Buying a bench top router table today can be a little bit
frustrating. I get asked all kinds of questions. I notice a lot
of people are trying to do things on bench top tables that
really should be reserved for larger tables. The reason is most
bench top tables are short on features.
Even if they have all the features of a bigger table they use
non standard sizes which make it hard to use. A good example of
this would be miter track. Miter track comes in an industry
standard size ¾” slot. All accessories are made to ¾ and fit
most tables with miter track. Some bench top manufactures make
their tables with smaller track and then nothing fits in them
except for what they give you.
Another key problem with the features of the smaller tables is
that they are not made very well. This kind of boggles the mind.
If you took the great quality and shrunk it down to smaller
size, why would it not sell? The answer is, it will, but not
many do it. So what is the solution? Well look for features that
you know you want or need.
Miter track
Split fences
Dust ports
Fence t-track
Bench legs that can be bolted to workbenches or stands
Large work areas
Heavy duty part
Router table inserts
If you look at the tables today you can find an interesting
comparison to their features. The tables that are most popular
are
Bosch 1181
RTD Super Bench
Rousseau Folding Table
Rockler
Skil Model 450
At the bottom of the pile is the Skil 450. It is manufactured
for several different brands. It’s a very good beginner table
but it does have a lot of limitations and has a lot of non
standard equipment. The biggest drawback is that you cannot use
any router on it.
The Bosch 1181 table is loaded with features, which is great.
It too will not fit all routers. It is also very expensive and
if you choose to add the matching stand, that will set you back
another $100. It’s not so much the quality but the price that
detracts from this table set.
The Super Bench from Router Table Depot has every feature that
you might want, and all in standard sizes. The price is very
competitive and offers you the most standard features for the
best price of all the tables reviewed.
The Rousseau folding table is another feature rich table with a
high sticker price. You can add a few more features with the RTD
table and still come in a little lower in price. The foldable
legs could come in handy if you have wall space to hang it on.
Rockler makes a nice design with wooden legs. However the top
does not have an insert which discourages the creation of raised
panels. They do have snap in rings but they are not big enough
for the larger bits available today. The low price is felt on
the lack of features.
Putting all the tables side by side gives you a great
comparison of what’s important to you. This is always a good
idea whether you are buying a woodworking tool or a car.
Bench Top Router Tables
Labels: Tables
by: Router Table Depot
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