Adjusting a Phenolic Router Plate?

[Bill Miltner]

I have a table saw with a cast iron router table extention. I just purchased a new phenolic router plate as the original Lexan one has sagged. It is just a little too tight a fit.

What is the best wat to adjust the width of my new router plate? File, Sand, plane????

[michael case]

A little sanding would probably be fine. But before you do anything that precludes returning the phenolic plate- if sagging is and issue maybe an aluminum plate might be better.

[Conrad Fiore]

Straight bit in the router table if you still have the old plate. Don't worry about the sag, the phenolic plate should be plenty stiff and since it's a straight bit it wouldn't matter anyway.

[Jamie Buxton]

This is a plate that is rectangular with rounded corners? Use a table saw to trim the long straight edges. Wood blades are fine with phenolic. If required, use a file to adjust the corners where the table saw has slightly flattened the rounding.

If it is some other shape, use the old insert as a template, and use a pattern-following bit in a router. You can clamp the template to the new plate, moving the clamps to hit different parts of the plate. Use three clamps, always leaving two fully tightened. That way, the template will never shift on the new plate.

[Jim Rimmer]

use a pattern-following bit in a router. You can clamp the template to the new plate, moving the clamps to hit different parts of the plate. Use three clamps, always leaving two fully tightened. That way, the template will never shift on the new plate.
+1 on the pattern bit if the old plate fit well. And +1 on the aluminum plate.