David Marks workshop

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187
Location
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Hi All,

I am trying to get time to build a new workbench and have a few questions related to that end.

David Marks, on DIY WoodWorks repeats which I watch for the little extras you can catch with repeated watching, has a router built into the side of his tablesaw and uses the fence for both. My question is how does he remove the router easily to change bits and adjust the bit?

On his workbench it looks like he uses a Record type vise with a large wood frame to operate like a twin vise would work.

I know that several forum members have taken instruction from David and I was hoping someone could shed some light on these questions.
 
Hi Ned,

Yes, I agree with that, especially after viewing all seven series several times, some of it in slomo just to be sure of what I am seeing.

That is why I am asking the question here and on the other forum. Someone who has attended his classes at his shop might have had the opportunity to see, in person, how he does it and also can describe the vise arrangement he uses.
 
...My question is how does he remove the router easily to change bits and adjust the bit?...
I have a relatively inexpensive router lift (the Router Raizer) on my TS-mounted router, and I don't need to remove the router from the table to change bits. I've not seen David's setup, but I'd suspect it's something along those lines.
 
Hi Vaughan,

Thanks for the reply, but...

I have VERY carefully looked at the router table and all that I can see is a small plywood insert surrounding the router bit. I found this pic
wwk713_2fq_e.jpg


but even when the camera is shooting straight down it does not appear that there is any opening for a lifter wrench to be inserted. It could be but that is all the more reason why I would like to hear from someone who was there.
 
I have Never attended a David Marks Seminar, (not that I wouldn't like to),:D but from looking at the two pics of the insert and table shown in this thread, It "is" possible that one of the holes goes to a lift below, but the holes look VERY similar if not IDENTICAL to one Router Plate that I have that is pre drilled for three or so routers, so my guess is that the round MDF colored insert is easily removable and he just uses a bent wrench, OR puts the router fully up and uses a regular wrench to change the bits.

(This is just a guess, so it will be interesting to see the CORRECT answer from the Horses Mouth when you get it).:D
 
Here is another pic from diynetwork...

wwk602_2fa_e.jpg


I realize there are a lot of holes surrounding the zero clearance insert but do you think any of the holes could be for a lifter?:dunno:
The Router Raizer uses a small hole. The wrench is just a 3/16" or 1/4" hex bar (like a long Allen wrench) with a crank. Either of the two bigger holes could possibly be for a lift.

This is just conjecture, though. As you said, it'd be good to hear from someone who's actually seen it.
 
If he's using a router that has a motor that comes out of the base like a PC690 then he might just do that and change the bit with the motor sitting on the table. Wouldn't surprise me as he doesn't seem big on gadgets.
 
I guess this is "Timely", as I watched a Rerun last night on DIY that was a David Marks Shop Tour. There were a couple of QUICK Shots of his Router from under the table, and he uses Some Kind of a Plunge Router (that I didn't recognize) and there was a Loooooooong Rod that came down the side of the router (much longer than the total router height) that looked like some kind of an enclosed height adjustment rod that went all the way up to the bottom of the table, so I """SUSPECT""" that it is for an above the table height adjustment. I stopped the action, but still couldn't be sure, as I have NEVER seen any router OR lift like the one he has.:dunno:
 
I have the router raizer on my router table.


router_raizer_top_view2.jpg
Here is the RR in action, the adjusting rod, or wrench is in place trough the hole in the plate.

rt_t_slots_cut.jpg
Here the hole in the plate is covered by a dust cover, which is just a small metal disk that sits in hole (works well too!)

router_raizer_bottom_view.jpg
Here is the bottom side of the action.

Cheers!
 
Hi Stu,

Thanks for the reply.

Two things still trouble me. David explains he uses a Porter Cable Speedmatic, and I don't know how you could attach a raizer to a nonplunge-router. Secondly, I have looked at another episode of his program that has very close up shots of the router. The round collar is set directly into the laminate top and the collar is a dinged up piece of plywood.
 
maybe you could ask marc spagnuolo as he trained with marks?

Thats a good idea.:thumb: Marc would probably know. He is really good at getting back to you via email. I have sent him several emails, and within a day or so he responds. This is from his site: thewoodwhisperer@gmail.com

It also wouldn't suprise me if David Marks used some type of custom made router lift. His mitre sled is a machined custom piece.
 
Hey guys. I honestly don't remember what David had in there in the past. Nothing fancy, I can tell you that much.

This is very good timing though since I will be releasing my latest video tonight, which is a current David Marks shop tour. Unfortunately for those of you who were trying to figure out his old setup, he no longer has it. He recently dropped a Jessem plate and lift in the table and uses a Speedmatic PC router. Pretty standard stuff. Not sure if its against forum rules to post a link, but if you guys are interested I would be more than happy to come back and post it when the video is on the site.


Marc
 
Actually, David Marks did respond to an email query I sent him. It was a little delayed because he was on a road trip but here is the reply concerning my questions:

... My router table is a torsion box. It is made with ½ inch thick Baltic Birch plywood for the top and bottom skins, and the ribs are ¾ inch thick by 2 inches high. The ribs are located on 3 ¾ inch centers which is not crucial, that is just how it worked out for my spacing. Also I made my ribs from solid wood that I jointed and planed. If I were to do it again, I would just use ¾ inch Baltic Birch plywood for the ribs. I covered the top of the torsion box with blue formica to have a surface on which things would slide easier. Using a router with plywood guide strips (template), I cut a hole and mounted a Porter-Cable speedmatic soft start electronic variable speed 3 ¼ horse power router model #7539. In 2004 almost a year after we shot the last episode of Woodworks, I installed a Jess-em brand router lift. This systems lifts out of the table and allows easier access for changing router bits.

As far as my workbench, I installed an older Record brand vise (I built my bench around 1984) on the end of my bench. I bolted it to the bottom of my workbench, but before I did, I carefully inlaid one of the jaws into the end of my bench and then cut, fit, and laminated pieces of Burmese padauk together and bolted that to the opposite jaw of the vice. The net effect is that the vise is now a part of the work bench with either side of the jaws completely encapsulated in wood. This just makes for a better work bench, preventing the work pieces from being marred by the steel jaws. I took it one step further and further protected work pieces by gluing a thin layer of 1/8 inch cork to the wood that covers the jaws.

I matched that explanation up with the DIYNET photos that I was seeing on one of his episodes on the site and think I can see the vise setup but still wonder about the router table.
 
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