How to Build a Router Table – 2023 Complete Beginners Guide

How to build a router table? It is one of the frequently asked questions by the people. The router is also a most useful tool in the workstation of woodworkers. The workload of the work always based on this tool.

We know that handheld wood router is also one of the most versatile tools in the workshop. With the help of this tool, a person is able to run edge profiles like roundovers and ogees. Despite, also cut joinery like dadoes and rabbets, a woodworker is able to turn to down and also mount it on the surface of router table as well.

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How to Build a Router Table in the Simplest Way

How to make a simple router table? A professional woodworker always needs more equipment to take the woodworking to a new level. There is no doubt that a router is just coveted by most of professional and aspiring woodworkers.

To build a routing table, you also don’t need any woodworking or special skills. Only basic woodworking skills are more than enough to build a quality router table for your working area. What are the other benefits are to building your own router table? Not only money, but you are also able to improve quality and save a lot of time as well.

As you are the manufacturer of this tool, then, there is no compromise with the quality as well. Make your tool in quick time and also transform your hobby overnight.

Some Points to Consider

You must have a few things in your mind before building a router table. Why are you making a router table? What is the real purpose of a router table? You must answer this question to determine what kind of router table you must build for your workshop.

If you have a general workshop or working in the general workshop then, you just build a large router table. For this purpose, you just unscrew your router to have a very elegant and smooth work surface that you can use in the future days.

Size of the applications and projects you create always determines the size of your router table. You may don’t need a well-equipped or larger router table if you are a beginner, but this will help you in the future days when you are well experienced.

And the last thing, what are your real priorities and needs? Ask yourself about the needs and priorities while building a router table.

In this context, you have to customize your plan below to well suit them. In this way, the router table will be as much practical as you want.

Here are a few useful steps to answer your question, how to build a router table? How to build a professional router table?

Step 1: Get Your Required Tool

How to build a router table for beginners? If you are beginners, then, you must know that you have to get all the required tools before construction. You will see and use your skills in this project that require different tool including a wood router itself.

If you forget to buy this tool, then there is nothing wrong or right because it is your first time. Why you need a wood router? The reason is that before building a routing table, you just need to match this with the router table you are using for your applications. On the other hand, you must also keep the space of the workstation in your mind.

You may need a few things like wood for the top of the router table, as pine or Plywood is ideal in this case. Perspex or plastic for your faceplate as well. Despite, you also need a long piece of solid wood for the fence of the router table as well. There are some other tools you may need for this purpose, there are following:

There are a few things you may need to build a router table.

Step 2: Design Your Base

After gathering your required tools, now it’s time to design the base of the router table. The base is the most important part of router table because it also decides the size of the table as well.

Your device also needs a sturdy and solid framework to support and also the weight of your future application or projects. Despite, you also require to lift the top off the floor to make elegant space for the router. You know that router will be fixed to the bottom of the router table.

Which type of wood is best to suit the strong router table? You must use planks and maple wood to build an elegant framework for your router table. For this purpose:

You must keep in your mind that all the legs must have the same length. As unequal length will absolutely make your router table unstable. As these units will provide your enough or valuable storage space. If you really want to form a cabinet, then, simply add a bottom, side panels, and door as well. But we recommend you to don’t add the shelves before measuring the space of the router.

Step 3: Create Your Top

This is another important step and answer to the question, how to build a router table? We are now at the next stage because our foundation is ready. Now, the time has come for your top as well.

Construction of Wooden Top

Construction of wooden top means the top of the table will be of a larger piece of wood. As the practical dimension of the router table is 3 x 4” but it also depends upon the size of the router table as we. What to do for this section? Just measure the square slightly bigger than that of the head of the router in the center of the piece of wood.

After that draw another 1” bigger square around it. After drawing this, cut the inner square entirely with care. Now, its time to cut a rabbet with the help of chisel using bigger square.

Add a Perspex Face Plate to Work Easier

What is the purpose of these features? It is able to allow you to view your router by providing you with even more control. So, if you come across any kind of malfunction, then, you will notice this and make easier adjustments when you have eyes on the level.

This is even better than getting all to make the good adjustment from underneath of the router table. Time will become an important factor as your progress in your professional woodworking. So, these types of small information and details will help you’re to work faster in your workshop.

Creating Face Plate

How to build a router table? Now, its time to create a faceplate. For this purpose, just measure the size of the large square of the top on Perspex and cut the size.

Now, you have done with all the steps to construct the top of the table. Is the router table is ready? No, you have to do a few more steps to build an elegant router table.

Step 4: Construct a Fence

You have already done all the difficult steps before this step. Now, you just came across a few easy steps to do. Construction is a little bit easier step in your question, how to build a router table. What is the reason behind this? The fence is an important part of the construction of a professional router table. But first see, what is a fence?

As a fence is a long and smooth piece of wood. What is the purpose of the fence? The tool is able to guide you to push the applications or projects across the router table. In general, 32” long plywood is more than enough for this purpose.

To complete this section, just cut a simple half-circle hole where the fence meets the head of the router. For more safety, screw a narrow piece of wood over this circle. With this, there are zero chances of accidentally fall of anything onto the router bit or hole.

How to fix a fence? You are able to fix fence with the usage of a clamp and a pivot knob. So, both of these are able to clamp the fence with the router table. You don’t have to worry about this because you can easily loosen the knob of the table and adjust it according to the needs and requirements of the project. So, just don’t worry about the position of the projects.

Interesting to know that it is a wiser thing to make more than one fences. What is the reason behind this? The reason is that narrow fences are able to work with small parts very well. On the other hand, if you need even more support in working with larger pieces of material, then, larger fences will absolutely ensure the wood doesn’t flip over accidentally. That’s all from the 4^th step of how to build a router table.

Step 5: Fitting Everything Together

We are now going towards the finishing steps of how to build a router table. Reaching this step, you have manufactured every single thing that you may need to construct a router table. Now, the time has come to assemble all these things together. Here are the following steps:

After these steps, you are able to clamp the fence to the top of the wooden table. What is the meaning of easy assembling? It means that it is easy to take apart. You just have to unscrew the parts if you want to store your table or router. Assemble all these when you need.

Step 6: Finishing Touches

What are the things included in the finishing touches of this guide? Final touches include practicality and aesthetics. You must prevent getting hurt by just sending any splinter or rough edges. If you control this, then, congrats you have successfully built a professional router table for your workshop. You have not saved your money but also made this with great quality products or material.

Final Verdict