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Plastic inserts for BF3800 Table Insert

2611 Views 6 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  jw2170
I have a Freud FT2000E router and a PKG0026 Router Table. I just bought a 45 deg chamfer bit to make some miters. The diameter of the bit is larger than the hole in the plastic inserts that came with the table. Are replacement plastic inserts available that will fit? I need a hole a little larger than 2 inches diameter.
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Freud doesn't sell power tools anymore according to what we hear. They weren't made by Freud anyway, they were made by Felisati in Italy and Freud was probably trying to take advantage of the reputation they earned with their blades and bits. People have come here looking for collets and speed controls and we know of no sources for them. With that in mind I don't know what the chances are of you finding other inserts. Your best bet may be to drill the one you have out. You didn't fill out your profile so I have no idea of your skills or what tools you have to work with but you could use a Forstner bit in a drill press the same size as the existing hole to center it on your drill press table and then clamp it down and change bits to a larger size.
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Welcome to the forum.
Welcome to the forum. You could possibly make a new insert from lexan or phinelic. I have cut them using a fly cutter https://www.amazon.com/General-Tool...eywords=fly+cutter&qid=1574178082&s=hi&sr=1-4 on my drill press. Hope that helps.
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glad you joined the fun.

Since there is no standard for router mounting plates, and none for inserts, you are unlikely to find an insert that fits precisely. However, you might want to go to a woodworking store and check to see if there is something that is similar, or even a match. If you can find something close enough, it may that you can sand it down to fit. The other question I have is about how the insert is held in place. Older inserts are held in place with three tiny (easily lost) screws. If the thickness is right, they will be easy to drill. Or, you might find some material of the right thickness you can trim to the right diameter, drill holes, as Roxanne suggested.

Another option is to purchase a different plate, preferably with twist lock (bayonet) inserts, then buy extra inserts, some brands have sets of inserts pre-drilled. It is usually pretty easy to mark out and route a different sized opening for the new plate. Kreg makes some leveling screws in pix you could add if the existing ones must be removed.

Once you get a new plate, you can surround it with boards, which clamped down, will serve as guides for a bearing bit, see pix with blue plate. Add a playing card between the plate and boards to allow slight wiggle room for lifting the plate in and out for easier bit changes. The pix of the red and aluminum plate is the Woodpecker, premium priced, showing a number of interchangable insert plates. They even make a kit with all sizes you might ever need of inserts. And it's twist lock. There are many other very good brands with the twist lock that are about half the price of the Woodpecker plate. The picture of the leveling screw attachment is a Kreg product.

I think the new plate is probably your best bet at this point. No more hassles. The table itself is rather nice, and if you can keep using it with a new plate, I think you'll like it.

I found this number for Freud, 800-472-7307, but the guy who posted it was disappointed.

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Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. After thinking about it for a while, I bought a sheet of 1/8 inch hardboard and just made an overlay for the table top with an appropriately sized hole for the bit I have. Works great and only cost about $4.
Gary D.
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G'day and welcome to the forum.
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