first router table...

[nick brigg]

i plan on laminating a 3/4 sheet of melamine on top of a 3/4 sheet MDF...what would be the way to go about routing out the cavity for the router mounting plate?

[Mike Heidrick]

I made a template for my lift/plate. That I double stuck to the table. I then drew a line on the inside of that template that was the width of my shoulder that the plate would rest on. This gave mae a line I box I could cut out with a jigsaw. Once the inside was removed I used a template cutting router bit that had a top bearing and routed out the correct depth of the shoulder for the plate thickness. Then I removed the template.

Woodpeck dot com - Woodpecker sells a template and template router bit on their site - template fits their plates.

[Mario Lucchesi]

That is the way to do it. It works great. If you don't want to buy one make it yourself. You can make a template using your plate and a washer that is the same thickness as your collor, trace it on to some hardboard and cut it out.

[Greg Robbins]

I would also recommend 2 pieces of MDF laminated together to give you 1 1/2". 3/4 is a little thin in my opinion.

[Don Morris]

Ditto the two pieces of 3/4 MDF. One piece of 3/4 is gutsy particularly if you are dropping in a larger router and a heavy duty lift mechanism.

[Mark Hulette]

When making my router table I bought a Rousseau (sp?) insert and it had excellent step-by-step instructions on how to cut the opening. It also included a template to match the insert.

BTW- 2, 3/4" pieces of sheet stock laminated together is the only way to go! :D

[nick brigg]

thanks guys! and i said 1 sheet of mdf with ANOTHER sheet of melamine on top, i live in quebec and a sheet of press wood with melamine on both sides is just called melamine over here, donno about you guys! ive seen routers sag table tops/plastic inserts so im thinking of going with that aluminum insert bosch makes.