Router Table
The siren call of professional-grade gear is tough to block out for home woodworking. Router tables offer a good example. In the past few years, the trend has followed the “bigger is better” line. Even with mobile bases, these continent-sized tools take up significant space in a small shop.
My build-it-yourself approach has several payoffs. In the case of this router table it’s to nestle into a sweet spot for size. The 18" x 26" top is sized for the kind of projects you’re likely to encounter in Woodsmith.
The Baltic birch plywood and plastic laminate that make up the top provide high performance. We used a Kreg plate and lift system that makes bit changes and adjustments easy and accurate.
CABINET BASE. Down below, the cabinet is a triple threat. Enclosing the router dampens the sound. It also contains dust and chips. Finally, the case offers storage for all the things that go with routing: wrenches, insert rings, bits, bearings, set-up gauges ... the list goes on.
Shop projects, whether commercially made or shop-built, feature a pragmatic, utilitarian design aesthetic (read boxy and
