Buying task · Insert plates
Router table insert plates: outline, thickness, hole pattern and rings
Match a router table insert plate to your opening's outline and thickness, your router's base hole pattern, the ring system and how your table supports it.
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Picks that fit
- Kreg PRS4036 Precision Router Table Insert Plate, predrilled for Porter-Cable and BoschCheck price on Amazon
- Kreg PRS4038 Precision Router Table Insert Plate, undrilledCheck price on Amazon
- Woodpeckers AITRITON cast aluminum router mounting plate for TritonCheck price on Amazon
Short answer
Buy the plate your table opening was cut for, then the hole pattern for your router. Match the outline, thickness and corner radius first, because INCRA says there is no industry-standard opening; then choose a plate whose maker lists your router base, or a blank plate you drill to the maker's instructions.
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
What an insert plate does
An insert plate carries the router under the table. The plate sits in an opening in the top, the router base screws to its underside, and an insert ring in the center sets the size of the bit hole. It is simpler than a lift: you raise and lower the bit with the router's own adjuster. The lift vs plate guide compares the two.
The decisions, in order
1. The outline, with no standard to lean on. INCRA says its plates measure 9-1/4 x 11-3/4 in outside and 3/8 in thick, and that there is no industry-standard opening size.[1] A nominal 9-1/4 x 11-3/4 in outline converts to 234.95 x 298.45 mm; that is arithmetic, not a fit allowance.[2] See plate sizes: 9-1/4 vs 8-1/4 in.
2. Thickness and corner radius. Woodpeckers lists its cast aluminum AI890 plate at 9-1/4 x 11-3/4 x 3/8 in,[3] and POWERTEC lists its stamped aluminum 71850 plate at the same outline and 3/8 in thick.[4] Corners vary: Kreg's instructions show 3/4 in radius corners for Kreg's own opening,[5] which is Kreg's outline, not a standard. JessEm's Rout-R-Plate is solid phenolic with a 9-1/4 x 11-3/4 in outline, and JessEm states no thickness or radius for it.[6] The materials guide compares aluminum and phenolic plates.
3. Your router's base pattern. Kreg's PRS4036 is predrilled for the Bosch 1617 and Porter-Cable 690 and 890 series,[5] and its PRS4034 for the Triton TRA001 and MOF001.[5] Kreg's undrilled PRS4038 has molded center points for two patterns;[5] Pattern 2 covers the Milwaukee 5625-20, the Porter-Cable 7518, 7519, 7538 and 7539, and the Triton TRA001 and MOF001.[5] INCRA's chart lists its MLP690890-AL plate for routers including the Bosch 1617/1618, DeWalt DW618 and Porter-Cable 690 and 890 series,[7] and says its undrilled plate suits unlisted routers whose fasteners sit fully outside a 2-1/16 in (53 mm) radius from the collet centerline.[7] See router base hole patterns and predrilled vs blank plates.
4. The ring system. Woodpeckers' plate comes with three Twist Lock rings with 1, 1-3/16 and 2-5/8 in openings;[3] Kreg's plates come with three Level-Loc rings.[5] Rings from one system do not go in another maker's plate unless that maker says so. See the ring systems guide.
5. Support: a ledge or levelers. Kreg describes two ways to mount its plate: in a rabbeted opening, or in a straight-sided opening with its separately sold levelers.[5] Kreg's PRS3040 levelers attach under the top, so the plate needs no supporting rabbet.[8] See plate levelers and support.
6. Above-table access. Woodpeckers notes that its AI890 pattern for the Milwaukee 5615 and 5616-20 has no above-the-table adjustment tool hole.[3] If you adjust height from above, check for that hole: see above-table height adjustment.
How to choose
Open your router's page in the router finder to see which plates list it, and your table's page in the table finder for its opening. Then pick the plate drilled for your base.
Picks that fit4 products
Porter-Cable 690/890 or Bosch 1617: Kreg PRS4036, the predrilled version. A router on Kreg's Pattern 1 or Pattern 2 list, such as the Porter-Cable 7518: Kreg PRS4038, the undrilled version, drilled to Kreg's instructions.
More on choosing
Triton TRA001: Woodpeckers' plate in the Triton (AITRITON) drilling. O'SKOOL RTS02A: the style with the Bosch 1617/1618 handle hole; O'SKOOL names router makes rather than models, so confirm your base with O'SKOOL first. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
Predrilled for Porter-Cable 690/890 and Bosch 1617
Kreg PRS4036 Precision Router Table Insert Plate, predrilled for Porter-Cable and Bosch
Undrilled, with two marked patterns
Drilled for Triton routers
Woodpeckers AITRITON cast aluminum router mounting plate for Triton
O'SKOOL RTS02A aluminum router table insert plate
Every page on insert plates
Guides
- Router table plate sizes: 9-1/4 x 11-3/4 vs 8-1/4 x 11-3/4 in
- Router base hole patterns: which predrilled plate lists your router
- Predrilled vs blank insert plates
- Aluminum vs phenolic insert plates: what makers state
- Plate levelers, ledges and snugger screws
- Above-table height adjustment: plate access holes and collars
- Router lift vs insert plate
- Insert ring systems: Twist Lock, Tab-Lock, Level-Loc and MagnaLOCK
- Measure your router table and router before buying parts
Tools
- Router finder: lifts and plates whose makers list your router
- Router table finder: plate opening, rings and miter slot
Your router
- Porter-Cable 690 and 890, Porter-Cable 7518, Porter-Cable 7529 and 8529
- Bosch 1617 and 1618, DeWalt 610, 616 and 618
- Milwaukee 5615, 5616 and 5619, Milwaukee 5625-20
- Makita RF1101, Hitachi M12VC and KM12VC, Ridgid R29302
- Triton TRA001, Triton TFBR001 motor
Your table's plate support
- Kreg PRS1025 top, JessEm Mast-R-Top, INCRA router tables, Rockler and Bench Dog 8-1/4 in tables
- Bosch RA1181, Bosch RA1171, SawStop router tables
Key terms
Plate outline, plate thickness, corner radius, table opening, blank plate, predrilled plate, base hole pattern, router sub-base, collet centerline, plate leveler and leveling screw.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- Above-table height adjustment: plate access holes and collarsHelps you find out whether your router and plate allow bit-height changes from above the table.
- Aluminum vs phenolic insert plates: what makers stateHelps you weigh plate material against fit, using only what makers state.
- Predrilled vs blank insert platesHelps you choose between a predrilled and a blank insert plate for your router.
- Router base hole patterns: which predrilled plate lists your routerHelps you find the predrilled plate each maker lists for your exact router base.
- Plate levelers, ledges and snugger screwsHelps you work out how your plate or lift will sit flush in your table, and what hardware you need.
- Router table plate sizes: 9-1/4 x 11-3/4 vs 8-1/4 x 11-3/4 inHelps you match a plate or lift to the opening your table maker states before you buy.
Shortlists
- Insert plates with a published outline and router patternNarrows insert plates to ones whose makers name the router bases they are drilled for, so the plate you order matches your router.
Common questions
Can I adjust my router's height from above the table?
If your router has a reachable height adjuster and your plate has an access hole for it. INCRA's chart notes the hole may need to be drilled for several routers, including the Bosch 1617/1618. More in Above-table height adjustment: plate access holes and collars
Why does my plate have no hole for the adjustment wrench?
Some patterns are made without one. Woodpeckers says its AI890 has no above-the-table tool hole for the Milwaukee 5615 and 5616-20, and INCRA says access may need to be drilled for several routers. More in Above-table height adjustment: plate access holes and collars
Do I need a lift for above-table adjustment?
Not always. Bosch says the plates on its RA1171 and RA1181 tables support above-table adjustment, and Triton's TRA001 has a table winder. A lift is the route when your router has no reachable adjuster. More in Above-table height adjustment: plate access holes and collars
Is aluminum better than phenolic for a router plate?
No source we found measures one against the other. Makers state material, outline and thickness; Woodpeckers' 'less prone to warp or flex' is its own claim. Choose on fit first. More in Aluminum vs phenolic insert plates: what makers state
Do plates sag?
Any plate can deflect under a router, but no maker in our sources publishes a deflection figure and we found no independent measurement. How the plate is supported matters too. More in Aluminum vs phenolic insert plates: what makers state
What thickness should a plate be?
The thickness your table opening is cut for. INCRA, Woodpeckers, Kreg, POWERTEC and SpeTool state 3/8 in, and JessEm's Mast-R-Top is cut for a 3/8 in plate. More in Aluminum vs phenolic insert plates: what makers state
Should I buy a predrilled or blank plate?
Predrilled, if the plate maker lists your router. A blank plate is for routers no predrilled plate lists, and you drill it following the maker's instructions. More in Predrilled vs blank insert plates
My router is not listed: can I use a blank plate?
Possibly. INCRA says its undrilled plate suits unlisted routers whose fasteners sit fully outside a 2-1/16 in (53 mm) radius from the collet centerline; that is INCRA's rule, so check with your plate maker. More in Predrilled vs blank insert plates
Questions
What size insert plate do I need?
The one your table's opening was cut for. INCRA says there is no industry-standard opening size, though many plates, such as Kreg's and Woodpeckers', are 9-1/4 x 11-3/4 x 3/8 in. Measure your current plate or opening, including thickness and corner radius, before you buy.[1][3]
Predrilled or blank?
Predrilled if the plate maker lists your exact router, blank if it does not. Kreg's PRS4036 is predrilled for the Bosch 1617 and Porter-Cable 690 and 890 series; its undrilled PRS4038 has molded center points for two patterns. Follow the plate maker's drilling instructions.[5]