best router table?

[Louie Ballis]

After hosing up 3 router plates in order to drill proper mounting holes to fit a standard 3 hole porter cable outer (in order to use a template guide) I am giving up on my router table with its 9x12 opening as I cant find any predrilled plates with those demensions. Too bad cause I paid a couple of hundred for it. It had/has a 4 hole drilled insert which I had been using a lower end router which finally gave up the ghost.


What is the consensis of the best bench top router table with a predrilled insert that will accept a standard guide bushing. I saw the skil router table at Lowes that wouldnt take a bushing.

Any ideas?

[Greg Peterson]

Why not just replace the top? A layer or two of MDF and some laminate if you want to Nancy it up ought to work just fine.

[Greg Portland]

I use the Veritas table with their locking inserts. One of the inserts is capable of handling PC style guide bushings. Also, the Veritas table can mount any router to the table because it clamps the router base (vs having screw holes). The only downside is that many router lift systems do not work with the steel plate (I was able to drill a hole for a router raizer). If a high-end router lift is important to you then consider Woodpeck + table (they have locking inserts as well on their router lift).

For me, the $300+ for a higher end router lift was not worth it ($300 lift, $300 router, $100+ for table = $700+). At a certain point, you are going to be better off looking at shapers (small shaper or used shapers are under $1k). Since your router died, this may be an opportune moment to do some investigation?

[Louie Ballis]

Thanks guys.......now why didnt I think of just replacing the router table top?

[Myk Rian]

What are you doing that is messing up the plates?

[Joel Goodman]

It shouldn't be that hard to drill out the plate -- I drilled out one hole and countersunk it, mounted the router, and then drilled out the other two with a vix bit (self centering), a little smaller bit than would be finally needed. Unbolted the router and used a bigger bit to enlarge the holes and then countersunk them. There are bits made for plastic if splitting is an issue.
Also if a Woodhaven plate will fit they used to offer them drilled for whatever router the customer had -- for a little extra.

[Terry Welty]

Louie, will this router bit fit the bill? Note it has several Porter cable models shown as available pre-drilled. They make a aluminum plate also...

http://www.woodpeck.com/tlrphenolicplate.html