Random woodworking question

[ncttrnl]

Anyone have experience using a router table and what brands are good but not insanely expensive for a home workshop?

I'm getting ready to build a piece of furniture but I need a router table and a table saw to do it. I can borrow the tablesaw from a coworker and its cuts aren't going to be exposed so I'm not too concerned there. I'll be using the router table for making mortise and tenon joints so I'm assuming I need something a bit better than harbor freight.

[veedubber7]

i used to have a makita router and it worked pretty much perfect.

[mitssn]

Ryobi, Bosch, Porter Cable, Makita, DeWalt, Skil are all good products. All of them have varying levels of quality and price. Heck, even Craftsman has a good product and they carry a lot of bits.

[ncttrnl]

I've been looking at Freud and Milwaukee in the 3HP range for the router and Freud and Grizzly for the table itself. Problem is they are a little pricey. I don't mind paying for them if they are truely the only way to go but if there is a diamond in the rough out there that is a huge value then I'm all for it. I don't want to buy something I will never have the skill to utilize and I don't want to buy something that is going to bog in hardwood.

[gest24]

Just come over to my house and ask my neighbor to use his full on woodshop.

[madajb]

Ryobi makes good stuff that is generally cheaper than the Delta equivalent.

A key point that might be important to you (since I assume you aren't settingit up permanently) is that they are often lighter weight while not being as flimsy as a contractor saw.

I don't like Hitachi since they use (or used to, probably have to check now) plastic gears in the adjustments.

Makita often has good equipment at reasonable prices, but stay away from the "consumer" grades they have on sale occasionally.

Oh, and if you are making furniture, look for the widest cut you can afford.

-ajb

[cynicalgeek]

No recommendations on the table since I haven't shopped for one.

You can borrow my router if you need to. Not sure if you're looking at collecting tools like that or if it's a one time deal.

[RavinJetta]

A great place to look for a table would be Rockler on Clairemont Mesa. They have amazing stuff and are very knowledgable. I personally have been using a Porter Cable for years on a homemade router table and it has worked great.