Skil Router Table (2 feather boards)

A compact, capable router table with caveats

I brought the Skil router table into my small shop to handle light profiling, roundovers, and the occasional pattern-routing task that I don’t want to set up on my larger, more permanent station. After several weeks of real use—everything from 1/16-inch roundovers on chair parts to routing small dados and coping edges for picture frames—I have a good sense of where this table shines and where it asks for patience or upgrades.

Setup and build quality

Out of the box, the table arrives largely pre-assembled. The laminated MDF top is flat and smooth, and the folding legs make it easy to store or carry from bench to sawhorses. At 35 pounds and 26 inches wide, it’s light enough to manage but heavy enough not to feel flimsy once it’s set in place. The quick-release router mount is genuinely handy: I could pop my router in and out without a fussy plate swap. That said, expect to spend time getting the insert plate flush with the tabletop; mine needed careful adjustment to eliminate a slight lip. Waxing the top helped parts glide without snagging.

The integrated accessory storage is thoughtful—two small containers and a bag keep the miter gauge, bit inserts, and starter pin from wandering off—but the compartments aren’t sealed. Dust finds its way in quickly. I lined the door edges with thin foam weatherstrip and that cut down on debris significantly.

Fence and alignment

The fence is tall, with adjustable laminated MDF faces and an aluminum T-track up top for featherboards. Functionally, it’s easy to understand and quick to set. Structurally, it’s a mixed bag. The core is plastic, not aluminum, and if you’re used to a machined, one-piece fence, you’ll notice more flex and more fuss when you’re chasing perfect parallel. The quick clamp system locks the fence without much effort, but overtightening can nudge your alignment and under-tightening can leave a bit of wiggle—especially when setting an offset with the faces.

I got repeatable results by establishing a routine: set the fence, apply moderate forward pressure at the outfeed end, then snug both locks evenly. For precise offsets, I added a pair of plastic shims behind the outfeed face to create a consistent micro-offset. If you plan to joint edges or run long moldings, consider upgrading the fence hardware. Replacing the factory knobs and bolts with longer, higher-friction star knobs and proper washers improved clamping and reduced fence creep for me.

Tabletop, insert, and bit changes

Once leveled, the insert plate sat flush and stable. I appreciate the included bit height gauge—it’s a simple tool, but it helped me hit repeatable heights faster than eyeballing against a ruler. Bit changes, however, are a compromise. With the router mounted under the table, sightlines to the collet are poor. The quick-release mount helps—you can drop the router out for a clear view—but that’s still slower than above-table adjustment systems. If you routinely change bits mid-project, plan your sequences to minimize swaps, or mount the table at a height where you can kneel and see the collet safely.

Dust collection

Dust management is decent and very dependent on your vacuum and hose sizing. The rear dust chute works well for most edge profiles when paired with strong suction. With smaller hoses or reducers, chips build up in the chute; it’s a pinch point that clogs if your vacuum or hose is undersized. Using a full-size 2-inch connection (or the largest hose you can adapt) kept things flowing for me. The routing hood on the fence helps with fine dust on narrow passes, but I found it fussy with taller bits or odd shapes and removed it for many operations. For pattern routing or deep profiles that dump chips forward, adding a secondary pickup at the bit line makes a noticeable difference.

Accessories you actually use

Two featherboards are included and they’re easy to position in the fence’s T-track. They apply consistent pressure and are a real benefit for repeatable edge work. The miter gauge is basic but serviceable if you’re not asking for dead-nuts squareness on joinery. I don’t reach for a router table’s miter gauge often, but it handled small stopped dados in a pinch. Bit inserts snap in quickly, and the starter pin and guard are nice to have when guiding curved pieces along a bearing-guided bit—just remember they’re an aid, not a substitute for proper workholding.

Portability, footprint, and height

This table is designed to be portable and stowable. It folds up neatly, and the 14-inch body height gives you options. On a standard bench, the working height ends up a bit tall for my taste; I prefer a lower stance for better sightlines and control. I settled on a dedicated rolling stand that put the tabletop around 34 inches high, which felt natural and safer, especially for small parts. If you’re short on space, the ability to fold and tuck this away is a big plus.

In use: what it does well, and what it doesn’t

For small to mid-size stock, the Skil table is stable and confidence-inspiring. Running a few hundred light passes for roundovers and chamfers, I appreciated the smooth top, the featherboards, and the ability to move the whole setup out of the way when gluing up. The laminated MDF faces stayed true, and with reasonable fence pressure I didn’t see snipe. On more demanding tasks—jointing edges with an offset face, routing tall or heavy pieces, or sneaking up on precise dado widths—the fence’s flex and tendency to shift under heavy torque showed their limits.

Noise and vibration are mostly a function of your router and bit balance, but the table itself doesn’t amplify them. I’d call overall stability good for a portable unit. If you plan to hog out a lot of material or use large panel-raising bits, you’re asking it to do work outside its comfort zone.

Tweaks that made a difference

• Replace the fence clamping hardware with quality star knobs and proper washers.
• Add a strip of low-friction tape or wax to the tabletop and fence faces.
• Use the largest dust hose you can fit at the chute; avoid tight reducers.
• Build a simple stand to get the tabletop to your preferred working height.
• Stick on foam weatherstrip to the storage doors to keep the compartments cleaner.
• Keep a set of plastic shims for consistent outfeed offsets or micro-adjustments.

None of these are expensive, and together they elevate the experience.

Who it’s for

• Hobbyists and small-shop woodworkers who need a compact, foldable table for light to moderate routing tasks.
• Beginners looking for a complete, ready-to-run package with useful accessories.
• Anyone who wants a secondary station to keep a dedicated bit setup while the main table does something else.

Who should look elsewhere

• Users who require a rock-solid, fully machined fence with precise micro-adjust and no flex.
• Pros running heavy profiles, large panels, or production-level workloads.
• Woodworkers who want above-table bit changes and fine height micro-adjust built into the lift.

Recommendation

I recommend the Skil router table as a solid value for light-duty to moderate work, especially as a first table or a portable secondary station. It packs a thoughtful feature set—featherboards, starter pin and guard, bit inserts, a quick-release router mount, and a smooth laminated top—into a compact, foldable footprint. The trade-offs are real: the fence demands care (and benefits from inexpensive hardware upgrades), dust collection works best with a larger hose, and bit changes are easier if you pop the router from the mount.

If your projects center on edge profiles, small dados, and general trimming on manageable stock, this table will serve you well without taking over your shop. If your workflow demands precise fence micro-adjustments, heavy cuts, or production consistency, you’ll be happier investing in a heavier-duty system.