INProfile Issue 1 | Page 23

Housings are cut on each assembled leg frame to accept the front and rear rails. Coach screws are used to fasten the rails, with their heads recessed flush with the rail face. Use two screws for each joint, staggering their vertical centres. Recessed holes are drilled in the underside of the bench top to take the threaded inserts. Although their tangs prevent them from turning, it is advisable to run hot-melt glue around the edge of the recess to prevent the insert from being forced downward when inserting locking levers or holding down bolts. Making a routing bench Routing accessories A stable work surface is also essential when using routing accessories such as the Trend Routerlathe and Routergraph. A purpose made bench can be fitted with integral clamping and mounting points to ensure quick, easy and secure setting up, whenever the machine is required. Winter 1997 The overall size of such a bench is obviously going to depend on how much workshop or garage space you have available, although if space is very limited it can also double as a general workbench. The overall size of our routing bench is 2140mm x 760mm. The height is 750mm but this can be altered to a more comfortable working height as required. The bench top is cut from 25mm MDF with a 110mm down-stand screwed to the front edge. A removable up-stand is fitted to the rear edge, either loose doweled or bolted to the top. Down-stand pieces screwed to the underside of the worktop at either end, fit outside the end leg frames. A single coach bolt through each piece and the top rails of the two end leg frames, are used to secure the top. The leg frames The three legs frames are made up with 70x70mm legs joined by 110 x 26mm (Door lining) rails. Cut the six rails to a length of 570mm and mark out 55mm long tenons at each end. Gauge a tenon width of 22mm (or to suit the precise diameter of the available router INProfile 23