The start of a double-header

[Thom2]

When I brought the 22124 home, I had to make a decision on how I was gonna deal with a router table. I had always had a router in the wing of the BT and it worked fairly well for me, especially once I made my rail-mounted fence. However, I'd always yearned for a 'real' table as the BT was severely limited and wouldn't spin panel-raisers.

Fortunately, for me, the 22124 also included a Jessem lift and DeWalt motor. On my list of goals was also to have a jointech or incra system. I was fortunate enough to find an older one of these in my price range (thanks Dedaddy). After getting the jointech home I realized how big of a top I was going to need, no problem as I'd been hoarding 2 24x42 commercial desktops that are 1 1/4" thick for just such an occassion.

Now once I got the Jessem installed into the top and set the Jointech on, I quickly realized how much space would be 'wasted'. Seemed like a real waste of real estate when the jointech would only be needed for certain operations. Hmmm .... why not mount another plate in the table that the jointech will cover when it's mounted. Well, being the packrat that I am, I "just happened" to have 2 of the craftsman router fences. Perfect solution for when both plates need to be utilized.

Well, today a lot of this hoarding and thinking FINALLY started to come together, I got the base constructed and mobile. I've still got some work to do yet, but it seems things are gonna come together nicely once I can afford more plates. I would have liked to have some more space for drawer storage, but I think the benefits of dual-routers is gonna be worth the trade-off.

Some key points to this table:

• The ends of the top overhang 4" to allow for fence storage on both ends (I'll need fence storage)
• The sides overhang 2" for clamping purposes, as well as allowing me to hang my MLCS bit set, wrenches etc. on the side
• I was going to put the doors and drawers both on the same side, but decided it would be nicer to treat it like it was 2 seperate stations. I made provisions to have the doors and drawer right at the area you'll stand when operating each station.
• I made it tall enough to serve as outfeed for the TS as well
• I'll be adding a router to the TS wing and will buy all jessem plates so that they're ALL interchangeable between stations.
• IT'S MOBILE!!!!

So, I present to you ....... The beginnings of the doubler-header router table

[cgallery]

I love it. If I had more room in my shop this is absolutely one of the things I'd like to do. Are you going to do above the table dust collection only?

[Jeffrey Schronce]

That is going to be one awesome set up! I mean it is already 1/2 way an awesome set up.

Having 3 routers set up is going to be awesome. My next router table type thing is gonna be in outfeed table of TS and will be mostly for use with patterns.

[Thom2]

Are you going to do above the table dust collection only?

No, eventually I'll make face frames for the open areas and add doors to the router compartments and drawers underneath. You wouldn't believe how much of the shop I needed to move just to be able to get at my sheet goods today, Seems like I didn't get much done, but I put in a few hours just gettin' this far.

Once the doors and drawers are done, there'll be a 4" port to the upper cavity which will provide under-collection for both routers, then I'll add (2) shopvac connections to the side of the cavity for hoses to feed the fences.

[Popeye]

Looks pretty danged spiffy to me, even at 3 in the morning...... and I ain't gonna ask the obvious question....... Pat

[Ed62]

Very cool, Thom. That's a long way from using a screwdriver and hammer to make rabbets.

Ed

[Uncle Cracker]

It's Frankenrouter! Nice work, Thom!