Official Luthiers Forum!

I've been thinking of adding a router table to the shop. Mostly I want it for bulk shaping braces. I coukd see how with a few easy fixtures one could get breaches radiused and tapered before glue up. Also thing like routing truss rod slots, shaping bridges etc.

Those of you who have one, how useful do you find it?

Thanks...

I find it very useful. I use it for shaping braces, occasionally cutting TR channels and a who variety of things not directly related to guitar making.

As a side note I upgraded a while ago to one of the Kreg bench top router tables. I find it to be a really nice table for the price. The open base gives quick and easy address to the adjustments on your router. If you go with an open table like this be sure to get a router with a twist depth adjustment. I happen to have a Hitachi on mine.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

One of the most useful things around - especially if you do more than just guitar making.

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Here is how I came at it.

I only use mine for cutting the TR channel.

Radiusing braces, truss rod slots, shaping the top contour of bridge, template routing peg heads and finger board tapers.

Kevin Looker

Edit
Also mortising head blocks - I do mine "before".

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

I have my router in the side extension of my table saw. I use the rip fence with auxillary fences with dust collection ports to do lots of routering jobs.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Lee valley router table .. couldnt live without it, use it for tons of stuff.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Is that the steel topped one, Tony?

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

I've got a Bench Dog table. Its a good unit. I've had it 10 years. Put in a Woodpecker Quick-Lift. I use it all the time for the things already mentioned. Once you have one you find a lot of uses for it that you never thought of before.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Sold!

One good tip for template routing of headstocks, bridges, etc. which you probably already knew is to take it down with the RoboSander first which leaves about a 32nd proud of the template. Then you can finish on the table with less chance of a problem.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Good tip, thanks....

You'll need to have a solid understanding of climb cutting, & how to do it safely to get the most from your router table & avoid personal injury.

It's a great tool but can also be very dangerous.

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Indeed. I plan on good solid hold downs....

It is worthwhile to have a router with a 1/2" collet allowing for more robust bits. Some 1/4" bits tend to deflect more than the 1/2" ones.

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Good tips all, thanks....