# router table insert fitting fustration HELP!!!!



## juicegoose (Jan 6, 2010)

So I bought the pinnacle blank plate for the 690/890 router and the plate has 3/4" radius corners. Not sure what the heck I was thinking but I went and picked up a 3/4" bit(really just 3/8" radius) and tried to make a template for the plate in my table. Needless to say the corners didn't work out. Certainly I don't need to go get a 1 1/2" bit to make this corner(if it even exists for a hand router). Should I instead use a bushing and pattern bit? If so which one none of the bushing i have seem to be what I would need. HEEELLLLP

here is a picture for reference


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## lilredweldingrod (Nov 23, 2009)

Which bushings do you have? Are they PC, Hitachi, Milescraft, ? I have a 40 mm for my Hitachi that would probably do what you need, but they won't fit a PC router.

Why not take a piece of 1/2" mdf and make a OD template and a 1/2" pattern bit. Rand


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## traupmann (Oct 8, 2010)

After clearing out all the material, except the corners, scribe the correct arc and hand route it slowly. You might practice a bit first, but with adequate light, a good face shield, you can do good enough for a router plate.


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## juicegoose (Jan 6, 2010)

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm thinking I'm going to try and use my 1 1/2" forstner bit in the corners and see how that works. I also looked up on Woodcraft website and they have the woodpecker/pinnacle plate templete for 14 bucks. If the drill bit idea doesn't work I'll be buying the templete. I would have done this all last night but as I drilled some holes with a 3" hole cutter chucked into my drill press it flung my chuck clean off the shaft. It was the good lord telling me to go lay down and rest my brain!!!


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## traupmann (Oct 8, 2010)

Hey, take a thin piece of plywood and make your own template first. Use the forstner bit in the corners, and cut the lines and and sand them in. Test it with the plate. then you can make the cut with a pattern bit. You can always fill in any oops prior to cutting the 'real' hole. You could even make it like a cabinet door out of separate pieces of wood and glue a hunk i the corner that you cut with the forstner bit.

Just some ideas…


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

I suggest you scribe the arc carefully on the plate with a pointy object like an awl, then rub dust or powder on it so you can see it…then sand to the line. If you don't have a stationary belt/disc sander, rig up your portable belt sander to do it, making sure you have a right angle.

In the end, how important is it that the corners fit perfect? What needs to be perfect is the flushness at the top, but the arcs aren't critical to good work.

Using a forstner bit sounds not good.

You may be at least overthinking, if not obsessing, about this.


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## juicegoose (Jan 6, 2010)

Lee I agree in the grand scheme of things that the corners really don't matter. I simply am not the type to half arse things and to me taking the time to fit a plate into the top and it look sloppy just seems..well… sloppy. I'll try some different ideas out thanks for all the ideas guys.


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## RalphBarker (Oct 26, 2010)

There are several ways of approaching this, and at least a couple of ways of thinking about each alternative approach. Most involve at least a little arithmetic to get the radius of the corners correct.

For example, if you use the plate itself, along with a guide bushing, to create a template with rounded corners, you're working with the offset of the bushing/bit-radius combo, and need to think in terms of concentric circles. A bit equal to, or smaller than, the plate radius can work. In contrast, if you simply clamp four pieces of straight stock to create a rectangular "template" space within which to rout, you're still working with the offset, but the bit should match the radius of the plate corner.

The Forstner bit for the corners approach gets around the problem nicely, but they are a little tricky to use in a hand-held drill.


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## juicegoose (Jan 6, 2010)

Ralph thanks for the perspective. I think my plan is this

-brad nail 4 pieces of straight stock around each side of the plate.
-bring the pre template, with template material attached, to the drill press and drill 4 1-1/2" circles in each corner. The pre template material should allow me to register nicely for the corners.
-jigaw the majority of the inner templete out and then use my 3/4" pattern bit to flush up the edges being carefull when approaching the corners.

This should give me the outline i need to be able to plunge my 3/4" pattern into my table to create the desired lip and radius. The innter piece is a non issue(talking about on the table now)


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## hambonez (May 22, 2009)

When routing housed stair stringers I make a template like you describe, running straight stock around cut off pieces of the tread and riser stock. Then, to get the profile of the treads, I cover a piece of the tread material with plastic cling wrap and fill in the corner with bondo. A bit of sanding and you have a perfect template without worrying about the radius of your bit, provided it's smaller that the radius. Should work for you here, as long as the plate is thick enough to register.

I probably have a pic if this is unclear.


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## hambonez (May 22, 2009)

I just realized these posts are a bit old and I'm probably late to the party.


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

Yea this is a bit of an old post but here goes anyway. I used a rabbeting bit for mine since I needed the lip for the plate to sit on anyway and the rabbeting bit was the same size as the corner of the plate.


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