Does anyone have an opinion on these insert plates? They seem quite nice and I like that they have them pre-drilled for a bunch of different routers. I also like that they offer the extra large plates (although it retails for $69 I think) for bigger routers. I have a Freud FT2000.
So, any negative opinions out there? Better options?
Thanks, Jeff
You might want to look at these:
The plates are nice and work well. I bought one in the interim for my Craftsman table. The problem then becomes the table itself. You can build a Frankenstein with a collection of the best of the best component wise. What you ultimately end up with is a hellofva bastard table. I got tired of fooling myself and wasting time and bought what was the best table for my needs and ended up with the Grizzly G5028. I can't complain, and the only thing I would change is the router clamping and make it more like the Veritas steel sheet. You just can't beat a machined cast iron top!
I was going to buy the Freud table and it was a toss up with the Veritas... The conclusion fell to, I could spend less and not get what I really need and get buy or spend much more and get what I really need!
Jeff,
I am very happy with mine. Flat, solid and smooth.
Just recently I bought the Rockler/Jessem Lift, which fits the exact cutout of the smaller Rockler plate. Haven't used it much yet, but fit right in and was fired up in minutes.
Dave
I really like mine. Mine happens to be drilled only for my Bosch router. Very flat and solid. It solved a problem for me with the weak mounting in my homemade table. I built the one featured in Woodsmith many years ago. It's served me well, but I think it's time for me to move on.
I won't buy a table, so I'm considering various plans starting with the recent table Norm built on New Yankee Workshop.
One side note, this is the road to immortality. I've got so many projects lined up I just can't seem to fit a date in for dying. Or getting sick for that matter. So many projects, so little time. :)
I built the early version, but I fudged a little.
Was given a "mistake" by a local lumber yard that consisted of three (3) pieces of 13 ply (3/4") birch ply that had been laminated together.
Makes a hell of a router table top.
BTW, didn't have a table saw at the time.
Used a saber saw and a router with a straight edge to get the right size.
If you build a table, consider using at least two (2),13 ply sheets laminated together.
As the old German used to say to my father, "she's built hell for stout".
Lew
Thanks for the advice Lew. I AM building a table and I AM using two plys! :-)
Jeff
I'm very happy with mine -
I like the aluminum angle piece supporting your fence. Can you tell me where you get something like that? Have you found it to be square enough?
Jeff
Sorry about the delay - we had an ISP problem, and the holidays just extended it...
The 3" x 3" x 1/4" aluminum angle is a standard size, and I've found it plenty sturdy enough to support the tall fence faces. I went to a local metal supply yard and got pieces from their cutoff bin. (That's also the same way I got all the steel parts for the table saw fence.) A quick Google showed hundreds of hits for metal suppliers, including
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