Bench Dog 40-001 ProTop Contractor Benchtop Router Table
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List Price: Our Price: $239.99 You Save: $60.00 (20%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Bench Dog 40-001 ProTop Contractor Benchtop Router Table
Customer Review: Meets Every Expectation
Summary: 5 Stars
A great piece of equipment.
Heavy so I can use it without clamping it down except for long or heavy pieces.
Takes about an hour to assemble (including a couple of mistakes I made and had to correct).
Excellent construction. The only quibble is the router mounting plate which was not quite flat so that one corner wants to stick up just slightly. It doesn't hinder the operation.
The fence is very heavy. Much more substantial than I expected for this type of table.
All-in-all meets or exceeds every expectation I had.
Customer Review: Beats the BORG Offerings Hands Down
Summary: 5 Stars
My expectations were high after reading the other reviews here. The Bench Dog ProTop didn't disappoint. Delivery took the full 7 days, so I was chomping at the bit to get this router table assembled.
UNPACKING - took a full 20 minutes to get all the (many) parts arranged for inventory. One of the side panels had a slight mar in the finish. Happy? No. But it's a tool that's going to get a workout and will probably get a bit banged up in regular use. So no biggie, no deductions.
INVENTORY - once the parts were logically arrayed, inventory took 15 minutes. And as others have noted, there were extra parts. Generally, I don't like having extra parts but forewarned is forearmed, and better to have extras than a shortage. No deductions.
ASSEMBLY - presented no difficulties, but there *are* a lot of parts/steps, so it took 1:40 more to get it fully assembled (before router installation). Leveling the plate wasn't easy, but with patience, not overly difficult. And my Ryobi router matched the holes so no modifications were necessary. So, from receiving to full assembly, it took about 3 hours for assembly. Instructions, although fairly extensive, were clear & concise.
SURPRISES - I bought the (Amazon) recommended featherboard with the unit -- which arrived with the table. Grizzly threw in an extra featherboard...nice. The table comes with jointer bars for jointing narrower stock...an extra I hadn't counted on...nice. The jointer bars fit in slots on the outfeed fence behind the MDF facepiece.
The unit is, at once, not too heavy to lift but heavy enough for solid operation. For me, made in USA, was a plus, and the table is much nicer than comparable models I've seen at HD & Lowes.
Dust collection isn't too bad with the standard fence port, but plenty of dust gets down into the cabinet below, so tool storage there isn't a good idea. However I've found that placing the vacuum nozzle at the electrical plug cutout does an adequate job of clearing the interior of dust without having to remove the jointer bars and router collet wrench.
For the price, you won't go wrong buying this router table.
Customer Review: Decent item, tiring assembly
Summary: 4 Stars
The reviewer who claims it took him 20minutes to assemble this was being somewhat economical with the truth
or the sawdust has been getting to his brain. It took me the better part of 3 hours and I had extra screws left over which made me a bit confused. Sturdy and strong item but I found it tricky to level the plate so everytime the wood passes over it gets stuck. Need to fine tune that somehow.
Dust port is pretty poorly designed and my chips go everywhere. Otherwise a cool piece. If you cannot stand assembly don't buy it.
Customer Review: Bench Dog Router Table
Summary: 5 Stars
I find this product to be a well built and designed product. The only setback that I can see is when cutting slots in the middle of a board that the clear vacuum attachment on the top of the table is pretty useless. Most of the chip fall down into the cabinet and if you are storing cutters, rulers or anything else then you have to remove them to clean it out. An extra hole (3" midway toward the base in the cabinet itself, on the side, would help to clear out the falling chips. I added one to my cabinet and it works fine for this problem. Just don't vacuum up your tools inside, keep them to one side. Customer Review: Benchtop Router Table
Summary: 4 Stars
Amazon clearly states in the description that the unit comes with a miter gauge; it does NOT, if it did as stated I would have given it a 5 rating. The company's description doesn't mention a miter gage, so I believe it is Amazon's error. While I could re-write the assembly directions and save at least 15 min. assembly time; everything went together very well. The unit is very well manufactured, good construction; and the fence is great. I have assembled several door fronts and panels and the unit worked well. I did purchase the additional panel hold down accessory.