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Center router onto plate - photocopy method

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#1 ·
Hi Guys. Thought I'd share how I got my router centred on my Woodpecker router plate. I know Mike's stickied thread is on here, but I thought someone might like an alternative.

The Woodpecker plate (and other obviously) has a few inserts.



With one inserted, I flipped the plate upside down and traced the opening in the insert onto some paper. Then, with some simple Euclidian geometry (compass math), I found the centre point of the traced circle.



I then photocopied the base of the router onto some transparency (man were the people at the photocopying place surprised when I handed them my Bosch GMF 1600 and said, "I'd like this photocopied"). Be sure to place white paper around and inside the base while it's on the machine in order to not waste toner unnecessarily. I also think the less black the more 'readable' our template is.



Again with some Euclidian magic I found the centre relative to the mounting holes on the router (with the assumption that the router holes are all equidistant from the centre). I chose my router's 3 hole configuration to mount. I know there are 2 holes 180 degrees from each other, but I felt a threesome is better than a twosome ;)

Now, place the paper with the traced circle on your table. Place the router plate upside-down on the paper and align your traced circle with the insert circle. Next, take your transparency and place it on top of the router plate and align your transparency's centre with your traced circle's centre.

Tape that suckah down. I took three small nails and centred them on the bolt openings on the transparency (which should have been photocopied black) and gave a light tap with a hammer (I didn't have a punch). Don't forget to mark the opening for the adjustment tool.

Using a drill press and a 4mm diameter drill bit I drilled through the transparency and Woodpecker plate. I noticed shavings would gather under the transparency. I taped mine from 3 sides so I just shook the aluminum shavings out. For the adjustment screw I got tired of doing that and took the transparency off (having marked the centre of that earlier).

Random notes:

A syringe and (recently changed) motorcycle engine oil was used as lubrication for the bigger adjustment tool hole during drilling.



I chose not to incoorporate the clear baseplate. I've read some people tape this down and drill through the already existing holes. I didn't want my not-so-perfect drill press scuffing up the original holes. I did use this plate to test the size of the adjustment tool opening and to choose the correct bit size for that hole (7 or 8mm I believe).



Don't forget to countersink the holes topside. A compass is a great tool. Get screws with tapered heads.


Be sure to properly situate the router. Fine adjustment should be easily reachable from under the table as well as above the table. Be sure the hole for that tool is nearest to the operator (as a fence may block it if it's in the back).



Also, barely visible in the above photo, is one of the bolts I used. It's waaaay longer than needed (I used a 30mm). A 20mm would be more than enough if you wanted to additionally use a washer and nut, and most likely a 15 mm bolt would probably fit perfectly and not stick out the other side. One of the three bolt openings was giving me trouble with my 30mm long bolts, so I took a dremel and cut it down to somewhere around 15-20mm and it went in with no problems.

Bosch router bases take 4 mm diameter bolts.

Thanks for reading, sorry for the length. :laugh:
 
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#2 ·
Mark, looks like a real brain teaser. Well done. To find the centre of a circle I trace the circle on a piece of paper, cut it out, fold it in half, and then fold it again. When I unfold it voila the centre is visible. Kids did this for years to cut and make things like snowflakes. :)
 
#3 ·
Euclidean geometry

For those of us who crammed the night before their Euclidean geometry final, or don't know what you're talking about. Could you please describe or provide a link to how to find the center of the circle with a compass? I would guess woodworkers could find a lot of uses for that.
 
#4 ·
For those of us who crammed the night before their Euclidean geometry final, or don't know what you're talking about. Could you please describe or provide a link to how to find the center of the circle with a compass? I would guess woodworkers could find a lot of uses for that.
This vid does a pretty good job at explaining how to go about doing it.

 
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