# Router table plate, who's do you recomend?



## theexpozay (Oct 4, 2011)

Friends,

I have decided to bite the bullet retire my old, store bought table top router table. It is high time that I built my own router table. About ten years ago, when my mom was still teaching, I built her a roll about cabinet with an adjustable top for her office. She used it to hold her the books she was preparing lectures from. Later she also used it to hold a laptop. She has since retired and my father took over the office when he retired from law. (If you have any lawyers in your family you will of course know lawyers don't retire they just downsize and work from home.) At any rate, he has has no use for the roll about and frankly it is getting in his way. He asked me if I wanted it for my shop. As I put quite a bit of blood, sweat and tears, into the construction, and because it is so well made I jumped at the opportunity. The top is made from two pieces of birch plywood, one stationary and one hinged. The carcase is about 21" x 28". I plan to take the two sheets of ply off the top and replace them with an old desk top. (this is about 1-1/2" thick MDF laminated on both sides.) I desk itself was partially ruined in a flood a few years back, but I saved the top as it was pristine and I thought it might be useful. (I have already used part of it for a drill press table.)

So I have a well built, poplar trimmed, birch ply carcase that is a great height and I have a great top. I even have plans for a few drawers and vacuum. what I do not have is a way to mount the router. I really want to use an insert plate. (after reading the fora here it seems to be the best approach) I do not think I know which one I should get. I want one that is perfectly flat. I know the argument for the convex inserts, I just think if the thing is dead flat it should not make a difference and I am not overly thrilled with my pieces, especially if they are large rocking around.

I have been looking at Woodpecker's aluminum plate. 

Does anyone have any experience with this or a similar plate?
Does anyone have any other recommendations?

Thanks

Mike


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Hi Mike - Woodpecker stuff is always top of the line. I have an INCRA plate, INCRA Solid Aluminum MagnaLOCK RT Plates which almost identical. The only significant difference I can really see is the Woodpecker uses turnlock inserts and the INCRA uses a maglock system. In either case, I highly recommend springing for the optional set of inserts. Neither insert is particularly easy to duplicate in the shop and I really like being able to choke down the area around the bit.
You know, of course, once you get a nice big table set up you're gonna start shopping for a bigger router


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## theexpozay (Oct 4, 2011)

John,
Thanks for the input. The Incra seems to be in the same cost zone as the Woodpecker. Now that you have used the maglock system, do you like it?

As far as the router goes, I have a PC 690 series.... It is old.... But I do love it so. I am thinking of picking up a bigger router. One thing at a time.... I still need to feed the little fella to the left.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Michael, I prefer the phenolic plates. Sadly the Oak Park plate is no longer available for your router. The Rousseau style plates with the removeable center disks work well and can be found from MLCS, Woodpeckers and others. I am using a Rockler aluminum plate with my PC 7518 and it performs ok. I just dont like screwing the inserts down and storing the other insert sizes.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

theexpozay said:


> John,
> Thanks for the input. The Incra seems to be in the same cost zone as the Woodpecker. Now that you have used the maglock system, do you like it?
> 
> As for the router goes, I have a PC 690 series.... It is old.... But I do love it so. I am thinking of picking up a bigger router. One thing at a time.... I still need to feed the little fella to the left.


Hi Mike - So far I'm pretty happy with the INCRA plate. The maglocks can be a bear to get out sometimes, kinda solved that by keeping a jewelers screwdriver handy to pry it out. INCRA provided a little hole in the edge to do just that. The inserts also have leveling screws and are indexed so once you get them level, you have to put them back in the same orientation. That's one thing I don't know whether you can level the twistlocks. Theoretically, you shouldn't need to level either of them but stuff happens:fie:. The maglocks are also steel which made me a bit nervous at first so I was very careful to EXACTLY center the router and they haven't been an issue. I usually use a 7/8" insert with a 3/4" bit, or even closer on some profile bits. I'm running a Freud 3000 and it has been an excellent setup for me.


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## theexpozay (Oct 4, 2011)

John, 
I see that the Incra has different plates for different routers. Does this mean they come pre-drilled?

I will say that I like the color of the Woodpecker plate better.  ;p


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## g3en (Jun 9, 2009)

You might want to look at incrementaltools.com. The plate that I use has steel inserts that are held in place by magnets. This works real well for me.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

The bottom line is all the plates will work. I appreciate the feedback about the Incra John, that is one I haven't tried yet. I have installed 6 of the Rousseau plates, 2 HF(no longer available) and the over sized Rockler aluminum plate. The Rockler installation templates are not sized very well and not worth using. The Rousseau template works great for their plate and the HF plates. The two piece guide bushing makes it super easy to make the cut out.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

Just one more plate

All-In-One Router Plate Kit
Installation Template & Bushing Kit
Plus you can pick it up at your door step with free shipping charges.

Router accessories

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/graphics2/TM41-43routerplate0911.pdf
==


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> Hi
> 
> Just one more plate
> 
> ...


I think this plate will work for my situation. Anyone know of any MLCS coupon codes?


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## theexpozay (Oct 4, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have much to consider.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

theexpozay said:


> John,
> I see that the Incra has different plates for different routers. Does this mean they come pre-drilled?
> 
> I will say that I like the color of the Woodpecker plate better. ;p


Hi Mike - Dunno what to tell ya about the color:dirol:
As far as predrilled answer is yes.. They have a selection of routers that they predrill for. On the listing page there is a link to a table of routers they are predrilled for. Find your router on that table and it cross refs to the proper part number for the plate.. 690 is on the list. You shouldn't end up with a plate with a pot full of holes. Then you use a drop down menu to select the part number to place in the cart.

Incidentally, they have a 10% off sale going till Xmas:
Buy INCRA Tools Online - www.incrementaltools.com :: INCRA Precision Woodworking Tools, INCRA Fence, TS Fences, Router Tables, LS Systems

rwl - Don't know of any codes for MLCS at the moment, especially not on their router plates. It's kind of a tough year. A lot of "Free Shipping" discounts didn't show up. Last year Woodcraft had free ship with $25 order, this year it takes a $200 order. MLCS offers free ship all year round which helps a lot.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Just ordered the All-in-one MLCS plate. Free shipping. I used PayPal. Check out was effortless.:sold:


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## theexpozay (Oct 4, 2011)

Ok, so I found another plate to consider, the BenchDog proPlate.
Amazon.com: Bench Dog 40-120 ProPlate Standard Group1: Home Improvement

Anyone used this one before? I know the BenchDog table saw router table extension gets good reviews, but I am not certain about the insert plate.

Frankly at the moment I can't decide between the Incra and Woodpecker plates. I really really like the mag lock system on the Incra plate, but the steel rings scare me. I would hate to ruin an expensive router bit because I got clutsy. (which I am prone to be, you should see what I did to my nearly finished drill press table last night)


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Michael

Do you realty want to remove 6 screws every time you put in a new bigger bit..
A 1 1/2" hole is very small now days .
===



theexpozay said:


> Ok, so I found another plate to consider, the BenchDog proPlate.
> Amazon.com: Bench Dog 40-120 ProPlate Standard Group1: Home Improvement
> 
> Anyone used this one before? I know the BenchDog table saw router table extension gets good reviews, but I am not certain about the insert plate.
> ...


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## theexpozay (Oct 4, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Michael
> 
> Do you realty want to remove 6 screws every time you put in a new bigger bit..
> A 1 1/2" hole is very small now days .
> ===


Point taken. Back to the Incra and WoodPecker...


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

theexpozay said:


> Ok, so I found another plate to consider, the BenchDog proPlate.
> Amazon.com: Bench Dog 40-120 ProPlate Standard Group1: Home Improvement
> 
> Anyone used this one before? I know the BenchDog table saw router table extension gets good reviews, but I am not certain about the insert plate.
> ...


All you need to do is make sure the router is centered on the plate. Just use a centering pin and align the table plate just as you would for your router base plate for guide bushing use. While I usually choke the bit opening down as much as possible, it is really not necessary to go down as tightly as I do. 1/4" or so around the bit is safe. You can always check it when installing an insert anyway, if it looks close, just spin the bit by hand and see if it touches anywhere.
I personally don't have any Bench Dog stuff, I have considered them on several occasions but for one reason or another have'nt been motivated to buy any. I think I heard that Rockler bought Bench Dog a year or so ago.


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## annaatkins (Nov 30, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> Hi
> 
> Just one more plate
> 
> ...


Thanks for the link! It was really usefull!


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