Despite making my own base for my Bosch 1613, I still have issues with
not being able to get the bit centered within a template. For those of you
who do lots of template routing, what router would you recommed that allows
one to precisely adjust the centering of the bit?

Thanks for any information and/or experiences.




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If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

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I have two PCs, a 690 and a 8529. Both have Pat Warner bases on them and
they line up very well. The 690 did fine with the stock base. The 8529 did
fine with the stock base and template adapter as far as centering but the
hole in it is 3 1/2". Makes it pretty useless for any time you get close to
an edge. If your Bosch uses countersunk screws to hold the plate on, that
may be the problem. Replace them with flat heads in counterbored holes. Make
the through holes a bit oversize. With that setup, you should be able to
center the bushing hole and when you tighten the screws, they won't pull it
out of alignment. This won't help if your bit is not square to the base
however.



"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
news

Despite making my own base for my Bosch 1613, I still have issues with
not being able to get the bit centered within a template. For those of you
who do lots of template routing, what router would you recommed that
allows
one to precisely adjust the centering of the bit?

Thanks for any information and/or experiences.





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If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough


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"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
news

Despite making my own base for my Bosch 1613, I still have issues with
not being able to get the bit centered within a template. For those of you
who do lots of template routing, what router would you recommed that
allows
one to precisely adjust the centering of the bit?

The Bosch 1617 has an adjustable base plate for centering the bit.

On Sat, 06 May 2006 21:33:08 -0700, Mark & Juanita wrote:

Despite making my own base for my Bosch 1613, I still have issues with
not being able to get the bit centered within a template. For those of
you who do lots of template routing, what router would you recommed that
allows one to precisely adjust the centering of the bit?

Thanks for any information and/or experiences.

If at all possible, I use a bit with a bearing instead of a template collar.

There are times when only a template collar will do. In those cases, make sure
you hold the router in the same orientation at all times with respect to the
template. You will also need to fiddle with template position (or size) to
compensate for the bit not being centered.

I have two Bosch 1617s, the template collar holder does allow some adjustment.
But I've little confidence in it staying put. I check often.

I bought Pat Warner's base with cutout for the PC style template collars.
These have no "slop", but they're held on with flat-head machine screws, so
there's no way to adjust them, either. With one of my plunge bases, its off a
little. The other appears to be dead on.

--
Art

On Sun, 07 May 2006 15:00:14 -0000, Art Greenberg
wrote:

On Sat, 06 May 2006 21:33:08 -0700, Mark & Juanita wrote:

Despite making my own base for my Bosch 1613, I still have issues with
not being able to get the bit centered within a template. For those of
you who do lots of template routing, what router would you recommed that
allows one to precisely adjust the centering of the bit?

Thanks for any information and/or experiences.


Thanks to all for the answers provided thus far.

If at all possible, I use a bit with a bearing instead of a template collar.

There are times when only a template collar will do.

Yep

In those cases, make sure
you hold the router in the same orientation at all times with respect to the
template.

While I attempt to do this, there are some times where this is either
impractical or not possible given the directions one needs to turn.

You will also need to fiddle with template position (or size) to
compensate for the bit not being centered.


... and that's the part I'm getting somewhat tired of needed to do.

I have two Bosch 1617s, the template collar holder does allow some adjustment.
But I've little confidence in it staying put. I check often.


Would prefer something that once in place, stays in place, but right now,
I'd dearly love the ability to do some sort of adjustment.

.... snip


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If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

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Mark & Juanita wrote:
Despite making my own base for my Bosch 1613, I still have issues with
not being able to get the bit centered within a template. For those of you
who do lots of template routing, what router would you recommed that allows
one to precisely adjust the centering of the bit?

Thanks for any information and/or experiences.




+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
I use porter cables just for the reason. I was given a dewalt for
Christmas one time just to be setup for my dovetail jig. I put the bit
in and could see the base was WAY off. Tried to center the base but it
has some sort of pins holding it in place. It went back several days
later and I came home with a PC690.
I also had a 1/4" SS rod milled. On setup I chuck it up with the
template that fits it snug. Then with the screws lose the sub base will
center on it's own. Then just tighten the screws. Remove the rod and
template and replace with the one you want to use.

In article ,
Mark & Juanita wrote:

For those of you
who do lots of template routing, what router would you recommed that allows
one to precisely adjust the centering of the bit?

I take advantage of the 'off-centre' bit. I do the cut with it running
shy...then rotate the router 180-degrees and climb-cut on the way back.
I also have a (once) square base which is 1/32 out on 3 sides:
Side A = 0
Side B = + 1/32
Side C = + 1/16
Side D = + 3/32
Clearly marked, it allows for a very fine 'sneaking' up to a marked line.
It only works on a straight cut, of course, mostly trimming 1-1/2" thick
edges in solid surface.
1/32 is 'fine' in the world of solid surface counter top fabrication.

r

On Sat, 06 May 2006 21:33:08 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:


Despite making my own base for my Bosch 1613, I still have issues with
not being able to get the bit centered within a template. For those of you
who do lots of template routing, what router would you recommed that allows
one to precisely adjust the centering of the bit?

Here's one way (works for me...) to get an absolutely centered base:

1) Cut out a new baseplate blank that's about 1/16" larger than what
you want to end up with. I've used a teardrop shape that takes an
outboard handle made on the lathe.
2) Cut the head off a 1" or so screw that's the same thread size as
the baseplate mounting screws for your router.
3) Chuck the resulting threaded rod into your drill press; don't
tighten so much that you damage the threads.
4) With the DP running, use a file to form a sharp point on the rod.
When finished, cut a slot into the opposite end of the rod so you can
use a small screwdriver to turn it.
5) Clamp the baseplate blank (roughly centered) to the cast base of
the router so it can't move.
6) From the top of the cast base, screw the rod down through so that
it dimples the baseplate at exactly the center of each of the mounting
screw locations.
7) Unclamp the baseplate blank, and using a brad point bit in the
drill press, drill out the mounting hole locations. Countersink (FROM
THE BOTTOM) for flat-head screws.
8) Chuck up a "vee" bit in the router with the tip just below the
plane of the casting surface where the baseplate mounts. Screw the new
baseplate onto the casting, using flathead screws.
9) Using the router's height adjustment, jam the vee bit down into the
baseplate a bit, and turn the router collet by hand to creat a dimple
that indicates the exact center of the router's shaft.
10) Unscrew the baseplate from the router base, and drill all the way
through the baseplate center point with a 1/16" bit.
11) Using a Forstner bit (I think the correct size is 1-3/16"), bore
part way through from the BOTTOM of the plate to form the OUTER
diameter counterbore for your template collar's mounting flange. The
1/16" hole provides the centering point for the Forstner bit. The
depth of the counterbore you're making is that of your collar's
mounting flange plus 10 or 20 thousandths more that will get the
collar below the bottom plane of the baseplate.
12) Again, using a slightly larger Forstner bit and the 1/16" hole for
a center, counterbore from the TOP of the plate to provide clearance
for the threaded locking ring for the template collar. The reason for
this is if you're using a 3/8" thick baseplate, there's not enough
collar thread showing above the top of the plate for adequate mating
with the collar lock ring unless you provide a counterbore.
13) Using one more Forstner bit and the 1/16" centering hole, drill
out a clearance hole to allow the template collar to pass through the
baseplate. You should have a hole with stepped counterbores at top and
bottom of the baseplate that allow the template collar to mount and
lock into the plate.
14) With a collar mounted, screw the new baseplate to the router
casting with flat head screws. The collar should be dead center on the
axis of the router's shaft.
15) In a 12" or so square piece of plywood or (ugghh) MDF, drill a
hole that will accept the template collar with a tight fit, but allow
the router to spin. Place the hole in the board such that the edge of
the router and baseplate hang off the edge a bit.
16) Chuck a sanding drum into the drill press, and clamp the board
with the router onto the table so that the sanding drum will hit the
edge. Sand the edge of the baseplate while slowly spinning the router
around to form an edge that's absolutely concentric with the center of
the baseplate, the template collar, and the router shaft. Obviously
with a teardrop shaped plate you don't want to spin 360 degrees, but
you can turn it the appropriate angle to smoothly meet the straight
sides at a tangent. Several passes with the sanding drum will get the
base down to the desired radius.

The last couple of bases I've done this way have all been within 3
thousandths (0.003) of an inch of concentric to the router shaft, both
to the collar and to the edge of the baseplate. I've been using the
machined brass type of collars; you might have to modify this
procedure somewhat to accommodate the stamped steel collars.

Cliff Ober