(UPDATED) Shopmade OF1400 Extension Base..Look out Pat Warner

[lablover27]

OK, just kidding about Pat Warner.  I did some searching here and saw that the tippy nature of the OF1400 or any other router for that matter was issue.  PAt Warner does not what to tool up etc to make us Festoolians a base..Hmmm  After reading up on the issues here and the wants of users I think I came up with something.

Mind you, this is a prototype..I made it from 1/2 MDF which seems to work fine.  I also noted that Brice here metioned in the past ould be nice to use dust chute etc.

Here ya go...Feel free to add suggestions etc.  I knocked this out in about 20 min.  I also bought some 3/8 acrylic but have not cut on it yet.  As you can see from the pics, you can use all the goodies with it but the only issue I see is the depth of the Porter Cable guides dont hang down enough..They do hang down but only make partial contact with the workpiece.  This is because the 1/2...Not sure 3/8 would be strong enough?  I also plan on putting on a knob.

All the mounting holes line up real good unless I flip the guide over then not so much...Not sure why that happened?

I really dont see the need to do it in clear either.  I mean, the festool version is not see thru  

Scroll down the thread to see Acrylic version 2

Be kind  

 

[lablover27]

YIKEs

Let me resize those

 

[sl_1800]

Looks good to me, now if I only had a 1400 router.  [sad]

 

[lablover27]

OK..got to thinkin at dinner and decided to do the Acrylic version..WOW, real easy

I think is awesome...You tell me

Now takin orders...hehehehehehehhe

 

[Bob Marino]

Joe,

What's to knock? Incredible job. "Look out Pat Warner" is not an unrealistic title.

Bob
 

 

[sl_1800]

Fantastic

 

[john ferri]

Great job.  Where did you get the 3/8 acrylic and how did you machine is so cleanly (what speed on the router).

JF

 

[lablover27]

Got the plastic at woodcraft, a bit pricy but worth it for this.  Being I wanted to make this a different size, I had no template so I did not use a router to machine it.  All Drill press and band saw..Lot's of sanding on the edge but my vertical belt sander helped with that.  Now that I have this I can use it to make myself a template out of something else so I can use router to machine others if need be.

I can say that the Acrylic is kind of a pain to work with.  When drilling, you have to secure the workpiece very good because when the drill bit goes to go thru it wants to catch the bit.  And I can tell you right now you ain't gonna hold it still by hand    I used the slowest speed on the drill press  250 rpm and worked like a charm, just have fresh scrap under the hole for "EVERY HOLE". 

GEttin those holes lined up was my biggest fear, but it's pretty simple.  And, you can not flip the base either..The hole pattern wont allow it.  So, what this means is it goes on one way and one way only.

I have to say I'm pretty happy with it.  3/8 seems more than enough.  I don't think i would want to drop it attached to the router or anything.  I used it without the knob and worked like it was supposed to.

 

[Daviddubya]

Nice job.  Does the added thickness of the base cause any issues when used with Porter Cable bushings and accompanying router bits?  I suspect the reason that Pat Warner shies away from it is the setup cost to accurately center and machine the bushing hole vs. market size.  Looks like you have a way to get around those costs.

 

[lablover27]

Bushings seem to work great.....SO FAR    I have not found any issues yet.

 

[Jerry White]

Great innovation, lablover27.

Did the added thickness of the base require you to find replacement screws to attach to the router?  If so where did you find them?  I have been looking for some longer M4 x 8 flatheads to use with a thicker pad.  Haven't had much luck locally.

 

[sw1211]

Great innovation, lablover27.

Did the added thickness of the base require you to find replacement screws to attach to the router?  If so where did you find them?  I have been looking for some longer M4 x 8 flatheads to use with a thicker pad.  Haven't had much luck locally.

McMaster Carr should have whatever you need.

 

[lablover27]

Great innovation, lablover27.

Did the added thickness of the base require you to find replacement screws to attach to the router?  If so where did you find them?  I have been looking for some longer M4 x 8 flatheads to use with a thicker pad.  Haven't had much luck locally.

Jerry, found the longer screws at lowes.  I was shocked

 

[Jerry White]

Thanks for leads, guys.  I've struck out so many times at Lowes that I probably did not try them.  McMaster-Carr is always good.

Jerry

 

[Jimhart]

Very nice. I made a similar base for a PC690 a few years ago. Started with 1/2" Baltic Birch to make a template just the way I wanted it. Then drew the outline on 3/8" acrylic and cut about 1/8" from the line with a bandsaw. Attached the acrylic to the baltic birch template with double-sided tape. flush trimmed on the router table and it was perfect and repeatable.

Used the template to guide a center punch to mark the holes on the acrylic. Then used an acrylic drill bit so it wouldn't grab. 

 

[lablover27]

Good tip on the Bit

Now that I'm done......hehehehehehehe 

Good tip to keep upstairs in the brain till next time

Thanks a million

 

[tbellemare]

Jerry:

There's a place called Alloy and Stainless Fasteners on the northwest side of Houston that is probably the closest to you (if you're in Katy). There's also a place called Bolts and Nuts Plus just south of the Beltway near the airport.

Tom

 

[Jerry White]

Thanks, Tom.  Its good to know about those places.

 

[woody]

well here's my base that i made about a year and a half ago.  I got deployed, so i was'nt able to post it sooner.  the base takes benchdog insert plates and the inserts from kreg (they have one that takes a collar).  The chip deflector is attached by magnets that are in the base.  As you can see by the picture, I use the bigger deflector, The one on the left is the one that comes with the router (huge diffrence in performance!)  I made a channel in the base so that I could hook the vac to the base instead of the router (big diffrence in edge routing) then I plug the router collection port. the base is made from phenolic ( a blank benchdog plate) the whole thing took a few nights at work (still had to do my real job) but it was fun,  hope you like!

 

[John Stevens]

Good tip on the Bit

Yeah, McMaster Carr also sells drill bits for plastic, and they're not an arm and a leg.  OTOH, brad-point bits and spade bits also work fairly well, better than regular wood bits.

Very nice job on the base, by the way.

Regards,

John