Routers are a must-have tool for any woodworking shop, but you can bring your work to the next level by adding router tables to your repertoire. Rather than running a router over your wood pieces, router tables allow you to pass the wood over a fixed router that's built into a table. Router tables allow you to use guides, fences and stops to increase your precision and also give you the versatility to work with smaller pieces of wood.

Router tables come in different styles and designs. You can have a stand-alone table, or keep a router table on top of a cabinet where you can store extra router bits and other tools. Smaller portable tables or router tables with casters allow you to move the router tables around the shop, if needed. As you gather router tables information, consider the following:

1. Choose between stand-alone or benchtop router tables, depending on which best suits your workspace.

2. Find a router tables provider offering portable router tables for added versatility.

3. Add mobility to your router tables and free up valuable work space.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find router tables that best suit your needs and space

When it comes to router tables, the type you choose might depend most on the size of your shop and how much room you have. A smaller shop with limited floor space might need benchtop router tables, whereas a larger, roomier shop can better accommodate stand-alone router tables.

I recommend: Order durable Bosch benchtop router table,s with storage for router accessories, from ToolsDirect.com and get free shipping. For your largest projects and to accommodate any router, get sturdy, stand-alone steel router tables with extra-high fences from Router Table Depot.

Buy router tables that can go wherever you go

Depending on what type of work you do, it might be beneficial to your business to have the ability to transport a router table to on-site jobs. If it's not always possible to do the work in your shop, or if you're a carpenter and don't work out of a woodshop, then a portable router table may be for you.

I recommend: Ace Tool offers a large portable router table with folding legs for transportation and storage and a one-year warranty and a generous discount. Find a router tables list of portable units that have all the features of most benchtop or stand-alone tables including dust collection ports, guards and fences at MyToolStore.com.

Put your router tables on wheels

Not every workshop has the floorspace to set up large tools and work benches permanently. Add wheels to your router tables and have the flexibility to move them around your workshop. This feature is perfect if you don't use your router tables constantly, as you can easily move them aside and wheel them into place as needed.

I recommend: Woodpeckers offers not only the largest offset style router table available, but this steel unit also comes with wheels for easy moving. Get a relatively inexpensive, but solid, steel router table stand and wheel kit from Incremental Tools.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Save money by making your own benchtop router tables. You might have a stand-alone router table and need a few benchtop units.
• •  Get the most of your router tables with the right accessories. Guides, fences, stops and plates allow you to make cuts of any shape, depth and angle.