Trim Router Base Plate for Freehand Routing, How I Made Mine
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- Since I started using my trim router to make signs people told me I really needed to put a base plate on my router. The base plates will help steer the router better which not only relieves stress on the hands but helps you do a better job too! I happened to have all of the supplies I needed to make a base, so instead of ordering one, and waiting, I made one! The first one I made I cracked and glued back together so I could use it. Also, the screw heads were not flush with the base so they scratched my projects until I put tape over them. This all worked for a short time, but then it broke apart again where I had cracked it. So, since a lot of folks have asked me about my router base I decided to make a new one and show everyone how I did it. Plexiglass is spendy, so if you don’t want to make your own you can buy a trim router base plate from Make A Wood Sign. They sell a bunch for different models, so they may have one for your router. I will leave a link so you can check them out!
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Cy, I cracked my base plate for my trim router that I had purchased from the Rhotens just a week before. I tripped over the extension cord and the router dropped to the ground. I was lucky that the plate protected my profile bit from being broken. Believe it or not, I was able to mend the acrylic base plate with CA glue. I have been successfully using it for weeks now. If and when it fails, I will buy another from the Rhotens. By the time I bought a sheet of acrylic, the $25. price for the DeWalt 611 is pretty darn reasonable. You were lucky your hubby had the extra acrylic. I just checked with Lowes and an 18 X 24" piece of acrylic costs $26.48.
I love your videos. Keep up the great work!
I don't know how I managed to come up with my son's name. I actually wrote this comment. Devon Day from Long Beach, CA
I love your videos. Thanks for sharing this great tip. Devon
Devon! I used CA glue on the first one I made and it worked for a few weeks until I packed my router to take with me somewhere. It must have jostled enough to make the repaired area come apart again. But I fixed it again and it worked again, but I decided to make a total new one! Glad you didn't break your profile bit or go all the way down tripping on the cord! Ca glue is soooo handy!
Great video CY, Thank you so much for the link and mention. We very much appreciate it, Eric
Thanks Eric :) I appreciate you all too!!!
Great video, Cy. Many years ago, I worked with a lot of acrylic and we got our material from a company that used acrylic sheets (I think they made custom signs out of it). They let us pick through their scrap bin. It might be worth investigating.
I will do this! Love scrap bins!! Thanks!!!!
ebay has affordable pieces. Also glass shops and trophy shops have some scraps from time to time from projects they will sell cheap enough
Hals Wood Shop. Thanks for the clear step by step. Ask at the hardware store or home center. They often have small pieces small as a piece of paper or smaller glad to sell off and just what you need for this not a full sheet.. I like my trim router for I wanted it to do.
Great idea Hal, thanks!!!!
Use what you have on hand...like it. Gibbs was just chilling...
Gibbs gets tired pretty quickly, he naps a lot!!!
I am going to remember this one Cy ! I know I will need it in my future!!! Thanks for sharing! Regards BobLee
Awesome Bob!!!
I have a Harbor Freight trim router too...it has it's place. Oh, I see the handles are on the base...definitely something for me to think about. I like how it's oval so 2 sides aren't as wide and it can fit in tight spaces.
Hey Andrew! Ya, the HF router seems to work for me just fine in how I use it! Seems a lot of folks have this router!!!
I've have the same router and this is a perfect explanation for me to try and create one platform for mine, awesome video!!! Thanks!!! :D
Thank you, I remember you talking about this in your letter, sometimes DIY is less expensive and sometimes not! ;)
Plexiglass is Acrylic and it is not very strong. The good stuff, which is 10 times stronger than acrylic/plexiglass is POLYCARBONATE. Lexan is one brand...and yes it is very expensive, but practically bullet proof. Polycarbonate would not have broken. You can drill it, saw, it, etc with no problems. Nice project btw!! 👍
Thanks! I have heard of Lexan, that would be a better product for this for sure!
Removing that paper is difficult. I’ve found that heating it with a hair dryer loosens the glue for easy removal. I use a plastic scrapper. Don’t burn your fingers.
Thanks for the tip!
Hi Cy! Great video! I'm going to make one of these for my Bosch Colt. I have the plexiglas and knobs. It looks like it's a good 2-3 hour projects. I'm sure this will help with "free-handing" cuts with the router - safer too! Love your vid's - Keep 'em coming! God Bless!
Awesome!!! Thanks for watching! :) Blessings to you too!!!
Hi Cy,
Want to second Dave's advise about tightening all 3 jaws (holes)on a chuck.
I sold more drill bits over the years as a result of bit spin caused by not getting the 3 jaws
tight - than as a result of them getting dull. All I had to do was look for all the bits
standing upside down in the index as they would no longer go in
right side up. (also the reason they no longer had a size you could read on the shank)
A lot of todays drill bits come with 3 flats on the shank end because with the
keyless chucks on most drill motors today it is almost imposable to keep the bit from spinning without the flats. I liken the drill motor / drill press chuck to that of the one on the lathe.
You would not just tighten one hole on a lathe and you should not do it on a keyed
drill press or any other with a 3 hole chuck.
Joe.
Joe.
Thanks Joe, I totally get this. When I read what Dave said it clicked in my mind how you put a wheel on a car. You tighten in a certain way and do all of them, makes sense! The wear on the drill bits you've seen makes sense! Thanks for writing!
Hi Cy, Just watched your video...very nice...I'm really proud of the job that you did and when I get any questions on a DIY base I'll mention your video and how you did just the right steps to get a nice base..
Just a couple of things for your info...and anyone wanting to try do do what you did...
You mentioned plexiglass a couple of times...but you were using acrylic.
Plexiglass is a Polycarbonate and is break resistant. (Very tough stuff) but more difficult to work with and more expensive. (and not quite as clear as acrylic).
For someone wanting to do it yourself...the best acrylic is "cast" acrylic...not extruded acrylic. The extruded is much too brittle...and breaks easily.
The speed of your drill press was way too slow for drilling and countersinking acrylic. it looked like your spindle speed was around 1000 RPM (around 2500 to 3500 RPM is much better for acrylic)...and 4000 RPM or a little faster for wood..
The spindle speed was fine for the center hole that you cut with the forstner bit.
The chuck on your drill press is a 3 jaw chuck and when you put in any tool and tighten it with a chuck wrench you should always tighten slowly using all three holes in succession...not just one hole...unless you tighten all three jaws equally...your tool is not really centered.
The same rule applies to all 3 jaw chucks. (even on hand electric drill motors)
Enough rambling...just wanted to let you know that I appreciate your mentioning our channel and our website,
Dave
Hey Dave thanks. I did look up acrylic and plexiglass and read that plexiglass is just a brand name but that they are one in the same.??? I also read about the cast and extruded and those differences. I wrote the company to ask what the piece is that my husband has had for so long, it is called crystaplex. I couldn't find any info on cystaplex itself so I wrote the new company that bought the old company that carried crystaplex. All of the old company information is on the paper covering it so I am curious to see what they have to say. As for the drill, it makes sense with the drill chuck on how you said I should be tightening it. I know nothing about speeds though, so I suppose I need to learn about that but I was able to drill through it at least. I am enjoying making the signs and it has been better with the router base :) Hope some folks order some from you if they don't want to venture making their own. Many blessings, Cy
Be careful, Dave. Your machinist is showing.
Yeah...I know...I spent so many years as a foreman in different machine shops training new apprentice machinist that I somehow still feel the need to try to instruct. But it still feels good to pass along some of the "stuff" that someone taught me. I'm nearly 85 now so I don't know how long I've got to continue to share...but as long as I can...I will.
I could always use wisdom from the experienced! I wanted to tell you your technique for sign making is so awesome. Thanks for teaching people and being willing to share how to make them. I read the story about when you started and how Eric was young. It was neat to read the history and see where it took you. Many thanks and may God continue to bless you :)
A machinist would know that it's called a "chuck key"!!
Thanks Cy I am going to get one of those that is a really great idea for my trim router
Awesome Jerry!!! It really helps :)
What a sweet heart! Don't worry I'm not hitting on you. LOL Just wanted to tell you that you do a terrific job of explaining and I love all the products I've seen of yours, especially the Biblical references. They're really on point. I'm a retired old shop teacher and I about whether it is worth it or not financially to make items and then post them to Esty? How do they charge and are they good about sending on the money you make by selling your items?
Hello and thank you :) I just recently re-opened my Etsy store. They charge 20 cents per item per month that you have up for sale. The set up is really great and the money I get from sales goes directly into my account or whatever payment method I have set up. It has worked well for me with no hiccups. I've stopped selling large and heavy items since those things are expensive to ship, but the small stuff works well. I haven't sold a lot with it but for 20 cents a month its worth trying to me! Hope that helps!
@@CysCorner Yes thank you, I sure hope you are doing great because you really do a great job teaching. Do you have an idea how to set up for shipping and how that works? I always thought that shipping would be way to expensive and that somehow it would be up to the buyers to pay up front for it.
Very good instructions
Thank you :)
very cool jig
Thanks David!!!
great project cy
Thanks June!!!
Great Cy! Thanks for sharing! Later, Murph
You're welcome Murph :)
Nice jig Cy! Thanks for sharing the video with us' Tip you can use WD-40 to help get the paper off the plastic works good for sticky stuff just spray it on and let it soak in for a bit then it will come right off.😎👍JP
Wow! WD-40? I will try it!!!
😎
Great diy!
Thanks Elizabeth!!!
Great video!
Thank you!
IF you ever want to make clear adapter plates like this one, the BEST material for them is LEXAN. lexan is about 30 times stronger than plexiglass. That's like bullet proof. It won't break when your drilling it. It can melt if you try to cut it with a fast, dull saw blade though. Maybe the same could happen if you use a very high speed drill.
Awesome! I've googles lexan and where it may be available around me! Thanks!!!
Most Lowes have it in the same "stall" where they sell glass and plexiglas. Unfortunately, it's not cheap but then isn't that always the deal when you buy something that's bullet proof lol. You'll even find it doesn't scratch up as fast as plexiglas.
You can back off you drill bits on the grinder ... that way they drill bit scrapes not cuts the acylic...and a lot less chance of cracking... If doing with standard drill bits you have to go very slowly...
You can buy acrylic drill bits... but easy enough to make your own
Also taking paper off use a heat gun or hair dryer... and it helps release the glue.
Being a plastic fabricator I do this all the time at work lol
Thanks! Not sure I understand the grinder drill bit part though.... :)
it is all about the angle of the cut on the drill bit... if it cuts to sharply higher chance it will crack... i know pretty hard to explain... ;-)
Ah, I see thanks :D
To take off that paper or ANY labels/price tags etc..... Get some "GooGone" . Lowes carries it and lots of other places. Look in the paint department. Works great and doesn't ruin the thing your taking gunk off of unless you get real aggressive. I suppose it can even take off paint if you try hard enough.
Thanks! Good to know!!!
thanks to the rhodens, father & son for being the first to make these base plates.
Yes! They are an awesome family!!! @Dave Rhoten @Eric Rhoten @Vicki Rhoten
Not sure why Plexi is so expensive, it used to be pretty reasonable years ago.
I have a trim router from Homier Tools...Cost like $10, been using it for about a decade....Love that Little Cheapy!
BTW my largest drill press sounds exactly like yours....Kind of an annoying sound.
So funny I hadn't noticed the sound of the drill press, but the sound of the air compressor, ugh-ola!!! I noticed the thin stuff is pretty cheap but the thicker it gets the higher the price, makes sense I suppose, but that much, whoa. And my little cheap router is working just fine too! Yay for cheap routers!!!
Regulations and taxes would be my guess for the price jump. Price of Diesel for shipping 4x8 sheets. Most online places I've found are very reasonable in their prices, but shipping is equal or greater than the price of the plexiglass.
Great job, Cy. I've been using a Harbor Freight trim router for small jobs for over twenty years. It's still going. Hey, be a good steward, right??
Soooooo cool that it has lasted that long!!! Yes! A good steward even in the small things like routers! way to go! I have hopes for mine!!!
Do you have alot of problems with saw being trapped between the two pieces of acrylic and the back of it being closed.
I really dont have a problem at all with this one, however I did make another one with a thicker piece of acrylic (1/2 inch thick) and it seems to trap a lot of the sawdust shavings. So dont use thick acrylic!!!!
Way to go cy
Thanks John John!
I go to a local glass store and they have a scrap bin I got a piece quarter inch 8"×24" for $7.00 use lexan it's better than plexiglass
Someone else mentioned that too, thank you so much.
Where did you find those countersink drills. I have the angled ones but not the flat bottom ones.
Not sure where Husband got them, I just asked him and he is not sure either. So sorry!!!!
You can also drill about halfway through with a small (5/16 ish) forstner bit before drilling the through-hole.
nice video, but where did you get the electric ear warmers?
Heee heeeeeeeee!!!!
Some people get so grumpy when you mention Harbor Freight, If it works for you, use it guilt free!
Ya! :)
Best thing with the HF trim routers is they are cheaper than the bits! If you use the coupons, you can usually have a bit dedicated to each router so you don't have to waste time changing bits when carving a project.
Ooooh, I like that idea, but thats a lot of routers!!!!
I had 2 of the HF, ($19 a piece), a Hormier that I got for about $12. Had a V bit in one, a straight bit in another, and a roundover in the last.
OOoh, 3 of them !!!! Super great idea!!!
et si en plus, vous aimez les chiens !!!
Je fais :)
Hi what is the dimensions of your base plate that you made? I am looking to make my own as well for my harbor freight router. Thanks!
@Azballa7 I will write again after I have those dimensions for you!
@@CysCorner Thank you! And happy sign making.
@Azballa7 Just measured, it is 8 x 4 inches. :)
@@CysCorner thank you! I just ordered a 8"x12" 3/8" piece of acrylic. Hope to make my own base plate for my harbor freight router!
@Azballa7 Fantastic! Be careful drilling the holes, I cracked one on the first try.
Cy AMP make a tool called a AMP SUPER CHAMP STRIPPER CRIMPER SCREW CUTTER ELECTRICAL HAND TOOL which cuts of screws neat and clean. I ordered one for you on Ebay I will forward it to you as soon as I get it. I use mine for years It is a wonderful tool.
Thanks Gerald, that is super cool of you!!!
Where did you get the clear fixed base?
I made it in the video :)
@@CysCorner No nor the base you make here the clear fixed base that you attach the one you made :)
@@karendepierre5779 Ah, okay. It came with my little router already attached to it. :)
@@CysCorner I been trying to find one. what kind of router you have? maybe i'll just have to buy another 1 lol
@@karendepierre5779 Hmmm. Well, the router is a Drill Master from Harbor Freight. They are inexpensive (they go on super sale for $19.99 often) People tell me to get a better router but I've been enjoying this little cheapy. I have more than one and I just burned up the motor in one of them for the first time. Here is a link for it at Harbor Freight. www.harborfreight.com/14-in-24-Amp-Trim-Router-62659.html
dont use acrylic use polycarbonate simples.