 07:23 PM

Bosch or Porter Cable seem to be my favorites. I've got a PC 690 in my table but I don't do any heavy routing on it. I just mainly build guitars.

johnep · 06-21-2007, 04:15 AM

assume you have already explored what Screwfix has to offer?
johnep

BULLHART · 06-21-2007, 09:32 AM

Ive decided that for ME, the plate is more important than the table. I have the woodpecker Lift and table. The Lift is the best I've ever owned, the table sucks. I think I'm going to build it into the table saw extension. I like Bosch routers, but whatever you get, I'd recommend buying the biggest size (HP) that you can afford.

This is what I use

http://www.woodpeck.com/quickliftalum.html

FarFromTheNorm · 06-21-2007, 03:32 PM

I agree with you on Bosch - I have a 1/4" pof1300 which is fine for handheld routing, but I think I'll need a more powerful 1/2" machine for the table.

The woodpeck kit looks top class, but it obviously you have to pay for it.

FarFromTheNorm · 06-21-2007, 03:37 PM

Yes I have checked out Screwfix / Machine Mart etc but I don't really have much insight on the relative quality & value for money of the different brands other than just hoping you get what you pay for...

Any thoughts on a good model in the £100-£150 pound range to leave me some change for making the table?

Many thanks

daryl in nanoose · 06-23-2007, 01:04 PM

I'm a Porter-Cable fan myself and I built my own table

CILONE · 06-27-2007, 10:26 PM

I built my table out of two sheets of 3/4 MDF and a sheet of the counter top stuff. It is 2'x4'. I have a router r lift. The old style one. I got it cheap. My router is the hitachi M12V I got on Amazon for $100. I built the cabinet underneath out of scrap oak and mdf from the plans from Shopnotes issue 1.

I built everything for it on the cheap and it does everything I have asked from it.

My point is that you can build your own for cheap and not worry about changing later if there is something you want to change.

Write down everything you want out of a router table and go from there.