installing rockler router plate - help!

[crashball]

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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. I am routing out of MDF and contemplated tracing the plate and shim the template to get close to the line, and then sand it to fine tune the fit. It seems like the template is useless for a perfect fit at this point.

Help!

[tdup2]

When I did mine I had to raise the template up so the bearing would be high enough. Put some 3/4 inch pieces under your template and screw it down. Make the pieces long enough so you can clamp them in place at the ends on the table. Center your template and clamp the extensions down. With a zero clearance bearing you should get a tight fit. Don't tip the router while routing.

Did you check the plate to see how it fits inside the template? If you have a 1/16" gap that is what your going to get. Want tighter? Do one half then move the template accordingly.

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[Anonymous]

I used double-faced tape and a bunch of 1/2" thick sticks of Lexan. Set the plate exactly where you want it, and start sticking the plastic around it, making a border. Don't worry about trimming corners or getting lengths perfect. Let the one end run long, just make sure the plate is snugly surrounded. Then, use a flush-trim bit with a top-mounted bearing .. if you only have one with a tip-mounted bearing, drill a starter hole, and do it from the bottom. Either way will work, I just prefer to be able to see what I'm doing.

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