Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

I plan to purchase one of these within the week, or the next time it goes on sale.

I have seen this on sale for less than 2 benjamins, which for a table and metal fence is a great price. I plan to modify the unit and use one of my PorterCable routers in place of their unit, doing this because I already have all the guides and plates for my other router, and it is a well known to be reliable model that has served me well. I don't think it will be too hard, the stock screws might even line up to my router base.

I have been shopping for tables and fences, and for the price I want to pay this would be the best deal going. Considering many table top units cost more than this, and this is a FULL stand, the price is worth the work. A full router setup from Kreg or Woodpeckers is close to five bennies, so you can't fault the price of this unit when it is on sale. I have air tools and metal working stuff from HF that I will use to mod this table to make my Porter router fit. I will write a follow up once I have it installed and working. I love HF, and the best thing to realize is that most stuff they sell can be made very good with a little effort and modifications. The money you save can be used elsewhere, but out of the box much of their stuff needs a little TLC or an afternoon to make it great. If you keep that in mind, their products are good, but if you want "instant satisfaction, immediately" you might want to go to the Woodcraft store and pay 5 times the HF prices to get the top of the line and most expensive stuff on the market. Look at the HF aluminum clamps, same ones at WC are 4 times the cost, and they are identical clamps.

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

Bruce said you have to completely move the fence out of the way to make changes to the height adjustment. This is true only if you don't split the bottom portion of the fence so you can use the height adjustment tool. Also, if you are using a bit with a larger diameter than what the height adjustment tool can accomadate, you'll either need to make a special tool, or pay a machine shop $200-$300 to make one for you (which is a whole lot better than paying more than 4K for router table, and buying a router that doesn't fit it).

I will say however, that my experience with my first 91130 left me not just dissatisfied, but confused. At first it didn't seem to work. So I turned the speed control up from its lowest setting to its highest setting when it suddenly spooled up and vibrated hard enough to dance a very fast jig on my driveway for all the neighbors to see. I turned it off and let spool down then turned it back on and it seemed fine. So I was making some moldings for some window trim when (for brevity) the bit suddenly came completely out of the collet, though the molding and into the feather board. I thought it was the bit so I got a new one and it seemed fine. I did use it on one project that I was so happy about I took it to my local hardware store and the clerk rushed around the counter, got down on her knees and put her snoz to wood. It happened so fast I didn't even have time to tell/warn her I hadn't vacced the saw dust off it. But I kind of have the feeling she'ld have snorted it anyway. I probably took ten years off her life (accidentally).

Anyway, today I used it to make two half inch slots (one at a time) a half inch in from the edges of a 4' board, and I was able to acheive a difference in height of a mere few thousandths of an inch, so I'ld say it's not only easy to adjust the height, but very easy to repetively and accurately adjust the height.

I bought my first router table with router a few years ago. Recently, it sounded like something fell into the motor. Since it was out of warranty I took it apart and found that 23E came into contact with the fan on 24E (page 32, diagram E). Which damaged the fan on 24E and bent 23E. That would explain why it didn't spool up right away along with everything else it has done.

I bought a new unit along an ESP. Unfortunately the collet hole in the arbor was bored with too small a bit and so wasn't straight. It took two long screwdriver bits to extract the collet and would have taken a rubber mallet to get it back in. So I went and got another one, unfortunately it's collot didn't look good, so I used my old one. And why not, the half inch one had never been used before. Or used yet for that matter, but it looks good.

My mother says I'm stubborn, but I prefer the phrase doggedly persistant. That's why my affordable router table with router works so well.

Hope to plow through a ton of projects in a hurry now.

I would recommend this to any one who is stubborn, I mean persistant, enough to get a good one.

Thanks.

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

Find a steel cabinet, with 3 shelves, a machined aluminum table, an aluminum fence with machined tracks for less than $600. Just what I needed.

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

This table seemed great and sturdy, it was on sale and I didnt read the reveiws and I went ahead and bought it. I got it to make raise panel doors but because of the design I could not install the large panel bit and get the wrench in to tighten the collet. On the plus side though, a friend needed over 1000 ft of molding redone to a different profile. This table did a great job for that purpose. You are limited on the size of the bit but it does do a great job for smaller profiles. I did not have any problems with the motor's power or it heating up. The stand is a good design and the table is cast aluminum and flat. I purchased another table with router installed before this one and the table top quality and legs were very disappointing. This is really a good, well made table, they just need to fix the collet and bit opening problem. If Harbor Freight can do this, they will have a great machine.

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

I've had this table for over a year and have had no problems with it. I've done dovetails, dadoes and box joints for cabinets with absolutely no problems. I do however wish I could more height adjustment for the bit. Don't understand the beef with it being unsafe. I unplug it before changing bits/adjusting as basic safety dictates.

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

According to other reviews, I must have got a fluke piece of machinery because I haven't experienced all the difficulties mentioned elsewhere in this page. Granted, the Router Table was a bit of a Tick to get set up, tuned, level and ready for work, but after making all the adjustments and tweaks to this item I have honestly Routed over 20,000 linear feet of work on Oak, Cherry, Pine, Walnut, Poplar, Hickory, Mahogany, and other woods without a hitch. The bearings are just now starting to get some slop, to be expected for this caliber of machine. The Depth adjustment is a bit of a pain, as is changing bits, but overall this rig has served my shop well for repetitious and production work. It's not a Varsity level Production platform, but it has ran every type of bit through some pretty hard stock with little complaint. One must be mindful of the limitations of this outfit, and operate within them. For the price you pay, if you are willing to put a little effort into tuning it up you will find you will have a very satisfactory machine for years and miles to come.

Best, R. E. Parks, Dakota Heirloom Woodworking

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

Is this for industrial use? No. But then anyone buying this product should understand this. It is a good buy for someone who wants to do weekend woodworking and use it for its intended purposes. I am satisfied with this product and would recommend to others to be used appropriately.

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

I wasn't sure about buying this table so I went to the store and looked it over, table was flat, and seemed ok. it was in the box. It took several hours to put together. Comes with power switch, feather boards, miter, table and fence are aluminum with a steel router insert, which the motor mounts too. The problem is you have to move the fence to adjust the height of cutter, also adjustments are done by turning a ring around the bit with a special spanner wrench, if bits are very big you have to do the adjustment with a blade screwdriver, also to change the bit you have to raise the bit, then use a special crow foot type end wrench. but if mine stops working I'll attach a router to the plate and keep on using it, If you change bits a lot too much trouble, for sometime use, or cutting the same thing over and over great.

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

Pretty looking to but useful for only the crudest projects. Table height/base width ratio too high and any pressure against the fence tips over the whole mechanism. Nobody mentioned that the 1/2" collet is too small! I took back mine thinking it was a fluke but the floor unit also did not accept a 1/2" bit.

Comments about Central Machinery Adjustable Full Size Router Table with Router:

Bought the unit because it stated that it used 1/2" shank bits. Not true. Collet must be metric because it is too small to fit and HF doesn't care so I cannot use the tool. Because of this I can't tell you anything else about it. When time permits I will probably rip out their router and put one in that actually has a 1/2" collet. What bothers me is that they are aware of the problem but continue to promote it as having a 1/2" collet.