Thread: Router Cutter Depth

My first thought is that it couldn't be at full depth but I'll take your word for it. Setting bits half way up the collet is a recipe for disater. i've done it a small amount when necessary but it isn't recommended. If the bottom plate of your router is touching the mounting plate, then the depth of cut can't be effected by the table. It has to be in the router. :confused:

She's definately at full depth, I just took it out and checked, the body of the router is hard up against its base plate, the base of the cutter is flush with the face of the router base.. Its the router plate etc on the router table that is costing the 12mm..! Anyone else with a Makita notice the same thing..? :confused:

When the Triton router is at full depth, so that you can change bits, the whole shaft including the tightening nut comes up well past the level of the table. I haven't seen a Makita in a Triton table it but it sounds like it just isn't compatible with the setup. I doubt you could do much about it unless you want to buy a triton router and leave the Makita as a hand held.

Thanks Gumby...


Seems I'm stuck with prob.. Not a great deal of folding stuff left after buying the table and workcentre..

I'll spend a bit of time getting myself aquanted with the gear and then perhaps SWMBO might let me spend again....!

Thanks again anyway...

That's Ok mate, just don't go lifting that cutter up very far. I'd hate to see it fly out or break off. You wouldn't want to be standing in the way.

i know what you mean buy waiting for permission and also justifying the price. I bought one of those $199 GMC powered router tables at first because I thought $800 for a table and router was excessive. It lasted about 5 minutes and I took it back (broken) to bunnies and got a refund. Piece of junk it is. Anyway, I took the credit card down and bought the whole triton setup including the router and haven't looked back since.
The Makita however is a good router so i can understand where you are coming from. There was a thread in here somewhere about a router extension collet or something. maybe that will help solve the problem but i don't think it was cheap. Try a search and see what you turn up.
regards,
G (of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire' fame)

Hmmm.. The extensions do seem pricey, and it seems a contentious issue as to there saftey..!


I think i'll go with the first thought, practice hard and then justify the expense to the cheif cook and bottle washer...

Mike..

Which model Makita is it? I'm using the 3612 in my RTA300 and I get full blade height. Check that your depth stops aren't in the way, I think I removed or unscrewed the shortest stop so the motor goes right down to the base.
Only problem I had with height was with short shaft 1/4" bits, probably missing a tiny amount of their blade when fully raised, chuck them and stick to 1/2" anyway.

Something is wrong. I had a Makky 3612 in a Triton router table for years and had more than enough height. I did remove the index stop thingy on the Makita for some reason but I don't think it was for the table. I think you have some investigation to do.

Cheers

Ditto both of the above. Which Makita router do you have?

Originally Posted by silentC

Ditto both of the above. Which Makita router do you have?

Hmmm.. I'll check when I get home tonite and post the Model Number...

Thanks Guys.. But I do know the body of the router is hard up against its base plate.. and as a handheld, would give me full depth cutting....

Stand by for Model Number.....

I just checked the Makita Website, and looking at that, mine is the 3620, which only gives 35mm Plunge Depth, as opposed to the 65mm depth of your 3612's.. Which could give reason to why I've lost 12mm..?

Originally Posted by MikeL

I just checked the Makita Website, and looking at that, mine is the 3620, which only gives 35mm Plunge Depth, as opposed to the 65mm depth of your 3612's.. Which could give reason to why I've lost 12mm..?

seems like an ebay sale might be a good move. Then get a nice orange baby

Yeppers.. Does seem like I'll be paying the ebay site a visit, (Actually SWMBO did mention that last nite, so I think I'm half way home to a new orange router..!! Woohooo..)

My router also has that problem and I think a lot of routers will. If your router will only plunge till the face of the collet is level with the base plater then when you stick it into a table you will lose the depth of the table and any mounting plate in cutter depth.

I have a B&D 1/4" router and to beat the table, I have removed the plunge springs, removed the depth stop turret, removed the plastic plate on the base and removed the dust extractor port. I can now get my collet face almost to the table deck. The router now needs 10 minutes of work before I can use it in hand held mode which is why I am after another router for dedicated table use.

I am far from an expert but I have heard that 1/2" shanked bits have longer shanks and that some brands actually have longer shanks than others.

Hope that helps,

Jon