Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
ULTIMATE ROUTER
TABLE PLANS
By Dan Phalen
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
PLYWOOD CUTTING LIST
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
*NOTE: The MDF pieces are for the top. You may wish to use a single full sheet of 3/4” MDF, 4 ft. x 8 ft.,
rather than the 1/2” second piece. It makes the top 1/4” thicker but could save you some material.
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
CARCASE
The carcase is built from ¾” shop ply or MDF. Assemble shelves and inner walls with glue and clamps.
The back is a ¾” L dado for a sturdy fit with the side panels.
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
CARCASE DIMENSIONS
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
FACE FRAME
CLEAT
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
INNER WALLS (UPPER, 2 EACH)
Shop or hardwood ply, 18 x 20 inches with cutout for cleat.
LOWER DRAWER DIVIDER
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
MIDDLE SHELF
BOTTOM SHELF
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
SIDE PANEL
Shown is the right side panel. The left side is the inverse. Shelf dados are ¾” W x 3/16”D. The rear panel
fits into the 3/8”W x 3/8”D dado cut into the rear of the panel.
Note the 3” x 3” notch cut for the front kick plate, and the 2 ½”W x 3/8”D mortise for the cleat.
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
TOE KICK
Notch the top corners ¾” x ¾” for side panel overhang.
WHEEL BLOCK
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
DUST CHUTE ASSEMBLY
A – Top
B – Cleat
C – Shelf
D – Walls
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
DUST CHUTE COMPONENT PLACEMENT
CHUTE WALL (2)
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
DUST CHUTE CLEAT
DUST CHUTE SHELF
DUST CHUTE TOP
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
ROUTER TOP
My top uses a ¾” MDF piece glued on top of a ½” MDF board, with a 1/16” laminate glued to the ¾”
piece. The edging is hard maple ¾” thick x 1 9/16” deep. Ease all edges by hand sanding.
3D VIEW
DIMENSIONS
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
TOP BLOCK POSITIONING
Cut four (4) blocks 3” x 3” from ¾” plywood stock. These blocks keep the top secured within the carcase
opening. The dimensions shown are approximate. Yours may vary slightly. Glue and screw blocks in
place.
The best approach is to turn the top and carcase upside down on a work surface, then place the blocks
for a snug fit that doesn’t allow too much play and mark the inside corners. Then glue and clamp or drill
and fasten with #8 1 ½” screws while the carcase and top are still upside down.
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
LOWER DRAWERS
Three lower drawers, two small, one large, same width and depth but heights as shown on next page.
SMALL DRAWER
LARGE DRAWER
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
FRONT AND REAR
A ¼” x 3/16” dado is cut into the front for the drawer bottom. The bottom slides into the dados from the
rear. Depending on the quality of your material, you may need to raise the dado to 5/16” off the bottom
instead of ¼”.
Large Drawer
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
Small Drawer
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
SIDE PANELS
Front and rear vertical dados: ½” x 3/8”; rear dado inset by ½”. Bottom dado: ¼” x 3/8”, raised ¼” or
5/16” from bottom edge.
Small Drawer
Large Drawer
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
THE FENCE
The fence assembly is all MDF, comprised of the vertical fence, base, to support the workpiece,
and a dust port. The base knobs are four braces, a fixed fence to hold featherboards, two sliding
fences to support the workpiece, and a dust port. The base knobs are 3/16” “five-star” threaded
jig types; the slider fences are secured with four T-knobs.
FENCE FRONT
FENCE REAR
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
FENCE BODY
Cut the dust port mouth of each piece with a 2” radius centered 1” from the bottom. Chamfer top
surface of base ¼” to ease dust flow.
Vertical Base
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
FENCE BLOCKS
Material: ¾” MDF.
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
FIXED FENCE BLOCK
The fixed fence block accommodates vertically mounted featherboards. Dado is ¾”W x ½”D for Incra
anodized aluminum miter slot. Fasten this piece to the fence body vertical with #8 screws.
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
SLIDING FENCE WINGS
Two (2) adjustable fence wings support the work piece. The T-slot in the back secures each wing (A) to
the fixed fence with T-knobs and T-bolts. Optional wing (B) has a T-slot cut into the face for an
adjustable stop block.
A B
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
CUSTOM DUST PORT
A simple, easy approach to a tight, secure fitting for a 2 ½” dust collector hose. Center and drill the 2 ½”
hole with a Forstner bit, hole saw, or circle cutter bit.
DUST PORT DIMENSIONS
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
UPPER DRAWERS
The upper drawers are for wrench and bit storage.
WRENCH DRAWER
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
BIT DRAWERS
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
BIT DRAWER BOTTOMS
Drill ½” holes or ¼” holes on 1 ½” centers as shown for bit shank diameters. I like mine staggered to
allow for the larger bits such as raised panel, tongue-and-groove, rabbets, etc.
After drilling, cement a piece of 1/16” laminate to the underside as a stopper to prevent straight bits
from dropping through. You could optionally use ¼” hardboard or ply for this purpose if you reduce the
width by ½” on either side to allow room for the drawer slides.
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
BIT STOP CLEARANCE ISSUES
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
UPPER DRAWER GUIDE PLACEMENT
CRITICAL NOTE: This is a narrow space! Apply the guides before you assemble the carcase. That way
you’ll have plenty of working room to mark lines, apply glue, and arrange your clamp setup.
Using a straight edge, mark the upper and lower edges of each guide on the side panel. Spread glue on
side panel and guide, then apply two clamps to either end. Use cauls to spread pressure evenly along
the entire 20” length of the guide.
To insure straight and square alignment, create spacers 7/8” and 1 1/16” thick by 2 or three inches wide
by 20” long. Wrap in wax paper and place them between the guides as you clamp.
When working on the inner walls, be sure to add the dado depth to your starting point from the lower
edge of the wall.
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Ultimate Router Table Plans Creston Wood
DOOR
Material: hardwood 7/8 x ¾. Ease outer edges with a block plane after assembly. Drill 1” diameter holes
in clear plastic.
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