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Clear Polycarbonate Router base

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router
8K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Alexander 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I want to build a couple of clear router bases to use with my sign templates. My existing router base has a little recess to accept the brass bushing. Has anyone figured out how to make that recess in a home made base?

Thanks for your help LJs
 
#2 ·
You can make the recess any size or shape you want as
long at the hole is in the middle. Getting the right size
hole then is the exacting part. The recess can be oversized
and carved out using a guide bushing on a router and a template
stuck to the new baseplate with double-stick tape.
 
#3 ·
I recently made one for my router and what I did that worked very well for me was to measure the diameter of the bushing hole in the base you are trying to duplicate as well as the "rabbited edge" diameter and then I used forstner bits on the drill press, drilling the larger one first in the center of the base, drilling it to the correct depth (sorry, don't remember how deep it is off the top of my head but a caliper will tell you) and from there I used the smaller bit (the one that fits the actual busing barrel or sleeve that passed thru the base and finished the hole) it worked great for me and served me well until I dropped the router on the bench, router is ok but the base split. Oh well.

Hope this was helpful

Chris
 
#5 ·
From Ehow. Seemingly good instructions.

Make a Base Plate for a Router
1
Remove the original base plate from your router. Use the plate as a template to drill the holes into your new base plate material, a 1/4 inch piece of Lexan. Clamp the old base plate to the new paying attention to accuracy. The holes must align perfectly when drilled to ensure a proper fit.

2
Keep the two plates clamped together while you trace a pattern of the old plate onto the new. Remove the original base, turn over the new material and countersink the holes. Cut out the pattern traced on the new base plate material.

3
Install the new plate onto the router. Choose a bit for your project. Plunge the bit into your plate, and remove the plate from your router.

4
Put your new base plate template on your drill press, bottom side up. The countersinks will be facing up. To make a through-hole into your new router base plate use a 1 and 3/16 inch hole saw. Clamp the piece of Lexan firmly to the drill press, and cut a hole all the way through.

5
Remove the hole saw from the drill press, and replace it with a 1 and 3/8 inch Forstner bit. A counterbore will be created for the template bushing to sit into. Drill the hole the right depth so that the bushing sits just shy of the Lexan surface.

Read more: How to Make a Base Plate for a Router | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2320239_make-base-plate-router.html#ixzz1IFAtvqHo
 
#6 ·
Tedstor,
Thanks for your detailed instruction for my project. All the LJs that took the time to reply were on the same track. I knew I did not have to reinvent the wheel and that someone (or many) had done this before.
Thanks again you all.
 
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