I've been contemplating getting around to building a router table for far too long. I've been limping by with my tablesaw router insert. I had gotten a great deal on the Bosch 1617 Plunge/Fixed combo a while back. I thought that this would be a good pair, using the fixed base mounted in the table, with above table adjustment, and the plunge base for handheld use.
The table is cast aluminum and it was as square as I was able to measure. The router mount plate is a strong cast aluminum piece as well. It shouldn't sag from leaving a router mounted as I have seen in some other plates. There are adjustment screws for each corner and each edge (a total of 8). This allows you to mount the plate perfectly flush of the table top. The fence is an extruded aluminum piece with adjustable MDF faces. It was square and true. Also included were two 1/16" plastic sheets to slide behind the MDF for using the table as an edge jointer. This is a nice idea for someone starting out, but I prefer a real jointer.
The power switch is a little odd. You lift a plastic lever to turn on a rocker switch. If you press down on the lever at all, it will shut off the switch. This should work well, but I can see a possibility of breaking the plastic lever. That would not prevent the switch from functioning, it would just be harder to turn off.
The featherboards included will be usable and are pretty well designed. The storage area in one leg is a great idea, but it is impossible to put everything not in use in there. I will most likely mount this on top of a rolling cabinet with some drawers. I could also see eventually keeping the aluminum top and replacing the plastic legs with a cabinet. The top should last for a long while.
Overall, I believe that I will be happy with this purchase. I think it is decent at the regular price and I would consider it a bargain with the total of 30% offers that were applied when I purchased it. I would check the Bosch site and verify that your router will fit this table. There is mention in the instructions about drilling holes for above the table adjustments of some Porter Cable and other routers. However, mounting holes are provided for many routers. If your router isn't listed, you would need to drill accurate holes to mount. If you aren't exactly centered, some operations on the table will be very hard to do (such as routing with a template and bushing.)
Although this Aluminum top doesn't need paste wax for protection, unlike cast iron, it is a good idea. On my BT3100 table saw, the aluminum can leave grey streaks if it is not paste waxed. Just something to think about with this. BOSCH RA1181 Benchtop Router Table
As a previous review mentioned, this fits a bunch of routers, which can be found listed on the Bosch site. To make things easier, here they are:
Predrilled for following routers:
BOSCH 1617 series*, 1613 series, 1619EVS; Porter Cable 690, 892-895 series*, 7529; Milwaukee: 5615, 5616; Hitachi: M12VC; DeWalt: DW616, DW618*; Makita: RF1100, RF1101; Ryobi: R161K, R162K; Craftsman: Fixed base models with 1/2? collet capacity
*Note: Fixed Base Models Only
Check the table for flatness when you get it! My first one had a high spot about an inch to the left of the table insert. I returned it and the second one did also. I called Bosch and after some time it turns out that they had some production errors. Bosch customer service was very good. I like the design of the table. Hopefully it will work well, but I have had to spend 3 or 4 hrs trying to get a table that works.
PS Look at the bottom of the table for 3 digits in red. My table was batch 787.
I am a novice as this is my first router table. However, I spend a lot of time watching skilled people use tools. Long story short, this is not a cabinet maker's router table. If you're a REAL pro, you probably want to build one that is larger and with better work piece control attachments. But, if you are like me (father of 2 who likes to build stuff like cabinets, benches, desks, etc) then this router table is fantastic!!! The mounting plate is pre-drilled for a number of commercially available routers. The table allows for very precise cuts, the drop in plate is thick steel and easy to adjust, the fence is sturdy and easy to adjust, it comes with three inserts that allow you to use the router/table with a number of different bits and finally, the table is NOT flimsy!
I previously purchased a craftsman router table that I returned because it was flimsy and I would have needed to drill out the drop in plate for my dewalt router. This, in my opinion, would have reduced precision and greatly reduced my satisfaction. For me, you can't beat the quality for the price. IMO, this table is the only one to start with.
Enjoy!
After checking out a number of other benchtop router tables and not being terribly impressed, I had resigned myself to making my own router table. That is, I was until I found this item on Amazon and read the reviews -- and I'm glad I did. The unit has plenty of table-top space for working individual pieces or whole cabinet doors and the machining is excellent. The assembly is pretty straight-forward (the toughest part is differentiating between the types of bolts) and I was up and running in 30 minutes after opening the box. It's surprising light AND sturdy and having provisions to plug 2 items into the on-off safety switch (use one for your vacuum) is a great plus. The only real negatives are that the fence adjustments are a little coarse and the guides for the featherboards and chip guard aren't captive so they can be a little tricky putting on. Seeing how effective the unit is once I got it (especially with the RA1165 under-table router base) made the repeated shipping delays all the more aggravating.'
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