Throat Plate
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Are you talking about the router plate in your table? Yes it needs to be flush with the table top. The smaller insert plates that fit in the opening around the router bit need to be flush with the plate and the table too. There are corner brackets with set screws in the center and screw holes at each end that you can mount under the table across the corners of the router plate hole that the router plate sits in . You screw the ends of these to the underside of the table diagonally across the corners and then turn the set screws to raise the plate until it's level with the table top. A little blue Locktite on the threads will keep it in position, yet allow you to adjust it again, should you ever need to. Some tables have similar methods of leveling the plate while others have set screws in the plate corners that you turn down from above to lift the plate above the rabbet that the router plate sits in. Both ways work well.
Most of the insert plates seem to fit flush with the router plate well, and level with the table surface. Mine doesn't quite fit level, so I've added some blue masking tape to the underside of these to lift the inserts slightly to level them. It's Ideal to have the entire table, router plate, and the inserts all perfectly level with each other so your work doesn't catch an edge anywhere when you slide it across. Do what you need to get your table top, router plate and insert as level with each other as you can. Using your router table will be a nightmare if you don't.
Charley
Most of the insert plates seem to fit flush with the router plate well, and level with the table surface. Mine doesn't quite fit level, so I've added some blue masking tape to the underside of these to lift the inserts slightly to level them. It's Ideal to have the entire table, router plate, and the inserts all perfectly level with each other so your work doesn't catch an edge anywhere when you slide it across. Do what you need to get your table top, router plate and insert as level with each other as you can. Using your router table will be a nightmare if you don't.
Charley
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16,385 Posts
Agreed. Some of the thin inserts had tangs that could be bent down to adjust to flat but that can be a time consuming PITA. Shimming it might be easier. The thicker insert plates like on a Unisaw or Powermatic 66 have set screws that you adjust to get flush.
A low plate can cause a few problems. In a really precise cut like a rabbet or dado groove a narrow work piece can dip down once you get the end just on the plate. It can also cause extra tear out since more of the wood is unsupported on the underside.
A low plate can cause a few problems. In a really precise cut like a rabbet or dado groove a narrow work piece can dip down once you get the end just on the plate. It can also cause extra tear out since more of the wood is unsupported on the underside.
I cut up some refrigerator magnets...they adhere to the lip. At some point you may want to make some zero clearance plates for your different blades. Tempered hardboard is good for this and the magnetic shims will stay in place. There also was an article on making them out of BB plywood and routing a rabbet around the edges to give a perfect fit. As others have said you will have problems if the plate is too high or too low....too high and the wood you are cutting will hit in at the beginning of the cut.....too low and the wood will hang up at the backside of the blade and you won't be able to push it all the way through.
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2,603 Posts
If your table saw throat plate or your router table plate is to low get six or eight set screws and drill holes and insert them into the holes and screw them down until the plate is exactly level with the top. You can get the set screws at most hardware stores or online.
https://www.boltdepot.com/Set_screws.aspx
https://www.boltdepot.com/Set_screws.aspx
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112 Posts
Ok...first I want to remind everyone I'm very new to a lot of this stuff. My bacjriund was in refinishing , so power sanders I can break down like a soldier and his M16...now that I'm venturing in to making my own stuff , I'm having to learn about a lot of this other Equipment.
My throat plate is painted rednon one side, very nice almost completely freenof any marks. The other side was raw metal and had some rust on it. I assumed the red faced up..so when I out it in , there was a considerable lip, I thought something was missing.
Turns out only thing missing is my ego at this point. After some deliberation I finally turned the damn plate over and tried it the other way, the correct way it turns out. Completely flush and perfect. Just have to now take it to the powder coaters to see if the powder coating will mess up the adj screws. If it will I'll be painting it. Anyway mystery solved...ego crushed.
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My throat plate is painted rednon one side, very nice almost completely freenof any marks. The other side was raw metal and had some rust on it. I assumed the red faced up..so when I out it in , there was a considerable lip, I thought something was missing.
Turns out only thing missing is my ego at this point. After some deliberation I finally turned the damn plate over and tried it the other way, the correct way it turns out. Completely flush and perfect. Just have to now take it to the powder coaters to see if the powder coating will mess up the adj screws. If it will I'll be painting it. Anyway mystery solved...ego crushed.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
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16,385 Posts
I would think that the screws can be coated with wax or oil and that would prevent the powder coat from sticking to them. Or unscrew them and put them back in upside down so that only the points are showing. It wouldn't matter if the points got powder coated.
Or stick some pencil erasers in the holes to keep them clear. Or maybe some caulk that could removed later.
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