Fitting a DeWalt 625 router to a Bosch rail system

[Farmer Giles]

I have some bookcases to make and a lot of those metal strips to let in to hold the shelves. I've had a Dewalt 625 router for donkeys years and really like it, and I had some Mafell guide rail that came with their jigsaw on an offer and like the system. Its the same as the Bosch rail, Mafell license it to them. I managed to buy some more lengths and a joining piece at a good price a few weeks ago.

So the next logical step is to attache the DeWalt router to the guide system using the Bosch FSN guide. Unfortunately it is not a natural fit. the base has loads of holes for all sorts of Bosch routers but none line up easily with the DeWalt with the bit centred.

So first step, find out where to drill the router base. I could have drilled the guide base and use existing holes in the router by using a some kind of transfer punch but decided to go this way as its easier to mark out.

With a bolt in the router collett and a paper template to help centring, I marked up through the Bosch base where I though the best places to drill the router base would be.

It so happens that router base is a hollow aluminium casting so filled in two voids with JB weld and leave at least over night 24+ hours is better. I took care not to make it higher than the base, I didn't want to have to file it down afterwards.

I then drilled and tapped the JB Weld M5 and installed the router onto the base with some M5 countersunk screws.

Done. It works however I would recommend bigger screws. If you release the travel on the router base quickly then the springs push the base against the screws with a jolt which loosened them. I did consider embedding some nuts in the JB Weld but it would have been fiddly, If I had some M5 internally threaded bar then that would have been perfect.

However it did the job and you can only see 3 small holes in the router phenolic base once removed. I will now probably drill the JB Weld and insert some internally threaded bar, a bit like those hex cross section bar used on PCBs.

The base system is very stable on the rails. Dust extraction could be better but overall worth the effort.

Cheers
Andy

EDIT - I found some M5 threaded hex brass PCB stand-off so will install that when it gets here from China.

 

[Farmer Giles]

So I fitted the threaded hex stand-off at the weekend. First I drilled out the JB Weld to take the standoffs and marked up the length needed using the original threaded holes as a guide.

Then I used more JB weld to fix them being careful not to get much on the threads by placing an M5 bolt into them while inserting them into the hole and making sure some JB squirted out around the threaded stand-off. I then took he bolt out and cleaned up making sure none of the JB weld was proud of the router base.

Once set I ran an M5 tap through them to clean up any JB Weld and fixed the phenolic base back on. I've tried it on the Bosch track guide and its as solid as a rock.

Cheers
Andy