Made several things this weekend. First time working with hardwoods on the cnc.
Box bottom and signs are out of some scrap oak. Not sure what kind of wood the top of the box is - it’s got an ash grain but it’s very dark.
I wish I could post a short video. I’m proud of how perfectly the lid fits. The lid slowly descends for a second as the air escapes. It’s rather pleasant.
If you have a google account you can make your own channel on youtube. I have posted the link to the youtube in threads and you can play the youtube video right on the forum. Another alternative is to make your video and post it on google drive that has all permissions. Other cloud based alternatives are out there you just have to set the permissions properly for anyone to see your videos. Most smart phones make pretty good videos. If you are a windows user in the Photos there is an option in 10 to make a move that is native to the Photos app. Starting with windows 11 they link you to a MS app to make videos.
Here is a link for a video I made for my woodworking club. We had a project to make 1 foot square wooden boxes that the Stephen F Austin University Art department used. The students make an art project and they auction them off for scholarships. The video is interesting if you like art.
I made the movie in about 10 minutes from still pictures from my camera phone.
One caution about a plywood router plate is it may sag over time. Since you have a Shapeoko and the file generated maybe you could buy a 1/4" piece of aluminum and remake the top. The plywood will work but the heavy Bosch router will eventually make it sag. Maybe lift the router and plate out of the router table when you are not using it to prolong the life. A creative solution for your shop.
I had posted on What did you make on your Shapeoko/Nomad last night a new router plate for my Veritas Slabbing Jig.
The original had recessed holes for the router mounting bolts. I changed it and put threaded inserts in so I could remove the router to check the collet tightness and to remove the router when not in use.
I also made an Incra Miter Gauge fence for my tablesaw.
I bought this Bosch table a couple of months ago because I needed a router table for a quick project, but shelved it because the aluminum plate was so awful. I probably should’ve returned it right away but I didn’t.
I just wanted something cheap to get the job done - planning to build an integrated table saw/router table station at some point, so it didn’t need to last forever.
So, if anyone is looking for a router table, take my advice and avoid the Bosch RA1171. Pure trash. I won’t waste the characters on a list of it’s faults.
Was planning to give it away or sell it at a yard sale at some point but tbh, this new plate makes it perfectly useable.
I have an Incra Positioner on my router table. I made the router table because I had a 27" positioner and recently bought a 17" one to replace it. They both work great but the 27 was pretty long and I never needed the 27" length. My intention is to build a new router table and have the Incra positioner on one end and on the other end another router. I have two Jessum router lifts and another fence for the second router.
When I set up to do a routing job I never tear down until I need the router table for another project. You never know when you mess something up and need to duplicate a cut.
My current router table looks like this.
Plus I bought the casters that are orange and lock in both directions. Over time the poly orange coating hardens and breaks off making my router table rock. I like the face that the wheels lock in both directions but unfortunately I have several sets of these wheels that have separated.
It is likely I bought them at Rockler or Woodcraft.
The problems are all in the plate. The router throat hole has these snap-in plastic inserts for the plate that sit WELL below the surface of the aluminum plate, creating a ledge around the hole that is easy to catch, and the finish on the plate is like sandpaper, so nothing slides well. Half of the holes are chamfered, half are not (some had burrs) and the ones that were chamfered look like they were done with a dull bit that chattered.
It’s probably a good knock around bench table for a job site if you need to cut slots on decking or something like that. I wouldn’t use it as is, out of the box, for much else.
