# Oak Park REouter Table Top Opening



## cbsjoez1935 (Mar 14, 2007)

Hi guys! I don't know if anyone else has had this situation and it just may be me. I ordered the Oak Park router table top that is supposed to have an 11" square opening to fit an 1"" router plate. My phenolic pieces (not Oak Park) were cut to 11" square. I knew I would have to round off the corners, and that was not a problem. The problem arose when the opening for the plate only measured 10-7/8" square. I will eventually work around this, but I thought you should know. Is this a standard?


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Yes Joe. If you measure carefully it is slightly larger than 10-7/8" so be careful to not undersize your plates.


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## cbsjoez1935 (Mar 14, 2007)

Mike,
Thanks for the confirmation. I carefully remeasured and found the Oak Park table top plate opening to be 10-15/16". What I will probably do is make a make shift table top out of 3/8" ply with a small hole in the middle, mount it on my workmate and use the fence as a jointer to knock off the 1/16" (little less) from two sides of my 11" plate. Now does anyone know the size of the plate mounting screws for the Hitachi M12V? I miked it to be .191". The manual doesn't even show the screws.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi JoeZ

Here's a link to a FREE progam that will covert what you want. 

http://joshmadison.com/software/convert/
OR

You can print out the ones below
It's a nice chart to have on the wall in the shop.
It's also a quick way to look up tap size and drill sizes.
http://www3.telus.net/public/aschoepp/tapdrill.html
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http://www.championscrew.com/form-tap-drill-chart-2.gif

Bj


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## cbsjoez1935 (Mar 14, 2007)

Bob,
Thanks for the charts. I went to the link and downloaded them for my little shop. I have measured the screw to have 32 threads and the "miked" measurement of .191 seems to lead to a 10-32 screw. I will give it a try, but deep down, I still feel it is metric. I guess I'll have to break down and get a metric rule. This forum is the greatest. Suggestions, ideas and methods abound. If I don't cut my fingers off with the router in my makeshift table, I will let you know the results.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

You'er Welcome Joe

They do come in nice when you need quick look up.

I think the screw for the Hitachi is a 8mm but I don't have one in my hands so I can't say I'm 100% sure,but it rings a bell.
But I don't think it's 10-32, it will be metric thread for sure the 10-32 is a SAE standard but they look almost the same, a quick way to check is with a 10-32 nut if goes in by 1 or 2 threads and locks up it's metric.


Bj


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Joe, the screw will be metric. Take one of your screws out of your router and head to the hardware store to match it up. On your plate you will be taking 1/32" off each side.


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## cbsjoez1935 (Mar 14, 2007)

Mike & Bob,

I will try what you say in regard to the screw size. Now to see if HD or L handle metric screws. If not, its off to Ace or the catalogs. Worse comes to worse I can always drill the holes out and re-tap them to a standard size, hmmmm. Mike, what is the difference if I take 1/16" off two sides of a square as opposed to taking off 1/32" on four sides?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi JoeZ

I recommend you DON"T drill them out and retap to a standard size, ACE Hardware will have what you need I also recommend getting Allen Socket Metric Screws. 

Just one more way to fix the error you have ,tape the plate to the top ,dead center of the hole then drill two 1/4" holes in the plate and the top then drive in two 1/4" dowel pins ,one on each side of the plate this will keep the plate sq. in the hole and still will let you lift it out when you need to.
You will need to drill the plate hole just a bit bigger, use a letter bit for this job,this will let you slip it in or out easy and you will not need to pry on the plate.
Glue the dowel pins in place when you drive them in, one note** once you have the 1/4" drilled take a 1/8 drill bit and go all the way down the hole, this will let you drive the dowel pin out from the bottom side (with a drive pin punch) of the top if you need to,don't use to much glue it will only take just a bit to hold it in place.

You just never know 

Bj


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## cbsjoez1935 (Mar 14, 2007)

Bob,
I am not quite sure what you are suggesting, I do, using dowels. My situation is that the router plate is 1/16" larger, on square, than the opening supplied by Oak Park. I could understand the dowels if the situation were reversed IE: plate smaller than opening.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi JoeZ

My ERROR , I thought it was smaller  never mind    just like Gilda would say all the time (on Sat.Night Live  

Just drop it on the jointer and take off just a bit. 

Bj


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Joe, taking 1/16" off two sides is fine. When your plate fits into the table opening it should sit a couple thousands proud of the table top, just enough to catch your fingernail on. It sits higher than the table surface so your wood does not catch after it passes the bit. Some people prefer to make it flush to the table top. If you want to do this simply router out to the point your plate sits flush. Be sure it does not drop below the surface. I use mine with the plate set to the factory default and it is problem free.


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## cbsjoez1935 (Mar 14, 2007)

Bob & Mike,

Some success with the router plate. I found a very helpful guy at Ace Hardware who measured the Hitachi M12V plate mounting srews to be #5 X 0.80. I quickly bought a few of varying lengths. I then mounted the router to a piece of 3/8" ply, after drilling out the mounting holes and a 3/4" center hole. A 5/16" straight bit was used as my jointer bit.I fit the whole thing into my Stanley workmate bench, made a fence out if 1 X 2 poplar and cut my 11" square phenolic plate to fit the Oak Park table opening. Everything worked and my fingers are still on my hand. Now I have to round over the plate edges and I will be done, except for making the base cabinet. Thanks for your patience and help.


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