Router Forums banner

Bosch 1181 Warped Plate

944 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  coleman10
Hi, all.

New to routing and got my first routing table, the Bosch 1181. I liked it because it fit in my small workshop space and it looks like it will fit into my table saw wing (another project). I'm just unpacking and setting it up today and I noticed that the router plate is a little warped, bending inwards lengthwise (concave). If I raise the center leveling screws to where the center is level with the table, the plate rocks like a seesaw. The table itself is acceptably flat. It's a shame the plate is not.

I have a feeling you guys are going to tell me to ship this thing back, but figured I'd post before I went down that path. Perhaps I'm missing something. Maybe calling Bosch is an option.

Thanks, everyone.
1 - 4 of 7 Posts
If the plate is noticeably warped I would call them.
Yep. I called them yesterday and they’re sending out a new one. Should have it within five days. Years ago I was going to build a cart and put a top on it, but I ended up using it for a drum sander. Life got in the way of working in the garage and I’m trying to get back into it.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
Mine is concave too, I think this is a common problem. I did the same as you, I raised the front & back center hex screws slightly (as seen from the front of the table). With the phillips screws in the corners tightened down, the plate should not rock - this effectively bends the plate's concave center into flat, although doing this while maintaining the plate's flushness with the surrounding table is like a game of whack-a-mole.
This shouldn’t be a common problem, though. Anyway, I did get the replacement plate in and it’s nice and flat. A huge improvement. I don’t know if I got an older unit, but the new plate is nicely polished and smooth as silk, not like the old plate and table, which are full of lines and very rough. I saw in another post where someone sanded the table with an orbital sander and 320. I used 220 and now the table is super smooth. Also got some paste wax. Will do that during the week.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
@coleman10

Did you take any photos of the old warped plate?

When sanding down the rest of the table with an orbital sander, how does one maintain an overall flat plane, instead of introducing new dips and divots inadvertently?
No, no photos, but I do still have it. I just haven't gotten around to tossing it.

When you're sanding down the rest of the table, you're using very fine sandpaper and just moving the sander around quickly with no added weight to just take the roughness off the table. It will remove all that grainy roughness very quickly. I don't believe there's any danger in causing dips or divots.
1 - 4 of 7 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top