Lets start at the beginning. The Freud Router Table comes complete in a cardboard box with all the parts you will need (except the router, which you will need to purchase separately if you don’t already have one). The legs, like the rest of the table are well made and all the holes for the screws line up like they should. We did have one complaint, there were no instructions on how the legs went together. Now this may seem trivial, but after you spend 5 minutes figuring out what you have and deciding how it should go together you realize that the wasted 5 minutes could be spared with a simple photocopied diagram to let the constructor know which lengths of bracing should go on which sides, and whether they go up or down.

Once we got the legs together the rest of the table was easy to finish up. For our testing we used the Freud Router (which we will evaluate in another article as this tool alone requires special attention). As we put the table together we were encouraged that all the parts lined up where they were supposed to and the entire table, including attaching the router to the table was quick and easy.

We were told that because the Freud router was a plunge router, taking the springs out of the legs would make it easier to move the router up and down in the table. We decided not to take the springs out of the legs as this was only for testing purposes and we would need the router, complete with legs for test without the table. We found the router quite easy to use even with the springs in place.

The main feature of the Freud table is the adjustable fence (which can also be purchase separately). The fence has a very nice wide in-feed and out-feed fence that is long enough to accommodate even longer boards. One of the most appealing advantages of the fence is that both the in-feed and out-feed work independently on one another and they are micro adjustable, which means ...... wait for it ...... you can actually use this router table as a JOINTER. That’s right folks, we ran a couple of small boards just to test this out and were amazed at the results. If you don’t already have a jointer, this router table will easily do double duty by routing and jointing.

To test the table we decided to use Freuds raise panel door bits. We used the combo bit that produces both the rails AND the styles with the same bit and were VERY impressed with the accuracy and ease of use. Cutting the panel for the inside of the door was equally easy althought we decided to make a couple of passes as we were whacking off quite a bit of wood.

The results of our routing test was a fantastic raised panel door cut in only a few minutes that was precision through and through. The Freud router and table made this not only and easy job but something enjoyable to do as well. The table was smooth and easy to use. The micro adjustments work easily and can be locked in place so that the entire set up is firm for continuous use. All in all this tool was a joy to use and something we would highly recommend to any woodworker. It will open up a whole new perspective of woodworking for you.

Copyright Colin Knecht woodworkweb.com

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