# Mounting 3612 makita



## Al Robins (Jul 13, 2009)

My old? Triton that I had mounted in the table decided to have a hernia. I am trying to mount my Mkita 3612 to the same plate(black with yellow and black rings) Has someone tried this and what were the results, Regards.......Al


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## dawziecat (Dec 8, 2009)

Not sure what your specific question is .. . just mounting a 3612 or rather re-mounting one to a plate already drilled.
I mounted a 3612 clone to a phenolic plate. The bolts are M4 and seem mighty tiny to hold the 13 lb weight . . .and very easy to strip out.

But all seems well so far. 

I also had to remove one of the plastic handles on the machine to facilitate lifting it out of the hole. It was too tight a fit otherwise with my plate.


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## Al Robins (Jul 13, 2009)

Yes Terry, that was my next question....those small screws have a lot of weight to hold. Will have to get longer ones to go through table plate......Al


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## dawziecat (Dec 8, 2009)

Al Robins said:


> Yes Terry, that was my next question....those small screws have a lot of weight to hold. Will have to get longer ones to go through table plate......Al


Well, I did have a problem with that. I could not find M4 bolts with anything other than hex heads. Those heads could not be sunk into the plate so as to be flush with the table top. Fortunately, the manufacturer of my 3612 clone supplied 4 "extra" M4 bolts that were extra long. They were too long actually and I had to cut them with a hacksaw. This worked. I was able to trim them without screwing up the starting thread.

Depending on your location, you may be able to readily get appropriate length M4 screws with the correct heads. I think you will have to have longer bolts than used to mount the standard base plate to the 3612. I certainly did not want to risk drilling into the plate too far just to get the short bolts to reach the router mounting holes. I already consider the mounting to be a bit less robust than ideal for such a heavy machine hanging from such small diameter bolts from a thin piece of plastic.

But . . . so far so good.


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## Al Robins (Jul 13, 2009)

Terry, thanks for the info...BUT...have salvaged the old Triton and is back under the router table ...thank goodness. As you are aware, to mount the Makita is thwart with problems and in retrospect glad I dont have to go that way. Once again, thanks for you time and effort, Regards.......AL


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## dawziecat (Dec 8, 2009)

Glad you were able to get the Triton going again . . . but don't be too fearful about mounting the Mak in a table should it come to that in the future.

Worst aspect of the affair in my estimation, is disassembly, i.e., I removed the plunger springs, baseplate, the non-switched handle, the stop turret and the the height adjust handle. All this means there isn't much left . . . just a 3 1/4 hp motor and collet. And the reassembly to return it to full plunge capability is a non-incentive. So, it's a waste. I am too lazy to do all that and will have to buy another plunge router to have when I actually want to do any freehand routing.


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## Al Robins (Jul 13, 2009)

Terry, great photography.............AL


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## dawziecat (Dec 8, 2009)

Al Robins said:


> Terry, great photography.............AL


Thank you.:happy:


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

dawziecat said:


> Glad you were able to get the Triton going again . . . but don't be too fearful about mounting the Mak in a table should it come to that in the future.
> 
> Worst aspect of the affair in my estimation, is disassembly, i.e., I removed the plunger springs, baseplate, the non-switched handle, the stop turret and the the height adjust handle. All this means there isn't much left . . . just a 3 1/4 hp motor and collet. And the reassembly to return it to full plunge capability is a non-incentive. So, it's a waste. I am too lazy to do all that and will have to buy another plunge router to have when I actually want to do any freehand routing.


Hi Terry:

Why do all that? I regularly use my unmodified M12V in the table and there is little advantage of the modified over the unmodified. I'm using the OakPark method.


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## dawziecat (Dec 8, 2009)

allthunbs said:


> Why do all that? .


Well, not because I want to.:laugh:

The springs were causing me real grief. They HAD to go. Trying to adjust height from underneath against the spring tension was too hard. The left hand handle had to go too as the machine would not fit through the plate access hole with it in place. The bit adjust height rod was glacial and I found it far faster to remove it and just use the nut on the height rod. It rapidly spins up to the rough height and then the precise height can be adjusted from there by slowly lowering the machine using the nut . . . just as if the rod were still in place. After that, the stop turret was just so much totally excess baggage and I removed it "just because."

Pic of the 3612 clone, as it should be fully assembled, the Mak 3612 and the clone as it actually is, stripped for use in my RT, is attached.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi Al,

This is what I did with both of my Mak's. I redrilled & tapped the holes to a larger size. M4 screws have and will always be very questionable at best IMHO. This isn't difficult to do. This is just a suggestion only.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

Interesting. I'd never considered that. I do all of my setups outside the table. When I dump the router back in, that's it. Nothing more to do. Thanks for the insight.

How do you use >3" bits with that router?


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## Al Robins (Jul 13, 2009)

Ken....thats worth putting in the memory bank....like you and Terry have said, theres not much meat on those other little suckers.........AL


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