Can anyone recommend a cost effective router table

[Rusticcreations]

So I need to get a router table for my shop and do not have a ton of cash, I saw on eBay a craftsman router and table combo for around $100 would this be an ok table and router combo to start with?

Anyone have any experience with the one I'm talking about?

Any other cost effective router table, router combos you would suggest?

Also a lot of the reason I'm looking for a router table is to do t+g would this be a good way to do it or is there a better way I'm not considering?

[Magicman]

If the boards are long, you need much more than a router table to do T&G.  In feed and out feed tables as well as feather boards.  I finally gave up and hand held the router for my T&G.  LINK  &  LINK

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Magicman, your 2 links are very informative as well as each picture.
I had already read them but read them again just now....good stuff. 

[OneWithWood]

The craftsman setup is not beefy enough to handle the task you have in mind.  You need a more powerful router, a solid fence and room to attach feather or guide boards.  You can handle the infeed out feed with a couple of good roller stands.

[DR Buck]

I built mine.     Used the New Yankee Workshop plans from Norm Abrams.  The top is over sized from a standard top.

[Texas Ranger]

I built one in a 4x8 foot table back in the days of making doors.  It had all the stuff I need, feather boards, dust pickup, and best of all, 4 foot on either side of the router head.

 

[Larry]

My first router table was some scrap pipe I had welded together with a formica sink cut out for the top.  I was teaching woodworking to some kids and gave that table to one of the students with the intention of making a better table.  Never did get roundtoit, but the student that I gave that old table to repaid me years later with a Norm Abrams table similar to the one DR Buck pictured.

Truth is both tables did the same quality of work, just the Norm table is pure luxury.

A neighbor, is a nationally known woodworker.  His router tables are just a piece of plywood with a router attached.  No legs even.  Clamps the plywood to a bench and leans it up against the wall when done.  He makes tables to suit the work being done.

Forget about the Craftsman made in China junk table.

[Den-Den]

the table by DR_Buck is beautiful and must be great for most woodworking jobs.

I don't think there is a commercially made router table that will work well for T & G on long stock unless you add infeed and outfeed tables.  IMO, it would be just as easy and more cost effective to build the whole thing yourself.  A couple of 2 x 4s and a sheet of plywood (2' x 8' would be enough), a few screws, and two sawhorses would make a functional set-up.  Some feather-boards and a clamped on fence and you would be ready to go.

The router is more important than the table, don't skimp there.

[Texas Ranger]

DenDen, you did a better job of describing my home built then I did.   8)

[Rusticcreations]

Thank you for the input guys I greatly appreciate it. I think I will find a nice used router and build a large table for it.

[Texas Ranger]

I built the router base out of 1/2 inch lexan.

[Rusticcreations]

I am rebuilding my workbench with a drop section for my mitre section

Now what if I built it so that I could pull out the saw and have a mini router table to perfectly fill the void?

It would give me approximately 7' to the left of the router and 9' to the right.

I could put up a nice fence that could be permanent and it would work great for both mitre saw and router.

I think this is what I'm going to do. I can just build a storage cupboard underneath to store the removable router table when not in use.

[Texas Ranger]

Sounds like a plan.

[Kbeitz]

Put a chunk of plywood on the right side of your table saw between the overhanging angle iron.
Mount you router under the plywood. This way you can use the saws fence fpr the router.

[lowpolyjoe]

Very jealous of DR_Buck's setup. 

I've had a craftsman router and table for a while.  The router is underpowered but has served me very well.  I use it for a lot of circle cutting for my speaker cabinet building projects and also did a bunch of planing with it (which ruined the brushes after a while).   

I have not done any t-g work but if you plan for a lot of work you probably want something with more power and maybe a custom table.   I tend to be cheap but I've found with woodworking it's often better to wait until you can afford the right tool.   Saves you time and aggravation.   

I like the router lift plates I've seen that look like they have a key that you insert in the top of the plate to adjust the router height.   My craftsman "professional" table doesn't have anything like that and the threads in the little height adjusted knob on the router shredded so height adjustment is a serious pain.   

Good luck.