10 min ugly router table

Looks a lot like mine! I needed to slap something together to work as a router table. I spent a couple hours on it and it manages to do the job – even if it is ugly as can be.

After all it was a temporary set up and I planned on making a nice one later.

That was 28 years ago! I still use it.

And I still plan on making a nice one later…

-- Steve - Impatience is Expensive

My theory does it work… then it doesn’t have to be pretty… My router jig

Well done

-- Rome wasn't built in a day... but I wasn't on that job? ... http://www.wackywoodworks.co.nz

Looks schmooks. for a fence a straight piece of lumber with a couple of clamps and you are good to go.

-- Made in America, with American made tools....Shopsmith

It’s no uglier than mine. I threw one together from scrap plywood and salvaged laminated shelving, like Steve posted above, it was only meant for one project then I was going to build a nice one… that was at least 5 years ago and I’m still using it.

-- Rick M, http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/

If it works than it’s good.

-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos

Your descriptive powers are amazingly accurate. That router table is immensely better than none at all (if it works).

-- If you're going to stir the pot, think BIG spoon or SMALL boat paddle. David Grimes, Georgia

Looks like a great solution to a problem.

CtL

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."- PortablePastimes.com (Purveyors of Portable Fun and Fidgets)

My first table saw, over 40 years ago, was a portable circular saw, fastened to the underside of a piece of plywood setting on a couple of saw horses and a board with two clamps for the fence. Set up took some time but I made a lot of stuff I needed for my young family back then. I did the same thing with my first router table when I was in a jam and needed one. I use a sink cut out scrounged from a scrap pile. “Pretty is as pretty does”, my MOM used to say.

-- Dr. Ken, Florida - Durch harte arbeit werden Träume wahr.

We all have to start somewhere . Good for you : )

-- I'm absolutely positive that I couldn't be more uncertain!

Looks great and I’m sure it works fine too.

For a fence you need nothing more than a flat edged board. If you don’t have a jointer you can simply use double stick tape or nails to attach a known straight edge to the fence and rout the edge true with a flush trim bit.

If you want to make the top a bit more durable, sand and spray on a couple coats of clear finish.

And it looks great.
Much nicer than the formica on my router table, which can only be described as “vomit orgy”, but hey, it was a $12 “damaged” sheet.

-- He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.