"Which drop in base plate"???

[BT3 WOODOG]

I'm planning to add a drop-in router base plate to My BT3,which one should I get and why,price vs function etc...?

[LCHIEN]

I'm planning to add a drop-in router base plate to My BT3,which one should I get and why,price vs function etc...?

I assume your going to add a table surface mounted to the rails doubling as a saw surface?

There's lots of table inserts, but there doesn't seem to be a standard size.
Some mfg even offer multiple sizes.

you can choose by mfg, Rockler, vertitas, benchdog, woodpecker, woodhaven, rosseau, etc are all good.

you can choose types (and many mfg offer multiple types) like aluminum, phenolic. Alum is stiffer and less likely to sag if you have a real big heavy router.

you can choose by size (and some offer multiple sizes) which sort of depends on the size router you have to put thru the hole.

other features- levelling, hole fillers

I choose a Woodpecker, myself.

[jwaterdawg]

I choose a Woodpecker, myself.

I'll 2nd that recommendation. Get a plate with a lift built in (plungelift, quicklift, etc.). You won't regret it. They come with several aluminum throat plates to accommodate different size bits.

[Ken Massingale]

Woodpecker Quicklift is super, if you have a router that fits them.

[JR]

I recently posed a similar question to yours, WOODOG, here http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=26379 I was more interested in price than getting the "best".

I went with the $20 HF phenolic plate.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94331

It seems to be the same quality as pricier phenolic plates. Here's what it looks like installed.



JR

[BT3 WOODOG]

JR,how do You like it? How hard was it to install? (details please)

[JR]

Well, I just got it in there yesterday, WOODOG, so I haven't used it yet. I'm planning to build a new fence next, so I'll give a review after I get that going.

To install you need a plunge router and a 1/2" pattern bit (top bearing straight bit). I won't bore you with the failed attempts to get it right. Ideally the height of the cutter on the pattern bit should be 1/2", no more than 3/4"

Place the plate in position. Make a pattern by surrounding the plate with 4 pieces of scrap wood. Use carpet tape to hold the scrap wood in place. Remove the plate.

Place the plate on top of the scrap wood pattern with the edge of one side aligned with the outside edge of the pattern wood. Put your plunge router on top of this stack. Plunge the router bit to the table surface and you've now set the depth to be equal to the thickness of the plate. Increase the plunge depth by 1/32" to 1/16" so the plate will settle below the plane of the table. You'll use level screws to bring it back to the proper plane.

Remove the plate. Place your router in position on the pattern with the bit ready to plunge. Fire up the router and plunger her in there. You don't need to worry about saving anything inside the pattern, but make sure the bit doesn't hit the pattern - only the bearing should touch the pattern. Get the bit up against the pattern and run it around the whole thing.

Remove the pattern. Use a jig saw to cut around the inside edge of the groove formed by the router. This will leave a 1/2" ledge for the plate to set on. You're done.

Tips:
The four pieces of scrap should be from the same 3/4" material, assuring they have the same thickness. The router will like this when you transition from piece to piece at the corners. They should have straight edges.

When you're running the router around the pattern, make sure have fairly even pressure on both hands, biased to the hand that's above the pattern. You're trying to make sure there are no pits or bumps caused by tilting the router.

Practice on some srap MDF. It might not go perfectly first time out.

[ragswl4]

Router Plate

I just installed the same plate as JR. Difference is I got it from MLCS for $34.95 (should have checked HF first). Installing was easy, I used a little different method than JR but fundamentally the same. Make sure whatever you use to guide the router that it WILL NOT SLIP when you route the hole for the insert.

The plate was very easy to level. One word of caution. Mine came with magnets that are inserted in the table under the leveling allen screws. Make sure you don't drill the holes too deeply for the magnets as the top of the magnet needs to be even with the top of the groove you cut for the plate. (If you mess up, you can always shim them up). I found it easy to level the plate.

There are 4 countersunk holes near the adjustment allen screws that I installed bolts in to make the insert tight (no movement whatsoever). If you do this you will have to play around with the leveling screws and those bolts to get it all flat and even with the table top. Overall, its a good insert and the HF looks identical to the MLCS. If you have problems, PM to me and I'll help if I can.

[messmaker]

Hartville hardware has a good one as well. 6 leveling screws,only one extra ring but blank rings are available for custom fit.It is not as cheap as the HF model though.

[ryan.s]

Not sure if this is the route you want to go but I ended up making one out of a quarter inch sheet of aluminum for less than $5. Actually I made two, one with a standard opening for the bit and one with a bigger opening. It was very easy once I got the templates measured and made.

[ragswl4]

Nice Job

Ryan S.,

Where did you pick up the aluminum? Thats a great way to go. I like the idea of have plates with different size holes. That should increase accuracy as opposed to inserting/removing rings.

[ryan.s]

Ryan S.,

Where did you pick up the aluminum? Thats a great way to go. I like the idea of have plates with different size holes. That should increase accuracy as opposed to inserting/removing rings.

Rags - I picked up the aluminum from a place called Industrial Metal Supply. They have several locations in southern california. http://www.imsmetals.com/

They have a huge selection of different types of metals and prices are pretty good.

[Pakaderm]

Not sure if this is the route you want to go but I ended up making one out of a quarter inch sheet of aluminum for less than $5. Actually I made two, one with a standard opening for the bit and one with a bigger opening. It was very easy once I got the templates measured and made.

Ryan,

Which exact product did you get from these guys? And then, i guess you cut the plate to the correct measurements on your table saw, and left the corners square. Did you do anything for a starting pin? Did you do anything for leveling? What kind of finishing did you do to the aluminum after cutting/drilling/taping?

-Pakaderm

[ryan.s]

Ryan,

Which exact product did you get from these guys? And then, i guess you cut the plate to the correct measurements on your table saw, and left the corners square. Did you do anything for a starting pin? Did you do anything for leveling? What kind of finishing did you do to the aluminum after cutting/drilling/taping?

-Pakaderm

Pakaderm - I first made templates for the opening on the table and a template for the insert out of mdf to get an exact fit. Once the templates were done I bought a couple pieces of 1/4 inch aluminum plate which was the approximate size of the insert. I trimmed the plate so that it was slightly oversized using the bandsaw. I taped the mdf template using double sided carpet tape then flushed it up using a router and a flush trim bit. I can't remember exactly the type of aluminum that I bought but it was from the remnants pile.

In terms of leveling, I measure the depth of the plate and used that to route out the opening. I could of added leveling screws but didn't think it was necessary since the height was pretty close. Just used a little bit of masking take on the underside of the insert to shim the height so that it's flush with the table.

I didn't use any sort of finish on the aluminum, just sanded it down with 220 grit sandpaper then applied a couple coats of butcher's wax after the insert was on the table.

If you want more pictures of the base plate, fence or the table itself let me know. Just another alternative to buying a base plate. Hope this helps.

Edit - Here is the link to a post from last June with some more pictures of the table and a little bit of the build process. The only thing that has changed is I added some baltic birch between the aluminum and the mdf on the fence to allow more room for larger bits. I almost forgot, I also completed the DC system of the table by adding a Venturi baffle system on the inside of the cabinet and trimming a little bit off the bottom of the main cabinet door for an air slit. This made a huge difference in DC capability of the table. Also added dust ports to the back of the table for the hose connections.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=21751&highlight=router+table

[siliconbauhaus]

Ryan...very cool mate