Router Table Throat Plate Recommendation
Cincinnati
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
I am building a router table. The router plate comes with three throat plates with holes of 1”, 2-1/8” and 3-5/8” in diameter.
A filler set of other sizes throat plates (3/8″, 5/8″, 7/8″, 1-3/8″, 1-5/8″, 1-7/8″, 2-5/8″ and 3-3/8″) as well as a Porter Cable guide bushing ring are available. I can purchase them individually or as a set.
How much clearance is recommended between the bit and the plate?
Greg
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Exo 35:30-35
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Replies
Greg,
Tear-out isn't an issue with the router table like it is with the table saw. The only issue of concern is to make sure that the workpiece doesn't get hung up on it or fall in. So it depends on the size of work you are dealing with. For most work, you will probably be fine with what you have. If you are making small boxes, you may want to acquire additional inserts.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
(soon to be www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
You want to support your workpiece, and don't want things falling down there, but it's not like a tablesaw zero clearance insert. In that case the support next to the blade backs up the cut. On a router table the equivalent place to back up the cut would be the fence face on the infeed side next to the bit. Keeping clearance small there is more important than on the table.
Ideally you would like the throat plate hole just a little larger then the bit diameter but this becomes a pain changing the plate all the time so I usually use a larger hole so I do not have to change with each bit. The closer hole size prevents dipping of the lead edge causing a slightly deeper cut on the leading edge.
I make lots of small wooden toys. My 'standard' throat plate is the one to fit the PorterCable bushings. If you need a smaller hole, get a cheap PC bushing and cut or grind the barrel off it, so it sits flush with the main plate.
SawdustSteve Long Island, NY (Starting to defrost)
Greg..
Just me so take it for what it is worth. As free advice and problably worth the price.
3-5/8” in diameter bit MUST be on a Shaper.. Not a router table! I do use a 2 1/2 inch Lock Miter bit I think safely? Who knows? Bigger than that?? I would wonder...
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