# Installing leveling screws for router plate



## botanist (Sep 17, 2008)

I'm in the process of building a bench top router table and I just picked up the aluminum router plate from Rockler and I had a question. My router table top is two pieces of 3/4" mdf and I'm wondering how I'm supposed to installing the leveling screws for the plate. The leveling screws don't look like something you could just put in the mdf. Is there some kind of a threaded insert I could use that would go through the mdf and accept the leveling screws?


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## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

I'm confused by your question. The leveling screws should be in the aluminum plate. There should be magnetic pads in the MDF that the leveling set screws rest on.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Here is an idea for you - -

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2020923/23139/Kreg-Precision-Router-Table-Insert-Plate-Levelers.aspx

With this approach you do not need a rabbet in your table to support the insert. IMHO, this is a better way to support an insert if you are building your own table.

I think there are some other variations of this design available from other manufacturers but this is the first one I found.


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## sry (Jul 9, 2008)

If I recall, the leveling screws for my Rockler plate screw into a rabbet around the table opening. The plate rests on top of the screws.
If you're building the top from scratch and have the leveling screws from Rockler, I'd recommend threaded inserts because otherwise I think you'd quickly tear the MDF apart. Rockler has a ton of threaded inserts of all styles.


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## sry (Jul 9, 2008)

My memory is apparently a little fuzzy, here's a picture of the Rockler setup and how they do the leveling screws:









The leveling screws come through from below, and the hole in the corners is where the plate is actually fastened to the top


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## live4ever (Feb 27, 2010)

Are you talking about the leveling screws or the lockdown screws?

There are threaded inserts that accept the two lockdown screws. Then there are the 8 leveling screws which need a small pilot hole but are just meant to screw up through your table ledge. All of this hardware doesn't come with the plate itself but is rather a separate $6 hardware purchase from Rockler.


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## botanist (Sep 17, 2008)

@richgreer-I really like the suggestion of those plate levelers.

My original plan was to put laminate over the mdf, cut a rabbet for the plate to rest on, then mount the plate. My question is that it looks like the bolts that come with the plate are intended for use in one of Rockler's router tables. The plate came with two lockdown bolts and a number of leveling screws. Since I'm using my own mdf table, I don't have threaded inserts and no way to lock down the plate or level it relative to the table. I was wondering if there was some kind of threaded insert I could use that had threads on the outside for threading into the table and threads on the inside to accept the bolts.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

I'm not completely understanding what you are saying but it sounds like you want to "lock down" the insert plate (i.e. you want to secure it to the table).

On my router table (and I believe most router tables) the insert just sets on the leveling screws. I can easily lift it out at any time. I see no need to lock down the insert.

FYI - I lift my router out quite often because I set my oscillating spindle sander into the same spot.


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## live4ever (Feb 27, 2010)

I swear, sometimes I'm invisible. 

@botanist - There is a hardware pack from Rockler. It is item 22994 on this page:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21299

It will provide you with the two threaded inserts you need, as well as the 8 leveling screws. Alternatively, you could just buy threaded inserts and leveling screws separately from another source. Rich is right that most router plates are not locked down like Rockler's.

I had installed Rockler's plate in my TS extension wing.


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## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

Rich
That's what I was trying to convey. I have the MCLS table and the plate rests in there from the weight of the router. There are set screws in each corner of the plate for leveling.

Jim


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## botanist (Sep 17, 2008)

@live4ever-I see, I thought that the Rockler kit was only for manufactured tables, not custom tables. That hardware kit might be an easy way to take care of the situation. Thanks for the help.


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## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

It looks like a pretty good idea. If I were making a table, I would probably try them out. Beats the secondary ledge routing.


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