DIY router bench – how to do it

Cut all the boards and pieces to size according to your pattern and chosen dimensions. It’s always a good idea to do all the cutting out at the beginning of the project as this will save you a lot of time later. You will need a table saw to do the cutting. If you don’t own a table saw, you can have the wood cut to size at your DIY store. A trim allowance of about 10 to 15 mm should remain on the first edge.

If you want to save yourself some work, sand the wooden boards down before sawing them. You will, however, still have to finish the edges again so that they are nice and smooth and can be glued well. You can find everything you need to know about sanding in our sanding guide.

The next step is the substructure of the router bench. Many DIY guides recommend gluing with flat dowels. But this is very time-consuming if you are working alone. To save you having to mill the slots, you should screw the boards together according to the instructions. To do this, mark the position for the screws on the outer boards with a spacing of about 8 cm (depending on the size of the bench).

If you are using drawers, you should first attach the tracks on the inside. Measure the distances exactly on the opposite sides and mark the holes clearly. Screw the tracks in place. Pay attention to the front and back.

Now place the first two boards at an angle of 90° (if necessary, secure them with a bracket) and start screwing them together. It’s even quicker with pre-drilled holes. Piece by piece, screw all the boards together until your substructure is in place.

You should have a router bench top made for you, preferably out of decorative plywood that is 30 mm thick.

Now align the guide rail parallel to the marking. Then put the adapter on and adjust it. Using a 17 mm groove cutter, cut an 11 mm deep groove in two steps.

Now you have to make the cut-out for the insert plate and mill the side attachments. The milling frame is then fixed to the router bench top and the cut is made. Then saw out the cut-out using the jigsaw and insert the board. Check that everything fits and that the depth is correct. You now have to mill the two side attachments for the profile rails.

Now it’s time to install the slotted tracks. First, you have to mark out the notches and saw them precisely. But make sure you don’t saw too deeply. They should fit perfectly. Remember to sand them down at the edges. The tracks are pre-drilled and then screwed into the slot. Important: The screw heads must not protrude.

The insert plate must be flush with the router bench top so that the milling to be carried out is accurate. So you should work very precisely here and check with a straight edge or metal ruler that everything fits well. For fastening, you need countersunk screws, washers and self-locking nuts.

All that is missing now is the router fence. Start by sawing out the recess and sanding it finely. Using flat dowels and glue involves a little more effort and you have to work very precisely. Screwing is easier and faster and is actually sufficient for a simple bench.

Fit the router fence according to the dimensions and check that the recesses are all in the right place. Now, attach the router to the insert plate from below.

Now you can mount the tracks on the drawer panels and screw on the fronts and handles. As an alternative, gluing can be used here as well. If you are using a door, screw on the hinges to fit. If necessary, you can now also attach a lock.

Now, all you have to do is insert the drawers, hang the door and plug in the extraction hose, and your DIY router bench is ready for use.

By the way, in the FAQs you will find more answers about milling and many other DIY topics.