Archive for the ‘Tool Comparisons’ Category

Are you the type of guy that wants to buy something once, and never again?  For some tools , I find myself doing just that.  If I know the tool I really don’t want to buy a inexpensive one to see if I like it.  If it is something I know I am going to use a lot, I go out and buy something that I know my kids will fight over when I am dead.  Certain big items like table saws, router tables, drill presses, band saws and dust collectors all fit this mindset (for me).  Although expensive ,this top is one of those items where you buy once and you never have to think about replacing it.  Its heavy duty and will last several lifetimes if you take care of it.  Quality is not an issue with this since your really cannot due a whole lot to damage a cast iron top.  This one tops out at $429, and you have to purchase an insert and a fence.  See the product review at the bottom.

Features and Specs:

Do you need the toughest router table top on the market?  Then look no further than the Bench Dog 40-100 cast iron table top.

This cast iron top is heavy duty, it will meet all your expectations for any project that you can throw at it.  It is a solid one piece unit weighing in at 100lbs.

• machine ground to .008
• 12 point leveling and locking capabilities
• Fits both Baltic Birch Cabinet and the Steel ProStand
• Dual track miter and t-track, molded into top.
• Fence Slots fit Pro Fence 32
• This model number (40-100) is for the top only, Insert is sold seperately

If your looking to order the top and the fence, that item number is called the Bench Dog Pro Max 40-301, Cast Iron table and fence combo

If your looking to order this top, Pro Fence and Pro Cabinet, that is called the Bench Dog RT Complete 40-300

I also found a helpful review on Amazon that gives some good insight to the stability issue I mention above.  This is a amazon product review.  When I find more, I will reference them here.

A couple years ago I spent nearly $300 on a Rockler MDF router table. I thought I was buying quality – wrong. After about a year the blasted thing warped with just the weight of the router. It now has a bow of about 3/16″ from the sides to the center. Talk about disappointing. You can’t do quality routing on a warped router table.

So, I went on a determined search to find a quality router table. I had decide that if I couldn’t find a commercially available unit I would have one custom made. But I wasn’t wasting any more money on junk.

Lo’ and behold I found that Benchdog makes a cast iron router table. $429 Sounds expensive but not when you consider that junk costs 2/3rds of that…it’s inexpensive in the long run.

I’ve been using it now for several months. This is one nice router table. I customized it a little bit because I needed to mount it to my work bench to accommodate my Incra micro-adjustable split router fence. The support table frame that I bought with it is also quality. I drilled two holes in the cast iron edge and bolted it to my (heavy) work bench. The set up works great. I do precision routing with this setup and am very pleased with the stability of the entire set up.

Note well since it is cast iron, it will rust. So, I clean it with Windex with ammonia, then spray a wax based corrosion inhibitor which also lubricates the surface (between uses). Note well, this router table weighs about a 100 lbs.

I also purchased the Benchdog router lift. Very nice. My first experience with a router lift. the only caveat is that the lift will not raise the router high enough to change bits. You have to lower the router and change bits below the table. Overall, I am extremely pleased.

Bench Dog Pro Top Phenolic is an intersting table since it is made entirely of Phenolic material.  This would mostly come down to preference since it is not made of MDF, which is very stable in my opinion, nor is it made of cast iron.  Any of the those materials make good flat table tops, so it really comes down to weight and personal preference when buying this table top.  Keep in mind Bench Dog now requires you to buy their inserts seperatly.  This is not a bad idea, because it keeps you from settling with what they give you verses what you would really rather have.

This top and fence sells for $340 on average.

The Bench Dog 40-201 Top and Fence set includes Bench Dogs 40-101 Pro Top and 40-132 Pro Fence all in one package.

• Enjoy a solid 3/4″ Phenolic top for amazing durability and stability.
• 31 1/2″ x 23 1/4″
• Built in dual miter track and t-track gives you amazing versatility that can be used with standard accessories.
• Mounts to any Bench Dog Cabinet or steel stand.  You can also mount it to fit your own design.
• The Insert for Bench Dog tables are now sold SEPERATELY

40-132 Fence

• Heavy duty Aluminum, one piece
• Fence length is 32″ x 3 1/2″
• Adjustable Subfences
• Bit Guard included
• 28” x 3 5/8”
• accessory t-lock, accepts 1/4″ & 5/16″ t-bolt plus 1/4″ hex bolt
• Dust Port 2 ½”
• Hole free sub fences

Bench Dog Router Table Inserts

This is a review of Router Table Depot’s Large RM 405 router table.  This table turned out to be much better than I ever expected.  A couple of things stood out.  First is the fence.  Everyone knows that the fence is the heart and soul of a table.  I really liked the heavy duty aluminum core.  The picture just does not show how heavy and robust this thing is.  It also has these 6″ high MDF extensions.  Now other tables such as Bench Dog or Woodpeckers give you a 3′ high extension, so these were really stand out.  The extra space can help you use vertical bits which tend to stand up taller and in turn you would be routing larger items like a door panel.  So having the extra few inches on the fence saved me from building up my own custom fence just to get the job done.

The table top is nice too, laminated on both sides and sporting a typical acrylic insert.  This insert is fine for normal everyday routing, which is what I mostly do.  It also has a miter track so that you can add something like a coping sled or a featherboard too.  The stand is slightly different than what is pictured.  It would appear to have been improved slightly by adding a bigger leg and adding a slight camber to it.  You can still add a shelf and I give the design a thumbs up for the money.

Here are the features of the table for your research:

Top

• 31 3/4″ x 23 3/4″
• 1 3/8″ thick
• Top and bottom laminate surface
• 3/4″ mitre track installed

Insert

• Deluxe Insert with removable rings
• 12″x 9″ x 3/8″ thick
• 1/4″ mounting lip
• 1 1/4″ opening for Porter Cable style bushings
• 2 5/8″ opening
• 4″ opening
• Can be used with any router
• Starter pin included
• Stays perfectly in place with magnets and set screws to the top  Perfect for fine precision work.

Fence

• Split fence design
• Aluminum angle iron with dust cutout
• Aluminum measures 33″ x 4″ x 4″
• MDF adjustable fences are a whopping 1″ thick
• MDF fences measure 18″ x 6″
• T-track installed for accessories!
• Upgraded dust port with 2 1/2 adaptor to attach directly to 2 1/2″ hose
• Measuring tape on top of fence
• High quality laminate covering

Stand

• Sturdy Steel design
• Easy assembly
• 27″ x 19″ x 32″

Shipping Dimensions

• 34″ x 26″ x 8″

You can find the table right on their site.  Router Table or by going to Router Table Depot directly.

1. Top notch table.
2. worked better than exspected
3. The table was easy to assemble
4. I would recommend this table even to my family and friends.
5. Accurate right out of the box
6. I am very happy
7. Worth every penny
8. It is a great quality table
9. I could not be happier with the quality of the items
10. Thanks Rockler for two fine items
11. The only complaint I have is the fact that the dust collection port does not come with the table as shown.
12. Overall this is a very good table to mount a router in
13. Keep up the good work!

Rockler’s #1 Router Table Package Our introductory package is the best value on the market! It includes your choice of standard router plate (1/4″ x 8″ x 11″) plus our Rockler exclusive table, fence system and bit safety guard. (Le.. Rockler’s #1 Router Table Package

I get asked a lot about building lost cost router tables that have lots of features and work well in the shop. I stumbled across this one and thought that I would elaborate on it and share it with you. The table is originally a router table extension for a table saw. This one is for sale at Router Table Depot The neat thing about this particular top is that you can use it for a table saw, no problem. But because it has this nice base around the bottom, you can easily mount it to a stand. If you make one yourself, the possibilities are really endless. The one pictured here is a basic stand design but you can go pretty much as far and deep as you would like.

The Stand

The stand is not rocket science, it is basically four “L” shaped legs with stringers attached to hold it square. The stringers can be also made into a shelf for an extra sturdy design. You can make this whole stand out of some scrap plywood or you can use any other scrap wood that you might have lying around. The whole premise of the stand is that the top slides over the stand and rests on the legs. After that you simply use the base of the extension and screw it right to the legs of the stand.

Router Table Top

The top has all the features that you would want in a table and can accept all the industry standard upgrades.

• 24″ x 27″ deep
• 1 3/8″ thick
• Top and bottom are laminated
• 3/4″ miter track installes
• Insert is acrylic and measures 12′ x 9″ x 3/8″
• Fence is a split fence design and has a solid aluminum core with 12″ x 6″ Extensions
• Mounting frame is 27×21 1/4″ outside diameter and 24 5/8″x19″ inner diameter

Originally you can buy this for $179 (at this printing) From the Router Table Depot and I believe it has free shipping.  I can imagine the stand costing you more than $20 to make yourself.  Maybe a tad more if you went a little crazy and made drawers, doors and a cabinet style design.

Router Table Insert

Router Table Ply stand

Jet Xacta Lift Router INS with Deluxe Fence

Jet makes an interesting lift and fence combined unit that is unusual in the market place for router table lifts. First of all is the size, it is much bigger than other brands. That is because they have designed it to fit in their table saw extension, so it is an accessory that you can buy to enhance your saw. While this is a good idea, woodworkers can take it a step further and build their router table around the lift, if they like the brand. The price is certainly competitive with other lifts and the features are there too.

• One turn of the handle raises or lowers the bit .050”
• 2 ½” inches of travel is available
• All adjustments can be made above table
• Two solid ¾” steel shafts hold the router motor assembly
• Sized at 11 ¾” x 14 ¾” x ¼
• Heavy duty anodized aluminum
• Ten leveling screws for height adjustment
• 3 5/8” bit opening

Deluxe Fence

• Mounts to the fence
• Wood extensions are adjustable and replaceable
• Safety guard

For the money you would never get the fence included with the lift, so this is more of a bonus than usual. There is not a lot of flexibility with the fence since it attaches directly to the insert, however you can tweak the design and add some T-track to the table so the fence could mount where ever you want. This is part of the woodworker’s code in adjusting and tweaking stuff the way you want it. Getting custom jigs and tools is half the fun and sets you apart from everyone else.

You can find all sorts of router table reviews in the Product Reviews Section

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

I found this new route table system over at Router Table Depot, it is a Woodpeckers Router Table combined with their 32″ LE Fence with a Phenolic insert and stand. Normally they do not supply a stand but this package has one. It has all the features that you would look for in a router table and can be added to. Keep in mind, this table fits only inserts from Woodpeckers, since their sizes are somewhat unique and not universal.

Top

• 32″ x 23 1/2″ x 1 1/4″
• Micro Dot Laminate over MDF core
• Combination Miter track and T-track channel (1 piece)
• 2 Embeded Fence Tracks
• Laminated bottom

Insert

• Phenolic Mounting Plate
• Pre Drilled for  Porter Cable models 690, 890, 7529 and 8529 Makita 1101, and Bosch Models 1617, 1618 series
• Measures 11 3/4″ x 9 1/4″ x 3/8″
• 3 Twist Lock Rings with 2 5/8″, 1″, 1 3/16″ openings
• Spanner ring wrench and starter pin

Fence

• 32″ LE Fence
• Aluminum Core with Micro Adjust
• 15 3/4″ x 3″ Extensions, Laminated MDF
• Dust Port, 2 1/4″ Internal diameter
• Saftey Cover
• Black Knob and bolt assemblies to ride in fence track

Stand

• 27″ x 19″ x 32″
• Easy Assembly
• Steel
• threaded insert kit

You can find this table here Woodpecker Router Table

You can easily find the Bosch RA1181 at retailers like Lowes. It is nice to be able to get your hands on one before buying it. It is even nicer if you could see the thing in action before you buy. This video shows you some sample features and uses of the table. The video features the jointing feature of the fence. It shows you how to set it so that you can use it for jointing. Jointing on the router table is never as good as using a jointer, in my opionion, but in some cases it works very well and can save you significant space and money in the shop.

You can find it priced between $169 to $199 at most retailers. Below the video is a list of places where you can check it out and make a purchase.