a wood router is a necessary shop tool but they can be awkward to work with
but they can be awkward to work with
but they can be awkward to work with when you have to freehand your projects
when you have to freehand your projects
when you have to freehand your projects there’s a better way and it doesn’t have
there’s a better way and it doesn’t have
there’s a better way and it doesn’t have to be expensive in this project we’re
to be expensive in this project we’re
to be expensive in this project we’re turning any ordinary table into a
turning any ordinary table into a
turning any ordinary table into a multipurpose workbench with a built-in
multipurpose workbench with a built-in
multipurpose workbench with a built-in flush mount router station for this
flush mount router station for this
flush mount router station for this project we’re gonna need a wood router I
project we’re gonna need a wood router I
project we’re gonna need a wood router I found this one on my local classifieds
found this one on my local classifieds
found this one on my local classifieds and we’re gonna need a square foot of
and we’re gonna need a square foot of
and we’re gonna need a square foot of plexiglass or acrylic like this
plexiglass or acrylic like this
plexiglass or acrylic like this this piece is a quarter inch thick it’s
this piece is a quarter inch thick it’s
this piece is a quarter inch thick it’s crystal clear and only cost five dollars
crystal clear and only cost five dollars
crystal clear and only cost five dollars from a local plastics company let’s get
from a local plastics company let’s get
from a local plastics company let’s get started by choosing a good spot on the
started by choosing a good spot on the
started by choosing a good spot on the table then tracing the edges of the
table then tracing the edges of the
table then tracing the edges of the square with a pencil or a pen you can
square with a pencil or a pen you can
square with a pencil or a pen you can see I’ve put a half inch straight bit
see I’ve put a half inch straight bit
see I’ve put a half inch straight bit into the Chuck of this router and now if
into the Chuck of this router and now if
into the Chuck of this router and now if we measure from the edge of the blade to
we measure from the edge of the blade to
we measure from the edge of the blade to the side of the sub-base the distance is
the side of the sub-base the distance is
the side of the sub-base the distance is two and five eighths of an inch I use
two and five eighths of an inch I use
two and five eighths of an inch I use that measurement to cut a piece of wood
that measurement to cut a piece of wood
that measurement to cut a piece of wood that matches perfectly flush with the
that matches perfectly flush with the
that matches perfectly flush with the side okay now we can go ahead and use
side okay now we can go ahead and use
side okay now we can go ahead and use our piece of wood as a measuring tool to
our piece of wood as a measuring tool to
our piece of wood as a measuring tool to draw a border around the outside of the
draw a border around the outside of the
draw a border around the outside of the square next we’ll need to draw an inner
square next we’ll need to draw an inner
square next we’ll need to draw an inner square about one and a quarter inches
square about one and a quarter inches
square about one and a quarter inches smaller than the first one I decided to
smaller than the first one I decided to
smaller than the first one I decided to angle the corners for aesthetics and
angle the corners for aesthetics and
angle the corners for aesthetics and support and now all the markings and
support and now all the markings and
support and now all the markings and measurements look like this alright it’s
measurements look like this alright it’s
measurements look like this alright it’s time to cut ourselves a hole let’s start
time to cut ourselves a hole let’s start
time to cut ourselves a hole let’s start by using a large drill bit to make holes
by using a large drill bit to make holes
by using a large drill bit to make holes on the inner sides of the angled lines
on the inner sides of the angled lines
on the inner sides of the angled lines this way we can insert the jigsaw blade
this way we can insert the jigsaw blade
this way we can insert the jigsaw blade and begin cutting right away
and begin cutting right away
and begin cutting right away the goal here is to cut each line as
the goal here is to cut each line as
the goal here is to cut each line as straight as possible and when we make it
straight as possible and when we make it
straight as possible and when we make it back to the starting point
back to the starting point
back to the starting point the center piece should fall right out
the center piece should fall right out
the center piece should fall right out now we still need this plastic plate to
now we still need this plastic plate to
now we still need this plastic plate to sink down flush with the top of the
sink down flush with the top of the
sink down flush with the top of the table and we’ll be able to do that with
table and we’ll be able to do that with
table and we’ll be able to do that with the help of eight concrete paving stones
the help of eight concrete paving stones
the help of eight concrete paving stones the concrete squares need to line up
the concrete squares need to line up
the concrete squares need to line up perfectly with the outside edges of the
perfectly with the outside edges of the
perfectly with the outside edges of the outer square and when they’re all
outer square and when they’re all
outer square and when they’re all aligned it’s time for the action let’s
aligned it’s time for the action let’s
aligned it’s time for the action let’s use the plastic plate to gauge the
use the plastic plate to gauge the
use the plastic plate to gauge the cutting depth and we can do that by
cutting depth and we can do that by
cutting depth and we can do that by adjusting the height of the sub-base
adjusting the height of the sub-base
adjusting the height of the sub-base until the tip of the bit is flush with
until the tip of the bit is flush with
until the tip of the bit is flush with the top of the plate now when we turn on
the top of the plate now when we turn on
the top of the plate now when we turn on the router and rest the base flat on the
the router and rest the base flat on the
the router and rest the base flat on the table it should be cutting down to the
table it should be cutting down to the
table it should be cutting down to the exact depth of the plastic mounting
exact depth of the plastic mounting
exact depth of the plastic mounting plate you can see that as we move along
plate you can see that as we move along
plate you can see that as we move along in a clockwise direction the concrete
in a clockwise direction the concrete
in a clockwise direction the concrete blocks prevent the side of the router
blocks prevent the side of the router
blocks prevent the side of the router from going out of bounds this helps keep
from going out of bounds this helps keep
from going out of bounds this helps keep the cuts clean and straight and in line
the cuts clean and straight and in line
the cuts clean and straight and in line with the markings we made around the
with the markings we made around the
with the markings we made around the plate now that we’ve cut the outer
plate now that we’ve cut the outer
plate now that we’ve cut the outer we can freehand the router back and
we can freehand the router back and
we can freehand the router back and forth until the inner bits are profiled
forth until the inner bits are profiled
forth until the inner bits are profiled down as well then finish up by sanding
down as well then finish up by sanding
down as well then finish up by sanding the new surface smooth now if you look
the new surface smooth now if you look
the new surface smooth now if you look at the corners you might notice they’re
at the corners you might notice they’re
at the corners you might notice they’re a bit rounded so let’s just grind a
a bit rounded so let’s just grind a
a bit rounded so let’s just grind a little bit of plastic off the corners of
little bit of plastic off the corners of
little bit of plastic off the corners of the plate to match the curves and now
the plate to match the curves and now
the plate to match the curves and now you can see that the plate will drop
you can see that the plate will drop
you can see that the plate will drop straight in and sit flush with the top
straight in and sit flush with the top
straight in and sit flush with the top of the table okay it’s time to mount the
of the table okay it’s time to mount the
of the table okay it’s time to mount the plate to the router base there are three
plate to the router base there are three
plate to the router base there are three screws holding the base plate on and
screws holding the base plate on and
screws holding the base plate on and when those are removed it comes off very
when those are removed it comes off very
when those are removed it comes off very easily if we Center it on our square we
easily if we Center it on our square we
easily if we Center it on our square we can use it as a template to mark the
can use it as a template to mark the
can use it as a template to mark the position of the screw holes then drill
position of the screw holes then drill
position of the screw holes then drill them out with a 7/32 inch drill bit now
them out with a 7/32 inch drill bit now
them out with a 7/32 inch drill bit now I tried taking a little off the top with
I tried taking a little off the top with
I tried taking a little off the top with a 3/8 inch drill bit and ended up with a
a 3/8 inch drill bit and ended up with a
a 3/8 inch drill bit and ended up with a countersink effect you can see that when
countersink effect you can see that when
countersink effect you can see that when the screws are set back in they sit
the screws are set back in they sit
the screws are set back in they sit flush with the top but don’t catch on
flush with the top but don’t catch on
flush with the top but don’t catch on anything sliding over them the next step
anything sliding over them the next step
anything sliding over them the next step is to drill a hole in the center with a
is to drill a hole in the center with a
is to drill a hole in the center with a one and a half inch Forstner bit then
one and a half inch Forstner bit then
one and a half inch Forstner bit then make two more holes in line with the
make two more holes in line with the
make two more holes in line with the center using a 7/8 inch bit these two
center using a 7/8 inch bit these two
center using a 7/8 inch bit these two holes will give us handles to remove and
holes will give us handles to remove and
holes will give us handles to remove and replace the router at will let’s go
replace the router at will let’s go
replace the router at will let’s go ahead and remove the protective paper
ahead and remove the protective paper
ahead and remove the protective paper now then line the plate up on the router
now then line the plate up on the router
now then line the plate up on the router where the sub-base used to sit the
where the sub-base used to sit the
where the sub-base used to sit the original screws can be returned to
original screws can be returned to
original screws can be returned to secure the new plate in place and you
secure the new plate in place and you
secure the new plate in place and you can see the plastic is more than strong
can see the plastic is more than strong
can see the plastic is more than strong enough to support the weight of the
enough to support the weight of the
enough to support the weight of the router I added a couple of beams
router I added a couple of beams
router I added a couple of beams underneath to reinforce the tabletop and
underneath to reinforce the tabletop and
underneath to reinforce the tabletop and prevent it from sagging over time for a
prevent it from sagging over time for a
prevent it from sagging over time for a nice finishing touch
nice finishing touch
nice finishing touch let’s try cutting a piece of black
let’s try cutting a piece of black
let’s try cutting a piece of black construction paper to make a decorative
construction paper to make a decorative
construction paper to make a decorative lining for our new router station at
lining for our new router station at
lining for our new router station at this point our router table is
this point our router table is
this point our router table is completely finished and ready for
completely finished and ready for
completely finished and ready for operation for our first project why
operation for our first project why
operation for our first project why don’t we try routing the edges of our
don’t we try routing the edges of our
don’t we try routing the edges of our new table with this three quarter inch
new table with this three quarter inch
new table with this three quarter inch beading bit you’ll notice that even with
beading bit you’ll notice that even with
beading bit you’ll notice that even with the custom mounting plate the router is
the custom mounting plate the router is
the custom mounting plate the router is still completely portable for any
still completely portable for any
still completely portable for any projects you need to router by hand the
projects you need to router by hand the
projects you need to router by hand the extra surface area of the plate actually
extra surface area of the plate actually
extra surface area of the plate actually keeps the unit more stable and helps
keeps the unit more stable and helps
keeps the unit more stable and helps ensure the cut lines are as straight as
ensure the cut lines are as straight as
ensure the cut lines are as straight as they can be now just for fun I gave my
they can be now just for fun I gave my
they can be now just for fun I gave my table a paint job so when the router
table a paint job so when the router
table a paint job so when the router sets in place the whole thing has got a
sets in place the whole thing has got a
sets in place the whole thing has got a clean professional look to it I also
clean professional look to it I also
clean professional look to it I also rigged up a switch box for electrical
rigged up a switch box for electrical
rigged up a switch box for electrical power that will give us the option of
power that will give us the option of
power that will give us the option of turning on a backlight and starting up
turning on a backlight and starting up
turning on a backlight and starting up the router from a safer distance now one
the router from a safer distance now one
the router from a safer distance now one of the things I like best about this
of the things I like best about this
of the things I like best about this design is that the bit can be fully
design is that the bit can be fully
design is that the bit can be fully retracted when we don’t need it
retracted when we don’t need it
retracted when we don’t need it this means we still have full access to
this means we still have full access to
this means we still have full access to the entire work table and that can be
the entire work table and that can be
the entire work table and that can be very helpful for projects like the
very helpful for projects like the
very helpful for projects like the rocket right
rocket right
rocket right that we made in a previous project and
that we made in a previous project and
that we made in a previous project and because the system is so easy to remove
because the system is so easy to remove
because the system is so easy to remove and replace changing out router bits as
and replace changing out router bits as
and replace changing out router bits as simple as well well now you know how to
simple as well well now you know how to
simple as well well now you know how to add a professional-looking flush mount
add a professional-looking flush mount
add a professional-looking flush mount router station to any work table so go
router station to any work table so go
router station to any work table so go ahead and make a picture frame put
ahead and make a picture frame put
ahead and make a picture frame put finishing touches on experimental
finishing touches on experimental
finishing touches on experimental projects or make some puzzles for
projects or make some puzzles for
projects or make some puzzles for entertaining friends because now you can
entertaining friends because now you can
entertaining friends because now you can and that’s it for now
and that’s it for now
and that’s it for now if you like this project perhaps you’ll
if you like this project perhaps you’ll
if you like this project perhaps you’ll like some of my others check them out at
like some of my others check them out at
like some of my others check them out at the king of random calm before you go
the king of random calm before you go
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supporters of these videos and are once again offering you king of random fans a
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McRaney explains 15 different ways that
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