UPGRADE YOUR TABLESAW WITH AROUTER TABLE

Maximize your shop space by turning your tablesaw into a dual-purpose cutting and shaping center.

- DAVE STONE

The tablesaw and router table often occupy the most floor space of any power tools in a shop. Combining both in the space of one is easy to do. We'll show you how to create a solution that looks great and works well.

In addition to space savings, combining these two tools can yield significant cost savings over buying a separate router table. We built a new extension wing from a half sheet of MDF and some 4/4 oak scraps we had in the shop. The plastic laminate that tops it only set us back $45.

We chose a fence that's full featured but only costs $110 [Sources]. With the insert plate and levelers, the table setup cost less than $400, which is considerably less than an equivalent stand-alone router table.

We expanded the size of the extension wing slightly, but barely increased the saw's footprint. It's a project you can complete in a day and use for a lifetime.

START WITH THE TABLETOP

On most tablesaws, the extension wing doesn't go past the ends of the rip-fence rails, so the rails prohibit moving the miter gauge bar past the table edge. Remedy this by making a new extension wing that protrudes 7-8" beyond the rails [Photo A].

Make your extension wing from 1x2 boards, MDF, and plastic laminate [Exploded View]. Drill mounting holes that align with the holes in your fence rails, and bolt the new wing in place. Use a long straightedge to ensure the table sits flush and level with the tablesaw table.