Router table insert plate

[Walter Stikeleather]

It's a no brainier if I'm willing to pay $60-$80. Rockler and MLCS are more cost effective but are they OK for occasional use. Which is the best cheapest? I have a Router Boss and I still need a more conventional router table occasionally.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I simply just bit the bullet and sprang for a Woodpeckers and a full set of Woodpeckers inserts & the MDF template to enlarge the opening in my Rockler #1 router table..
http://www.carbideprocessors.com/woodpeckers-ai690890-aluminum-router-mounting-plate-for-porter-cable-makita-bosch-dewalt/

I believe Tom and crew @ CP still offer a 10% discount to SMC members.

Yeah it's more than Rockler & MCLS - and a bunch of others - - but - - man oh man is it ever so sweet to run stock across the table and not have it hit a "speed bump" and hang up (like my Rockler plate did).

[John Donhowe]

You could order the plate for the Grizzly router table (part PT10432047). It's phenolic and not predrilled, but it's also only $17.19

[Matt Day]

I’ve had a couple of Jesse plates over the years and have been happy with them.

[Tom Dixon]

I've had a JessEm MasterLift for close to 9 years. Worth every penny I spent on it. I just bought the MasterLift II and all the inserts as an upgrade. Man is it sweet with some major improvements.

Now I'm tempted to order the variable speed Pow-R-Tek Router with remote control box...

[Jacob Reverb]

Just went through this, myself. I ended up buying a piece of 1/4" aluminum from the local welding shop, cut it to fit on TS, cut a 3-1/2" hole in it with a hole saw on drill press, and used that for the router plate. To get it flush with the router table surface, I mixed some aluminum powder with epoxy, put a dollop on each corner, then filed to height. For the ZCI inserts, I cut out several circular pieces of 3/8" polycarbonate on bandsaw, and used the router table to rout a rabbet around the perimeter of those. Took a bit of fiddling, but I need to learn to use the router table anyway!

[michael langman]

I got a nice black anodized aluminum plate from peach tree for about 50.00 a few years ago. It had the leveling screws and was flat.

[Robert L Stewart]

This is one area that you may not want to save money.