Replies

1. 
   lange22250 | Mar 09, 2007 07:44am | #1

   I have on of the porter cable tables which came with the complete kit my wife bought me for christmas a few years ago, and I don't realy like it. It works, but not that well.

   I also have a Rockler table which is much better, and would be perfect if I added one of there micro adjusters that works from the top of the table.

   You may also want to look through some of the plans that have been published in fine wood working, they will usualy work the best if you have some specific applicatios you want.

   Good luck

1. 
   Sancho | Mar 09, 2007 07:45am | #2

   I would build my own if I had to do it again. 

                

   View Image    "We fight not to enslave ,but to set free"

   Thomas Paine

2. 
   Scott | Mar 09, 2007 08:37pm | #3

   For fine woodworking my favorite would be:

   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&cat=1,43053&p=43885

   For basic construction use I'd build my own, which is what I've done. Lee Valley sells a few different types of inserts which you can put in a laminate-coated piece of ply or MDF. There are many books which show you how to build a good fence. The one I built has a chip chute to connect to a vac.

   Scott.

   Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”

3. 
   Sasquatch | Mar 10, 2007 12:44am | #4

   I have the Bosch, which I like a lot.  I leave the Bosch fixed base attached and just pull out the router and put it in the plunge base for off-table work.  Lowe's has it for about $169.  I got the router fixed/plunge combo there for about $200.

   I also have the Freud portable table from Lowe's, with the Ridgid fixed base mounted underneath.  I do the same thing when I want to take it off of the table.  The Freud table has incredible precision on the fence.  It was close to $200.  The Ridgid router is, IMO, the best deal out there currently.  It has pretty much all the quality and features of the Bosch, plus it includes the wrench to easily adjust from above the table.

   With the Freud table, you do have to custom drill the holes for the router and the wrench.  I used a drill press for the holes and a router bit to countersink.  The screws for the Ridgid base are not metric.

   Without building one yourself, you can't go wrong with these tables.  You really need a table to build a good table, so you could always buy one, build a better one, and then sell the one you have.  I was going to do that, but now plan to keep what I have.  You can't have too many routers.  I still have a 25 year old B&D that works fine and a ten year old Delta router/table which is also useful.

   Now if I can just get my wife to buy me the new Bosch trimmer/router!

1. 
   FastEddie | Mar 10, 2007 02:13am | #5

   I deleted my previous message cuz the picture wouldn't show, and I couldn't take it out.  Hee's what I said:

   86874.5 in reply to 86874.1 

   I was in a pinch and bought the only thing available at the time, a Bosch table.  It is well made and does a good job, but it is overpriced. "Put your creed in your deed."   Emerson

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

4. 
   daveinnh | Mar 10, 2007 03:47am | #6

   I have the cabinet style BenchDog router table for a home shop.  A few thoughts:

   • I added a 110V outlet box.
   • flexibility is nice with accessories (feather-boards; panel hold-down)
   • in retrospec (sp?), I'd get a small power-feeder instead for the ~1,200 LF of house trim I fed thru
   • accessories can add up to be $$$
   • fence is nice and rigid with good clamps - I use a magic marker on the table as reference to parallel the fence to table edge (req'd for 90-deg. style & rail connection)
   • support has been good - one accessory was missing piece - they Fedexed out
   • I believe that BenchDog also offers a portable unit

   Good luck