randyn

Just a follow-up for you guys (and gals). I went to go pick up the Porter-Cable brass guide bushings (I was told that these were correct for the Milwaukee router), lo and behold I still had to get a new base plate...so far, I am not impressed!!

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DONALD

I saw a home made router table on WoodNet.net last night and the maker used Pergo Flooring for the top. Practically indestructible and Pergo doesn't have grooves in it like some of the other floor laminates. High pressure laminate is another good choice since it't not damaged by water or heat (except for a blow torch). There is one on E-Bay with an Incra miter.

Mike

Welcome to the world of proprietary manufactured power tools. Of course Craftsman intended for you to use their routers on their tables, with their spacers and bushings. They make a complete line of accesories to provide the functions you need. Most manufacturers design their complete line of products without concern for interchangeability with other brands. The reason you find so much designed for the Porter Cable style goes back to the 50's when Rockwell was the main choice of contractors. When Rockwell split to become Delta and Porter cable the router designs didnt change so all the previous specialty items just kept getting more users. 3/8" collets were introduced to provide more beef to router bits but about the only company using them anymore is Bosch in their specialty line for the optical industry. I guess the best thing to consider before purchasing any tool is availability of accesories to perform the jobs You expect to encounter.

Ron Farmer

This is a true statement that Craftsman tables are made to fit Craftsman routers (also the newest combo made by Bosch), but Sears also offers you an adapter plate that you can fit to any router to make it fit a Craftsman table, yes you loose a 1/4" off you router bit depth.
As far as the rest of your statement, try putting any other router other than a Porter Cable into a table designed for a Porter Cable router, example buying a router table from Rockler & trying to mount any other router other than a Porter Cable into it.
This can also be said for a lot of other manufacturers.
I too have just purchased a Milwaukee Router & had to modify a router plate to fit my router. Milwaukee does not build a router plate or a router table.
In Sears (Craftsman's) defence, at least they have many local parts & service locations, thats more than can be said for any other manufacturer or distributor.
I personally am very pleased with, & own a lot of, Craftsman tools.

randyn

Ron, just a question for you. When you got the new plate from Craftsman, how difficult was it to certain align the new plate when drilling?

Mike

Randyn, you can purchase a Rousseau or other brand alignment kit for about $3 from many sources. The kits have a center plate which goes into the opening in your mounting plate, a piece of 1/4" round stock you chuck up in your router and this combination gives you a perfect alignment every time. By the way, The Porter Cable guide bushing set is considered the standard. It's not that their guide bushings are any better than other companies, its just that there are so many more of them out there. Odd's are when you go to mount your router it will have to be at an angle for the handles to fit through the mounting plate opening. Make a mark on the bottom of your mounting plate for the side which will be facing the front so your switch and adjustments are facing the front.

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Mike
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