5 EASY

UPGRADES
FOR YOUR
ROUTER TABLE

© 2009 August Home Publishing Co.

 Tips From
Our Shop

5 Router Table Upgrades

A few simple add-ons is all it takes to make working at the
router table faster and safer.
T-track accepts fence
A router table can improve the accessories
capability of your router. But for
your table to become a precision
tool, you’ll need to add a few
Tall fence
important accessories.
FENCE. The first thing you’ll want to
Short fence
add is a fence. It’s essential for you
to be able to work accurately and
safely at the router table. Workpiece
I built the fence you see at right 4
to serve a dual function. It can be 2
used as a short fence for most of
your work. It can also be rotated to
serve as a tall fence for routing the
end of a tall workpiece or working Support
blocks
with larger pieces.
A T-track set in a groove in
the face of each fence allows you T-track
to attach and position additional
accessories like a featherboard, bit Notch
for bit
guard, or stop block. clearance
To build the fence, begin by cut- 6#/4 1#/4
Rabbet for
ting two pieces of 3⁄4" plywood to a T-track sawdust relief
groove
length that equals the width of your
router table. You’ll need to cut the
piece for the tall fence a little wider.
Next, center a notch at the edge face of each piece and install the end of a long workpiece, cut splined
of both pieces. This will provide T-track in the groove. miters, or rout a large panel, a tall
clearance for the router bit. Then To provide suppor t for both fence, like you see at left, is a must.
you can cut a long groove in the fences, I cut four blocks and then It allows you to complete the task
used glue and screws safely and accurately.
to attach them As I mentioned before, the fence
Tall fence behind the fence. I built has a dual function. So it only
face Finally, I added a takes a few seconds to make the
small rabbet along switch to the tall fence. Just unclamp
Workpiece the bottom edge of the fence, rotate it so the tall fence
the fence. The rab- side is upright, and then secure it
bet provides a place back in position on the router table.
T-track
for sawdust to go to You can build a number of acces-
prevent it from inter- sories, including a dust port that can
fering with the cut. be used with either the short or tall
TALL FENCE. Much of fence. And since you added a T-track
the time, the height to the face of the fence, all you need
Notch of the router table to do is slip flange bolts into the T-
for bit fence isn’t a concern. track, position the accessory, and
clearance
But whenever you tighten it down with a knob. Then
need to work at the you’re ready to work.

1 [Link] © 2009 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.

 Vacuum
DUST PORT. Adding a dust port to the back of your nozzle
fence will save a lot of cleanup time around the shop. Support Face plate
block
The attachment is quick and easy to build.
It’s simply a plate made from 1⁄2" plywood that’s
mitered along the edges to fit between the two
faces. A hole sized to fit the nozzle of your shop
vacuum is drilled in the center of the plate. Then
Size hole
all you need to do is glue the plate between the for vacuum
nozzle
two middle support blocks and it’s ready to use. SECTION
VEIW

Hardboard
key
#/8"-dia.
hole STOP BLOCK. A stop block, like chamfers on the ends to keep the
Knob the one you see in the drawing sawdust from getting trapped against
at left, is a handy accessory to the block during the cut.
add to your router table fence. It The next thing you need to do is
Flange
bolt allows you to make repetitive cuts drill a hole in the face of the block.
Washer quickly and accurately. A small dado in the back holds a
The stop block is easy to build. key to keep the block from turning.
Begin with a piece of 3⁄4" plywood Now all that’s left is to insert the
Chamfer prevents
sawdust buildup
that’s a little longer than the height bolt, washer, and knob you’ll use to
of your short fence. Then cut secure the stop block in the T-track.

FEATHERBOARD. A featherboard is an important Slots

accessory for holding a workpiece firmly against the

router table. It also helps prevent the workpiece from
kicking back as it passes by the bit.
To build the featherboard shown in the drawing at Fingers
right, I started with a piece of 1⁄2"-thick hardwood. Then Clamp featherboard
to auxiliary fence to
I used the table saw to make a 30° miter at each end. cut “fingers”
Next, you’ll need to make fingers to hold the work- 30°
piece. You can do this by making a series of evenly Workpiece
spaced kerfs at the table saw with the blade tilted at
30°. Once you’re done cutting the fingers, all that’s
left to do is to cut a pair of slots so it can be mounted
to the T-track in the fence with flange bolts, washers,
and a pair of knobs. Tilt
blade 30°◄

BIT GUARD. To work safely, it’s use polycarbonate for the protective
a good idea to add a bit guard to shield because of its strength and
your router table. ability to resist shattering.)
Knob The simple guard To build the guard, first cut a
Flange
bolt I made attaches to piece of 1⁄2" plywood to size. Then cut
Back
the T-track in the two 3⁄8" slots near each end. You can
Back face of the fence, make the slots by drilling a couple of
as you see in the holes and then using your jig saw to
#/8"
slots drawing at left. It’s cut out the waste between the holes.
just a piece of 1⁄4"- Finally, attach the shield to the
Shield thick polycarbon- back with screws. Then you can
ate mounted to an use a couple of flange bolts, wash-
Protective
Workpiece
adjustable wood ers, and knobs to install the guard
shield
back. (I chose to in the T-track.

2 [Link] © 2009 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.