Hey poppy,

Check out Woodcraft or Rockler on line, they will have something for you.

If it was me, I would get one with a metal table, I was talked into buying one at Rockler with a mdf top and regret not spending the extra cash for a better one!

You are going to want a router with a 2hp motor, my two cents

Poppy my son made one using the piece of Corian counter top from Home Depot. Actually he got the piece free from a friend redoing a kitchen. But it came from HD. He builds guitars and the router table is a hot item, used daily and has been 100% solid for well over a year now. He does the edges for the binding and built jigs for all the body and cavity cutouts. Very level and flat surface for what it is. I'll be over there Sat and will snap a few pics.

Homemade is the way to go for the table. A flat table with an aluminum insert (available at Rockler) and your good to go. You can also make your own fence and add rails for the miter gauge. If you need a good router as well I bought a Rigid a couple years back that came with two bases, two collets and has a lift built in real happy with it.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21299&rrt=1

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21276&rrt=1

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/Heavy-Duty-EVS-2-14-Peak-HP-Router-Combo/EN/index.htm

This is one that I wanted to try but never did

http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/Router-Table-Accessories/departments/212/

This is one I do have and its pretty good. Used it for 10 years almost every day and it never broke down. I use a Dewalt 3.25HP plung router and again, 10 years without a problem.

http://www.woodhaven.com/Tables-Fences-Cabinets-Router/b/3026338011?ie=UTF8&title=Tables+-+Fences+-+Cabinets

I dont like home-made tools, are you a machinest? If you are then go ahead. I think you invest in a good quality table and fence and be done with it.

I worked for years with a router mounted to a piece of plywood, do yourself a favor and buy something already put together, for $150 to $200 you can get something descent!

Depends on your budget....

Best of the best IMHO would be a Porter Cable 7591 mounted on a JessEm Mast-R-lift. This combo is hard to beat.

Build a table to suit your needs, or buy one. Doesn't matter too much

Whatever way you decide to go, you should be looking at some kind of a router lift and router motor combo, not a plunge model router.

-Jon

Arent you glad you asked,lol.

Jon, a plung router works just fine, you just buy a crank handle that fits on the threaded adjustment rod and up and down you go, very simple. YOu do have to adjust from the bottom of the table but that is no big deal. I really wanted the whole jessem set up with the lift and all but it was so dang expensive that I never did and now after all the years without it I realize I dont need it.

I have one setup that is in a cabinet type of table. Do not put a cabinet under the table, its a mess and the router sucks all the dirt right into the moter. Keep it simple, table-fence-legs. I do have one mdf table that has sagged but its 48" long and they discontinued it. The other is a mdf but only about 20" long and it has been great. If I were to buy a new table I would be looking at the Sommerfeld aluminum one first.

Just dont get caught up in a bunch of "features" that you dont need.

Simple, table-fence-legs.

Jeff C

Thanks for all the replies guys! You certainly gave me somethings to think about. As far as my budget goes, the only piece of equipment I have had to buy is my panel saw that should be here this comming week. Im very anxious to get it. I am waiting to get the panel saw so I can install pegboard all the way around the room.http://www.ebay.com/itm/170645826947?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 we cut up a lot of plywood at my shop and it has always been a pain in the a$$ to do so. The router table wont be used much in my business, but I want one to experiment on drums. Re rebuild and restore lots of boat interiors, and refinish furniture, so this new wood shop is going to be so cool to have.

Poppy,

Don't know if you really need more input, 'cause you've already probably got the info you needed... but I'm with JC on this one. Unless you're planning on doing re-cuts altogether, the simpler the better. I usually just stick to a simple round-over (like on Pearl FG and W/FG drums as well as what the outer edge is on many) anyway. My router and table combo is a simple Ryobi setup my wife bought me for Christmas once for less than $100. For what I do it does just fine!

Bill