Router table plate questions

[Darren D]

I'm at the very, very early stages of building a router table, well I've bought some of the components. One of them is the Dakota router plate insert from Rutlands. It doesn't come with fitting instructions so I'm hoping someone can help out with some questions I have.

1. The table comes with a shoulder pin for "freehand routing". There is also a magnet to go with it and the table has 6 holes in various positions that will accept the pin.

What is a shoulder pin for exactly? How would I use it? Also are all the holes I've marked used for the pin or are some of them for another purpose? And what do I do with the magnet?

2. the underside of the plate has a lip all the way round - around 15mm and the corners have threaded holes and little stub bolts and magnets. I assume the plate rests on this lip, the magnets are inserted into the table and hold the plate down and the bolts can be used for levelling. Does this all sound correct? How do I secure the magnets into the table - glue?

3. Finally given that the above assumption is correct, why are there 4 countersunk holes in the corners of the plate? (labelled in the above diagram). They are inside the outer lip so if they are to screw the plate down, they would have nothing to screw into.

Please help!!
Darren

 

[SketchUp Guru]

What you are calling the 'shoulder pin' would be called a starting pin in the US. Maybe in the UK as well. It is used as a sort of steady rest when you are routing without a fence. This is handy for pattern routing as it gives you something solid to hold the work against before contacting the bit.

As to the magnets, you could glue them in place or you could set flat head steel screws into the bottom of counterbores to hold the magnets in place. There are little cups available to hold magnets from Lee Valley if you want to go that route.

As to the countersunk holes, you could use those to screw the plate to the table. You need to make sure the lip on the table is wide enough to allow for those screws. I'd put in threaded inserts and use machine screws for the corners.

When you get ready to cut the tabletop for the plate, lay it where you want it and and surround it with straight pieces of MDF to create a template. Then use a pattern trimming bit (bearing closest to the router) with the same radius as the corners on the plate. Set the cutter depth to the thickness of the plate plus a hair. It's better to have to shim up the plate than have it sit proud of the surface.

Run the router around the pattern to cut the perimeter. Then move the template pieces in and cut again. Work away at the surface until you have a lip of the desired width. Wider is better here. Then cut away the center with a jig saw or whatever.

Fit the router to the plate and see if you can get it through the hole. Remove only as much material as you must to get the router into the table.

Finally shim the plate to level all the way around with tape. Locate the holes for the inserts to attach the plate at the corners.

 

[cd]

Hi Darren,

I went one step further and bought the whole top when it was in the sale earlier. Your right about the magnets in mine the were set into each corner below the holes. The corner holes are threaded and take the allen grub? screws which help to level it up. and "stick to the magnets to hold it in.
Can't help much with the shoulder pin as I've never used one
With regard to the countersunk holes in the corners I can only assume they are an alternative fixing method for securing the top.

cd

 

[mailee]

Yes you are correct the holes are for the shoulder pin for 'freehand' routing without the fence. It is required when you are routing curved pieces as someone has already mentioned. It must always be used with bearing cutters in the table and provides a lead on to the cutter. A fine example of this would be routing the rails of cathederal doors. I use one regularly when building kitchen doors. Hope this helps. :wink:

 

[Darren D]

Thanks, that clears up most things.
Are the 3 holes in the yellow insert also for the shoulder pin or do they serve another purpose?

 

[Knot Competent]

They could well be for attaching your router to the underside of the insert plate. But I could be wrong - it wouldn't be the first time!

John

 

[ike]

A shoulder pin is used like this for freehand curved work. I only need one hole because I can rotate the throat plate as required to suit the workpiece. That's why you have several holes in your plate.

Ike

 

[tim]

Are the 3 holes in the yellow insert also for the shoulder pin or do they serve another purpose?

I imagine that these are for a 'bent rod' spanner to undo the rings.

Cheers

Tim