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having used the Rousseau 2750 PortaMak for a few months (I actually bought it in 2006 from amazon) and seeing how great it perform I just had to add this extension router table to it, although I knew from the beginning this wouldn't be very stable if I was to use it without any support under the end opposite to the PortaMak table saw stand, so since I know a little bit about welding I was planning to make some kind of stand to suport the outside end so it'd be stable enough to put any weight on, but I kept on putting it off until the time came to actually fixed the router table extension to the table saw stand to do some cabinets and I hadn't made any stand so while I was looking around my shop to see what I could actually use to support the outer end of the router table extension I saw one of those adjustable roller stands which seem like a perfect support for it, so I adjusted it under it and it worked like a charm, now I can put any weight on it and it doesn't move at all., so if you are going to buy this router table extension for the Rousseau 2750 PortaMak I strongly recommend that you get an adjusting roller stand to make it truly stable, it just take a couple seconds to install and adjust, that way you won't put any dents in the table saw stand as the previous reviewers stated.
I've been a very happy owner of another Rousseau table (the 2875XL), so I thought that I'd try the PortaMax out with its router extension. This unfortunately also makes the fence ride a bit rickety over the dent. However, the great idea is marred by several significant design flaws:1) As a previous reviewer mentioned, the extension is secured and leveled using tiny screws. I leaned the table (in its folded form) against a shelf.
Even Rousseau's own standalone router table comes with a mitre track. This design flaw is a huge deal -- almost anyone who really uses the table will hit this problem.2) The pre-set holes in the plate, which are meant to help you start manual routing jobs, actually get in the way of mounting routers (like my Makita). When drilling the plate, it makes a horrid smell.3) Previous reviewers have mentioned the problems of the crown in the plate (which Rousseau claims is a "feature," but most reviewers agree is a "bug"), as well as the relatively cheesy thin table top. This extension is probably only good for recreational / occasional routing. These don't bug me too much, but I can imagine a more discerning woodworker being bothered.4) The table surface doesn't have a mitre track.In net, although I'm a huge fan of other Rousseau tables, this extension is really not anywhere near as cool as a standalone. The idea of the extension is good -- the whole notion of extending your table saw's fence while at the same time housing a router is clever.
The only way to get around this is to mount your router at an off angle (basically "spin" the base of the router). It's no good for someone who's serious. They pretty much insta-dent the main table as soon as you use the extension. When it tipped over and dropped all of 12 inches, the extension dented the main table (and need to be re-leveled).
The thickness (or should I say thinness) of the particle board top and the choice of mounting points makes clamping an alternate fence impossible. I bought the router extension as an add-on to the outstanding porta-max series of table saw stands. This router extension slides into the portamax rails and is leveled to the portamax table surface using set screws. Save yourself the hassle and just buy the plastic insert.
I only got the plastic insert which I built my own table around. Anyone looking to add this to their portamax should think twice. This is mainly Dewalt's fault since the DW-621 base is famously small and narrow.The bottom line is that for $100 you do not get much. The choice of the pop-out ring sizes in the plastic insert are such that the Dewalt DW-621 cannot be bolted to the insert and must be bolted to an intermediate plate which is then bolted to the insert.
This makes levelling difficult and of course causes unsightly damage to the portamax.2. The result is that once you discover that the portamax fence can't be used, you discover you can't clamp a straight board as a fence either.4. I must say that I have found it to be mainly useless.1. Applying appropriate clamping force causes large bowing and flexing of the laminate top.
The vibration and pulling motion created when routing with the extension table cause the fence to slide no matter how hard I was able to crank down the friction cam.3. As soon as you apply a load to the router extension, the set screws dent the portamax rails. The otherwise excellent portamax fence is useless as a router fence.
While Rousseau's table saw fence can be used in this configuration for some applications and as a stable and accurate stage for jigs, their router table fence is another fine tool that deserves very serious consideration too.Additional removable base plates are readily available(or can be easily made in the field). and I'm beginning to wonder how many more times it will pay for itself and how many more years of abuse it will take for me to finally be able to claim I was right all along).P.S. Like most home improvements contractors, I place a high value on tools that bring 'shop' performance to jobsites without taking up valuable space in my vehicle and/or several heavy trips to load and unload.This router table does that and has replaced other router tables because it is durable, accurate, more versatile and takes up a fraction of the space.Like Rousseau's stable and accurate table saw mounting system, the extension table setup and adjustment, once done, rarely needs adjustment through repeated setups and breakdowns. This allows you to mount a variety of tools to different base plates and swap them rapidly.Several years ago, when I first bought the table saw stand, router/extension table and router fence system, I had doubts about its durability,. I found this company's customer support to be one of the best I have dealt with, and if y'all read these things, I'd like to thank you again for helping my distributor get your product to me more quickly than they thought(or told me was) possible. You slide it into the table saw stand and you're ready to set up bits and/or fences.While the router table is a great extension to the table saw stand, I use it just as often by itself by just spanning it across horses or a garbage pail(most sawdust goes straight to where it belongs. Though you could rig a shop-vac without too much thought if you need better dust removal).
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