4 R O U T E R TA B L E S

The Incredible
Tilting Router Stand
by Nick Engler

D uring the past 25 years, I’ve

designed more than a dozen
whiz-bang router tables for various
books and articles, each one suppos-
edly packing a bigger bang than the
last. But what finally dawned on me
a few router tables ago is what makes
this fi xture truly useful has less to do
with the tabletop than the stand it
rests on.
Whether you build or buy a router
table, you’re faced with the same
dilemma. The router is designed to
be a portable power tool. All the
controls and adjustments are easily
accessible when the router is resting
upright on a workbench. Bolt it to
the underside of a table to convert

T H E U LT I M AT E R O U T E R G U I D E 151
R O U T E R TA B L E S

CL CL
1½" radius 1½" 2"
⁄"x 3 carraige bolt,
flat washer and nut 1" 1"
1½"
2" CL 3⁄" 2"
1" 1"
1⁄" CL
10½" 5⁄" radius
⁄" x 2"
carraige ¾" x ⁄" 12" 12"
bolt, flat rabbet
washer, nut
and star ¾" ¾"
knob 36" 36"
31¼"
¾" x 1½"
¾" 15½" 15½"
butt hinges
(4 required)

¾" ¾"
See detail at right 3" 3"

¾" 2 ¼" 22" 2 ¼" ¾" ¾" 2¼" 14" 2¼" ¾"
28" 20"
Elevation Profile

it to a stationary tool and sud- Of course to get this amazing island” – the table saw, workbench
denly your router is a good deal less convenience, you have to build a and router table are all at the same
cooperative. Many of us spend a lot complex mechanism and a special level. So I cut the legs on my table a
of time on our knees in front of our table, right? Nope. Most parts are fraction of an inch longer than what
router table, fumbling underneath to rectangular boards, butted together the drawings show.
change bits and adjust the depth of and secured with screws or bolts. The A plywood box is screwed to the
cut. A woodworker I know calls this design is easily adaptable to sup- legs below the table to brace the
“praying to the router god.” port whatever table top you’re using legs and provide storage for router
Some woodworkers solve this right now; just change the width and accessories. There must be adequate
problem by mounting the router to depth of the stand to fit. room between the top of the box
a plate that rests in a rabbet, then Begin with the frame under the and the bottom of the router table
removing the plate when they need table. It should be about 6" smaller to fit the router when the collet is
to get at the router. Unfortunately, side-to-side and 4" smaller front-to- fully retracted into the router base.
the sides of the rabbet wear as you back than your router table. If the
pop the plate in and out. As the plate table has slots to mount the fence, 1"
becomes loose in its rabbet, new prob- make sure that the frame members 1" radius
CL
lems arise with safety and accuracy. won’t cover these or interfere with
⁄"
A tilting router stand makes the the fence movement. Also give some diameter
router easily accessible and lets you thought to how you will attach the
secure the router to the table. The table to the frame. I used two long
14" 18⁄"
table swings up like the lid of a chest, cleats, one on each side. Brackets, ⁄"
exposing the router and bringing it table clips and pockets screws work slot
on center C
L
up to a comfortable working height. equally well. 1"
You can change bits and make The legs should hold the table
adjustments standing upright, just at countertop level – roughly 36".
CL ½"
like the Deity intended. My router table is part of a “work

152 T H E I N C R E D I B L E T I LT I N G R O UT E R S TA N D
 Back Side

¾" x ⁄"
Rabbets

Bottom

Cabinet joinery detail

I mounted simple plywood doors on The sliding shelves

the front legs to enclose the box and shown in the photo
are removable so
keep some of the sawdust out. you can take your
The most complex part in the bits where they are
table is the support arm. It has a needed.
L-slot – a long slot with a little hic-
cup at one end. I made the “hiccup”
first, drilling a few overlapping holes
to create a short slot. I routed a long
slot perpendicular to the short one,
then cleaned up the edges of the
short slot with a fi le. When mount-
ing the support arm to the stand, the
short portion of the slot faces front.
To help organize all my router bits
and collars, I mounted two sliding
shelves to the fi xed shelf inside the
storage box. You needn’t purchase
expensive hardware to get the sliding
action. Make narrow hardwood rails
to guide the shelves, then cut match-

T H E U LT I M AT E R O U T E R G U I D E 153
R O U T E R TA B L E S

ROUTER CRANK
1½"-dia. knob
Exploded view
2½" ½" radius
1½" radius
Apply epoxy to threads

#12 x 1¼" flathead

wood screw
Router flange
to motor 1"-dia. dowel
height + 1"
Bore hole ⁄" larger and ¼"
longer than post

Counterbore to fit hex nut

Flat washer to fit post

Hex nut to fit post
(epoxy in counterbore)

If you use a plunge router with your router table, this little I know. But it has a simple knob at the top and takes a lot
gizmo takes all the frustration out of setting the depth of of wrist action to raise or lower the router. You'll find the
cut. Just thread it onto the post, then crank the router up crank action much faster and more comfortable. When
and down as needed. used with the tilting router stand, the two fixtures create a
There's an accessory on the market very much like this, truly user-friendly stationary routing system.

ing grooves in the sliding shelves the grooves in the shelves to help To raise the top of the router
and fi xed rails. Glue splines in the them move smoothly. I drilled holes table, lift it all the way up and push
grooves in the rails, then glue the and mounted dowels in the sliding down near the bottom of the support
rails to a fi xed shelf. Fit the sliding trays to help organize the bits and arm to slip the locking bolt into the
shelves to the splined guides, enlarg- accessories and keep them in place. short portion of the L-slot. Tighten
ing the grooves in the edges and The shelves slide all the way out of the knob to make sure the top
sanding a little stock from the bottom the storage box so you can use them doesn’t slam down unexpectedly.
faces so the shelves slide easily. Wax as a caddy or tray to carry the bits.

18½" ⁄" x ⁄" ¼" x 1" x 18½"

plywood splines Fixed shelf
grooves in
¼" x ½" (4 required) underneath the
sliding shelves
1" diameter grooves in Glue spline in sliding shelves
holes 4⁄" 1½" fixed rails only
fixed rails

1" ¾"

1⁄" 10⁄" 1⁄" 10⁄" 1⁄" 1⁄" 10⁄" 1⁄" 10⁄" 1⁄"
24⁄" 24⁄"

Plan of sliding shelves Elevation of sliding shelves

154 T H E I N C R E D I B L E T I LT I N G R O UT E R S TA N D