[Blind Bruce]

I just tried a 1/2" roundover bit and find that it will not "quite" fit thru the hole in my Oak Park base plate. I thought of powering up the router and plunging it thru but that would upset the guide rings that I have for it. Am I limited to 3/8" roundovers or do other bits have smaller OD's?
Mine are Cdn Tire Mastercraft.
BB

 

[Stolionly]

Working with Bit Profiles that won't fit

I had a similar problem with a 45 degree chamfer bit. I raised the router so that the collet was just below the opening and then I set the bit to have to bottom of the bit just above the table top. I then used a piece of 1/2" MDF to raise the table bed. Once I determined where where to position the fence to get the right cut on the piece I started the router and eased the MDF into the bit forming a zero clearance base to run the piece on. Sorry I didn't take an pictures of the setup.

Haven't tried this with other style bits hope this helps.

Mike

 

[bobj3]

Hi Bruce

You Don't want to nail the Oak_Park plate , try this it's like Mike's way but just a bit different, pop the router out and remove the router from the plate, then find some 1/4" MDF stock or a some 1/4" plastic and trace around the base and cut it to size then set the base plate on the MDF or plastic and mark and drill the holes so you can mount the router back on BUT this time drill/hole saw the center hole out to 2 1/2" hole ,this should work for most of your bits.

This is a quick fix and you now have two base plates. clear plastic would be best but any port in a storm for this quick fix.


Bj

 

[Julie]

You can buy plates with a bigger diameter opening. This is what I needed for my horizontal panel bit. So now I have two Oak Park base plates.

~Julie~

 

[Mike]

This is the one area I have always felt the Oak Park plate falls short in. While the two methods suggested above both work, it is real easy to forget you are using an auxillary table surface and damage your mounting plate. You shouldn't need to build and switch to a second plate. There is also the guide bushing size limitations of PC or Oak Park standards depending on your plate. Saving your mad money Julie? Rick tells me something is being done about this.

 

[bobj3]

Hi Bruce

I was going to suggest one more way to fix this error in the Oak-Park system but it takes a bit of work on your part.
You did say what type of router you are using in the router table, but this is for the PC router and it work for others that use the brass guides for the 1 3/16" size .

Send off for a new Oak-Park base plate that has the 3 1/8 hole in it, once you get the plate make a plastic or hard board ring to fit under the opening that is 1/4" x 4" OD, and 2 7/8" ID hole.
Now screw the new ring part in place,with flat Allen head screws and LOCK NUTS,once you have it in place pickup some base plates from Rockler and use trim bit to resize them so they will drop into the 2 7/8" opening.
Now you will have all the inserts you will need and you will not need to switch base plates and reline the center point .
It would be best to rework the Oak-Park base all the way by putting in a 3 3/4" opening (center hole) and make the plastic/HB ring a bit bigger, this way you are set for the big panel bits as well, but it will take a bit more work because the opening MUST be dead on.
You can do this with the new base plate as the templete and the brass guide and a rabbit bit.

NOTE***don't use the one you now have you will need it in place to make the ring and to rework the new base plate.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=6236

Below you will see one I made for one of my router tables ,it's not the same but I did use the PC black plastic base plate to do the same thing.

http://www.routerforums.com/table-mounted-routing/2766-whats-best-way.html




Bj

 

[Hamlin]

I was just gonna ask about the larger plate from O-P with some sort of insert but Bob answered that one.