Building new router table by re purposing components of an off shelf router table-need advice

Question

I have this router table http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/ma...-0546841p.html which is exactly 2' wide I am building a router table top from a piece of high density MDF from Home Depot. The size is 2'x4'

I need help with positioning the fence, the router plate and the tracks, and selecting the right type of track

1. The router plate: should I put it in the middle (A) in the picture or in one of the other (B,C,D) positions. Please explain your recommedation

2. Should I run the fence along the length of the table (as depicted) or should it be the other way?

   3 For the traversal track in the figure (always parallel with the fence, what type of track should I use ? U slot or T track?

Update: the longitudinal rails could also support a fine tuning/high precision fence push mechanism based on something like in the 2nd picture below. I will update the diagram to show that

Here is what inspired me

Update 2: The size of the table is somehow dictated by the supporting frame which I grabbed from PrincessAuto here in Canada for $50. It can take up to 100lb. The table is foldable so the space does not become an issue and the table is designed (not shown here) to be able to remove the existing top and replace it with a different one with different functionality. I have no idea how big will the pieces of wood be for my probects but as I mentioned above I will mostly need this for cutting slots and making joits needed for all sort of custom storage units that I will need in different places in my house. The size will vary from full size shelves (floor to ceiling) to small box joints and picture frames. Slots for T tracks for various jigs that I might want to make will be another application.

Update3: OK here is a better concept and use of the table area

Update4: I have rotated the picture and positioned the saw as recommended in the second answer

Update5: here is the fence idea that I am inclined to implement. The pictures are not very clear

Answer 1

If it were me, I would run the fence along the longer dimension, as that will give your workpiece the most support both on infeed and outfeed when using the fence. I would also probably in that case shift the router insert forward towards the 'front' of the table, closer to your body so you don't have to lean so far, as well as to allow the most amount of travel for the fence.

Is there a reason that you have the left portion of the table sectioned off?

What do you plan to use the router table for? Running longer linear stock against the fence lends itself to the longer orientation I mention above, but if you plan to do a lot of flush trimming and roundover work without the fence, you will want to be able to have work space on all sides of the bit.

Answer 2

This opinion is based on the pic in update 3.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but a diy fence on a tablesaw (not to mention that you're on an atypical side of the blade, though that could be fixed by flipping the saw around, though that creates capacity problems...) is a terrible idea. It's critical that the fence be parallel to the blade. if it pinches to the outward side, you'll get kickback. (Pinching the other way is less disastrous but inaccurate.)

If you wanted to implement that pic, I'd suggest a good commercial fence that rides on a rail at the front of the saw. Place the center of the router close enough to the edge that you aren't leaning way over to use it. (Personally, I'd be uncomfortable with 2'. My router table is about 8" from edge to bit.)

And what others say about having width to support infeed and outfeed is valid for typical uses of a router table. If you could describe more of what you plan to do, then we could either try to convince you that we're right or let it drop.

Answer 3

You mentioned you are just getting started in woodworking, so keep it simple. If you need something more elaborate later, you can redesign to fit your new needs.

Here are a few other points worth considering:

• Consider whether you have ever needed a larger tabletop and what you will do in the near future which will require a larger router table. Usually if you are working with something that large, you would use an edge guide or other jig and take the router to the workpiece, rather than hefting the workpiece onto a large router table.
• Your router table fence doesn't need to extend the full width of the table.
• You may be able to build a better router table fence than the one that came with the off-the-shelf router table
• A router table built into your table saw extension seems like a great space-saving feature, but it isn't as convenient as a separate router table. You may sometimes find the router needs to be lowered because it interferes with a table saw cut, or you may encounter a situation in which you need to use the router but don't want to move the fence because it's dialed in for the next several table saw cuts.
• In update 3, it looks like you are only using the router table fence as an anchor point for the micro-adjuster for your table saw fence. Make sure your actual fence retains its setting parallel to the blade. If you need to calibrate the former router table fence parallel to the blade for every cut or every switch between router mode and table saw mode, then square up the table saw fence relative to that, you will not ever want to use your table saw.