# Samona Insert Plate



## bill0199 (Jun 9, 2009)

Can anyone on this board tell me if they have this?
Samona - 11" x 13" Universal Router Plate Insert - 24 HR CANADA DAY PRICE

Purchased on ebay and all kinds of problems. It seems to me to be very poorly machined. First, the insert rings sit a full 1/64 below the surface of the plate. I can live with that and just measure off the plate itself to the bit or try to shim. Was going to return it for this but would have to pay to ship back and want to avoid it. However, the middle insert ring is the real problem. Plate says it comes with a centering pin and smallest insert ring is "1 1/4 universal template hole". The counterbore in the insert ring is about 1/64 bigger than 1 3/8 standard template guide. That's alot of play! I'm pretty new to this but shouldn't that fit exactly. I'd have to eyeball it everytime i put in a new template guide or center it with a centering pin and then hold the lock nut really tight and put on the one i want. Anyone else here own this plate? And if so is the hole oversized on yours? Really frustrating.


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## bill0199 (Jun 9, 2009)

If they state that the insert ring is machined to "accept" a universal template guide it wouldn't really be a lie even if it is bigger than 1 3/8. I mean, technically my swimming pool is built to accept an object with a 1 3/8 diameter as well. My fault for not reading the 1 1/4 part but why would they oversize it?


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Bill first I have nothing good to say about Boss Tools. I am surprised you got the order at all. I have bought a few Samona products in the past only to discover it was money wasted. Their products all seem to be of inferior quality. It's probably not worth the cost of trying to return it.


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## bill0199 (Jun 9, 2009)

Just a note about Boss Tools. I want to say that I did not buy this from Boss Tools and did not mean this to be a knock against them. I just used that link as it was the first hit when I googled it. I bought it on ebay and it didn't state it was a Samona product. The seller has been accomodating it's just that the shipping alone was 20$. But faced with that or commiting an 11 by 13 inch mortise to my table for something so crummy I may want to cut my losses. I just don't understand if you are going to make a plate that is supposed to seat a template guide why you would machine it oversized. The whole point is to centre the router to the plate. If I try to use a guide later i'm going to have to centre it and then hold the locking ring really tight and put on the guide i want without moving it. It's baffling. Why would i buy a router that says it has a half inch collet if the hole ends up being 15/16?


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

bill0199 said:


> If they state that the insert ring is machined to "accept" a universal template guide it wouldn't really be a lie even if it is bigger than 1 3/8. I mean, technically my swimming pool is built to accept an object with a 1 3/8 diameter as well. My fault for not reading the 1 1/4 part but why would they oversize it?


Hi Bill - sorry to hear about your problem. Just a suggestion, any chance of making your own inserts from acrylic or polycarbonate?


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## bill0199 (Jun 9, 2009)

I found 2 plates that look like the exact same plate. I cannot find a bit of info on the Bosch plate: Amazon.com: BOSCH RA1250 Router Mounting Plate for RA1200 Router Table - Undrilled With Hardware: Home Improvement
to see if the insert rings are the same size. The Rousseau plate looks the same as well and the rings are the same size but without actually seeing it i can't be sure the center ring has a 1 3/8 lip for the template guide to sit in. Thought maybe i could just order the rings for either plate but i could just be throwing good money after bad if the don't fit. The Bosch plate looks exactly the same.


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

Hello Bill, Sorry that You have had a problem, One thing that You haven't said, is what kind of router? The seller may have a plate for Your model router. If You see that, You can be more able to make a choice. I Have made Me own plates, the measurements must be on the money. I have many machines that help Me to make it, so , it does help if You do. I can say, however that it can be done with out the machines, but it's much more work.


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## bill0199 (Jun 9, 2009)

dutchman 46 said:


> Hello Bill, Sorry that You have had a problem, One thing that You haven't said, is what kind of router? The seller may have a plate for Your model router. If You see that, You can be more able to make a choice. I Have made Me own plates, the measurements must be on the money. I have many machines that help Me to make it, so , it does help if You do. I can say, however that it can be done with out the machines, but it's much more work.


I have the Craftsman 17542. But that's not the issue. Mounting it shouldn't be a problem as i am drilling my holes to fit. The lip in the center ring is larger than the standard 1 3/8 counterbore for PC style bushings by about 1/64. This is not a big deal in getting the router centered on the plate to drill my holes. It's just that once i have drilled and mounted, if i want to use a template guide I can't just pop it in and know that it's centered. That would normally be fine if the guide sat firm in it's seating i could center it using a centering pin but in this case once i've done that, when i put in the guide i want it has the chance to move out of center.


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## bill0199 (Jun 9, 2009)

Okay from what i can tell most plates on the market with the two insert rings seem to be standard size. I'm hoping i can try and find replacement rings and that they will fit. MLCS plate has the same sized insert ring (except they state smallest opening is 1 3/16). My plate opening (through bore) is not the issue it's the lip on the top (the counterbore) that is larger than 1 3/8. Can anyone on this board tell me if they have a plate with these "standard" insert rings (3-7/8", 2-5/8", 1-3/16) and if the template guide sits perfectly snug in the center. The depth from the top of my plate to the lip is .109 and the lip of the largest insert ring is .096. That i can live with. the counter bore i cannot. Any help from anyone i will be eternally in your debt.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Thanks for the 'heads up' on the Samona thing, Bill; note taken!
(Sorry, can't help with the info you seek )


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