Mule/Bench Dog router table

[Garry]

Looking at purchasing a router table. Anyone have any experience or insight on the Mule router table, or the quality of similar Mule products. Also looking at the Bench Dog. Looked at the Jessem, and Lee Valley but big bucks! Thanks, Garry

[Gord in Newmarket]

Garry, here is a page from Busy Bee Tools, their 8X12 router plate is on sale for $39.99. I believe that this is the Mule one that you asked about. I have one of these and I hang a Porter Cable 7539 from it with no problem. In fact it has been hanging there for 7 years. As far as the bench dogs are concerned, I have used the Lee Valley 3/4" round ones without problem. I think if you check with Harry in Sutton you will find a great way to mount a router in a separate table if you have the space. He has a pretty slick set up and is always willing to share his talent.

http://www.busybeetools.com/routers/itm00842.htm

[Real Lalonde]

Hi Garry,
I have the Mule router table and I also have the Mule Accusquare fence on my table saw along with the Router attachment to the Accusquare fence.
I'm very pleased with the end result. It gives me 50 inches of ripping capacity and having the router always available with the Accusquare fence is a real bonus. It transformed my 20 years old Craftsman saw into a decent tool.

Real

[Mike King, Sherwood Park,]

I was going to recommend the Lee Valley steel top, but you saw it (as big bucks). The top alone although now priced at $199 as of last Saturday here in Edmonton, is still good value because of its stability, and the design of the insert and router clamping mechanism. You can build the other components; fence, dust collector shroud, pin routing overarm, etc., but the table top is one of the best. Read up on it before you steer away to something else..

I drilled my workbench for the LV dogs and the vise jaw for the pups. The advantage of them is they're sized for a 3/4" hole. Cheap copies aren't properly sized.

[Ken in Regina]

[Ken in Regina]

Ooops. The previous message got away on me. See below for the Bench Dog products.

Bench Dog (tm) Products (http://www.benchdog.com/)