The New CMT Router Table/Fence

	You know that I love my CMT/Sommerfeld Router Table. In the few months since I got it all together, it has proven to be a beauty of a shop tool.    So when I heard that CMT was going to improve on it, I was puzzled. How could anyone improve on something so perfect?      First, the name of the new product is "CMT Industrio™  Routing System Designed by Marc Sommerfeld."     Well, if it is Marc's design and CMT's manufacture, it has great promise.   A few  weeks ago, I received a pre-production copy of the new table. These are my first impressions.
If you recall, I made the oak base for the CMT/Sommerfeld table using the plans and raised panel construction that Marc showed in his step-by-step video.    The new CMT table came in a heavy (68#) box of orange panels. As a woodworker, I am not real fond of knock-down (KD) cabinets. I prefer the real wood look of frame and panel construction. But, I have put KD units together before, and I know there are good and bad KD kits.
	The KD hardware that makes up most of the joiners was new to me, but it was very easy to see how it was meant to work.
This screw post is key to the system. All the flat components come accurately drilled with threaded studs inserted where these little posts go. So the first step is to screw the studs in every hole that has a threaded insert.    They are hand tightened and then backed out until the flat side of the hole faces the flat of the panel which it will hold. In other words, you orient this stud to receive the itty-bitty hex screw that you can see in my hand above.
	On the pieces that mate with the panels with the posts (sides mainly), you tap the barrel into the pre-drilled holes. They fit in easily and snugly.
I found it easier to start those tiny little screws before the panel is put in place. This way, when they fall out, you know where they are.
	Then, you line up the board to the posts and slide into place. They can slide in easily, or they can be real tough to put together. I found that it paid to use an awl in the hole where the post is to fit, and use the awl to make sure that the barrel is aligned correctly to receive the post.  When you do this first, the panel slides on smoothly.
Lastly, with the piece in place, you can tighten the small screws and they will cinch the piece tight to the mating board.    Once you understand the geometry of the little connectors, the assembly with them is easy and quite fast. They are different than what I am used to, but they work well.
	With the case all assembled, it is time to add the top. The router table can be purchased by itself for use with any base, but the CMT cabinet, that is made for it, is pre-drilled so that adding the top is quick and very secure.    The barrel that is in my hand is inserted in a pre-drilled hole and the tall screw is threaded down from the tabletop. That's all there is to it.
Here you can see all the screws in place. Like tightening the lug nuts on tires, I found it makes sense to get all the screws started before tightening them. They did match up with the base unit very precisely.
	Once I had fixed the top on the base, I undid it all in order to mount the Hitachi M12V router. There are a number of things I have done to this router in preparing it for the table. I will not repeat them here, but instead give the URL that explains this in detail - click here to go to that page now.    I have placed the router's sub-base centered in the opening, clamped it and am now drilling holes for the mounting screws.
Having flipped the top over, I am now countersinking for the screw heads. This table is very flat.  I want to be sure that the heads are at, or below, the surface.
	Here is one of the better uses for a credit card. I use it to "feel" the top of the router table. I want to smooth out any and all roughness before I go any further.
Before I mount the router, I spend a few minutes cleaning and lubing the router posts.