Fitting a Router Base to a Router Table

Tips on tapping new holes for mounting a router onto a table when the existing holes don't line up. November 28, 2006

Question
I recently purchased a Dewalt router and discovered that the three tapped screw holes in its base do not line up correctly with the pre-drilled holes in the plastic inset of my router table. Thus I cannot attach the router to the underside of the table. What is the best way to fix this problem? Should I attempt to drill correctly spaced holes in the plastic inset or should I use the router's existing holes to attach a plastic sub-base and then drill holes in the plastic sub-base that match the ones in my router table?

Forum Responses
(Solid Wood Machining Forum)
From contributor P:
I would take off the plastic insert and put it face down and then set the router on top. Mark through the base holes onto the insert, then drill the holes in the insert. If you can't mark through the holes (if they don't go through the router base all the way), tape a piece of paper on the base of the router and make a template on the paper. Mark the hole location on the paper and then tape the paper onto the insert and mark the hole location and then drill.



From contributor P:
Better yet, locate one hole and drill it, then screw the router to the insert with the insert and router out of the table. Mark the other hole, then drill that and put a screw through it. Then mark the last one and drill. This lessens the errors that can happen when marking for the holes. I would not try using the router as its own template and drill right though that into the insert, as you probably would mess up the threads in your router.


From contributor C:
We (Wood Tech Tooling) also ran into this problem with fitting different routers to a CMT router table we offered. After a little persuasion, CMT came up with a solution; their Universal Router Base. It is part number CMT#300-SB2 and sells for $39.00.