?s For those with a router on a tablesaw extension...

Ned Bulken

Member
Messages
5,529
Location
Lakeport NY and/or the nearest hotel
OK Ladies & Gentlebeings...
I Hope to find time this weekend to start working on a router 'wing' on my tablesaw. I've got a couple of pieces of 'spare' countertop and whichever one I decide to cut will receive a Rockler router plate.
I simply do not have space for a dedicated router table, so this will do until the bigger shop comes along 'someday'.
Obviously I have to make a choice, am I going to bolt it to the Left wing of my tablesaw ; if I turn my TS sideways, the left wing will be facing the majority of the shop (motor goes towards the narrow 'end' of the shop away from the main doors). Or will I be better served by putting it in the Right wing? That has the benefit of simpler 'use' of the TS fence to support the router fence if I choose to do so. My Ridgid has slots, so adding onto it for jigs etc isn't a chore. I've always read about the 'if you're in the middle of a cut with the TS and you need the router' problem, so I'm thinking of doing two things to help with that.

1) putting a set of T-tracks in the router insert area, and using a separate router fence that will lock down into them for most work.
2) putting a smaller router fence on the right face of the TS fence so I can use it if I want to for jointing, etc... This has the advantage of the TS fence micro-adjustment feature, plus the 30 some odd inches of TS fence will help if I'm doing 'edge jointing' on the router table (until I get a jointer, and/or build up my Galoot muscKles this is very appealing)

If you've got a router in a wing of your TS, how did you tackle the fence issue, and which side of the TS did you repurpose?

Thanks in Advance for any/all input.
 
The wing gives you advantages in a small space:
-You get a larger shared work surface for your TS and your RT than you might get on either if they were separate.
-You can use a hanging enclosure for dust control and keep the area under the router clear or build a floor standing cabinet with drawers and such, gaining storage while not taking up much more footprint than without a cabinet.

The left or right decision is controlled by any one of many things. You have some advantage as your motor is out the back to the only controlling factor I can see is your bevel wheel position. Since you have made the wise decision to add the extension to the existing wing as opposed to replacing the wing with the RT extension, your wheel should have plenty of clearance and knuckle-busting should be no problem.

I prefer the left side as this keeps my work flow path consistent. This means my TS outfeed/rollerstand/whatever is in the same position for my TS as for my RT. I also have a ‘no man’s land’ defined to the right of my saw for electrical, cyclone, overarm mast, etc. If you have free room on the right, I see no real problem there; I just prefer the same feed direction for both tools since they are “joined”.

The one thing I never understand is the installation of the router wing on the right with the fence still further to the right of the bit (?). This requires you to reach over the saw for every router operation; I’d rather not.

“1) putting a set of T-tracks in the router insert area, and using a separate router fence that will lock down into them for most work.”

-I am all for the separate fence as this minimizes the RT setup “in the way” of the TS setup (I seldom have this happen in practice BTW). I used t-slots cut through the table vs. attaching t-track (look at Bench Dog or Rockler style tops).

That’s about it from my point of view. I had the RT on the right side of my saw for about a week, years ago. Since then I have stayed on the left. Enjoy the flexibility of a separate fence and the extra storage of a cabinet beneath the extension for DC and bits and wrenches and . . .

Have fun and keep us posted.
 
Last edited:
Ned this is what I did on my ridgid ts. My wife bought me a second fence so that I can use the router and the saw at the same time if I need to. This has worked very well for me.
Mar%2014,%20saturday%20003.JPG

Mar%2014,%20saturday%20002.JPG

Mar%2014,%20saturday%20001.JPG
I also moved the rails for my fence all the way to the right to give me 50
"of rip capacity.

Currently I'm using a plunge router that I got for free along with a router raizer installed on it. The top for the router I bought at hd as a clearence Item about 3 years ago for $50.
 
Router Wing

Hi Ned,
First of all I have 2 bench top router tables, a Norm Abram (New yankee Workshop) type of router table and one in the wing of my table saw. I use the one in the table saw the most and I use it like you discussed in your question. It works really good and is fast and really convenient. It is on the left side of my table saw and I get a lot of work done in a short period of time. When I make raised panel doors I set up the big router table for the cutting raised panels, the wing of the table saw does the stiles and a bench top router table does the rails. I still have the table saw available if I need it and I still have the other bench top router table ready for another project. I always have more than one job going at a time. Depending on what projects I have going will dictate what Fence I use on the table saw wing. On rare occasions using the wing router will interfeer with some jobs on the table saw. But this is my setup, I hope it helps Ned, Joe
 
Ned, I've had mine both ways. When I first got my TS3650, I added a little 12" deep router table to the right wing, and I made a router fence to attach to the Ridgid fence. When I replaced the Ridgid fence with the Incra, I put a full-sized Rockler router table on the left wing, and slide the fence over to that end of the table. To use the Incra fence on the right wing, I'd need to take it off and turn it 180º, which would be a hassle. It's easier to loosen four knobs and slide the whole thing down the table.

In your situation, I think I'd opt for the right side of the table, as that puts it in closer proximity of the fence. As you mentioned, the Ridgid fence is set up nicely for adding auxiliary fences. Adding t-slots for a separate router fence might be handy, but so far (knock on Melamine) I haven't had a need to break down the router setup to make a forgotten tablesaw cut. (But if I did, it'd be pretty easy to re-set with the Incra.)
 
Top