Making a guidebushing baseplate

loninappleton

Hello again,

I just read through the guide bushing pdf by template tom (hope I got that right) and then looked for the what is needed to actually use some guide bushings.

The Craftsman router I got has a smooth baseplate and doesn't appear to have any machining for the guides.

Now comes the part where I need a comparison list of what brand router
guide bushing base plates are compatible with this and in the US. (Truthfully, I didn't check for this add-on at time of purchase but it is not shown in the accessory list in the manual.

The Craftsman model number is 9.5 amp 1 3/4 Peak HP Fixed Base Router
Model No. 320.17541


But I actually have a different question. I was wondering if a guide bushing baseplate can be made for a palm router and equivalent small tools like the Rotozip. How to get the centering right and make the seat for the
bushing is what I'd like to find out.

Unfortunately these questions/details seem to be skipped over in the books I've seen.


I have a rotozip kit from a different manufacturer and a variety of bases are supplied. These include the laminate trimmer attachment. This add on
has a square removable baseplate with 4 screws.


Also I got some plexiglass scrap from the local plate glass installer. Perhaps
a couple sheets of that could be layered with the right size cutout made
with a hole saw? I have a number of those hole saws including a 1 inch OD from the big box store. I don't know if getting the right dimension to do this would be a big job or an easy job.

The funny thing is that after I got the Sears I'm trying to figure out more uses for the zip tool it was going to replace.

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bobj3

Hi loninappleton

this is just one of many ways

It's a very easy job to do, you just need two forstner bits ( 1 3/16" and a 1 3/8" ) and a drill press..

The easy way is to clamp the 1/4" thick plastic to the drill press, the base plates can be any size you want to make them..

Put on some masking tape on the plastic,draw out a square of the size you want then draw a line from corner, now you have a " X " in the center,now chuck up a 1/8" drill bit and move the plastic under the drill bit so it will hit the " X " dead center now clamp the plastic down to the drill press table with some scrap under it.. once you have it clamped down drill the 1/8" hole then remove the drill bit and chuck up the 1 3/8" bit and drill down about 1/8" deep, once you have the down chuck up the 1 3/16" bit and drill out the hole, b/4 you un clamp it check to make sure the guide will pop in the hole and sit flat...

Once you have that done pull off the old base plate and use it for a template to drill the mounting holes, use masking tape to hole it down to the plastic make sure it can't move then drill the mounting holes.
Use the brass guide to line up the new plate with the old plate ..

hope his helps
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__________________
How To Install a Router Base Plate
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/ar...e_plate_video/

Find owner's manuals
http://www.managemyhome.com/

Bob J.

nickao65

Can't he just pull the base plate he has and drill that? Of course the opening has to be small enough to begin with.

bobj3

Hi Nick

You bet the one on the Craftsman but not the rotozip...like many of the small tools it has a odd size hole and setup..but it's not a big jump to make a new one for the Craftsman once he has made one..and square is always better than round..

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__________________
How To Install a Router Base Plate
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/ar...e_plate_video/

Find owner's manuals
http://www.managemyhome.com/

Bob J.

loninappleton

Thanks for responding.

The forstner bit and drill press idea is a good one. It would get things centered
accurately.

I know a guy with a drill press. Less sure about where to cadge some Forstner bits that large.

bobj3

Hi loninappleton

You may want to think about using the bigger brass guides,, 1 1/2" type, the forstner bits are a bit essayer to find for that size.. it takes a 1 1/2" and a 1 3/4" ones.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...000,51208&ap=1

forstner bits ▼

The hard one to find is the 1 3/16" one and it's must have item..

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpis...bits&Submit=Go

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...All-Categories

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-1-3-16-FORST...3A1|240%3A1318

=========

__________________
How To Install a Router Base Plate
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/ar...e_plate_video/

Find owner's manuals
http://www.managemyhome.com/

Bob J.

loninappleton

Lots to think on here.

thx

I will come back in this thread when I've made some progress.

RustyW

I can't believe its been over a year since I posted this. But here's how I make them, maybe it will help. I drilled my thru hole 1 1/4" because I don't have 1 3/16" bit. The rim on the bushing fits snug in the recess so there has'nt been any problems. Only thing I do different now is counter bore, rather than counter sink the mounting holes. Sometimes the guide needs to be perfectly centered and this allows for some adjusting.

http://www.routerforums.com/guide-bu...pc-guides.html

__________________
Rusty

If You Want It Bad, You Get It Bad The Worse You Want It, The Worse You Get It

loninappleton

I have enough tips going now to take me through til Spring.

:-)

Mike

Reading the sticky threads would of answered your questions. Brian and I made a base plate for his Craftsman and posted photos of how we did it. Threads are made into sticky threads when they have important information. http://www.routerforums.com/73038-post1.html

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Mike
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