# Using a Rockler Router Table



## ArtShapiro (Dec 14, 2007)

Hello. Brand new, decidedly amateur (at best) member here.

I had the pleasure yesterday of purchasing a lightly-used Rockler table, complete with an attractive homebuilt cabinet on a rolling Delta base. This should be just a little bit nicer than the little Sears atrocity I've had for about 25 years!

This Rockler was used with a Porter Cable router, and thus the mounting plate has three holes 120° apart. Well, my Bosch B1350 (apparently a very nonstandard Bosch model) is a four hole machine, and is thus completely incompatible with the mounting plate I have.

Could anyone possibly enlighten me about the most economical way of adapting my Bosch router to the existing router plate? I realize I can buy a new plate from Rockler, although I'm not sure they make one for this oddball B1350. I can go out and buy a Porter Cable router - I loved the one I had before it was stolen out of the garage - but am such a sporadic, untalented woodworker that having two of 'em is of questionable utility. Are there any other options that might not be immediately obvious to me?

Thanks for any input.

Art


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## Ladd (Nov 11, 2007)

The short answer is to drill holes through your existing plate to match the holes in the base of your router. 

If that is acceptable to you, any number of folks here can offer advice as to how to do this.


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## ArtShapiro (Dec 14, 2007)

Ladd said:


> The short answer is to drill holes through your existing plate to match the holes in the base of your router.


Well, that makes sense! I'd probably search out a machine shop for that fairly-precise requirement. Last month I tried to mount a new mailbox on my stucco exterior wall, carefully marked the spot, and the hole ended up slightly off. I ended up enlarging the mailbox's hole and using a washer on the screw in question. For the router plate, clearly that wouldn't be an acceptable solution.

Appreciated the advice.

Art


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## berry (Oct 17, 2005)

I've had a Rockler table for years. When I first purchased it, Rockler didn't have a pre-drilled plate for my router. At the time they sold 'blank' plates. I purchased one. Layed out the holes carefully and drilled with a drill press. It's worked fine for years and still does when I need it (although I upgraded to a new router last year). I made the holes and counter bore slightly oversize to allow a little play - account for sloppy measuring.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Art

You'er right by saying it needs to be precise ,, and you only get one shot at this one... BUT you don't need to take it to a machine, they are not cheap and do have a min.charge for most work they do,,,that said, you can do it if you have a drill press and a brass template guides.
The Oak-Park plate you now have is dead on,,that's to say the hole in the center of the plate that holds the brass template guides is right on..done by a CNC machine. ...

You will need the 1 1/2" guides the norm...for the Oak-Park plate..

I will stop at this point and let you read and repost if you want the info to do it...you need to check the mounting plate for the hole size in the center of the plate...  and post that...

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ArtShapiro said:


> Well, that makes sense! I'd probably search out a machine shop for that fairly-precise requirement. Last month I tried to mount a new mailbox on my stucco exterior wall, carefully marked the spot, and the hole ended up slightly off. I ended up enlarging the mailbox's hole and using a washer on the screw in question. For the router plate, clearly that wouldn't be an acceptable solution.
> 
> Appreciated the advice.
> 
> Art


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## ArtShapiro (Dec 14, 2007)

*Poor Confused Arthur*



bobj3 said:


> The Oak-Park plate you now have is dead on,,that's to say the hole in the center of the plate that holds the brass template guides is right on..done by a CNC machine. ...
> 
> You will need the 1 1/2" guides the norm...for the Oak-Park plate..
> 
> ...


Well, at the risk of overstaying my new welcome: Bob, ya' snowed me!

I see "Oak Park" is a manufacturer of routers and accessories, but don't understand what they have to do with the blue metal plate in question with the Rockler.

Anyway, this plate has an opening of about 3 1/4". I could envision a template with a protruding circle of precisely that size, and with the correctly oriented holes for positioning a drill press for drilling new holes.

But that would presumably cost as much, or more, than the new plate from Rockler!

Anyway, I'm hoping you can clarify your kind remarks.

As an aside, I'm now leaning toward just getting a Porter Cable router to leave in the Rockler table - except I have no idea which of the several Porter Cable-compatible plates I might happen to have.

Art


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## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

Welcome to the RouterForums Art. Bj should be able to talk you through the base plate hole change. Good luck.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Odds are you had a PC 690 router before, and these are still available for better prices. The mounting holes will also work with the 890 series routers. As far as the large opening in your Rockler plate you need to purchase an insert for using guide bushings. Then you can install an inlay bushing which comes with a pin for alignment. Remove the sub base plate of your Bosch and install transfer screws in the mounting holes leaving them about 1/8" below the base. Now the alignment pin will let you be perfectly centered and you need only push your router onto the plate and tap lightly with a hammer to mark the hole locations. You can free hand drill the holes through and then countersink holes on the other side. Replace the mounting screws and you are ready to rout. As long as you use a centering device like the inlay kit you will be dead on the money.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Art
Not to sure why I tough you had a Oak-Park plate but that was my error..


Let's get back to the Rockler plate you have and made for the PC router.

If you are thinking of getting a PC that would be the way to go..

BUT if you want to mount your Bosch router take a peek at the link below.
http://wealdentool.com/acatalog/tips_18.html 
You will need to make a quick jig so you can line up the Bosch on dead center to the plate,,,...made a circle out out some MDF or 1/4" thick plastic..and 3 1/4" OD..with a 1/4" hole in the center...this jig will line up the plate to the Bosch...bolt pattern...once you have the circle made turn the Bosch upside down on the work bench, chuck up a 1/4" dowel pin or a 1/4" router bit.

The find 4 screws that are the same size that hold the Bosch sub plate to the router base ,, if you don't have any take one down to the ACE Hardware and pickup some screws or Allen Set screws that are about 1 1/4" long, once you have the set screws , put them in your battery power drill and grind them to a sharp point (cone point) then put them in the Bosch base plate with the hex in 1st...sharp point sticking out, about 1/2" or so..
Now sit the Rocket plate over the pin, and your jig and on top of the router, now flip it over and sit in on some scrap 2 x 4 , now with a hammer tap the base plate on the Bosch this will mark the spot to drill the mounting holes.and they will be dead on...

B/4 you remove the router made sure the holes are marked, now take it to the drill press and drill the holles out with a 1/16" to 1/8" drill bit,,,now flip the plate over and counter sink the holes, all 4 of them,,,now drill the holes out to the right size you need to bolt the base plate in place...to the Bosch router..

Your circle jig must be dead on, that's to say it should fit in the 3 1/4" and the 1/4" hole must be in the dead center.
It's best way is to drill the 1/4" 1st.and use it to cut the 3 1/4" OD..true...this can be done on the band saw/scroll saw ,just drill a 1/4" hole in some scrap put in a 1/4" flat head bolt in and then clamp it to the band saw table top and just turn the part to cut the 3 1/4" OD..if you are just a bit light rap some masking tape to get it to fit just right...in the 3 1/4" hole..

You can do it..


Have Fun..

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ArtShapiro said:


> Well, at the risk of overstaying my new welcome: Bob, ya' snowed me!
> 
> I see "Oak Park" is a manufacturer of routers and accessories, but don't understand what they have to do with the blue metal plate in question with the Rockler.
> 
> ...


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## fibertech (May 7, 2005)

I have the Rockler table (soon to be on top of my nearly finished NYW Deluxe Router Station) and have two routers that I can use in it. My first router was a Craftsman because of the price. I was limited to 1/4" router bits. I picked up a good used P/C which I immediately took the springs out of and got another blue insert plate from Rockler. They have many different inserts and probably have the right one for you. You can use your existing plate as a template and transfer the size to cardboard and then use your router's screw pattern placed on the cardboard. I actually took my router to Rockler. 
Let us know how you do. -Derek


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