Router Plates

[Tim]

I'd like to know what screw patterns various routers use in preparation for a router table I'm building. Is there somewhere that has maybe .pdf files with the screw patterns? Any table of equivalent patterns? Reason for asking: I have an old, nameless, 3hp router that runs well. I'd rather use it for now, and save the pc 7518/Triton purchase for later. I'd like to avoid buying 2 or more router plates, so I'd like to be able to compare the different patterns. It's entirely possible that this old cheap thing has a pattern similar to the pc or triton or X. Any input?

Thanks, Tim

Extraneous info you may or may not be interested in: I'm building norm's table. I'll be using some fairly nice and expensive hardwood on it, and probably a corian top, so it should be a beaut. Bet you're scratching your head now about the cheap router, but I'm building a house, so money's tight and I already have the expensive bits :)

Email is real, should you wish to contact me privately.

[Tom Watson]

Tim:

You might want to consider getting a piece of Lexan and drilling it out to fit the various hole patterns that you may be using. That way you will have a single base that fits all the routers.

Regards,

Tom

Thos.J.Watson - Cabinetmaker tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet

[Tim]

Definitely can do that, and rockler (which is who provided norm with his plate for the router station) offers a solid plate to be drilled to fit your oddball router. But I'd rather not have to drill it. I'd prefer to get one that will fit both my cheapo and a pc 7518. I think that may be doable, as the pattern looks very similar from what i've seen looking at base plates online. There has to be somebody who has done this before. Surely there's some minor standardization between companies.

The cheap router is a HF special I think, chicago electric. It's 3hp i believe. Bearings are decent, no play up or down, so it will do for a router table for the time being I think. Only complaint is the lack of a self releasing collet.

All that said, though.. I may wind up buying the plate for the router I intend to get later, cutting the table to fit it, then cutting a lexan plate to fit the table for use with the junker. Which of course leads to this fine question I'm sure there won't be a flame over ;).... Triton or pc?

[Lee Gordon]

Why not remove the base plate from your present router and take it to Rockler or some other tool store and see if it matches with any of the routers you hope to buy in the future.

However, if it is not an exact match with any of the ones you like, you're probably better off planning to buy the one that is least like your present router. That way, if you buy the plate for your future router and drill it to conform to your present one, you stand less chance of having two holes that are almost but not quite on top of each other.

Lee

[Tim]

The closest thing in this state to a real woodworking store is probably not much better than lowe's or home depot. I'm in mississippi, and not in the more populated areas. I could possibly get my hands on a triton, but I'm unaware of anyone within 100 miles or so that stocks a pc 7518. Or _any_ router plates. I guess my answer is just get a blank and drill it myself, I was just hoping for a quick archive of router base patterns somewhere. Not an easy thing to search google for. (router base template? router base pattern?)

Thanks, all the same :)

Tim

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I don't remember where I got it, but I had a paper template with many of the routers marked. IIRC, it was with a crappy Craftsman table top router table. If you are near a Sears store, take a peek and maybe you can get a copy of it.

[Peter Bogiatzidis]

Tim,

I may be crazy, but I recall seeing a .pdf of the Bench Dog router plate drilling template somewhere online recently. Usually, I would have saved either the .pdf file or the link to it. I've checked my PC and can't seem to find either of them.

As I recall, it was one of the Australian websites or groups. If I find it, I'll post a link or the file. Perhaps someone else in the group has seen it or knows where to find it?

Sorry that I couldn't be of any help.

Peter.