Router Table Insert

[Dave Sweeney]

What is your material preference for your router table insert?

[glenn bradley]

I think if you search here you will see that this has been discussed quite a bit. I run aluminum, when I get new plates, they are aluminum. My lift is aluminum, blah, blah, blah. There have been postings from people who have not had problems with phenolic. My table router is only about 12lbs (Mil 5625) but it sagged a doubled MDF top due to lack of bracing over a period of about a year but the aluminum plate was fine.

[Dave Sweeney]

Thanks for your input. I did use the Search function but couldn't find anything that dealt specifically with this subject. Can you suggest to me what I should enter as a search subject in order to bring up threads dealing with this subject?

[Bob Genovesi]

Doesn't get much better than this..

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/BobbyG53/V2.jpg

[glenn bradley]

Thanks for your input. I did use the Search function but couldn't find anything that dealt specifically with this subject. Can you suggest to me what I should enter as a search subject in order to bring up threads dealing with this subject?

First, I hope I didn't come off poorly when I said that. Sometimes the written word only can come off a bit cold ;-)

I put in the words 'aluminum' and 'phenolic' on the forum "Google" search and got these:

http://www.google.com/search?q=aluminum+phenolic&sitesearch=www.sawmillcreek.org

[Bruce Page]

I prefer the nickel plated steel of the Bench Dog.

[keith ouellette]

I have a phenolic but wish I had aluminum. I like the dead flat of metal. I would put it on the list of things to buy but since I made my new table I wanted to put in an insert and used my phenolic. I didn't realize I would be stuck with a 9x11 opening. I haven't seen an affordable aluminum plate that size.
I would actually need exactly the size I have or a little larger.

[Dave Sweeney]

First, I hope I didn't come off poorly when I said that. Sometimes the written word only can come off a bit cold ;-)


No worries, I also hope I didn't come across poorly with my reply. What these boards need are Search programs that somehow are more geared towards "Searching For Dummies".

[Dave Sweeney]

I have a phenolic but wish I had aluminum. I like the dead flat of metal. I would put it on the list of things to buy but since I made my new table I wanted to put in an insert and used my phenolic. I didn't realize I would be stuck with a 9x11 opening. I haven't seen an affordable aluminum plate that size.


Thanks Keith, that's the kind of helpful feedback that I'm looking for. I also currently have a phenolic insert but I broke off a corner of it the other day. I'm trying to figure out if I should just replace it with another one or cough up some extra $$$ and go the aluminum route.

[Bruce Page]

Dave, metal is the way to go, but I have also read of people receiving new plates that weren’t flat out of the box. I’d order from a reputable company.

Here’s a old pic of one I made that’s out of 3/8” 6061-T651 aluminum plate. It hasn’t sagged yet.

[Jim Tobias]

I'm with Bruce. The nickel plated of the Benchdog is heavy duty and the fit is so precise that you have to drop it in dead straight or it won't fit. It has the kind of fit and finish you should expect from a good product in my opinion.

Jim

[Dave Sweeney]

My situation is that I'm locked into a 12x9 size plate so that appears to rule out any of the Bench Dog's and Woodpeckers.

I've read statements that the phenolic plates by MLCS and Rousseau should be avoided as they come crowned in the middle. Is that also true of the MLCS aluminum plate?

[Don Morris]

When my Bench Dog Pro Lift nickel plated steel bends I'm heading for the hills.