# Making a mortise guide for my Mastercraft Maximum router, some questions



## bobbotron (Jan 7, 2010)

Hi all!

I made a mortise routing jig last weekend (search for "router mortise jig" on google, it's the first page), and I came up with some interesting questions when it came to bolting my router to it. First, the bolts that came with my router weren't long enough - I picked up some new ones at home depot - it looks like they're metric, not imperial. This seemed a little odd to me, as most things around here are imperial - does anyone know if they indeed should be metric? I don't want to screw up the threaded holes on my base plate by accident.

Secondly, didn't do a very good job marking the three holes on my router's base onto my jig, only two of the three line up. What's a good way to accurately transfer the location of those holes?

Looking forward to making some mortises...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Rob

It's good bet they are metric, the router is made over seas , take the router to the ACE hardware, they will let you try the screws out b/4 you pay for them..I would suggest socket head screws they don't strip out.

Take the black base plate off the router and you have a template to drill the holes out just right and dead on, just use some masking tape and then/than do it on the drill press 


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bobbotron said:


> Hi all!
> 
> I made a mortise routing jig last weekend (search for "router mortise jig" on google, it's the first page), and I came up with some interesting questions when it came to bolting my router to it. First, the bolts that came with my router weren't long enough - I picked up some new ones at home depot - it looks like they're metric, not imperial. This seemed a little odd to me, as most things around here are imperial - does anyone know if they indeed should be metric? I don't want to screw up the threaded holes on my base plate by accident.
> 
> ...


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## bobbotron (Jan 7, 2010)

Take the base off.... I wish I'd thought of that. It always happens when you're rushed eh? 

Sadly, I only have a hand drill, but even so, I think taking the base off the router, I could do a much better job of marking the holes.

I think I'll try to redo the holes on the jig, if I rotate them all 90 degrees around the circle, I could make brand new, better holes. 

I'm sure they are metric screws now that I think about it. My main hobby is bicycles, where everything is metric. I'm so used to everything else being imperial, it threw me off when the screw I brought with me worked with an M6 bolt and bound in a #10 after a few turns.


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## Santé (Jan 14, 2010)

Y ave making a mortise jig very usefull and you can see it at this adress:
http://www.lescopeaux.asso.fr/Techniques/clic.php3?url=Docs/Sante_Mortaise_a_la_defonceuse.pdf
But it is in french but it is photos
Cordialement
Santé


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

Very interesting Daniel ! Thank you for posting it. With all the Sketchup pictures it is easy to understand. Have you done other reports like this?

Cheers

Peter


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## Santé (Jan 14, 2010)

istracpsboss said:


> Very interesting Daniel ! Thank you for posting it. With all the Sketchup pictures it is easy to understand. Have you done other reports like this?
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Peter


Yes on Association Les copeaux it is a lot of reports like this maked by me and other frends in this association of woodworkers.

Santé


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

Thanks Daniel.Lots of good stuff there !

Cheers

Peter


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

Santé said:


> Yes on Association Les copeaux it is a lot of reports like this maked by me and other frends in this association of woodworkers.
> 
> Santé


Très interessante. Merci.


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## Shadowmill (Jan 18, 2010)

bobbotron said:


> Hi all!
> 
> Secondly, didn't do a very good job marking the three holes on my router's base onto my jig, only two of the three line up. What's a good way to accurately transfer the location of those holes?
> 
> Looking forward to making some mortises...


Hi Rob, you can pick up a set of transfer punches at Princess Auto. They are great for transferring any holes up to 1/2 inch. Less than 10 bucks if you get them on sale. I have 2 sets that I use all the time making jigs and templates.

Ross


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

bobbotron said:


> Hi all!
> 
> I made a mortise routing jig last weekend (search for "router mortise jig" on google, it's the first page), and I came up with some interesting questions when it came to bolting my router to it. First, the bolts that came with my router weren't long enough - I picked up some new ones at home depot - it looks like they're metric, not imperial. This seemed a little odd to me, as most things around here are imperial - does anyone know if they indeed should be metric? I don't want to screw up the threaded holes on my base plate by accident.
> 
> ...


Hi Bob:

Take the router over to Preston hardware. The guys were quite helpful to me the last time I was there.


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