When you’re beginning on your woodworking journey, investing in good quality tools and equipment is always costly at first. Often, people try to save by starting out with tools and equipment that can perform multiple functions compared to tools that are singular in purpose.
If that’s what you’re looking for now, then look no further because the Craftsman Router Table Combo is a tough one to beat. Potentially an all-in-one workshop, the Craftsman Router Table Combo is still considered to be an entry-level tool for the aspiring woodworker. However, if you are still on the fence about router tables, here are some things about the Craftsman Router Table Combo that are worth taking note of.
Craftsman Router Table Combo
It Has A 9.5 Amp Router
Before anything else, the Craftsman Router Table Combo is a router table. This is why the Craftsman Router Table Combo comes equipped with a 9.5 amp router with a decent 1¾ HP motor capable of running at 27,000 RPMs.
Newcomers don’t have to worry about the longevity of the router too much because the router of the Craftsman Router Table Combo comes built with permanently lubricated and sealed ball bearings. For light to medium tasks, this router will have no problem lasting over several years.
Routers are great tools for beginners that, once in the hands of a master woodworker, can become a highly effective and creative tool. With a router, a beginner can easily make perfect edges, shape stylish molding, cut easy dadoes, carve out clean rabbets, create patterns, recess door hinges, and so much more.
Once you’ve become acquainted with what a router can do, you can begin visualizing the endless possibilities a router can do for them.
It’s A Workstation
While you might assume that the Craftsman Router Table Combo is primarily a router, it is more than just a router and router table – it’s almost a complete workstation.
Aside from the decent router, the Craftsman Router Table Combo comes with 1/4″ collet, wrench, table, fence, dust guard, two feather boards, miter gauge, three insert rings, hardware and a manual.
For the aspiring woodworker, the Craftsman Router Table Combo has more than enough tools and features to get yourself working on your first project.
The table’s fence changes as well, ensuring that you have adequate but clearance. To help your working piece, both the infeed and outfeed can be extended up to 2 inches. The jointing fence can also be shifted by up to 9/16 inch. In two different locations, you can also change the miter gauge for up to 60 degrees. It is also worth noting how easily you can change the collet on this router for a larger one if you want to.
Not only does the Craftsman Router Table Combo give you many tools and features to work with, but it also gives you sufficient space to work on. The Craftsman Router Table Combo boasts an impressive 334 square inches of space on the 11/16 inch thick laminate-surfaced tabletop.
It Comes With A Dust Extraction Port
If there’s anything inevitable woodworkers have to deal with, it’s dust. Dust management is not always the first thing that new woodworkers pay attention to but it’s a much appreciated feature with the Craftsman Router Table Combo.
The Craftsman Router Table Combo comes with a 2¼-inch dust port that can easily be connected to a wet or dry vacuum. Sawdust quickly collects on the floor and the workstation after minutes of cutting wood.
While new woodworkers have to tolerate the dust build-up, experienced woodworkers know that controlling and managing the dust makes working in the area a whole better experience.
Final Verdict
Overall, the Craftsman Router Table Combo is indeed ideal for newcomers and aspiring woodworkers. However, the Craftsman Router Table Combo might be specifically only ideal for beginners in the hobby and trade. Furthermore, equipment that offer “combo” features are often more ideal for beginners to lighten their initial investments. For people who want more serious power, they might want to opt for tools and equipment that are specifically designed for their particular projects and needs.
