Newbie Router Table Question

[Joey Gunter]

Hi guys,
Forgive a newbie question from a guy who's been building cabinets and furniture for 25 years but.........
I'm just now trying to tool up a small shop of my own and I've never built a router table before. Got the table design done but, much to my chagrin, I'm not dead sure how to PROPERLY mount my Porter Cable 690's to the underside of the table :confused:. I would much prefer to mount from underneath but there doesn't seem a way provided on the 1001 base. Is there a different base for this?
I could, of course, pre-drill through the top and use a loger version of the screws that attach the stock base but that leaves me with holes in the top of my table I'd rather not have to deal with.
Any ideas?

joey

[glenn bradley]

Most will mount the router to a plate and drop it into a prepared and shouldered opening. This will use up less of your collet's maximum travel than surface mounting to the underside of a 3/4" or 1-1/2" table top will. I have heard of folks routing the underside of the top to fit the router body to compensate for this problem.

I wouldn't worry about the mounting holes showing as much as I would worry about the fixed bit opening that you will have without some form of insert. Do you not use bits over a certain size? If you ever run a 3" bit the opening will be too large to be safe when using a 1" bit.

I would consider a plate with inserts although this opens up a whole new set of questions: what vendor will I commit to (Rockler (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=9905&filter=router%20plate), Woodpecker (http://www.woodpeck.com/aluminsert.html), MLCS (http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/routacc1.html), etc.) as there are many "standard" sizes and thicknesses? With the 690 this isn't a too-tough question as almost any plate will be adequate size and thickness-wise although I have never had good luck with anything other than metal plates. I also like inserts that do not require a screw driver to change. JMHO, YMMV.

[Andy Bardowell]

I second Glenn’s recommendations, Lee Valley also has some good plates and an all steel top. Equip it with nothing less than a 2 ¼ horse router with variable speed for those bigger bits.

[keith ouellette]

Like they said. A router plate but I would add the word aluminum to the mix. I wish I had spent the extra money on an aluminum plate. Make sure you get one with the concentric rings included.

As Glenn's post said the opening is important. My panel cutter is a little over 3" wide so any hole in the plate would have to be that wide. If it weren't for the concentric rings in the plate I would have to use the same size opening for mi 1/2" flush trim bit and that wouldn't be good.

[Joey Gunter]

Thanks guys. Looks like the plate is the smart way to go. The reason I wasn't looking in that direction is that this particular table will be set up with two routers (a V-shaped fence) and a permanent bit setup (one 1/4" straight cut and one 1/2" straight cut both set at 1/4" deep) for doing nothing but drawer sides. But the plate still looks like the right thing to do.

[Chris Tsutsui]

Think about if you are going to need to adjust the depth a lot then a lift like the Jessem Mast R Lift will be great. In your case if you are doing the same thing you don't need the fine adjustment then an AL top plate will be the cheapest and best option. Rockler has some top plates on clearance, the large ones. They are great. Just make sure that your model PC will fit.