Expandable Router Table

This was another Bear Mountain Builds project, and while the frame construction was pretty straightforward by now, everything else about this build was really complicated.

I honestly can't believe I finished this project. But I did, and it works, and I love it.

The Router Plate Nightmare

The routing is what made this really hard. I had to route out a section in the top plywood surface to fit the custom router plate – a precise recess that the plate would sit in flush with the surface.

My routing job was... not great. I had to fix a bunch of problems, clean it up, make it smooth, and make sure everything was flush so nothing would catch once I started using it. Lots of time with files and chisels cleaning up my mistakes.

The Fence: Another Challenge

Then I had to make the fence, which was also really tough. This involved T-track and T-track hardware – something I'd never worked with before.

I had to route out slots in the top surface for the T-track so the fence could slide back and forth and lock in place. More routing, more opportunities for mistakes, more cleanup work.

Getting the T-track perfectly parallel and the fence to slide smoothly without binding took way more effort than I expected.

The Result

But it works! The router plate sits flush, the fence slides smoothly in the T-track, and the whole thing is another rolling surface with storage underneath. It fits right into my modular shop setup.

This project pushed me further than anything else so far. There were so many moments where I thought I'd ruined it, but I kept problem-solving and fixing mistakes until it worked.

I love it. It's probably my proudest shop build so far.