Fitting a router to a router plate, which holes?

[mickthetree]

Hey all

I scored one of the Jessem router plates (Phenolic resin) and tops in the rutlands sale and I've gotten round to mounting the router this evening.

I have a Macallister router that I bought off a forum member some years ao. Its a 2kw beast, very heavy and I'm happy to mount it perminantly in my table. It has a fine height adjuster built in and I've removed the spring and it does just what I want.

There are four holes that hold the current base to the router. These are fairly thin threaded screws.

There are also three larger holes for more hefty screws, however if I use these they get a bit close to the edge of thehole in the plate.

Hopefully this pic will explain more.

So should I use the larger screw holes that are closer to the hole in the plate? or the smaller screw holes that are more spaced, but use thinner screws?

 

[9fingers]

I would use the greater number of screws over the largest radius for maximum rigidity.

Bob

 

[mickthetree]

Many thanks bob. That does sound sensible.

The screws holding the current base are countersunk machine screws. I can get some longer ones from work, but I presume these are the right sort of thing to use, over a larger headed screw?

As you can see in the photo, that shorter wider screw has a large flat head.

Is there a standard type of screw for fitting these?

 

[9fingers]

You need a head style to suit the router plate. I'd expect them to be countersunk. Whatever you use, you want the heads to finish below the working surface of the plate. Make sure no burrs are sticking up.

Most EU routers will have metric screws, others from the other side of the pond will likely be unified threads - poss UNC but not guaranteed.

Bob