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Base Plate for Craftsman Router

29K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  adot45 
#1 ·
Hi - I'm new so not sure if this is right forum or not. I have 2 older Craftsman routers (17431 and 175040) and would like to get a base plate for a current router model and use it with my old routers. The reason is that I recently bought a Craftsman Professional Dovetail kit at a yard sale. It was a great buy but it was missing the guide bushings. I bought a new set of metal bushings from Sears but then realized they don't fit my older router bases (hole in center of base is too big). My bases are meant to use the plastic bushings that screw in. All the new routers have smaller holes and the new bushings fit nicely into the holes. If I could find a base for a current model router, I think it would fit perfectly on one of my older routers - the holes to screw it to the router seem to line up. Then I can use the bushings I bought. I tried to buy a new base at Sears and Sears parts but they don't carry current model base plates (or so I was told). Any suggestions of where to get the base plate or another way of using my dovetail jig? Thanks very much.
 
#2 ·
#3 ·
Bobj3,
Thanks for the fast response. The set you linked to was in the Sears store. The screw holes to fasten the base to the router match up perfectly with my older router bases. Unfortunately, none of these bases fit the craftsman bushings. The center holes in 5 of them are too big. The 6th base plate's center hole is smaller. I thought about trying to drill it to the size of the bushings. First I would have to buy a drill bit that large and then I would have to figure out how to cut about approx. a 1/8"x1/16" recess around the edge of the enlarged whole to hold the rim of the bushing. I'm afraid that is beyond my abilities at this time.

Steve
 
#4 ·
I guess I thought it would be easy to buy new base plates from Sears parts. Don't base plates ever break and need to be replaced? Or haven't the newer routers been on the market long enough for their replacement base plates to reach Sears parts. Or has Sears decided not provide parts for their hand power tools any more?

Steve
 
#5 · (Edited)
#6 ·
bobj3,
Thanks. I'll check out the MLCS base plate. I'll probably do better there. I tried Sears PartsDirect and the only thing that comes up with any of the 1754x router numbers (all the current models) are chainsaws (apparently Craftsman chainsaws have a similar number to their routers). I even used their on-line chat and that person couldn't help.

Steve
 
#8 ·
bobj3,
Guess I don't know what pc guides are (I'm still a router neophyte). I bought a "Craftsman 12 piece Bushing & Centering Cone Set". I'm too new to this site so not allowed to post the link. Is that what you asked? I only need 2 of the bushings for the dovetail jig but figured the other bushings might come in handy some day.

Steve
 
#9 ·
Hi Steve

Some of the Craftsman guides are 1 1/4" in diam..and they will not fit right in the normal plate holes,,,the PC type are 1 3/16" in diam.you can see them listed on the same MLCS web page with the router base plates..

The Craftsman are steel plated the norm, that's a big tip off.

Once you have the guides you will be amazed what you do with them ,not just for dovetail jigs...


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#12 ·
I am also new to this forum but have a very similar problem. I did find a base that I am ordering today to try on my old router for the same reason. Look up sears PART NUMBER: 3122924000 at sears parts direct-- see if that might work for you . I figure it is worth the gamble at $2.42 .
 
#13 ·
Just a thought as I see you already bought your bushings...I needed to outfit a Skil router with bushings for some template routing and one way is to get the Skil RAS140 bushing adapter which I did and the alternative to that, which may help you, is to get the Ridgid bushing set which besides the bushings, comes with two bases and drilling templates for most every router.
 

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