OK, so you have bought a new router, such as a wood router, CNC router, or plunge router and all your router bits, but now you are thinking of buying a table to go with it, right? Well, as most woodworkers would tell you, building your benchtop router table doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might have thought it was.
That’s because there are plans and options all over the Internet and even in books at your local library or at the bookstore. You may even find some at your local home improvement stores. Of course, you can always take a look at these ones too and see just what will help you with making your next router table.
The Supplies You Need
What you need specifically is going to depend on the specific plans that you choose, but you can get some idea of supplies from this list. Just keep in mind that you may need any subset of these supplies or even a few additional pieces depending on how you decide to go about making your benchtop router table:
- Kitchen countertop
- Plywood
- Router lift
- Router base plate
- Table fence
- Dust collection with dust port
- Drill
- Circular saw
- Kreg jig
- Brad nailer
- Sander
- Table saw
- Drill bits
- Assorted screws
- Finish nails
- Casters
- Doorknobs
- Hinges
- Router plate
- 1 x 6”
- 2 x 4”
Getting To Work
It’s going to be up to you which particular router table you want to try out. Here, we’ve compiled a list of several different options when it comes to plans and where you can find them. Before you know it you’re going to have a great looking router table that helps you keep track of all your stuff and get that next project going just right.
Ana-White Super Sleek Router Table and Cabinet
Woodsmith Shop Simple Router Table
If you want to keep it simple you can definitely do it with this router table plan from Woodsmith Shop. The table you end up with is highly functional but without a lot of the frills you’ll see in some of these other plans. For someone who wants quality and speed over anything else, this is going to be a good choice of plans. It will work great for most projects, though it may not be ideal for heavier duty projects, and it will help you save a little bit of time and money while you’re at it.
Rockler’s Space Saving Router Table
If you don’t have a lot of space to leave a router table out in your workshop or garage you may want to consider this option. It has some cabinet space to store a few things, but it’s also completely able to be folded up to your wall.
Creston Wood Two-Tone Router Cabinet
Fine Woodworking Stow Away Table
What’s really great about this router table from Fine Woodworking is that you’re going to spend very little money on it and you’ll be able to create a table that really works well. It’s also fully adjustable in the legs so you can work on uneven floors or you can stow the table away when you’re not using it because it can be made smaller. It does require you to have a sturdy surface to attach to, but overall, this is a simple-to-build and simple-to-use router for anyone.
Family Handyman Router Table and Cabinet
Family Handyman Upcycled Router Table
If you don’t need a full cabinet and system to support your router table you may want to take a look at this option. It’s a way of upcycling your old kitchen countertop to create a router table that is ideal for any project but also easy to store away. After all, it’s only the table top and not the full table, so you can hang it up when you’re not using it and get it back whenever you’re ready. Built by Family Handyman, this is another option to consider for your workshop.
