Router Table Depot Archive Page
Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Routability


I introduce to you the newest term in woodworking; routability. One might think it is the ability to work on the router table, or perhaps a set of elevated skills that sets you apart from other woodworkers. But that would be incorrect because routability my friend is a frame of mind. That’s right a term that would govern all good circumstances that come from the unity of man and power tools. Since we love router tables and all things that go with them, we have christened the name routability.


Examples

Let’s look at a couple real life examples of what “routability” might mean to you.


1. It’s Saturday morning and you’re in your shop routing some edge profiles on some freshly jointed red oak. You’re covered in saw dust, but you got none in your coffee. That’s routability.

2. You just bought a new router lift for your table and it fit perfectly in the table you just built. All your friends are checking it out and commenting on your craftsmanship. Routability

3. You just spent $800 on a router table and your wife has been giving you a hard time about it until….she sees the raised panel doors you just made for her new entertainment center. Suddenly you are proclaimed “the man” and routability has surfaced again.

4. You spent the whole weekend building a loft for your son’s bedroom. Instead of prying the Xbox controller out of his hands, he asks if he can help. A father son moment? Oh yeah, that is what routability does.

5. And finally, your wife decides she wants to spend more time with you working on “house” stuff. She enters the shop and learns how to make base molding on your new table. Is that Routability? Maybe. Watching her try to get sawdust from going down her shirt? Oh yes my friend, you are in the zone.


You can see more woodworking articles here.




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Tuesday, January 27, 2009















Bench Dog Router Table Inserts

Bench Dog has changed a few things around in their router table insert line. The good news is that they still offer the Bench Dog quality and they still offer the pre-drilled inserts. However, they did eliminate the phenolic inserts that they use to offer. If you had your heart set on a phenolic insert, you may have to hunt around to find a vendor that still has some in stock.

Changes

Bench Dog still uses a “group” title and you can match up your router with the insert that you need. They did designate a “standard” verses “large” grouping title and the difference is in the larger routers take larger inserts. All the inserts are made of sturdy ¼” aluminum. New routers supported include Craftsman (excellent) and Freud as well as Rigid.

Group 1 Standard

  • Makita 1100 series
  • Milwaukee 5615-1524
  • DeWalt 616-618
  • Rigid 2930 Combo New!
  • Bosch 1617 Series
  • Porter Cable 690,890,7529,8529 series
  • Hitachi M12VC

Group 2 Standard

  • DeWalt 621
  • Craftsman Std. New!
  • Freud FT 1700E New!
  • Freud 1702VCEK New!


Large Group 1

  • Porter Cable 7518,7519,7538,7539
  • Milwaukee 5625-30
  • Triton TRA001


Large Group 2

  • Bosch 1619
  • Freud FT2000
  • Dewalt 625


Bench Dog Pro Plate Router Table Insert Group 1

Bench Dog Pro Plate Router Table Insert Group 2


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Monday, January 26, 2009

You will notice that Bench Dog has changed their product line around a bunch and the changes can be a bit confusing. RTD is trying to make the transition a bit easier for you by providing an overview of the old product verses the new one. Sitting down and figuring out the differences can be time consuming, so we will be including a comparison for all the products they produce for easy evaluation.

Bench Dog Pro Top Phenolic Complete

Old Number is 40-099 Old Price $499.95

New Number is 40-200 New Price=$440.00

Old info

Included a phenolic top (40-098), cabinet (40-097), 32” Pro fence and included Group 1 predrilled phenolic insert. (router table insert)

New Info

Includes phenolic top (now numbered 40-101)

Cabinet (now numbered 40-110)

32” Pro Fence (now numbered 40-132)

Main Differences

Besides the change in numbers, the main difference is when you order the Pro Top Phenolic complete you do not get the insert. You must order this separately. Bench Dog does not carry phenolic inserts anymore which is good in one sense but a bit pricier in another. However they did lower the aluminum insert prices down from $89 to $59.99 which helps. This gives you the same $499.95 price tag, but you get a better insert.

Evaluation:

Great value because of the better insert

.

See the Bench Dog Pro Phenolic Complete 40-201



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Saturday, January 24, 2009








Bench Dog has changed their Pro Lift around from the old 40-016 (right side) model to the new model 150(left picture). So whats the difference? Well for starters, you will be relieved to know that it is still a great product and will fit all Bench Dog router tables, just like before. The main difference is in the insert rings that fit into the lift. The old model had steel rings and the newer model has plastic insert rings that are sized 1 1/2" and 2 1/2"

Best of all they lowered the price from $349 retail to $329 retail.

You can see more about the Bench Dog Pro Lift 150 here.


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