crashball

I am having some difficulty instaling a Rockler router plate i am hoping i can get some opinions.

I am actually build the New Yankee router table. I purchased the router plate from rockler, and after having much difficulty trying to make a template for it, i bought the template from them as well. figured since the top sans the plate was complete, i would test the template on scrap to ensure i had everything correct. I routed it out, and it seemed to me there was too much play around the plate when inserted, but i thought the clamps did not hold properly. I tried again with double-stick tape and i know it held...same results. I tried to shim the distance on the interior of the template with tape, didn't help (or maybe i didn't use enough). I also tried to put tape around the bearing on the bit...same result.

So what can i do to get this template to work? Or is the play around the template acceptable? I'd say it only about 1/16", but it seems like with the tempate, it should be better.

Help!

solidwoods

I was following you till the tape on the bit bearing part
And I don't know the Rockler insert so I don't know what clamps would hold a router insert from lateral movement.

The insert must not be able to move lateraly or rock or move in any way.

To fit the table insert I mortise the top first, then cut the router insert material as close to barely over as I can, then sand it to fit. I use a wide belt sander to sand it. No wide belt sander, then cut the insert on the table saw, check fit it until it just won't fit (I mean a few thousandths of an inch just wont fit), then I'd use a cabinet scraper and remove the saw marks on the insert edges,, removing just the saw marks help you stay accurate, don't go below them, if its still too tight and you've removed the saw marks,, go back to the table saw and run the edge again. If you can micro change the table saw fence thats great if not, leave the fence at the last setting, put a piece of masking tape or any very thin tape on the insert edge and run the insert again with the tape against the fence.

jim

crashball

The rockler plate is a solid aluminum plate. No reshaping allowed!

Unless i feel like making/buying a new template, i suppose i can go the route of tracing it out and routing as close as i can w/o going over, the sand/scrape (table top is MDF covered in laminate) it to fit.The recess is only 1/4" for the plate so i imagine it may be difficult sanding such a thin edge. But think as long as i can get close, it would be easier to fine tune the fit rather then try shim the distance in some way on the template.

solidwoods

OH Tay.
Best I can see is a new top in your future. Shimming is heading down a bad road (unless you never remove the router base,, then just glue it in).
jim

crashball

well so far all my attempts have been in scrap wood, precisely in case this happened, so my top is still in good shape. I had a though the other morning when i was half asleep. I have undersized routerbits to use on plywood. So I am thinking of putting a 1/2" bearing on a 15/32" bit. That is close to the distance i need to make up. If not exact, it should get me close enought to sand down to the correct size.

solidwoods

forgot one.
If its not to late to rtn the plate.

I use Plexiglas for the entire top of a router table.

Legs with a ply top.
The top has a large enough hole in the middle for router clearance. Plexi (or acrylic) is drilled for the bit clearance hole and the router base screw holes, put the plexi on the top of the router table. Counter sink screw the plexi to the table top. I guess one could use indexing pins inserted into the top instead of screwing the plexi down,, now the entire top and router could be removed without tools.

*The hole in the table- don't make it oversized more than needed, or the plexi will sag from the router weight.

Now this doesn't allow a lift out router like a base does. But for me, I change the bit as is ,, with the router in place (kind of like the shaper).
I like that trade off better than trying to precision fit a mortised in router base, and having to watch out for chips or dust migrating under it from vibration (can cause the base to not be flush with the rest of the top)
jim

crashball

well i figured out caused the issue to begin with. The router plate must have been machined wrong. It's dims are supposed to be 8" x 11". It is actually 7 15/16" x 11". So the template is actually right, the plate is wrong.

I had another go making my own template, Wasn't perfect, but it fits pretty well.

Big Dave

You know what they say, never assume anything.

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TexasTimbers

Truer words were never spoken. The same can be said for spirit levels (and laser I am sure too). I ran into it remodleing a 100+ year old victorian staircase one time. I could not get one of the replacement srtingers to land exactly level on the middle turn-about.
I kept re-checking my 90s on the stringer.
It finally took my helper suggesting to me that "Maybe that level ain't really leve." What gall. I looked at him incredulously and said "It's not wrong it's a Velander for crying out loud!" Then I promptly checked it against other levels in my tool trailer to show him the audacity of his statement. They all said 1/8 of a bubble off on the landing. The Velander had been whacked too hard one too many times evidently.

I ate crow as the other subs served it up nice and hot - all day long.

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