fitting router plate

[tsb]

I've just purchased the tilgear router plate and included in the pack are 4 very strong magnets. There are no instructions on how to fit the plate, but it seems quite obvious. I presume the magnets are set in the base, at each corner. If this is so, what is the best glue to use to stick them. Thanks for any advice in advance.

 

[OPJ]

You're right about the magnets (although I haven't gotten around to fitting my plate yet...) They provide a tough surface for the screws to wear against and also magnetically hold the plate in place, via the screws, though the router's weight alone would probably be enough to hold it steady.

I don't think you need to worry about gluing them in place. Whenever I've drilled a hole with a forstner bit, the magnets seem to fit snugly - and, I can NEVER get them out again! :wink:

One tip Steve M. gave me was not to make the recess for the plate too tight or else you'll risk damaging your top surface... If you used laminate/Formica.

Hope it goes well.

 

[9fingers]

I assume the base is steel and they intend you to stick the magnets into the table top to hold the plate in.

I feel this is a bad idea. It is normal to us a number of jack screws to adjust the plate exactly level with the router table top.
The magnetic strength is only any use when there is no gap between the magnets and the steel meaning you will have little or no adjustment range before the magnetic attraction becomes too weak.

Secondly any odd little bits of ferrous swarf /dust etc will stick to the magnets and throw the plate out of alignment.

I'd keep the magnets for something else in the goodies box and fit the router plate the traditional adjustable way.

Bob

EDIT just read OPJs post and maybe I have misunderstood. Does the plate already have jack screws??

 

[OPJ]

Bob, the plate itself is aluminium, so the magnets won't stick to it regardless. I spoke to Tilgear about this after buying my plate and they told me the magnets are there to stick to the grub screws in each corner.

It should work well. On the other hand though, Steve didn't receive any magnets with his plate and he told me the weight of the router is indeed enough to hold it in place. :shock:

 

[9fingers]

Thanks Olly,

I see what they are up to. I agree the router weight ought to be enough.

If it is not then arguable the router is possibly not beefy enough for table use or the amount of material being removed need reducing.

I've yet to build my router table using a woodpecker lift that a friend hand carried back from the US for me. So my comments are purely theoretical at the moment.

Bob

 

[Derek Willis.]

I don't think you will need any holding down devices for your router plate, be it alloy or tufnol, I have only this year changed from my ally plate to a tufnol plate and in both cases I use no extra hold downs at all, the weight of the router is enough.
Derek.