cheapie router/table combo Skill/Lowes
had a bunch of 3/4 stock I needed to put a round over edge on …
job was priced to do so with my hand held plunge Dewalt router …
good plan till I realized I’d already filled up the garage/work space … and the work bench I was gonna clamp it too was build so the clamps wouldn’t really work great …
door and window casing …
10 doors … 20 legs … 40 edges …. plus some windows.
to clamp each stick … 2 clamps … woulda meant both clamps in the way … and both needing moved … so thats .. what …. 40 .. 80 … 160 movements?
I needed help. I remembered looking at a cheap router/table combo at Lowes a week or two ago … which was funny … as I hate cheap tools.
Fore shadowing?
I’m decided on my dream router and table combo … gonna run me about $550.
Don’t have $550 this week or this job .. so … let’s look at that $70 deal.
Not $70 anymore … or I remembered wrong … anyways … $99.
Skill router and table. Little table. Like 18 wide … 12 deep … only 6+ in front of the bit. But looked solid. “L” shaped plastic one piece fence … little guard?
So I bought it …
Now I love the little thing!
The router is a single speed 1 3/4HP .. whihc means nothing … so it’s 9 amps.
only a 8th inch collet … which is good … as I won’t be pretending it’s a real router and table and over loading the damn thing. It’s light duty at best.
But .. today … I ran a 1/4 round over bit for 3 straight hours … no problem. The fence held tight … bit stayed the same height … no walking on either .. fence in or out … bit up or down … the router screams … wished I had the van with my ear muffs!
I put the thing together the nite before … nice and solid little base. The dust collection port actually seemed to work .. till I started to blow the breaker … so I disconnected my Fein vac and let the chips fall where they may.
I’m still in the market for a “real” router set up …
but for $100 … router AND table … unless the thing burns up Monday …. I’m thinking this is a great little cheapie combo.
I’ll post some pics Mon of my set up … screwed the legs to some scrap 1X decking … then clamped that to my table saw. Which … made for a higher that usual …. but great working height.
I have a fresh outta the box pic.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Replies
look ..
the potato chips and the router are both upside down ...
gotta mean something?
kismet ...
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Routing in the kitchen, Mrs Buck is gonna kill ya!
Jeff, I gotta believe this only a 8th inch collet ... which is good ... is a typo - right?
I'm thinking you meant that it only had a 1/4" collet, but with the price and brand - I figured I better double check.
I also end up clamping lots of work and running the hand held router and dream of a table, but can't decide or afford the right one - what is the one to have?
Thanks for the post,
Shoe
If Jeff is posting at 0400 EST...it means something, trust me.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..
ya know ...
half way thru the day on Fri I was telling a buddy over the phone about my new little router ...
and I saud the exact same thing!
8th inch ... he's like ... Wow .. that is a cheap router ...
he let me ramble for a coupla more minutes before he asked where I got the special bits ... was I sure I didn't mount my rotozip by mistake ... was I building a doll house ...
I finally figured it out!
man ... I gotta learn to read them ... wadda ya call it ... tape measures?
twice in one day ... I'm a freaking idiot.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Hardly...you just forgot the word RADIUS!
A 1/8" radius is acually a 1/4" diameter collet...
;)
I found myself in the same predicament. I took the non plunge base I got in my Bosch kit and mounted it on a panel that drops in the "extended opening" on the right of my Bosch tablesaw. Then I made a spacer for the fence and I was good to go.
The outfeed table already set up for the table saw was handy.Jake Gulick
[email protected]
CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT
So, there I was, in Lowes, as if I didn't have any work that had to be done...
Had been looking at the router table and 3 1/4HP combo by Freud - only $400 bucks - during the 20% sale last year. Combo would have been $320. Didn't buy it.
Last week, there I was, again, in Lowes, and spy the same router combo in the sale area. No price tag. Department manager says she has to move them. New price - $269. Now we're talkin'.
Out the door price with an additional 10% off ('cause I'm such a great guy) is $242.
Now I got four routers and two router tables. What to do. What to do.
I don't know what all the fuss is about.Nothing wrong with 1/8 shank router bits.Here is the rounter, router table and bits.http://www.mytoolstore.com/dremel/router.html
Hey, I had a similar experience with a $99 Ryobi kit just like yours from HD a couple years ago. That little thing has paid for itself several times over. 1/4 collet, and the bonus of a light duty router surprisingly easy to handle as a hand held. Nice & light. Changing bits is a PITA, but what do I expect.
My most used router is a Milwaukee body grip. Thought it was cool, bought it, and have loved it ever since. I coulodn't justify buying or making a table to fit it, thus sparking the little cheapy purchase. Money well spent.
ADH Carpentry & Woodwork
Quality, Craftsmanship, Detail
Recently I too got into a situation where I needed a router and table and absolutely could not use the one in the garage, so I bought the same table and router you have, but not as a package deal. It is a nice table, but a little small. The router is a real POS. Even clamped securely to the base and table, there was way too much deflectioin ion the bit ... I could move the bit about 1/32" with my finger. It seemed like there was too much slop between the router body and the router base. And it adds a new meaning to the word loud.
So I threw the router in the trash and kept the table for a garage sale one day. One problem with the table is that it is only drilled to match Skil routers. I spent over an hour in lowes one day opening router boxes and trying to find one that would align with the pre-drilled holes. I ended up buying the Bosch $250 table and using my existing Dewalt router. It is very nice, and well made.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Been thinking about this table by Bench Dog - any comments?
http://www.benchdog.com/Products/ProBuilder/ProTopContractor.dwt
Well, I'm watching this thread. See, I collect tools.
What they do is sit in their new boxes or cases looking pretty while I sit my azz on Breaktime for hours to dream up my next acquisition.
I've been planning on a routertable like forever man, now for my new Bosch 1617, but don't want to do it twice.
If I knew more I'd make my own since many say that is the way to go.
But then I'd have less time to waste on here so what a battle rages. Then again sometimes I think too much time on here can make you go coo-coo.
'Course someday I might actually use these things.
Then I'd need a trailer to haul them in since a pickup with a shell sucks even if it is a highboy. Friggin gut complicates crawlin in there.
I hate winter.
be non-winterizedbe coo-coo
SanchoRon the caballero bowed low as he waved his sombrero and said goodbye.
FREE SANCHO!!!
Well, I knwo I don't have the experience of any of you, so I'll put that straight up. However, I did have an opportunity to buy a Jessem Router table with the built in Mast - R - Lift. It is built to work with the PC big fixed base router. Given that I didn't own the router, it made the half price table a bit less of a deal however I am absolutely wild about the table. The lift is great, the top is dead flat and the dust collector is fine. The only problem is some sort of interest on thepart of the maker to have the fence square to the table . . . . didn't make much sense as a round bit don't know no square . . . however, a small point.This weekend I've done the cut work and prep for 30 cherry doors and I've been whistlin' as I've worked. I am a cup half empty guy at the best of times so when I find myself really happy with something, I'm surprised. It is made here in Canada . . . so there is a bit of a break price wise for those south of 49 . . . but it is still pricey.My 3 centsmark macleod
Dear half-empty guy,
Sounds to me like you got enough experienced jazz going on.
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SanchoRon the caballero bowed low as he waved his sombrero and said goodbye.
FREE SANCHO!!!
Hi:Well, I guess I can be my own worst critic. I think it comes down to always seeing something that I think I could do better/not having enough time/not having enough experience. Anyways, thanks for the supportive comments.I have the other Jessem table - with an integrated lift that works with a dial system/crank mounted on the front of the cabinet. The dial is direct read on the top of the table . . . . it's accurate and really helps with set up. That table set up has recently been changed to a crank on the right side of the cabinet. . . . there must be a reason but the drive system is longer and the crank seems to be in a more awkward place.The only problem I've heard with the table was from one friend of mine who bought one and the clamp for the rounter was not machined correctly . . . replaced on the spot.So far, so good.mark macleod
Shoeman,
I have the previous version of this and it is a decent unit. I got mine off Amazon. For a contractor lugging it to the jobsite, I am sure it would work great. For serious woodworking though, I think a larger dedicated table is a better choice. My biggest gripe is having to haul it out every time I want to use it, get out the saw horses or the workmate, and bolt it down. I use it with larger bits or places where I need to bolt on a taller fence but for 98% of the routing I do I either use an edge guide or bits with pilot bearings.
Regards,
Dennis
that Bench Dog is what I'm thinking of getting for my "real" router table.
I still need portable ... that one seems to be the best of the bunch.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Thanks for the feedback. I keep coming back to the Bench Dog as the most likely choice for a portable.
Faced with eactly the same job recently matching existing trim on 7 doors and 5 windows-6" wide casing.I was cutting to length at the saw then reaching for the laminate trimmer on the edge of the stand...rout one side ,flip and finish-no clamps needed.I've been using the cheap PC trimmer with smaller bits rather than pulling out larger routers.
I've had my eye on the Bench Dog set-up for awhile also but have restrained so far...when it comes to tool lust the flesh is weak.
looks like there's a bottle of aspirin and some meds too..does that say anything to us?
BE WELL!!!
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