Quick question for owners of Milwaukee 5625

[Zach England]

What size are the four countersunk screws holding the sub-base on? I need to order a countersink bit to drill an insert plate, but can't figure out which one.

Sorry for posting such trivia.

Thanks for the help.

[Tom Cross]

They are 5/16"-18 in size. It is the best router I own, permanently mounted in my router table, a real work horse.

[Zach England]

Thank you.

So where can I find a #18 countersink? I can't find any bigger than 12. Are they marked differently in that size?

[glenn bradley]

A little misunderstanding on the numbers I think. 5/16 is the diameter and 18 is the threads per inch. I think you want the diameter of the top of the screwhead so that you can countersink just below the plate surface. I am not home but will measure it and post for you tomorrow if another owner hasn't beat me to it. I had a machine shop do mine for $25 as I had done a poor job on a previous aluminum plate for a different router but, that's me (minimal metal skills).

I will second Tom's opinion; best router I own. I have a couple smaller Mils too. I own other brands but the red ones are my go-to's.

[Joe Scharle]

Countersink just needs to be large enough to sink the screw heads. Here's what I use to make really smooth shoulders. From Lee Valley.

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/drilling/44j2101s1.jpg\

[Zach England]

Thanks for the clarification on the numbers. I can measure the heads with my digital caliper, but I'll probably just order the countersink cutter from Lee Valley and do a few tests to get the drill press depth right. Is there a more technical system for this than trial and error?

At the end of the day I'll probably just go to a local shop and ask them to drill it, but I want to ruin a $60 insert plate first to prove I am incapable.

Please pardon my ignorance, but what does the number mean on screws--such as screws I usually see at #8, #10, #12? I always just thought they were arbitrary numbers to indicate the head size.

[CPeter James]

Be sure to turn the router about 45º so that the hole for the height wrench does not end up under your fence. That way you can adjust the router height without moving the fence. If you mount it square. the hole is hidden. I have one and it is a great table router.

CPeter

[Zach England]

Good point about the adjustment hole. Thanks. I just got it yesterday and it seems like a nice router. I got it specifically to leave mounted in the table.

I did a little bit of free hand stuff last night and it is really powerful

[Joe Scharle]

I bought an extra base for freehand and leave one in the RT. As you have discovered, the motor just drops out of the base. Also, you'll want to countersink the under side of the adjusting access hole so that the wrench will come back out. If not, the rubber baffles will bind on the wrench head.
Oh, numbered screws are tapered and sized by Guage (don't ask me where the gage is!), screws ID'd by dia and TPI(threads per inch) are machine screws and can accept a nut.