Could he have been describing MDF? Sounds like it to me, does not warp easily so could be good for a router table. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-density_fiberboard

It might be, but I'm leaning toward it might not be. To still have plenty of travel on the router plunge (upward) the material would have to be quite thin at the mounting point. About 1/8" would be about right. To hang a 3.5 HP motor spinning a razor sharp blade at thousands of RPM from a counter sunk hole in any wood product scares me. This is why I keep getting back to the metal table idea. If my neighbor's observations and memories are correct then the material used by his X-neighbor is very interesting.

This one might go unsolved.

Yes I believe it is MDF (Mild density fibre board).

Mild density fibre board

Isn't that "medium density"?

They make loud speaker cabinets from it.

sorry medium

Check out this web site they have great pre-made router table tops, you build your own legs.

http://www.ttrackusa.com/router.html

Apparently Tufnol is (sometimes) also known as "phenolic". Perhaps this is where he got the "it starts with an F" idea in his head?

Yes,

Phenolic, polyester and epoxy are all used to produce Tufnol. It's been around for years.

Used to be called YN-25 and had other MIL/FED designations.

My only advice is that it isn't resistant to gouging/cutting or sliding of other materials across it's surface. OK, it's much better than MDF.

Depending on the reinforcement, it can be very abrasive to cutting tools.

Good stuff though! Pretty tough, can be machined with HS tooling even though it wears them out pretty quick! (be careful of the dusk, wear a mask and extractor!) I'd be inclined to get a nice sheet of aluminium about 3-4mm thick and make a good job of it but with a 7mm thick bit of Tufnol why not!

Sorry Bruce, I've just noticed you don't have a metel work shop but a jigsaw with the right blade will make light work of the Aluminium and it's easy enough to drill and tap!

Hello LL,

Very handy knowing the several different names of the Tufnol sheets!

GA to you

Take care................................

Thank you to everyone who responded. I have never heard of Tufnol before. I'll look into it. I'll also look into the pre-made tops. And I agree, aluminum is great if I can find a way to do it.

Thank you,

Bruce

Happy to help Bruce

IF YOU WANT TO GO GREEN...... There is a wood called "Apitong"....tougher than 'Billy be blazes'..wears forever...cuts with carbide saw/tools. MR. GUY

Hello BruceFlorida:

Looks like TUFNOL is it then?

Send a pic in when its done please, OK?

Take care, and thank you for the thank you post! Sadly lacking on many threads.

You can buy pre-made router table inserts (aluminum) from woodworking suppliers, such as Rockler or Woodcraft.

Plenty of free plans out there for do it yourself router tables:http://www.google.com/search?q=router+table+plans 

Hi Bruce, I use the melamine as a top material. Firm it up with plywood with a cut out just larger than your router. Remove the base plate of your router and mount through the melamine using the same screws. This helps minimize any losses in plunge depth. The benefit of this concept is that the table can be as large as you need. you also have significant space to mount or integrate fences. I have even found I can use some collars. The flex of the melamine is essentially removed as the melamine is only as large as the base of the router (when considering flex). The smooth surface of the melamine is also replaceable if it gets damaged. Thus you don't have to rebuild the table each time. The thickness of the plywood would depend on the size of the router and the table, but I would think 3/4" would be sufficient for most any table. Best Regards Gregg / Guest

Hello BruceFlorida:

I have not searched yet, but have you thought of hardwood? Or hardwood ply? You can get all kinds of grades.

How thick would be ideal? Because you could use a 13mm carbonate? Very strong. It depends on the plunge depth.

Get back to me please, OK?

Take care and good luck.........................

Hello BruceFlorida,

I have found just the right board. Check this out.

http://www.ttrackusa.com/UHMW.htm

UHMW Sheets / Strips

WHAT IS UHMW? (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) UHMW Polymer (plastic) is a linear polyethylene with a molecular weight in the range of 3,000,000 to 6,000,000. This value represents the "average molecular weight". Therefore UHMW is 10 times heavier than regular high density polyethylene. Characteristics: The highest abrasion resistance Outstanding impact strength even at low temperatures Excellent sliding material due to low coefficient of friction Self-lubricating Easily machined with common woodworking tools Previous Page Use this UHMW to make jigs and fixtures for your table saw , router table, etc. These easy to cut 4'' x 48' 'sheets come in several thickness. Also use the 3/4" x 3/8" plastic strips to make sliding table jigs for your table saw, band saw or router table. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Top+for+router+table&btnG=Search 'This is the search for 'top for router table'. Router table, how to make or build The inspiration for the router table top and fence originate from an ... Above, a view of of the 3/4 in. Baltic birch router table top table with 3/4 in. ... www.whitemountdesign.com/Router TableProject.htm - 14k - Cached - Similar pages Jointech Router Table Tops Our 27" wide tops are popular because they can accommodate either the 12" or 18" Clincher machine. 27" x 36" tops can be used as a stand alone router table ... www.jointech.com/routertops.htm - 26k - Cached - Similar pages Take a look. There is some innovative tops ready made or , well take your choice? Take care......................

babybear -- UHMWPE is great stuff for toughness and sliding friction. But you'll notice most applications involve small sizes of the stuff. If you could afford a sheet big enough for a router table and stiff enough to not deflect under loads you still might be unhappy about how flat it was in the raw state.

Also UHMWPE is so slippery that you might have a real problem with wood parts slipping under your hands as you try to hold them against even small sideways forces from the cutting bits. A real ticket to insanity would be UHMWPE for a bandsaw or drill press table.

Personally I'd stick with MDF or cabinet grade plywood for the router table and 1/4 inch clear polycarbonate sheet for the insert that holds the router made to a big enough diameter so the router can be lifted out from the top. Note that MDF is heavier than plywood if you're going to be moving the router table a lot.

For the miter gauge slot in the table top I'd get one of those pieces of aluminum liners specifically made to put in a a larger dado-cut slot so you end up with a 3/4" wide aluminum slot for the miter gauge.

Ed Weldon

Hello Ed,

How you doing Ed? I never really thought of the slipperiness like that. I was trying to find a strong board at least similar to the description, you know?

I would always choose wood. As you say, you can let some Lexan? is it, into the top and make you own measuring and guiding doodad? I do not think you can go wrong with a wooden top really.

Take care..............

Actually wood could be used. Make the thing and then coat it with several coats of urethane varnish rubbing down when dry each time to flat . Better to use a spray-gun to give a smooth surface - no brush marks. Wait for a few days for it to get really hard and then finish it using a burnishing compound to give flat polished surface. Finally give a coat of good car polish to get a bit of slip and you will be in business. Nice thing about this is that when it gets scratched or damaged you can rub it down and refinish it. I have finished dining tables in this way and get a good mar-proof surface.

It will probably be as good as Tufnol for this job - you do not need the electrical or heat resistance.

Babybear

"Therefore UHMW is 10 times heavier than regular high density polyethylene"
Hmmm ...
No, I don't think so. If my supplier made such claims to me, he would cease being my supplier.

:)

Hello Guest,

You are very critical for someone who for all anyone know apart from you, chose NOT to offer any help. Considering your an expert an all?

As it happens, I pasted that directly from the site. Which you would have known if you had gotten off your 'metaphorical' arse and helped like all the others, me included.

This forum and site is not a place to air your 'critique' alone. Included in an explanation yes, not alone where, despite the smiley face at the bottom, these kind of remark get us not a mm nearer to helping the OP!

My first job we used UHMW and 3/4" white PVC sheet for the tables. Ironically we cut tons of phenolic. Never used it for a table.

Sure to be Tufnol - look it up on the web - it is ideal!

Nice thing about this stuff is its toughness. Used for electrical distribution boards and the like. It is reinforced Phenol formaldehyde and uses fabric in the composition instead of paper. Otherwise it is the same as Formica backing (turn it over and see the dark brown base) being non-conductive and heat resistant it is a good material. It machines quite well and I am sure that the base plate on my router (ELU) is made from it or a relative. It machines quite well so attachments should pose no problems.

In this case I feel that it is the surface that matters, wood will slide about on it very nicely - the stiffness could be got from any thing else just consider strength to weight ratio. . You should be able to get it in decent thickness sheets. But melamine glues onto a strong base is also a good choice - surface will slowly wear away. You will probably need to keep thickness down for maximum cutter use but table could be recessed where the router goes.

Worth looking at engineering materials on the Farnell website:-

http://export.farnell.com/engineering-materials

Unfortunately their website is too clever for me: I can get to the UK site easily but when I try to go to the US site it "routes" me to this "export page".

Go to www.Farnell.com click on the US flag; then go to products/mechanical/engineering materials.

What you described is Linen based Phenolic which, in fact, is a Formica of sorts. This is available in both linen bases or paper-based forms. I believe the linen based material is superior.

Tufnol is cloth supported Phenolic resin base,

Formica usually has two layers one is phenol-formaldehyde based resin (dark brown) with paper and the surface is melamine-formaldehyde based resin with paper - the paper carries the printed patterns. Some very thin versions for laminating onto bases such as MDF do not any, or much, of the phenolic layers.

Tufnol is an engineering material where Formica is essentially decorative.

If you would prefer to use metal. Why not purchase a Aluminum 6060-T6. I cut it on my table saw using an aluminum cut blade. There are several manufactures of this type of blade, here is a web site. http://www.mytoolstore.com/tenryu/alumic.html Use a stick metal lubricant and it cuts as easy as wood.

A wood like material would be linen base phenolic. It will not change shape with moisture. Its machining properties are between that of wood and metal. It cuts like wood, but is dulls the cutting tools quicker. Unlike wood, it can be tapped.

think the board you are looking for is what was called hard board a thin hard Masonite sheet one side smooth other rough 1/8 thick was mainly used as topping over wood etc. last time i bought some about 8 years ago in Montreal QC. Canada I only found it in older lumber yard not big box store hope i am helpful

nick qc. ca.

Gee wiz, Bruce...it might as well be kryptonite. If you're willing to go that far to make this,...with all those specs, you're probably better off just buying a router table!

Wow. Lots of good suggestions, links and information. Thanks to all.

I have never heard of Tufnol or MIC-6. Having new materials to think about is great. I am pretty sure my neighbor was describing Tufnol.

UHMW Polyethylene is wonderful stuff. Very tough. Very slippery. But, I would be a little concerned about anything on the table being a little too free spirited and walking across the table. I try to keep both work and scrap under control at all times, but like most of us I am a little bit human from time to time. I would also worry about the router mounting holes (countersunk holes for machine screws) cold flowing and causing vibration that could lead to mount failure.

To have as much vertical adjustment as possible (upside down "plunge") I would want the router to mount to a thin area of the table, possibly 1/8" to 3/16". I'm probably a worry wart here, but four countersunk holes in thin wood holding a 3.5 HP motor spinning a razor sharp blade at thousands of RPM makes me pause for a moment. If I somehow have something go wrong and things start to break and fall apart while a motor (about 4 pounds??) is spinning the blade and possibly jamming and chattering the wood ...... well, maybe this is a little too much like "Revenge of the Workshop" late night on the Science Fiction channel. I don't know.

Tufnol, sheet aluminum, MIC-6 and pre-make table tops all currently are "top of the list" ideas. Thank you for all the other ideas and links too.

Bruce

Probably a +/- 1/8 aluminium sheet backed by a 1/2 inch mdf would give you the best of both worlds. Making an opening in the backing so that the router is fixed to the aluminium and the wood gives the stiffness to the table. I am putting together a saw bench at the moment withe the saw being clamped to a steel plate insert. I have a piece of 1/8 Tufnol which might make a good surface but I would like to put in grooves for the fences so I will probably use urethane varnish for the wood section of the table after I haver routed the slot for the fence.

Let us know how it goes.

Hello BruceFlorida:

I never thought about the slippery side of things. It was pointed out by Ed. But I think we have all learned something in this post. And we can now see how much variety of ready made top there is out there!

I fully understand your worries on the possible disaster. It is too late afterwards right? For that reason and because I have a tremor, I tried using a router once and just could not get on with it. I too was worried on the safety issues.........................All I use a 'router' for now, is to get on-line! (Not quite so dangerous!)

Take care and please send a pic of your master-piece when you finish it OK?

You were right they are viscous beasts. The router table is the best route it is much safer and allows for more acurate settings. Using the depth thread by taking out depth the setting pin and replacing it by a long screw thread and a wing nut I find I can adjust it very accurately. The plunge facility is great but difficult to control accurate presetting with my adaption and less dodgy.

The screw setting is an idea I pinched and adapted from the ELU router table.