We use a phenolic Woodpecker 24" x 32" table, Woodpecker aluminum router mounting plate with plastic inserts, Woodpecker precision single offset fence system, and an older 2-1/4 hp Milwaukee variable speed router on a shop-made base (originally supporting a shop-made top and fence system) with enclosure for the router. Dust is collected at the fence and the router using dual 4" drops from the 6" branch duct.
Primary uses are as mentioned: post-assembly routing of outside molds (routing the two outer plies flush with the center 'master' ply), bending forms (done similar to molds), pattern routing, peghead shaping (with Whiteside compression pattern bit), jig and fixture fabrication, and bridge fabrication (rout to shape and pyramid wing shaping). We radius braces on the tablesaw (finishing with a hand plane), mill truss rod slots with a jig taped directly to the neck blank, and hand-cut x brace notches, but those tasks have all been done with the table in years past, just as Mr. North noted.
We do not find a router lift to be necessary, given the powerful 1-3/4 horsepower class routers available with through-the-table height adjustment using a T-crank handle, and we always perform test cut to fine-tune depth in any case. While the previous incarnation of the table did employ a lift, it was sold off - along with the 3-1/4 hp router motor unit - to fund the move from the sag-prone MDF-core table to a sag-resistant phenolic table....the lift is not something that the longer term users of the shop find themselves missing.
In terms of specifics, we find the 24" depth and 32" width of the smaller size Woodpecker table to be a good compromise between footprint and support for the work, but the larger 27" x 43" table might be useful where there are larger project contemplated, or for more general woodworking use. The table is by no means too small for any instrument construction task I have attempted, but for large furniture components (e.g., my Adirondack chair parts made using the Belkov Yacht Joinery plans), the extra side-to-side support might be useful.
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/wood ... -table-top
The fence systems available run the range from a scrap 2 x 4 cleaned up to square with a hand plane and clamped in place to the various 'super-fences' from Kreg, JessEm, Woodpecker, and others. While the shopmade fence of the previous table iteration worked well, the boss opted for the Woodpecker due to the enhanced dust collection options and built-in table compatibility. Buying a compatible table and fence from the same maker makes sense if your fence will be used for much of anything beyond a straight, flat reference surface.
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/wood ... gle-offset
We have a half dozen routers in the shop of 1-1/4 horsepower or more, with the most used being the Milwaukee Electronic Variable Speed (EVS) 2-1/4 horsepower in the table, Porter Cable EVS 2-1/4 hp set up for radiusing, and a tri-base DeWalt EVS 2-1/4 hp kit used for bushing and plunge work. The Milwaukee 5616-20's sensitive through-the-table adjustment, ease of removal and bit changes (not needed for some router lift systems), and good performance in the inverted mounting has kept that tool in the table for a number of years.
The stand is not something I would spend money on to buy already made - a 2x4 and 2x6 open frame with enclosed, top-hung box enclosure does not take long to fabricate, and enables the dust collection and enhanced airflow through the motor offered in just a few of the bench top (Bosch, Sawstop) and one of the floor-standing table systems (Jet). Although an enclosure is by no means difficult to fabricate and integrate, once the time is budgeted for the task, it seems like the additional hour or two to mill out the rest of the support system is warranted, and likely eliminates some of the integration time and design work needed with an existing base.
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I drilled a hole in the plywood auxiliary table on my table saw and mounted an extra router base under it. I make simple wooden fences to suit the particular application I am doing that can be clamped in place and adjusted as needed. If you want to use the router as a mini jointer you could glue a piece of formica to one side of a plywood fence to "offset" the outfeed side.
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