Harbor Freight Just Brought Back Its Router Table (But There's A Catch)

A decent router table can immensely expand the accuracy and functionality of one of your most essential woodworking tools. It allows you to take a handheld router and flip it upside down while adding a solid work surface to run your pieces on. So, instead of trying to move the router along the piece, you can instead use it as a stationary tool and move the wood across it. This is great for edge profiling, cutting joints, routing patterns, and even creating your own moulding. There are all kinds of projects that you can do, but many of these tables can be quite large and expensive, which can put a bit of a damper on getting one for yourself.

Those who are interested in getting a more compact routing table that's a bit more affordable might be interested in checking out the one on offer from Harbor Freight. The company had a Bauer Benchtop Routing Table for just $139.99 that quietly disappeared from its digital store for a while, leaving many customers who had been interested in checking out the table confused and disappointed. But the table has recently resurfaced and is once again available for purchase, with a catch. It seems that the router table is now available in-store only. That means that you won't be able to order it online, but will instead need to pick it up from one of Harbor Freight's brick-and-morter stores. That said, those who are still interested in the table might want to know a bit more about what kind of routers are compatible with the table, and what specs and features the table itself has.

Those who already own a router will want to make sure that their tools will work with the Bauer Benchtop Routing Table before they drive to the store, pick one up, and spend a bunch of time assembling it. Fortunately, it seems that the table has a broad range of compatibility.

The company's product description states that the "Bauer Benchtop Router Table has a 12 in. x 8 in. pre-drilled router insert plate compatible with Hercules, Bauer, and most major brands of routers." So, anyone who has purchased a router from one of Harbor Freight's store brands can rest assured, but even those who have routers manufactured by other power tool brands should be able to connect it to the table without issue.

You may wish to consult the Bauer table's manual beforehand, just to double-check, however. This document is freely available as a PDF on the Harbor Freight website, and pg. 11 of the manual lists compatible router models and their respective layouts for connecting to the Bauer table's insert plate. Brands listed in the manual include: Bosch, Craftsman, Hitachi, Makita, Milwaukee, Porter Cable, Rigid, Ryobi, and Skil. You don't just have to take Bauer's word for it, either. There are also several reports from users verifying that the table works well with these non-Harbor Freight brands.

This router table isn't huge, like some of the full-sized models you might have seen in big industrial shops. It's called a "benchtop" routing table because it's easy to set up on most tables and workbenches. The table itself is laminated MDF that is 32 inches in length, 16 inches in depth, and comes with a set of four 16-gauge steel legs. This makes it a great tool for home woodworkers who don't have a ton of space.

Just because the table is small and affordable doesn't mean that it's basic, though. It has an adjustable fence with jointing capabilities, two adjustable featherboards that can be used to secure workpieces, five different throat plates, a ¾-inch miter gauge slot, a vacuum port with accommodations for both 1 ¼-inch and 2 ½-inch attachments, and a clear plastic view guard that improves safety without reducing visibility.

Additionally, the table has an On/Off switch and a 6-foot power cord. This means you can plug the table into the wall, and then use the switch to control power flow to a corded router and shop-vac that are plugged into the table's outlets. This connects everything you need to a single power switch, so you don't need to spend time awkwardly fumbling under the table or constantly reaching to power the dust collection on and off.