Best Router table plate

[Correy Smith]

Hello All, After buying the plate from Router Depot, aluminum, I am at a loss on a good plate to get. The plate was real bottom barrel stuff. I really want alum rings. Blank to custom drill for my router. Thick to with stand abuse. And flat for presicion joinery. After reading reviews on the Kreg, Jessem, and Bench Dog, There are always reviews that sight limitations in the plate flatness. Warping seems common, And I am guessing after one or two fellows returned the items and then received warped replacements it was common for that brand.
What's the best out there???? I hand ground the Depot plate flat but am unimpressed with the inserts and now need to get it anodized, but realize that it may just be easier to buy a flat plate instead and throw this one away.....

[Greg Peterson]

Depends on how tight your tolerances are. I am happy with the Rockler plates, but their inserts are plastic. I've never come close to breaking or wearing out the plastic inserts, but then maybe I'm doing something wrong?

[richard poitras]

If it were a lift I would get a INCRA Mast-R-Lift II and if it were just the plate I would get the Incra plate.
The lifts and plates both have the metal Magnalock insert rings that are quick tool less change and seem to be the way to go. Also I know the lifts are blanchard ground for flatness but I am not sure on the regular plates. But the regular plates are 3/8"-thick aluminum and are pre drilled for your router. They both have the cam locks in the corners to lock them into the tables as well.

[Correy Smith]

I will google that right now Richard thanks. I have a Roseau, they make them with a crown, have lived with it for longer than I would like to admit.... PLates need to be dead flat with the table for precise joinery IMO. Incra.... any other votes?

[Myk Rian]

I like my Rousseau. The slight rise makes for exact depth of cut. But, that discussion could turn into an argument.

[Barry Mabery]

Maybe you would be better served by a shaper.

[Michael W. Clark]

I'm considering the new Jessem table that eliminates the plate, but its pricey.

[Correy Smith]

Myk,The hump that is part of the Rousseau design allows the work to pivot on the the hump making for sloppy joints. It's fine if your just pushing thru moulding type stuff but it's definiately not a precision device. I have more often than not cut by hand than offer fine work to the Ross plate.
Yep Barry a shaper is fine for many things but smallish joinery like sliding dovetails etc.. are nicely cut on a router table.
Micheal I am right there with you. Pricey. I also save space by hanging the table on the wall via a 1" hole in the table surface. I use sawhorses for a base most times. Wish I could hang the shaper on the wall when not in use.....
I have often thought about eliminating the plate also. On Pat Warner's web site he talks about "pre-stressed " mdf as a top. Anyone know what PS MDF is???
I did just buy the Incra. Seems a steal after the awful Router Depot plate. Wish I had returned it.... Needed to pull the plug. In the middle of a project and just can not use the Ross Plate. It became apparent after rebuilding my top and fence that it was the weakest link in my set-up.

[Rick Thom]

Maybe you would be interested in the Lee Valley systems which include insert or table and all sorts of components for precision routing http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/index.aspx?cat=1%2c43053.

[Paul Gatti]

I went with a Benchdog/Jessem hybrid solution (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?157514) that has worked very well for me. Everything is very flat allowing for precision joinery.

[Keith Hankins]

Well, I built my table 7 or so years ago and at that time I narrowed it down to the Jess-um and the Woodpecker PRL. I went with the Woodpecker because the lift mechanism utilized a chain drive .vs. a rubber belt and metal .vs. plastic. I've been happy I have the 32/1 threaded rods so micro shifts are easy and dead on. I mated that with the Incra LS120 fence and I'm extremely accurate down to the thou. I threw the PC7518 in it and I've done some stuff that some would do on a shaper. I really like the new MLCS plate with built in electric lift, but the tube will not accept the 7518 so that's out. I'd love to have the electric lift. Good luck.
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[Victor Robinson]

Another vote for the Incra plates.

[Michael W. Clark]

I went with a Benchdog/Jessem hybrid solution (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?157514) that has worked very well for me. Everything is very flat allowing for precision joinery.

Very Nice, I like that!

[ian maybury]

Incra here too. Early days, but it's flat and the variable size inserts are very handy. I also have one of their tables and positoners.

ian

[Jason Dreyer]

Another vote for the Incra Plate. I absolutely love the Magnalock inserts.

[Correy Smith]

I received the Incra ( from Amazon). After returning it to Incra to get the correct plate I am very impressed. The first plate was o.k. but drilled for a 690 , I ordered the RT-1800 bore. First plate was a little disappointing as the straight edge could spin on the top. It is important to note that light showing thru a small space makes the gap look extremely worse than it actually is. At first I was irritated that I could not actually find a flat plate even though I was willing to pay for it. The crown worked out to .004". Which is not " perfectly flat " as stated on the Incra site. They should rewrite to say within "X". But .004 is close enough for $100. The replacement that I received so to fit the RT-1800 was actually within .0015". Pretty stinking good. Incra went out of their way to get me the correct plate even though I bought it thru Amazon. Certainly did not have to.. Even return shipped for free. WOW!
The fit and finish of the plate is the best I have seen. and the flatness within .0015" is very nice. Bolted up perfectly to my router. Adjustment screws are adequate but should have a drop of thread lock when dialed in. I would prefer a way to secure the plate to the table other than the cam lock as I like to tilt/lift the table to access the router for changing bits. But I can work something out there.
The magnalock inserts are sweet I must say. I did not get the additional inserts because I did not know if I would like the plate, but will get them soon.
It is just a well thought out plate with fine tolerances. Design, fit and finish, 9.5 out of 10! If they had stated it wopuld be flat within .004" then I would have top give them a "10".

Do I meausre woodworking in thousandths? YES. But it is wood, wood moves and better than .01 is real good but I try to do better. I have found after using a micrometer in the shop for anything that I might measure with it , it has become very easy to have joinery that is within .005". If your using glue then you need room for it anyway. The router plate I wanted needed to be an upgrade, not a replacement. The Incra is quite a welcome addition to the shop.

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[ian maybury]

Good to hear that. Incra in my experience can always be relied upon to got he extra mile. They know their product very well too.

ian