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Thread: Aluminum vs. Phenolic Router Plates?

  1. #1

    Aluminum vs. Phenolic Router Plates?

    This must be my weekend for router plate questions. I'll make it uncharacteristically quick...

    Is an aluminum router plate worth the additional expense? I'm looking at the Woodpeckers site and seeing a $40 difference between the aluminum and phenolic plates. Will I be dissatisfied with a $50 phenolic plate? (And yes, I know the gold anodized aluminum plate would go very nicely with the rest of the Incra stuff hanging off my TS. Black would look nice, too.)

    TIA -

    - Vaughn

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Grass Valley, CA
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    14

    Phenolic vs Aluminum Router Plates

    I mostly read here without posting - guess that makes me a lurker or something. Anyhow I have a phenolic plate in an otherwise very nice router table. I wouldn't choose it again as at least the one I have is built with a slight crown in it that adversely effects the cut accuracy.
    Regards,
    Art K

  3. #3
    Thanks Art. (And welcome out from the shadows. Don't be a stranger. ) I read somewhere else about people having problems with the crown in the Rousseau plates. Do you happen to know what brand yours is?

    - Vaughn

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Odessa, Texas
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    Vaughn, I use both types and my phenolic plate also has a "Slight Crown", which has never affected my work, Buuuuuut......with the very close tolerances you work with in your projects, it is possible that it might be noticeable there, (I just don't know). With this in mind, it is possible that the aluminum plate "Might" be the better choice for your application.
    "Some Mistakes provide Too many Learning Opportunities to Make only Once".

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Leesville, TX (San Antonio/Austin)
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    The Rosseau insert is built with a slight crown. I've had a couple of them and never had any issues with the crown.

    KC

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Southwest Florida
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    I have the Woodpeckers aluminum plate with a Milwaukee 5625 bolted to it with no deflection at all and is dead flat. I am impressed at what a quality product it is. A phenolic plate might be Ok but with the aluminum one you will never have to worry no matter what you bolt to it. Allen

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Cave Creek, AZ - near Phoenix
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    I have a Freud FT2000e hanging permanently in a Woodpeckers Plunge Lift, which includes the Woodpeckers aluminum plate. The aluminum plate has stayed perfectly flat for several years, and I never remove the router, except to change bits or collets.
    Last edited by Dave Falkenstein; 02-19-2006 at 9:01 AM.
    Dave Falkenstein aka Daviddubya
    Cave Creek, AZ

  8. #8
    I use rocklers alum. plates. 4 of them.


  9. #9
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    Vaughn, I made my plate out of 3/8 aluminum plate. I use to have my PC 7539, 3¼ hp tank hanging on it and I had zero deflection. Go with the aluminum.
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  10. #10

    my two cents

    I have had both the Rosseau and the aluminum one you are looking at. The first was the Rosseau . . . The crown WAS a problem. Tne crown creted some real miserable problems. Someone was saying the crown was there because of the weight of the router . . . that would flatten it out. Didn't.

    The Woodpecker is the one I am now using. I really like it.

  11. #11
    I just bought a Rosseau plate that came on the mail a couple of days ago and it has a lot of crown (like 3/32") so I am not sure that I will install it. Seems that I have wasted some money. I don't want to make a hole in my router table for a router plate that I may not be satisfied with. Maybe I will buy a Woodpecker.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
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    Vaughn, I have the aluminum on a plung lift and no problems so I guess that's my vote. Art, don't be a stranger and welcome.
    Good, Fast, Cheap--Pick two.

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Page
    Vaughn, I made my plate out of 3/8 aluminum plate. I use to have my PC 7539, 3¼ hp tank hanging on it and I had zero deflection. Go with the aluminum.
    O.K. Now I'm curious - how did you make that plate????

    Mike

  14. I've got the Rosseau plate in my table, it works great.....



    It did have a little crown, but I worked that out.

    here is what you do.

    Mount the router on the plate, loosely, so there is some gap between the plate and the base of the router.

    Put the plate into the table, the the router hanging loosely from it, then tighten the screws up evenly.

    I did this and the plate is perfectly flat, and I've had no problems with it at all.

    Just my two yens worth!

    Cheers!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Defiance, OH
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    102
    I miss understood. I thought you meant a base for your router. But since I'm on that subject I replaced my bosch router plate with a clear one that I got on line from a guy by the name of Warner (Bob maybe).

    Real good guy did a great job with the holes. If anyone needs one try him, it was flat unlike the original. He probably sells inserts for tables. I'm quite sure he uses cnc.


    Mark

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