New Router Sled

[Darknight]

The vac attachment looks really good. Even if you can collect 30% to 50% of the dust, that is a win.

Nice job!

[brianwelch]

Nicely done...really like the simplicity, including that of the dust collection.
I have a solid core flush door I think I will try to set up for such an operation. 
Thank you for the inspiration

[jteneyck]

Thanks.  I flattened a resin table for a guy last evening.  The benefit of the dust collection attachment was very obvious.  I'm sure there are better approaches and hopefully someone will offer one up, but not having chips beyond the bench top and fine dust everywhere is a huge win as it is.  And the sled is so stupid simple and uncomplicated in how it works.  I can't believe I didn't think of it long ago or see someone else publish anything similar.  

The resin table was thinner than the 2" slab I was working on before.  The router bit has limited reach below the sled so to get the work up to the right height I just put a couple of piece of 1/2" plywood under it.  Easy solution.  But as I look at the sled I think the main body could be made out of 1/2" plywood instead of the 3/4" I used.  The cross rails are what provide the bending resistance, not the body.  Going to 1/2" plywood would give another 1/4" reach to the router bit which is what I generally needed.  So you might consider 1/2" plywood if you build something similar.  

John

[Cooler]

This vacuum nozzle is 14"  wide.  I would be inclined to put two of them side by side to pick up the balance of the sawdust.

https://www.amazon.com/WORKSHOP-Wet-Dry-...B00FX2THKO

[Stwood_]

Thin your sled to 1/2" material.
Build a 1/4" sub base with vac attachments on front and rear of the router, on the top side of the base, not below.
Catch the chips at the source, not 6" away from it.

[jteneyck]

Thin your sled to 1/2" material.
Build a 1/4" sub base with vac attachments on front and rear of the router, on the top side of the base, not below.
Catch the chips at the source, not 6" away from it.

I mentioned going to 1/2" plywood in my last post.  In looking at Woodpecker's $900 sled I saw that they use long brush material all around the router plate with two vacuum hose pickups.  



I like that concept and I could see another iteration of my sled to do something similar.  On the other hand, I see a lot of chips at the left side of the slab.  

John

[Stwood_]

Looks like it spits a lot of chips to the right.