Need Suggestions

[jerry walters]

My Christmas and birthday present to myself was a router table and router.  After getting it assembled and placing it on a workbench it seems too high to operate it safely.  I would like to know what some of you have done to perform routing procedures safely.  I thought of placing the router table on a black and decker workmate with the legs folded.  That would place the top of the router table at 37 ½ inches high which seems to be the right height for me.  I’m a bit height challenged standing about 5’ 6”, shrunk some since my high school days. 

I’ve looked for tool stands that I could place my router table on, but to no avail.  Suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thank You,

Jerry

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I own about 12 routers and use for various functions. But I have a dedicated router table that comes with legs and wheels and fence and all the things with it. Exact height not sure but you can always look those up they are pretty much standard. When I use a router on my lathe that rides on a platform that sits on the rails so that height is higher. if I am routing things on a table I have used a workmate, I have used my workbench, I have used a workmate with a platform so no height is locked in. I have a small router table that I clamp to my workmate and that raises it at least 2 feet. But I easily adapt to height as long as not over my head. Build something or use the workmate. Whatever makes you comfortable. 

[Scrappile]

I made my own router table out of an old kitchen cabinet. 

[jollyred]

The right height is where the router can be held firmly against the project with control of the router.

tom

[JimNC]

I too am 5'6" tall. I was told by a a old time woodworker for me to start out by that standing-up straight with your arms to your side and bent at the elbow. He said  that should be your bench height. I believe that should be a good starting point.

I like my router table higher than that at about chest height standing. My scroll saw is with a bench slanted to chest height at a sitting position.  

 

[barb.j.enders]

7 minutes ago, JimNC said:

My scroll saw is with a bench slanted to chest height at a sitting position.  

Wow, that seems very high.  I have mine set so my arms are, more or less, at a 90* angle.  I remember my mom's teaching of correct placement for piano - arms at 90 and you should be able to have an eraser on your wrists without it falling off.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

3 hours ago, barb.j.enders said:

Wow, that seems very high.  I have mine set so my arms are, more or less, at a 90* angle.  I remember my mom's teaching of correct placement for piano - arms at 90 and you should be able to have an eraser on your wrists without it falling off.

Everyone is different because each of us are different height. You want the table to be comfortable for you to use without having to bend over so much. With a table mounted router this is achieved more easily. If freehanding a router many times you need to follow the router more closer so the need to see the action comes into play. With a table you are always routing against a fence or guide pin so you are controlling the wood and not the router. Big difference. If you have arthritis it maybe benificial to have your arms a little higher and there is nothing wrong with this. Most woodworking stationary tools are about 3 feet high which brings to about waste height. 

[Hudson River Rick]

@jerry walters Hi Jerry, I built my router table more then 20 years ago, and it has served me well.  I have 10 or 12 routers of various sizes, most are used in a very specific jig and I do use a bunch of them squezzed in the jaws of my B&D WORKMATE.  Real easy to set up, but VERY MESSY, wood chips all over the place.

 

[OCtoolguy]

I use mine exactly as you suggested. My router table is a Bosch in the enclosed cabinet. I'm 6' 0".

[barb.j.enders]

@JTTHECLOCKMAN, I meant the scroll saw height.  

[willee51]

Etsy has some nice plans for a a scroll saw stand, one even has drawers and the ability to tilt the saw a bit

That plan is the one I just purchased 

[rustynail]

I have a adjust-A-bench you can set it at any height.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kmmcrafts]

I don't have a router or router table, but I do have a chainsaw which does pretty much the same thing if you know how to use it. 

I like my table so my arms are right close to the 90 degree mark.. 

I think that adjustable table could be very handy.. don't know how much they cost but there are some tools I like to use at a higher or lower height. Like routing with my chainsaw the bench needs to be lower..  

[jerry walters]

1 hour ago, rustynail said:

I have a adjust-A-bench you can set it at any height.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like something I could use, but a bit beyond my means.  Thanks for sharing.

Jerry

[Wichman]

HF has a universal too stand that is height adjustable. The lowest setting would put your router table at 39 inches off the floor, assuming you RT height is 13".

When I put my tall tools (RT, bench bandsaw, belt/disk sander) on the miter saw stand, their tables are at about 45" off the floor. That height works well for me (5' 9") as I have back and shoulder issues. I use that high a work surface for drilling holes for fretwork with my Dremel plunge router accessory.   

https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-tool-stand-69805.html

[jerry walters]

On 5/4/2025 at 8:57 PM, Wichman said:

HF has a universal too stand that is height adjustable. The lowest setting would put your router table at 39 inches off the floor, assuming you RT height is 13".

When I put my tall tools (RT, bench bandsaw, belt/disk sander) on the miter saw stand, their tables are at about 45" off the floor. That height works well for me (5' 9") as I have back and shoulder issues. I use that high a work surface for drilling holes for fretwork with my Dremel plunge router accessory.   

https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-tool-stand-69805.html

Took your advice Wichita, made a trip to Harbor Freight.  The first employee sent me to the wrong area.  Chased down a second employee and asked him for a height adjustable tool stand.  Told me there where no such tool stand.  Told him it was on the web site.  He took a peek and when to another area but told me the one there was not adjustable.  I looked at the box and it said it was adjustable.  I told him his day was not wasted because he learned something new.  Brought it home and assembled it.  Lot easier to assemble if you have a helper.  Thanks for the tip Wichita.  Attached is a picture.

[OCtoolguy]

I bought a used drill press a few years ago ans it came on that exact same stand. I now have a very study 2x4 top on it with my 12in disc sander and Delta planer all mounted on a HF rolling platform base out on my driveway. Very heavy. No worries about thieves.

[Fish]

I bought a Bosch and the table to go with it.   I used a stand from my old table saw and it seems to work fine.  I bought an adjustable stand at menards for my jointer I just got.  Both are working fine.  Table from menards is adjustable height.