Router template guide question...

Hi folks,

This may be a stupid question but I'm going to ask it anyway. I've got a Freud FT2200 3-1/4HP plunge router that I bought about three years ago. It's a pretty nice router but I haven't used it much. I got a good deal on it and was in need of a new bigger router anyway so I picked it up. It's been sitting on the shelf for probably two years. Today I ran into a previous client and we started talking. He's got an idea for a product he wants to produce and sell in his store. We talked about it and he did a brief sketch and I've got a pretty good idea of what he's looking for. I came home and made a prototype of the basic shape of the part that's going to need to be produced.

When we get the final design done, I was planning on making a master template and using that to cut the parts. They're going to be made out of 1/2" MDF. I'm sure this router is up to the task of cutting these parts. I've never used a guide on a router though. I've used guided bits, but a guide bushing is a little bit different.

I was at the BORG this afternoon and for about $40 they have a "universal" guide template set. It looks like just the ticket. But I got home and noticed that the base of my Freud has a big rectangular cutout in it. I looked up the Freud 9 or 10 piece guide set and it looks like just about the same thing but they're just round pieces that screw into a plate. In the pictures of that set, I don't see a rectangular plate to fit in the opening. I did notice in the RIDGID set at the BORG, it appears to have a couple base plates with it. Here goes the stupid question...

It looks like I just remove the existing plastic base plate from the router and attach one of the bases that comes with that universal set. Is that the case?

It looks like one plate had a number of different holes drilled in it. The other one was the same size but I think it was just blank. I would assume that you could use your existing plate and drill holes in the correct location if the universal one doesn't fit.

If this works out, I can probably produce these for him fairly quickly. If they sell well, he may even try selling them online in addition to his store.

Thank you so much for any input!

Take care

John

In terms of the bases I think it's a crap shoot. It says universal but who knows. for $40 it's worth the gamble.

Yeah that's what I figured. Any other routers I've owned have had a round opening in the center of the base plate. The guide kit that Freud sells just has the round guides. As I said, there's just a big rectangular opening in the base plate that came with the router.

I'm thinking that the base plates that come with that universal kit are designed so the bushings just screw into that plate. If the predrilled base doesn't match up with the holes in your router, you can use your existing plate and drill the blank one to match. Then you're all set.

I may end up having to make a fair number of parts and with a good template and guide bushings, it should make producing them a fairly quick and simple process. That 3-1/2 hp router and the right bit should cut 1/2" MDF with no problems.

John

Don's right about the universal bases, but you're also right about the blank one. You should be able to make that one fit if the universal one doesn't. It's critical to get it centered on the router, though. Carol can likely chime in with better info, but I believe I've seen alignment pins that you can put in the collet, and they fit snugly into one of the bushings. With the pin in place and a bushing on the plate, it's centered perfectly. That's where you want to mount the plate.

I also think you're right about the bushings screwing directly to the new plate. I believe the size is standardized across the industry (Porter-Cable is what they all copy, as far as I know).

Hi Vaughn,
It's 3:00 in the morning and I'm still up. Nothing like stress induced sleeplessness.

I looked at the base of my router a little while ago and there are three tapped holes in the bottom of the existing plate. There was a bag of hardware that came in the box with the router. It contained a couple wrenches, a few screws, and a vacuum adapter plate. The way that vacuum adapter plate mounts is it sits on top of the base plate and then it's flush with the bottom of the base plate. It fits snugly into the big rectangular opening. I think that's the reason for that big opening. There are three black flat head screws that I'm sure fit the three tapped holes in the bottom plate. I'm sure that you just screw a new base plate to the bottom and that is what the guide bushing screws into.

Thanks for the input!

John

Sounds like they had it already figured out. I'll bet you're right about the tapped holes being to hold the secondary base plate.