A wood router, is a necessary shop tool, but they can be awkward to work with when you
have to freehand your projects. There's a better way, and it doesn't have to be expensive.
In this project, we're turning any ordinary table, into a multipurpose work bench, with
a built-in, flush mount router station.
For this project, we're gonna need a wood router. I found this one, on my local classifieds.
And we're gonna need a square foot of plexiglass or acrylic like this. This piece is 1/4" thick,
it's crystal clear, and only cost $5.00 from a local plastics company. Let's get started
by choosing a good spot on the table, then tracing the edges of the square with a pencil,
or a pen. You can see I've put a 1/2" straight bit into the chuck of this router, and now
if we measure from the edge of the blade, to the side of the sub-base, the distance
is 2-5/8". I used that measurement to cut a piece of wood that matches perfectly flush
with the side. Ok, now we can go ahead and use our piece of wood as a measuring tool,
to draw a border around the outside of the square. Next, we'll need to draw an inner
square, about 1-1/4" smaller than the first one. I decided to angle the corners, for aesthetics,
and support, and now all the markings and measurements look like this.
Alright, it's time to cut ourselves a hole.
Let's start by using a large drill bit to make holes on the inner sides of the angled
lines. This way, we can insert the jigsaw blade and begin cutting right away. The goal
here is to cut each line as straight as possible, and when we make it back to the starting point,
the center piece should fall right out. Now we still need this plastic plate, to sink
down flush with the top of the table. And we'll be able to do that with the help of
8 concrete paving stones. The concrete squares need to line up perfectly with the outside
edges of the outer square, and when they're all aligned, it's time for the action.
Let's use the plastic plate, to gauge the cutting depth. And we can do that by adjusting the
height of the sub-base, until the tip of the bit, is flush with the top of the plate. Now
when we turn on the router, and rest the base flat on the table, it should be cutting down
to the exact depth of the plastic mounting plate. You can see that as we move along in
a clockwise direction, the concrete blocks prevent the side of the router from going
out of bounds. This helps keep the cuts clean and straight, and in-line with the markings
we made around the plate. Now that we've cut the outer boundary, we can freehand the router
back and forth, until the inner bits are profiled down as well, then finish up, by sanding the
new surface smooth. Now if you look at the corners, you might notice they're a bit rounded,
so let's just grind a little bit of plastic off the corners of the plate, to match the
curves. And now you can see that now the plate will drop straight in, and sit flush with
the top of the table.
Ok, it's time to mount the plate, to the router base.
There are 3 screws holding the base plate on, and when those are removed, it comes off
very easily. If we center it on our square, we can use it as a template, to mark the position
of the screw holes, then drill them out with a 7/32" drill bit. Now I tried taking a little
off the top with a 3/8" bit, and ended up with a countersink effect. You can see that
when the screws are set back in, they sit flush with the top, but don't catch on anything
sliding over them. The next step is to drill a hole in the center with a 1-1/2" Forstner
bit, then make two more holes, in line with the center using a 7/8" bit. These two holes
will give us handles to remove, and replace the router at will. Let's go ahead and remove
the protective paper now, then line the plate up on the router where the sub-base used to
sit. The original screws can be returned, to secure the new plate in place, and you
can see the plastic is more than strong enough to support the weight of the router. I added
a couple of beams underneath to re-enforce the table top, and prevent it from sagging
over time. For a nice finishing touch, let's try cutting a piece of black construction
paper, to make a decorative lining for our new router station. At this point, our router
table is completely finished, and ready for operation. For our first project, why don't
we try routing the edges of our new table with this 3/4" beading bit. You'll notice
that even with the custom mounting plate, the router is still completely portable, for
any projects you need to router by hand. The extra surface area of the plate, actually
keeps the unit more stable, and helps ensure the cut lines are as straight as they can
be. Now just for fun, I gave my table a paint job so when the router sets in place, the
whole thing has got a clean professional look to it. I also rigged up a switch box for electrical
power, that will give us the option of turning on a backlight, and starting up the router
from a safer distance. Now, one of the things I like best about this design, is that the
bit can be fully retracted when we don't need it. This means we still have full access to
the entire work table. And that can be very helpful for projects like the rocket rifle
that we made in a previous project. And because the system is so easy to remove and replace,
changing out router bits is simple as well. Well now you know, how to add a professional
looking, flush mount router station, to any work table. So go ahead and make a picture
frame, put finishing touches on experimental projects, or makes some puzzles for entertaining
friends, because now you can. That's it for now. If you liked this project, perhaps you'll
like some of my others. Check them out at www.thekingofrandom.com